Most Useful Pre-Med Major

[Anonymous]

🙄 Yet again we have another thread with dummies insisting that majoring in humanities is totally a great way to get into medical school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:molecular/cell biology major + history of art minor at an ivy ~20 years ago

medical school interviewers loved my humanities interest

radiology interviewers thought H o A was a prefect segue into their (and now my) specialty

the truth (for me at least): biology made medical school so much easier while H o A made me a much more rounded, interesting person.

Doesn't necessarily require a formal major/minor though. My dd was a straight science major/minor, about as stereotypical you could probably get (biology major, public health minor) but a voracious reader. She had nothing "formal" related to reading on her med school applications (i.e., no major/minor in English, no being a reading tutor, etc.) but talked at length about her interest in reading on her apps and when interviewing.

The mistake is equating formal study of something as a requisite to "well-roundedness".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

Hopkins medical school tuition is $62,000 per year. I don’t know where this poster got their numbers.

I think PP meant $200K.

Well, my kid is M3 (2.5 years) and we have spent more than 200k already (230 or so at this point). We expect to spend 350k by the time kid graduates. Public instate med school.

May I ask how much you budget for annual living expenses including things like rent, food, transportation, exam prep and residency applications?

For M3, COA shows about 85k - about 50k for tuition and additional 35k for all other stuff combined. In our case, other than 50k, we are paying 25-30k (1000 per month rent, 1000 per month CC (food/gas...etc.) so the total comes out to be around 80k. Does not include other expenses like computer, a new car (to do rotations)...etc. it IS expensive

NEW car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

This is a top 10 of 2023 dumb post. Medical school is way more than stated. Anyone really thinking of medical school has no interest in pharmacy or vet school or actuarial sciences. Medical school is not about the money. People go in knowing the money and it is nice but it is a calling. Money is great and maybe would not do it for free but that is not the motivation. It is not just another job that you can compare to another. Yes you do want to live but not sure how medical school and training impacts that. Sure it takes time -- you also have the rest of your life.

Drs are jerks and are in it for the money
I know 1 person who dropped out of medical school because he said he doesn’t like being around sick people and is terrible with the human connection that the job requires.
His classmates were in it for the money
Look up on some discussions on Reddit

[Anonymous]

For top students aiming for top medical schools, best major are ones giving them most interest, ability and passion to learn, grow and perform. Its going to reflect in your grades, essays and interviews.

For average students with no passion and hope to make it to some med school, obvious majors at local schools giving high GPA is fine.

[Anonymous]

What helps to get in -- others can decide. What would be best for future doctors? Business or marketing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

I think maybe you missed the question?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend did nursing as an undergraduate and applied to med school after. She is a great doctor now and is beloved by her staff.

The nursing major doesn’t include the higher level sciences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

Hopkins medical school tuition is $62,000 per year. I don’t know where this poster got their numbers.

I think PP meant $200K.

Well, my kid is M3 (2.5 years) and we have spent more than 200k already (230 or so at this point). We expect to spend 350k by the time kid graduates. Public instate med school.

May I ask how much you budget for annual living expenses including things like rent, food, transportation, exam prep and residency applications?

For M3, COA shows about 85k - about 50k for tuition and additional 35k for all other stuff combined. In our case, other than 50k, we are paying 25-30k (1000 per month rent, 1000 per month CC (food/gas...etc.) so the total comes out to be around 80k. Does not include other expenses like computer, a new car (to do rotations)...etc. it IS expensive

NEW car?

Yeah I know but it was absolutely needed it. Hospitals were all over the places and it was between Uber rides for two remaining years or getting a car. Ended up with a Honda civic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I majored in English and went to a top 20 med school.

What year?
Med school admissions are very different now.

NP - it’s not that hard to believe. My daughter is an English major and a current senior and accepted to med school w/o a gap year.

I would guess she’s an English major who took all the science pre-reqs then? Leaving that part out is missing a big part.

DP. I mean, it's not really "missing a big part" given that her DD is accepted to med school. It's given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

This is a top 10 of 2023 dumb post. Medical school is way more than stated. Anyone really thinking of medical school has no interest in pharmacy or vet school or actuarial sciences. Medical school is not about the money. People go in knowing the money and it is nice but it is a calling. Money is great and maybe would not do it for free but that is not the motivation. It is not just another job that you can compare to another. Yes you do want to live but not sure how medical school and training impacts that. Sure it takes time -- you also have the rest of your life.

Drs are jerks and are in it for the money
I know 1 person who dropped out of medical school because he said he doesn’t like being around sick people and is terrible with the human connection that the job requires.
His classmates were in it for the money
Look up on some discussions on Reddit

I call BS. I work with med students. These folks don't drop out. They match in radiology or pathology or go into research. They don't drop out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend did nursing as an undergraduate and applied to med school after. She is a great doctor now and is beloved by her staff.

The nursing major doesn’t include the higher level sciences.

I majored in nursing and went to medical school as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

Hopkins medical school tuition is $62,000 per year. I don’t know where this poster got their numbers.

I think PP meant $200K.

Well, my kid is M3 (2.5 years) and we have spent more than 200k already (230 or so at this point). We expect to spend 350k by the time kid graduates. Public instate med school.

May I ask how much you budget for annual living expenses including things like rent, food, transportation, exam prep and residency applications?

For M3, COA shows about 85k - about 50k for tuition and additional 35k for all other stuff combined. In our case, other than 50k, we are paying 25-30k (1000 per month rent, 1000 per month CC (food/gas...etc.) so the total comes out to be around 80k. Does not include other expenses like computer, a new car (to do rotations)...etc. it IS expensive

Thank you for sharing this. We are trying to figure out how much living expenses will run and this helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I majored in English and went to a top 20 med school.

What year?
Med school admissions are very different now.

Admitted in 2018 so pretty recent. I also helped to interview applicants and what you major in doesn’t matter. In a way, a non science major makes you more interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much money do you have?
Med school (John Hopkins) is $20k
There are other ways to make money. Do it if you really want to. Explore other options like pharmacy or veterinary school.
I bet that you can make the same amount of money in other professions too. Do not do it if you are only interested in money.
There is actuarial sciences that might interest you.

If this is still what you want, but do not have a rich daddy, then get a secondary certification that would allow you to maintain a nicer pay part time job, like hair dresser or pharmacy technician. To become a dr is about 10 years of study. You do want to live as well

This is a top 10 of 2023 dumb post. Medical school is way more than stated. Anyone really thinking of medical school has no interest in pharmacy or vet school or actuarial sciences. Medical school is not about the money. People go in knowing the money and it is nice but it is a calling. Money is great and maybe would not do it for free but that is not the motivation. It is not just another job that you can compare to another. Yes you do want to live but not sure how medical school and training impacts that. Sure it takes time -- you also have the rest of your life.

Drs are jerks and are in it for the money
I know 1 person who dropped out of medical school because he said he doesn’t like being around sick people and is terrible with the human connection that the job requires.
His classmates were in it for the money
Look up on some discussions on Reddit

Very stupid to be "in it for the money" because the lifestyle sucks.

When you consider the delay in earnings (don't start making real money until mid 30s) and the hours, the money actually isn't all that great.