Medicine or Postsecondary History

College Majors
1

<p>I’m a high school student so I still have some time to change my mind, but I’m stuck in a quandary. I love history and would absolutely love to teach as a professor at a good school. I’m particularly interested in 19th century German history, Byzantine history, European Imperialism, and a somewhat lesser interest in early modern japan. However, I am aware less people get tenure these days than ever, and I’m fully aware of the starving liberal arts graduate stereotype. </p>

<p>I also have a somewhat lesser though still strongly extant interest in medicine. I would love to spend some time with MSF, and I like making a difference. This would be a far safer career choice and with a far more certain future, yet I fear that I would go into medicine partially for the wrong reasons. Regardless for undergrad I will major in history, if I choose to enter medicine I will fulfill the pre-med requirements as well. </p>

<p>Please offer me your advice on the prospects of getting tenure and post secondary history in general, I would love to do that but its important to me I have a modicum of financial security. </p>

<p>note: DO NOT start a flame war over STEM majors vs. humanities majors in this thread. I’ve read some of the flame wars, and its sad really. Both STEM majors and humanities majors are equally important, for a successful society.</p>

2

<p>You’re quite right that medicine has the better employment prospects compared to academic positions in humanities fields.</p>

<p>Something to consider: A limited number of medical schools offer opportunities for dual degrees in medicine/history of medicine, though you’d first have to get admitted to one of those particular med schools. The history of medicine isn’t one of your stated areas of historical interest, but certain aspects of the history of medicine and public health do coincide with certain aspects of 19th c German history and the history of European imperialism.
[MD/PhD</a> > History of Medicine | Yale School of Medicine](<a href=“http://medicine.yale.edu/histmed/education/mdphd.aspx]MD/PhD”>http://medicine.yale.edu/histmed/education/mdphd.aspx)
[UCSF</a> School of Medicine - Anthropology, History and Social Medicine](<a href=“http://www.dahsm.medschool.ucsf.edu/history/]UCSF”>http://www.dahsm.medschool.ucsf.edu/history/)
[History</a> of Medicine: Programs](<a href=“http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/histmed/programs/medical]History”>http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/histmed/programs/medical)
[Harvard</a> Medical School: Joint Degrees](<a href=“http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=joint]Harvard”>http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=joint)</p>