Pre-medicine major questions

[iDEAF]

I am a current high school senior who will graduate next year. I am interested in studying medicine fields, such as doctor. I figured out that it takes 15+ years of medical education, including college years, to become an attending doctor, which is probably stressful and risky. So, the doctor career is removed on my top careers list. While I researched even more on medical fields, there is an interesting career called 'Physician Assistant', similar to nursing but advanced, may be a good career for me. However, I am NOT sure what colleges I should attend to get a good education of pre-medicine. That's my big concern. I absolutely have no idea how good RIT's pre-medicine program is, but a former RIT undergraduate student named Marissa Clopper recently graduated from Philadelphia University, getting a PA degree, which is pretty impressive. Obviously, she is the first deaf PA in the world right now. RIT may be my top choice since they have experience that led Marissa Clopper to met her goal. Although, I have several friends who are currently attending Gallaudet.

Does Gallaudet have pre-medicine classes? Just took a look at their undergraduate majors, they have biology, physics and chemistry that are reqs for medicine and physician assistant. But are those programs decent?

Anyone is friends with Marissa Clopper? If so, please post here. I have several questions for her, but I find it even difficult to contact her.

Deaf, deaf and hard of hearing people, if you happen to study medical fields, please post. I want to see your experience. This WILL help me comfortably making a reasonable decision.

I WOULD attend hearing colleges, such as Northern University. But I do not want to be labeled as a "this deafie guy has no friends for four years in a row, he is definitely breaking the record."

I am Deaf. This is my first post ever on alldeaf.com so please bear with me.

 

[DDU]

i think you should look into RIT. they have a good program and i have known hearing people in a PA program. i have also known some deaf MD's so even that is not out of your reach. RIT is the best of both worlds, you get classroom communication assistance and are n a hearing world. plus the local MD's who are deaf can be an inspiration

 

[naisho]

Here's my take on it.
If you want to make news then go with RIT to follow Marissa's route. That's the only thing I see as the benefit about attending RIT unless if it is cheaper than other programs.

If you want to be serious and have more educational 'security', shouldn't most general top universities with a discipline in molecular bio/chem or even their own premeds be enough to put you in for the application to grad school somewhere?
'Friends' shouldn't be a priority on your degree list, unless you can juggle all the courses with ease; meaning you are a genius of some sort.

The reason why you'd want a top school is kinda obvious, but I'll leave the argument out about which school to take out just for the sake of not angering people. Not to mention, that I'm sure you know that most of those campuses have a medical office or facility that emphasizes from the teachings in the school - meaning internships (of course).

In the past, when I looked into similar discussions for personal enrichment, I noticed that generally there aren't many D/deaf in the physical, chemical & life sciences field. Oh yeah and physics too.

 

[iDEAF]

Here's my take on it.
If you want to make news then go with RIT to follow Marissa's route. That's the only thing I see as the benefit about attending RIT unless if it is cheaper than other programs.
I would do that, but I hope I see other choices, other than "following Marissa's route".

If you want to be serious and have more educational 'security', shouldn't most general top universities with a discipline in molecular bio/chem or even their own premeds be enough to put you in for the application to grad school somewhere?
I don't think I have mentioned about "top" universities, but I took a little more time to chat with pre-PAs and current PAs about the universities on the other non-deaf forum, they can confirm that it depends on what professors want to teach -- professors DO not have to teach all the chapters, just pick essential chapters to teach pre-medicine students. That's what concerns me mostly.

Friends are a priority for a reason, but I can go to an university where I more likely have no friends there, such as Rutgers. Education is obviously a top priority if I want to become a Physician Assistant.
Thank you for the relay, naisho.

DDU, I am not talking about RIT's Physician Assistant program. I am just worrying about the undergraduate programs at this time. I already know about doctors; they are pretty interesting.

 

[naisho]

Just stating anecdotes from my experience.

I'm from the era where most of my peers, friends have just recently completed grad studies in branches of medicine and are graduating if not within the past year already. I'm not in the med related field personally, but my program shared many similar undergrad courses.

From what I've seen/talked about with them (friends) in the past, the undergrad is pretty much hit or miss in terms of bracing for the next. It is the grad program that bucks up for probably 80-95% of what they were doing. Some have taken duo major stuff with things like nutritional sciences for minor. But the major was alwas Bio/microbio, life sciences related field.

However like I was trying to imply earlier.. if you get into a renown premed program that has its own medical facility.. Ex: UCI, UCLA, Purdue, Cornell, Rutgers.. etc. You most likely can get hands on experience during intern periods, compared to seeking it on your own at somewhere without this benefit. The reason I was wondering about RIT was because I'm not sure if they'd have something like this.

As for socializing, well, to each their own.. The way I see it there's really no time to party around if you go into hard fields, lol.. Need to maintain those GPA's. Everyday is another memorization day.

At least not till some of grad. You're predestined to be a introvert for awhile unless you are a child prodigy. :P

 

[iDEAF]

.

I'm from the era where most of my peers, friends have just recently completed grad studies in branches of medicine and are graduating if not within the past year already. I'm not in the med related field personally, but my program shared many similar undergrad courses.
What college did you attend? Are your friends deaf or hard of hearing? If they are hearing, I don't mind, really, but I prefer to learn about deaf people's medical field experiences. I hope you do not mind me asking these questions.

From what I've seen/talked about with them (friends) in the past, the undergrad is pretty much hit or miss in terms of bracing for the next. It is the grad program that bucks up for probably 80-95% of what they were doing. Some have taken duo major stuff with things like nutritional sciences for minor. But the major was alwas Bio/microbio, life sciences related field.
Yes, exactly. That's why it concerns me, mostly. For example, I took pre-med classes at RIT, acing tests and exams, and getting decent GPA/sGPA. I got accepted to Duke University that has the best physician assistant in the world. I begin to get in an overwhelmed mode when talking about chapters that I had yet to learn back in the undergraduate days. I do not want that to happen to me.

However like I was trying to imply earlier.. if you get into a renown premed program that has its own medical facility.. Ex: UCI, UCLA, Purdue, Cornell, Rutgers.. etc. You most likely can get hands on experience during intern periods, compared to seeking it on your own at somewhere without this benefit. The reason I was wondering about RIT was because I'm not sure if they'd have something like this.
I have a knowledge about this, but I do not know if the medical facility is the key to the education of Physician Assistant. Good point, though. I will try to find a time to make up questions and ask current PAs.

As for socializing, well, to each their own.. The way I see it there's really no time to party around if you go into hard fields, lol.. Need to maintain those GPA's. Everyday is another memorization day.
Hahaha. I do not really party. I just like to have friends....I hate being lonely, you know.

10charasszas