Hey guys, I have a few questions I’m hoping can be resolved here since I E-mailed the Health Sciences Advising office at Davis but I haven’t received a response.
Anyway, I’m not too sure I want to do the paramedic thing because the program is $10,000 and I’ll already be $30,000 in debt when I graduate from Davis. To make $13-15/hour starting as a paramedic with about $400-500 a month in loan payments just seems like an act of insanity to me. Granted, I think I would enjoy the job, however, I am quite frankly tired of being poor and the prospect of being poor for the rest of my life (seeing as even without the loan payment, my salary would be quite poor with little to no benefits) isn’t sitting too well with me.
So I’m taking another look at medical school since the reason I want to become a doctor is pretty much the same reason I wanted to be a paramedic…I want autonomy and to be the one calling the shots (rules out nursing), I want to provide medical care (rules out non-medical stuff such as PT, dentistry, etc.), I want to have as much medical knowledge as possible to help me in my profession (rules out pretty much anything below doctor for medicine)…but unfortunately, I also want to have a pay that doesn’t leave me asking why I’m doing this and allows me to not stress over whether I’ll be able to put away money for my retirement or have money leftover after bills. I know being a physician won’t get me rich anymore, however, I am aware that it will always pay enough to meet the requirements above whereas I would be surprised if paramedic pay ever came close to that point (unless you’re a firefighter/paramedic, which I have no interest in).
So here’s my dilemma. I’m a transfer student to UC Davis and I’m coming in with 105 quarter units. Actually, 115 but they’re only counting 105. Anyway, the unit cap is 225 units unless you have the dean’s approval. My major, managerial economics, has a hefty amount of classes I need to take in order to graduate. Now, it doesn’t matter what degree I get as far as medical school or medic school goes…neither cares. However, I’m hesitant to get a science degree because I quite frankly have no interest in any of the jobs that you could get with a bachelor degree in science. On the other hand, I’m not sure I can stay under the unit cap to do the pre-med classes and still get my major requirements done. At the same time though, it would allow me to not just take all science classes and would give me some diversity in my schedule if I could pull it off. And if I do the pre-med reqs on top of the managerial economics degree, I’ll most certainly be at Davis 3 years instead of 2.
I guess the advice I’m looking for is whether I should just “settle” for a science degree or try to do the pre-med reqs alongside my degree, whether I should just start on the pre-med reqs next quarter since I’m only registered for managerial econ classes this quarter (and at orientation I was misinformed about registration…I can’t change classes or re-register until late August after everything is filled up), or just get my degree and medic, then work as a medic while taking the pre-med reqs after I graduate since as long as I’m working half-time, I don’t have student loan payments.
- Tim Said:
I guess the advice I'm looking for is whether I should just "settle" for a science degree or try to do the pre-med reqs alongside my degree, whether I should just start on the pre-med reqs next quarter since I'm only registered for managerial econ classes this quarter (and at orientation I was misinformed about registration...I can't change classes or re-register until late August after everything is filled up), or just get my degree and medic, then work as a medic while taking the pre-med reqs after I graduate since as long as I'm working half-time, I don't have student loan payments.
Well, the first part is easy. If you truly have no interest in working in a science related field, then my advice is don't do it. Far better to take the extra year to do the other degree and take the pre-reqs and have a degree you will actually want to use if you change your mind about med school or it doesn't work out for some reason than to be stuck with a science degree you really aren't interested in.
The second part (whether or not to do medic school) is a little tougher. Don't take offense at this, but I think you need to slow down, take a few deep breaths, and think long and hard about what you really want out of life. Maybe make up multiple pro/con lists.
I've been in your shoes. I love EMS. I really wanted take the paramedic course. I contemplated whether or not I could afford to give up my teaching job to work as a full-time medic and concluded that the only way I could was to get hired as a ff/medic (which I actually got pretty far along in the application process). Fortunately (I think) for me, medic school ended up not working out.
I understand your desire to be a medic and frustration with being limited by your basic certification. However, as you've noted, it's far from a lucrative career. I think it's wise to question now if you would really be happy being a (relatively) poor medic. If your ultimate goal is indeed med school, then I think it's fair to question whether or not it's worth spending the $10,000 to work as a medic for 2-3 years. In the long run, does getting the P behind your name mean that much to you?
Just a few food for thought musings . . . good luck with your decision.
- Emergency! Said:
- Tim Said:
I guess the advice I'm looking for is whether I should just "settle" for a science degree or try to do the pre-med reqs alongside my degree, whether I should just start on the pre-med reqs next quarter since I'm only registered for managerial econ classes this quarter (and at orientation I was misinformed about registration...I can't change classes or re-register until late August after everything is filled up), or just get my degree and medic, then work as a medic while taking the pre-med reqs after I graduate since as long as I'm working half-time, I don't have student loan payments.
Well, the first part is easy. If you truly have no interest in working in a science related field, then my advice is don't do it. Far better to take the extra year to do the other degree and take the pre-reqs and have a degree you will actually want to use if you change your mind about med school or it doesn't work out for some reason than to be stuck with a science degree you really aren't interested in.
The second part (whether or not to do medic school) is a little tougher. Don't take offense at this, but I think you need to slow down, take a few deep breaths, and think long and hard about what you really want out of life. Maybe make up multiple pro/con lists.
I've been in your shoes. I love EMS. I really wanted take the paramedic course. I contemplated whether or not I could afford to give up my teaching job to work as a full-time medic and concluded that the only way I could was to get hired as a ff/medic (which I actually got pretty far along in the application process). Fortunately (I think) for me, medic school ended up not working out.
I understand your desire to be a medic and frustration with being limited by your basic certification. However, as you've noted, it's far from a lucrative career. I think it's wise to question now if you would really be happy being a (relatively) poor medic. If your ultimate goal is indeed med school, then I think it's fair to question whether or not it's worth spending the $10,000 to work as a medic for 2-3 years. In the long run, does getting the P behind your name mean that much to you?
Just a few food for thought musings . . . good luck with your decision.
No, I really don't want to end up being poor as a medic. I'm just bored to tears with being an EMT and still having several years to go before I even have the possibility of being in medical school (and figure another 2 years since I won't even begin doing clinical stuff until 3rd year). I dunno, I guess maybe I just want to get all the hands-on stuff out of my system before med school since medics do everything such as start IVs, push meds, intubate, interpret ECGs & act on them, etc. but as far as I know (and I could be completely wrong, I haven't done any shadowing), the only doctors who intubate are ER & anesthesiology docs, nurses are the ones who typically start IVs & push meds and I think they're the ones who do the ECGs too...my understanding is that the doctor takes all the information, puts it together and formulates a plan then gives the orders for that plan to be carried out. Now, while for a longterm career that's perfect since I love the strategic aspect of things, I think I'd enjoy doing the "gruntwork" for a few years until I got tired of it.
Now, like I said I could be completely wrong and doctors do all sorts of hands-on stuff (outside surgeons since that's a given) that I didn't even know about, but anyway that's where I'm coming from. I definitely appreciate the input though Emergency.
Hello Tim.
I’m a business economics/biological science double major who transferred from UC Davis to UC Irvine.
I added the bio sci major because I learned that at UCI, bio labs and some of the other premed required bio courses are open only to bio majors due to heavy demand/lack of seats. UCD might have the same policy?
I didn’t have any problems taking physics, g chem, o chem, calc as an econ major. But when it comes to bio courses, it was harder to get into classes. non-majors weren’t able to register until much later than bio majors or not at all.
However, UCI and I think UCD offers bio labs and courses during the summer sessions. You could get “bio major only” classes done that way if you don’t want the bio major since signups for the summer is a free-for-all.
- halcyon Said:
Hello Tim.
I'm a business economics/biological science double major who transferred from UC Davis to UC Irvine.
I added the bio sci major because I learned that at UCI, bio labs and some of the other premed required bio courses are open only to bio majors due to heavy demand/lack of seats. UCD might have the same policy?
I didn't have any problems taking physics, g chem, o chem, calc as an econ major. But when it comes to bio courses, it was harder to get into classes. non-majors weren't able to register until much later than bio majors or not at all.
However, UCI and I think UCD offers bio labs and courses during the summer sessions. You could get "bio major only" classes done that way if you don't want the bio major since signups for the summer is a free-for-all.
I'm a business economics/biological science double major who transferred from UC Davis to UC Irvine.
I added the bio sci major because I learned that at UCI, bio labs and some of the other premed required bio courses are open only to bio majors due to heavy demand/lack of seats. UCD might have the same policy?
I didn't have any problems taking physics, g chem, o chem, calc as an econ major. But when it comes to bio courses, it was harder to get into classes. non-majors weren't able to register until much later than bio majors or not at all.
However, UCI and I think UCD offers bio labs and courses during the summer sessions. You could get "bio major only" classes done that way if you don't want the bio major since signups for the summer is a free-for-all.
Halcyon, I believe you are correct for the upper division classes since they're restricted to Bio majors for pass 1 & 2, however, once there's open registration then they are open to everyone. Of course, by then the classes are probably filled up.
For lower division, I'm not aware of any restrictions on registering for any lower division class. I actually lucked out because I found a major (Animal Science & Management) that gives me a significant amount of economics classes, allows me to specialize in aquatic/marine organisms, and lets me take all of the pre-med reqs outside physics (which I wouldn't want to at Davis, their physics 7 series is simply atrocious from what I hear) so the bio classes will be required for my major anyway. Technically though, I could register for them regardless since I'm entering Davis as an Exercise Biology major and I can't submit a Change of Major request until the Winter quarter.
I have to ask because I'm curious...why did you switch from UCD to UCI?
Ah ok then. I stand corrected. I know that here at UCI, all bio labs are restricted only to bio majors.
I think premeds can avoid the Physics 7 series and take the Physics 3 series, which is much easier. Physics 7 is required for engineering majors?
I switched from UCD to UCI because I was homesick. I first chose UCD because it was the furthest from Irvine, where I’m originally from. Let’s just say I couldn’t wait to get away from home after high school.
- halcyon Said:
Ah ok then. I stand corrected. I know that here at UCI, all bio labs are restricted only to bio majors.
I think premeds can avoid the Physics 7 series and take the Physics 3 series, which is much easier. Physics 7 is required for engineering majors?
I switched from UCD to UCI because I was homesick. I first chose UCD because it was the furthest from Irvine, where I'm originally from. Let's just say I couldn't wait to get away from home after high school.
I think premeds can avoid the Physics 7 series and take the Physics 3 series, which is much easier. Physics 7 is required for engineering majors?
I switched from UCD to UCI because I was homesick. I first chose UCD because it was the furthest from Irvine, where I'm originally from. Let's just say I couldn't wait to get away from home after high school.
Ah ok, very understandable! Well, yes and no to the physics..you're thinking of the Physics 9 series which is indeed for engineering majors and the Physics 7 series is for non-engineering majors who need a year of physics...unfortunately that includes pre-meds, so the atrocious Physics 7 series is what I have to take. I could take the Physics 9 series, despite not being an engineering major, but I would have had to take the engineering-level calculus in order to meet the pre-reqs...and I took the life science calculus.
Apparently UCI and UCD have different numbers for their physics series. I would’ve thought that being UCs, they wouldn’t bother.
So I wrongly assumed that physics 7 at UCD was engineering oriented like it is in UCI. Physics 3 series at UCI is the same as physics 7 series at UCD. Physics 7 series at UCI is the same as Physics 9 series at UCD.
Not really important.
My take on having a science major is that the premed requirements covers so much of the major requirements that it was worthwhile for me to complete the needed upper division classes.
But happily it seems like you found a major suited for you, combining economics and biology classes.
- halcyon Said:
Apparently UCI and UCD have different numbers for their physics series. I would've thought that being UCs, they wouldn't bother.
So I wrongly assumed that physics 7 at UCD was engineering oriented like it is in UCI. Physics 3 series at UCI is the same as physics 7 series at UCD. Physics 7 series at UCI is the same as Physics 9 series at UCD.
Not really important.
My take on having a science major is that the premed requirements covers so much of the major requirements that it was worthwhile for me to complete the needed upper division classes.
But happily it seems like you found a major suited for you, combining economics and biology classes.
So I wrongly assumed that physics 7 at UCD was engineering oriented like it is in UCI. Physics 3 series at UCI is the same as physics 7 series at UCD. Physics 7 series at UCI is the same as Physics 9 series at UCD.
Not really important.
My take on having a science major is that the premed requirements covers so much of the major requirements that it was worthwhile for me to complete the needed upper division classes.
But happily it seems like you found a major suited for you, combining economics and biology classes.
Yeah, you'd think they would keep the numbers the same...in my experience so far, the UCs (or at least UCD) are definitely lazy, seeing as they don't even take the time to put together a worthwhile orientation or presentation of their campus.
I do agree to a certain extent that it's far easier to get a science degree because of how many pre-med reqs there are. I'm actually meeting with the advisor for that major I found to make sure I /can/ get all the pre-med reqs done and still stay under the unit cap, if not, then I'm going to be forced into sticking with a science degree.
I'm half-tempted to just graduate and do the physics at a community college, but on the other hand, I just want to get it over with. Stupid physics.
