<p>Ok so my parents are doctors and so basically, they’re forcing me to become a doctor. I know it sounds stupid and that getting into medical school isn’t easy at all, but in the end the career that I want is to become a Radiologist.
The problem is however, I’m not really a natural in math and science. I get A’s, but I’ll never be that outstanding student who’ll win the all-state math bowl or something. What I ALWAYS get complimented at is ART. I’m really good at art and I’ve always been praised for it. I feel like in high school, art is gonna make me stand out and look like someone who has talent like “WOW this person is REALLY passionate about art!”, whereas focusing on science ec’s will just make me seem like “oh this person tries really hard to provide in medicine-related areas”.</p>
<p>What should I do? Should I focus m ec’s on art, what I’m GOOD at, or medicine, what I WANT to be good at?</p>
<p>I really want to get into Brown by the way.</p>
<p>Your parents can attest that the path to becoming a physician is long and difficult.Without a sincere love of science that path would be even more challenging.Being an artist and being a physician are not mutually exclusive.You can do both with passion.Your high school activities should be a sincere reflection of who you are.The top schools do look to achieve variety among their student body and any developed talents can help you stand out.First and foremost you need the transcript and SATs, of course.Keep an open mind to all that life has to offer.Good luck</p>
<p>I think you need to really consider what you’re saying. As an undergraduate, I was a communications major at a little ivy. I spent a summer abroad working for the PR agency of my dreams and hated it. I decided I wanted to be a doctor, as Id always been interested in medicine. I spent the next year working on getting into a strong post-bacc program to complete the required courses necessary to apply to medical school. The following year, I finished an MS in Health Science, applied to medical school and was accepted immediately. However, in the interim, I spent every waking second in various areas in the hospital, working with actual patients. I hated patients. I hated the politics. I hated the miserable doctors. I should note, I lived in the happiest place I could imagine at the time (Montana) where you could ski and fly fish in a single day without issues with the weather. </p>
<p>In my quest, I realized I was more interested in public health, epidemiology, as a whole as opposed to clinical practice. It will not hurt you in anyway to volunteer a few hours a week at a local hospital and maintain your art ECs. I wouldn’t drop art ECs unless your course load dictates it, but picking up a few hours at a hospital on the weekends won’t impede your schedule too much and it wont look like youre trying too hard.</p>
<p>I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.</p>
<p>Most physicians are overall happy and respected(including myself).It is a taxing career,however and one will only be happy if there is a passion for science and humanity.I will leave it at that.Good luck to both of you.</p>
<p>You’ve gotten some great advice. On another note, I met another young man from a small town in Ontario. He had pulled himself out of some bad situations and was angrily determined to become a physician to spite what his negative relatives and people back home had to say. I have many medical people in my family and tried to steer him to find more positive motivations. He didn’t and just got lost in his anger. Struggled through undergrad – don’t even know if he got his BA.</p>
<p>My best friend at Brown concentrated in VA (visual art), then went to UCSF for med school and is now one of the most prominent urologists in Southern California. And he still paints :). He was admitted to Johns Hopkins, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, U of Washington, and other top med schools, too. Another friend of my concentrated in neuroscience, and is now an award winning filmmaker - he went to film school at Columbia after Brown. </p>
<p>The point is, going to a strong liberal arts institution where you learn to think critically and analytically across a wide range of disciplines will allow you to major in whatever you want, while giving you the opportunity to explore and indulge other intellectual curiosities at the same time. At Brown, because of the open curriculum, it is particularly easy to do this, but most liberal arts institutions will allow you explore broadly. Thus, if you want to pursue your passion - art, let’s say - but want to give med school a shot, too, you can do both!</p>
<p>Thank you all!!! I know what you mean by pursuing both, but you know how colleges like to see kids who have a special PASSION for something? should i choose to put all my effort into art? Or put all my ec’s in to medicine since i want to become a doctor?</p>