Who Turned Down HPME For an Ivy League?

jcr182
Fri, 27 Apr 2007 01:20:37 +0000

BDM–

I know that premeds do have the option of majoring in anything they want. But it is also true that being in HPME makes it easier to do so. We are not pressured to spend our summers doing research for med school admission – in fact, I know an HPME who worked at an investment bank specializing in healthcare over the summer. And if we do choose to do research, we do not have to worry about strategizing it in a way so that it would look good to med schools. And I wouldn’t say “plenty of normal premeds” plan on going off to get a second degree…the simple fact is that it is very hard just to get into medical school alone. Granted, there will be very smart and talented students who are able to be a premed AND do other things but i would say most premeds are too busy making sure their grades and ECs are sufficient for med school admission. Having a guarantee into med school just makes it much easier to pursue a second goal since you have your first one already fulfilled.

Everyone has a certain threshold in what they can do – all I’m saying is that being in HPME will allow you to allocate that threshold with more freedom. So I stand strongly by my argument that HPME not only relieves stress, but gives you freedom to explore other things. This what I feel personally, at least, as a student currently in HPME.