u/Background_Sale_9814

What are some signs that becoming a doctor is the right path for you, and what are some signs that it probably isn’t? Also, for people who are already attending physicians/in residency, was it worth it for you personally? Why or why not? If you could go back, would you choose to be a doctor again?

I’m trying to figure this out before fully committing. My ENTIRE family—especially my dad—thinks medicine is a terrible path. He sees the 10–15 years of training as a huge waste of time and money and can’t understand why anyone would willingly spend their 20s studying nonstop, taking exams, fighting for every grade/GPA point, and delaying their life when there are easier careers with better pay and work-life balance.

One of my relatives is also a doctor and is extremely anti-medicine because of how much they hate the profession (they hate being a doctor and medicine, with every ounce of their body). They basically regret the path entirely and actively discourages anyone from doing it.

I’m fine with putting in hours for clinical experience, volunteering, research, shadowing, etc. What worries me more is the academic side of the path: years and years of studying, constant testing, GPA pressure, board exams, and the competitiveness of the process. I don't mind putting in the hours to get clinical experience, research, etc., but the years of study do seem very brutal (especially for someone like me who hates the whole idea of grades, tests, and GPA fighting/nitpicking).

I'm currently a high school student who is going to be going into college soon, and I'm planning on pursuing the pre-med path and becoming a doctor. I don't know if I will really enjoy the entire process, and if at the end of the whole journey it will really be worth it.

The other career that I'm trying to compare it with is mainly engineering. My main concern is that with the whole AI thing and with entry-level jobs already going away, I'm definitely a bit worried and nervous about how the field is going to look four years from now, especially once I'm out of college. If people are already struggling to get internships and get entry-level jobs, I feel like I might be screwed by the time it's my turn.

I've never really explored any of the fields like finance or business.

How does one determine which career or path is the best for them? I just want to be happy in my field of work and make decent money. All I know about myself is that I like solving problems ( I hate busy/repetitive/brain-dead work). I don't mind working alone, but when it comes to super challenging/convoluted things, I usually work better in a team where multiple brains are working together, because I have a tendency to get overwhelmed and give up very quickly if it becomes too overwhelming/complex.

I was admitted to CWRU off the waitlist. Like the title says trying to understand how hard it is to get a 3.9+ ideally a 4.0 at CWRU? Is there a lot of grade deflation in the pre-med requisites? Does it depend on your major?

If you had to rank on scale of 1-10 on how hard to get 3.9+ what would it be? Lastly, how do you get a 3.9+? Appreciate any insights!

Like the title says trying to understand how hard it is to get a 3.9+ ideally a 4.0 at UCI? Is there a lot of grade deflation in the pre-med requisites?

If you had to rank on scale of 1-10 on how hard to get 3.9+ what would it be? Lastly, how do you get a 3.9+? Appreciate any insights!

Yes, I'm aware I've posted questions this on this subreddit and probably overthinking this, but I am only going to be making this decision once, so I just want to make sure I don't have any regrets, which is why I'm asking, so I would appreciate any insights.

I really do want to get into a top med school (Hopkins, Stanford, Penn, Harvard, NYU, Duke, Mayo etc.) and want to choose a school that will give me the best chance of reaching that goal.

I am based in Southern California and already have research set at LMU in a lab, along with an advisor for an independent project if that makes any difference. LMU costs (75k; 45k no dorming), Case Western is 97k, Claremont Mckenna (98k; 75k no dorming). If I don't dorm, I feel like I will miss out on a lot of opportunities though? Appreciate any insights!

Trying to understand what the most important factors are when choosing a college for pre-med that help in getting into a top MD school? Thanks!

I'm told it's more important to graduate at the top of your class at an easier school than to graduate middle-of-the pack from a harder school. How true is this??

Is a 3.7 GPA at, for example, UC Irvine, gonna be valued the same as a 4.0 at Loyola Marymount because they know that UCI is more rigorous?

Adding on to that, is research at an R1 institute (UCI) looked more highly upon (better quality at an R1 ig idk) compared to an R2 (LMU)?

Are adcoms really able to distinguish the quality and rigor of undergrad schools when reading and comparing applications? Are more "prestigious"/"highly ranked" schools viewed more favorably than lesser ones when applications are being read? (Specifically, UCI vs LMU)? Thanks?

Is a 3.7 GPA at, for example, UCI, gonna be valued the same as a 4.0 at Loyola Marymount because they know that UCI is more rigorous?

Adding on to that, is research at an R1 institute (UCI) looked more highly upon (better quality at an R1 ig idk) compared to an R2 (LMU)?

Are adcoms really able to distinguish the quality and rigor of undergrad schools when reading and comparing applications? Are more "prestigious"/"highly ranked" schools viewed more favorably than lesser ones when applications are being read? (Specifically, UCI vs LMU)? Thanks?

LMU pros for me (IMO/from my knowledge, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong)

- Big fish in a small pond (Idk how much this matters, but I definitely feel like I would be at least the top 10 in my major)

- I already have a secured research project in a lab and have an advisor who is willing ot help me with my own independent project

- Probably easier to maintain a high GPA due to a lower weed-out culture

- I feel like at LMU I would be able to get away without having to take a gap year.

LMU cons (IMO/from my knowledge, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong)

-73k

- Not sure if I would be competing with a lot of pre-med students in the LA area for the same clinical opportunities?

- No affiliated medical school (not sure how much of a difference this makes)

UCI Pros (IMO/from my knowledge, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong)

-14k

-Living at Home

-Affiliated Medical School (again, not sure how much of a difference that plays)

-Better research quality and they do more publications (R2 vs R1)

UCI Cons (IMO/from my knowledge, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong)

-Would most likely have to take a gap year (not ideal)

-Competing with a lot of pre-meds for the same opportunities in comparison to LMU(again, IMO, PLEASE correct me if wrong)

-Weed out culture

Trying to understand what the real benefit of attending a top medical school is (Harvard, Stanford, Yale, UPenn, Duke, etc.) I'm really confused because I've heard a lot of mixed comments on this subreddit. Some people say it's just a bunch of hot air, while others say it makes a huge difference in a lot of things for the future.

When it comes to residency matching, I've read other posts where people say it doesn't matter for getting into competitive specialties. Is that true? To what extent does attending a T5 vs T10 vs T20 vs T25 vs T50, etc., really help you or make a difference in getting into a competitive specialty like ortho, plastics, or derm? If it does, at what point does rank stop making a meaningful difference or impact for getting into a competitive specialty?

When it comes to the T5, T10, and T20, I've heard on the subreddit that a lot of people who got into Stanford and Harvard just end up going to other schools for the money.

In addition to the other questions, the big question is: What are the real advantages of attending schools like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, UPenn, or Duke etc. that you wouldn't get at the same degree compared to other places? Appreciate any insights!

Trying to understand what the real benefit of attending a top medical school is (Harvard, Stanford, Yale, UPenn, Duke, etc.) I'm really confused because I've heard a lot of mixed comments on this subreddit. Some people say it's just a bunch of hot air, while others say it makes a huge difference in a lot of things for the future.

When it comes to residency matching, I've read other posts where people say it doesn't matter for getting into competitive specialties. Is that true? To what extent does attending a T5 vs T10 vs T20 vs T25 vs T50, etc., really help you or make a difference in getting into a competitive specialty like ortho, plastics, or derm? If it does, at what point does rank stop making a meaningful difference or impact for getting into a competitive specialty?

When it comes to the T5, T10, and T20, I've heard on the subreddit that a lot of people who got into Stanford and Harvard just end up going to other schools for the money.

In addition to the other questions, the big question is: What are the real advantages of attending schools like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, UPenn, or Duke etc. that you wouldn't get at the same degree compared to other places? Appreciate any insights!

Hey, I'm an incoming LMU student, and I was wondering how realistic it is to do pre-med as an electrical engineering and computer engineering major in four years while maintaining a 4.0, ideally without taking any gap years. I am willing to grind it out and am passionate about doing this.

Also, how beneficial is the honors program? Is it worth doing?

Also, if I'm choosing the best major for pre-med (ease of maintaining GPA, along with a good department and faculty), which major would you say is best?