Chun
What program am I supposed to choose if I want to learn clinical medicine in university?
There are health science program and pure & applied science in college. Which one should I choose if I want to be a clinical doctor? #medicine #college-major #major #clinical
2 answers
Richard A.
Richard’s Answer
Pick a major that interests you so you don't mind devoting a majority of your hours to studying. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses. I chose to major in biochemistry because there was overlap with the premed requirements and I wanted to complete my degree in 3 years.
Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
Evelyn Briggs
Evelyn’s Answer
Chun
As with most career paths, there are multiple ways to get there. There are many different careers within the clinical field. Clinical medicine can be supported as a doctor, nurse, respiratory therapist, radiology tech, radiologist, radiation physicist, medical technologist, physical therapist, speech and language hearing, registered dietician, and on and on ! I suggest you find a local hospital or take a career investigation course that allows you to shadow in a clinical environment and talk with people in those careers. These careers can either be attained with a 1 year certificate, Associate/Bachelor degree, and advanced degrees. Medical schools for doctors take people with a wide range of degrees -- you have to have a direction and focus and top grades, as well as showing that you are a well rounded person with volunteer or health related job experience. I have known doctors with Biology or Chemistry degrees(most common), Psychology, Health, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Math, and even Government/Political Science degrees. The key is to determine which path you want early in your schooling, and look at the pre-requisites. You may have to take a few courses outside of your degree plan to meet the entrance requirements.
Evelyn