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Sarah
Student
Peachtree City, Georgia
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Do you recommend to take stem in Highschool to be a pediatrician?
Hi I’m in 9th grade and I’m wondering if stem would be helpful to become a pediatrician.
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3 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1778
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Good to here from you again Sarah, while very few colleges have a specific pre-med major, pre-meds often gravitate to top-tier schools to study topics like Biology, Biochemistry, Neurobiology, and Physical sciences. As a future pediatrician you should be taking classes not only to make yourself competitive on your college applicants but also to help you later in your career.
⚗️ SCIENCE • SCIENCE • SCIENCE
Taking higher-level science classes is so important when preparing to apply as a pre-med. I recommend AP biology, AP chemistry, and AP physics. And honestly, there is never enough science. If your school has science electives, take those as well. More the better.
Ⓜ️ MATH • MATH • MATH
I also recommend taking a high-level Calculus class. This could be AP, IB, BC, Honors, etc. Most med schools require advanced Calculus and Statistics when it comes to math. We know that’s a way down the line, but taking these classes in high school will help prepare you to take them in college and might even let you skip an intro course. If you can take AP Calc and AP Stat. You’ll thank me later when you don’t have to pull a math all-nighter freshman year because this is your first time looking at a Calc textbook.
🧬 SCIENCE ELECTIVES RECOMMENDED
Not every high school has science electives, but if your school offers Physiology, Anatomy, Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Nutrition, and/or Kinesiology, consider taking it. Physiology and Anatomy are particularly helpful for hopeful pediatrician.
🩺 MEDICAL EXPERIENCE RECOMMENDED
Ok, I'm not saying go out and learn how to do surgery, but there are some basic medical training classes that teens can sign up for. The big one is CPR certification. Getting CPR certified will help you learn about medical emergencies and procedures. Many high schools offer these certification classes, but if yours doesn’t check your local Community Centers and YMCAs. Girl scouts and boy scouts also often receive this training, so a local troop might be able to connect you with information. Having certifications like this are great on a resume and a good way to start learning about emergency medicine.
🏫 COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECOMMENDED
There are many ways to take a class that is not a high school class. This is especially helpful if your school doesn’t offer a ton of classes or elective choices. If your school is missing basic courses such as Calculus it is probably worth trying to take it at a local community college. Many high schools will even help you register and give you credit for community college classes.
📚 CONSIDER MEDICAL RESEARCH
Doing research is going to help you. There are a lot of ways of doing research including internships and summer research programs. If you are serious about studying as a pre-med student in college, having research experience will make you a more competitive candidate.
CONCLUSION
Taking the right classes in high school can be the jumpstart you need to get into your dream program. Every high school is a little different and not all schools will have the perfect set of classes, but with a little tenacity and some planning, you can set yourself up perfectly.
Sarah I hope this additional information will be helpful
⚗️ SCIENCE • SCIENCE • SCIENCE
Taking higher-level science classes is so important when preparing to apply as a pre-med. I recommend AP biology, AP chemistry, and AP physics. And honestly, there is never enough science. If your school has science electives, take those as well. More the better.
Ⓜ️ MATH • MATH • MATH
I also recommend taking a high-level Calculus class. This could be AP, IB, BC, Honors, etc. Most med schools require advanced Calculus and Statistics when it comes to math. We know that’s a way down the line, but taking these classes in high school will help prepare you to take them in college and might even let you skip an intro course. If you can take AP Calc and AP Stat. You’ll thank me later when you don’t have to pull a math all-nighter freshman year because this is your first time looking at a Calc textbook.
🧬 SCIENCE ELECTIVES RECOMMENDED
Not every high school has science electives, but if your school offers Physiology, Anatomy, Psychology, Early Childhood Development, Nutrition, and/or Kinesiology, consider taking it. Physiology and Anatomy are particularly helpful for hopeful pediatrician.
🩺 MEDICAL EXPERIENCE RECOMMENDED
Ok, I'm not saying go out and learn how to do surgery, but there are some basic medical training classes that teens can sign up for. The big one is CPR certification. Getting CPR certified will help you learn about medical emergencies and procedures. Many high schools offer these certification classes, but if yours doesn’t check your local Community Centers and YMCAs. Girl scouts and boy scouts also often receive this training, so a local troop might be able to connect you with information. Having certifications like this are great on a resume and a good way to start learning about emergency medicine.
🏫 COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECOMMENDED
There are many ways to take a class that is not a high school class. This is especially helpful if your school doesn’t offer a ton of classes or elective choices. If your school is missing basic courses such as Calculus it is probably worth trying to take it at a local community college. Many high schools will even help you register and give you credit for community college classes.
📚 CONSIDER MEDICAL RESEARCH
Doing research is going to help you. There are a lot of ways of doing research including internships and summer research programs. If you are serious about studying as a pre-med student in college, having research experience will make you a more competitive candidate.
CONCLUSION
Taking the right classes in high school can be the jumpstart you need to get into your dream program. Every high school is a little different and not all schools will have the perfect set of classes, but with a little tenacity and some planning, you can set yourself up perfectly.
Sarah I hope this additional information will be helpful
Thank You Michelle. I help people as a work on myself, and I work on myself to help people.
Doc Frick
Rafael Diaz Montelongo
Consultant
265
Answers
Raleigh, North Carolina
Updated
Rafael’s Answer
Hi Sarah,
It's fantastic that you're planning for a career as a pediatrician! Taking STEM courses in high school is a smart move, as they provide a strong foundation in crucial subjects like biology and chemistry, which are essential for both college and medical school. I noticed some of my classmates back in High School took STEM-related courses in their senior year, and some of them went on to med school. These courses also help develop problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills—key qualities for success in medicine. While focusing on STEM is important, remember to stay well-rounded by engaging in activities that enhance your communication and teamwork abilities. This balance will support your growth as you pursue your medical career.
Good luck with your studies!
It's fantastic that you're planning for a career as a pediatrician! Taking STEM courses in high school is a smart move, as they provide a strong foundation in crucial subjects like biology and chemistry, which are essential for both college and medical school. I noticed some of my classmates back in High School took STEM-related courses in their senior year, and some of them went on to med school. These courses also help develop problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills—key qualities for success in medicine. While focusing on STEM is important, remember to stay well-rounded by engaging in activities that enhance your communication and teamwork abilities. This balance will support your growth as you pursue your medical career.
Good luck with your studies!
Karin P.
Lecturer, Student Advisor
460
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Sarah,
It's not a requirement to take science in high-school. It's not even a requirement to get a science undergrad degree. But since you need to take the MCAT to get into med school and you'll study lots of science in med school, it will make your life so much easier to take science now. Whatever you can learn now is something you don't have to catch up to later. And if you have the option of dual enrollment or similar you might even get some university credits out of the way.
I would recommend that you focus on science classes in high-school. Take biology, chemistry, physics and math. If you can take AP classes pick those. If your school has any psychology, anatomy or other health-related classes take those as well.
Other than science, take English and possibly Spanish. You'll be writing lots of reports and need to communicate with lots of people in the future. Anything that helps with that is a bonus.
As a pediatrician you need to be good with kids and good with medicine. For your extracurriculars, I would suggest that you look for medical as well as kid-related activities. Babysit, volunteer for a daycare or primary school, work as a camp counselor or as a tutor for younger kids.
Look for things that would amuse kids, break the ice and reduce stress. Can you take a clown course, learn juggling, recite Dr. Suess or play an instrument like flute or guitar?
You also need to get volunteer hours in medical settings. You can volunteer at a hospital, and look for some internships. See if you can get certified in CPR. Community Colleges also have fairly short certifications e.g. for phlebotomy. You'll need those hours for admission to med school to demonstrate your interest.
I hope this helps! All the best on your path!
KP
It's not a requirement to take science in high-school. It's not even a requirement to get a science undergrad degree. But since you need to take the MCAT to get into med school and you'll study lots of science in med school, it will make your life so much easier to take science now. Whatever you can learn now is something you don't have to catch up to later. And if you have the option of dual enrollment or similar you might even get some university credits out of the way.
I would recommend that you focus on science classes in high-school. Take biology, chemistry, physics and math. If you can take AP classes pick those. If your school has any psychology, anatomy or other health-related classes take those as well.
Other than science, take English and possibly Spanish. You'll be writing lots of reports and need to communicate with lots of people in the future. Anything that helps with that is a bonus.
As a pediatrician you need to be good with kids and good with medicine. For your extracurriculars, I would suggest that you look for medical as well as kid-related activities. Babysit, volunteer for a daycare or primary school, work as a camp counselor or as a tutor for younger kids.
Look for things that would amuse kids, break the ice and reduce stress. Can you take a clown course, learn juggling, recite Dr. Suess or play an instrument like flute or guitar?
You also need to get volunteer hours in medical settings. You can volunteer at a hospital, and look for some internships. See if you can get certified in CPR. Community Colleges also have fairly short certifications e.g. for phlebotomy. You'll need those hours for admission to med school to demonstrate your interest.
I hope this helps! All the best on your path!
KP