UT Dallas Major Help (Fast Track)

Juvenis
Wed, 06 Aug 2014 05:52:03 +0000

@hello98 if you plan to apply for TX medical schools, luckily most schools accept AP credit without a hitch (as in, no need to take upper-level coursework as a replacement), except for Texas Tech. UT Southwestern will accept AP credits without upper-level courses for all the prerequisites.

As to what everyone’s saying about your age, experience (or lack thereof), and expedited college education, I agree. Chances are, if you’re taking 21 hours a semester, you’re going to be too busy focusing on schoolwork rather than gaining the clinical or volunteer experience needed to catch an accurate glimpse of the level of the maturity or intellectual and moral underpinnings involved in the emotional and technical complexities of being a physician. Granted, one of my Electrical Engineering friends has taken 21+ hours a semester and still has enough time to perform his duties as a cabinet member of his fraternity (and as a freshman, too!). But his 21 hours included elective classes. With the other pre-med courses that aren’t covered by AP credit, you’d be taking major-required courses ON TOP OF Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, both of which include labs AND are considered some of the hardest courses at UTD (especially Biochemistry. I heard that class was BRUTAL and is very harshly curved).

If you’re really that intent on joining the workforce that early, I’d suggest getting a certification in a clinician job (EMT, CRNA, etc.) after you’ve completed your expedited degree.

If entering the workforce at an early age is what you want, and if you’re dead-set on a career in healthcare, may I suggest becoming a PA instead? Medical school will be at LEAST 7+ years before you become an independent provider, while PA school will only last 2 years (granted, you probably need clinical experience first as an EMT and whatnot).

The last thing I’m concerned about is that I’m not even sure if, at your age, you can answer the question above with great certainty. Do you want a career in healthcare, let alone a career as a physician? Judging by your musing of your choice of major and the possibility of law school, it doesn’t seem like your career choice is set by any means. Heck, I’m only a few years older than you and even I’m not close to being sure of what I want to be. At least college gives you that time to help answer these questions I pose to you. And you’re an AES recipient; you’ve got nothing to lose.