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Choosing a major. Or rather, a career.
ege02
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It's my fifth year in college. I'm double-majoring in Informatics and Econ, and got a certificate in Information Assurance. Going to take me a total of six years to graduate, which is perfect.
However, lately I have been discovering a strong interest toward biology and health-related fields. Well, I shouldn't say "discovering". Both my parents are doctors, and I've been interested in biology since I was in middle school. Even though I wanted to become a doctor, my parents strongly advised against it on grounds of "it's extremely difficult and demanding, you will almost never have a life, and if you want to become good you won't have much time for other things such as family." And I know what they mean; they were never really there that much when I was growing up (although I'm not bitter at them for it. Far from it). I didn't want the same for my family, so I picked another field to study in.
And before you say "well, you could have become a pediatrician or an anesthesiologist", sorry dude, when I become something, I want to become the best of the best. In medicine, that would mean becoming a surgeon. So yes, it would be hell.
Anyway, I digress.
The problem is that at this point in my college life, I already feel like I have stayed in undergrad for a little too long. It will be even worse next year, when it will be my sixth year here. I personally don't mind it, as I love college life, but when I talk to people and mention it, I can feel them passing judgments. You know, based on the stigma of being a "super-senior" or whatever.
But what is more important is that my sister will start college in a few years, and I don't want to be too much of a financial burden on my parents (even though they are my parents and they wouldn't complain. but I want my sister to live as financially-comfortable a college life as I am right now).
So I am drawing the limit at 6 years.
At this point it is impossible for me to decide on medicine, because it is too late. I would have to start college all over again to do pre-med, which is neither feasible, desirable, or reasonable.
Fortunately, I have found out that there is a new field called Biomedicinal and Health Informatics. It integrates information technology in the medicine field, like designing and building devices and information systems to be used in hospitals and such. My university offers masters and Ph.D. degrees in it. I'm considering the master's program.
The problem (yes, I realize there are many "problems") is that I need to take biology. And the way biology courses are set up at my university is they require an entire year of chemistry before I can take them.
Which leaves me with a dilemma: do I drop my econ major and pursue bioinformatics? Bioinformatics will cost me (or rather, my family) more, and it will take longer for me to go into the field, earn a salary and pay my parents back (even though they don't want me to). And I'm practically clueless about what is in it for me, whereas with Informatics and Econ, and my IA cert, I can land a job at the software/IT field, specialize in IA, and move on from there.
I currently have 5 quarters left if I don't do summer quarter. I need to make a decision within the next several weeks, before winter quarter starts.
TLDR version; it's rather complicated for tldr, sorry.
However, lately I have been discovering a strong interest toward biology and health-related fields. Well, I shouldn't say "discovering". Both my parents are doctors, and I've been interested in biology since I was in middle school. Even though I wanted to become a doctor, my parents strongly advised against it on grounds of "it's extremely difficult and demanding, you will almost never have a life, and if you want to become good you won't have much time for other things such as family." And I know what they mean; they were never really there that much when I was growing up (although I'm not bitter at them for it. Far from it). I didn't want the same for my family, so I picked another field to study in.
And before you say "well, you could have become a pediatrician or an anesthesiologist", sorry dude, when I become something, I want to become the best of the best. In medicine, that would mean becoming a surgeon. So yes, it would be hell.
Anyway, I digress.
The problem is that at this point in my college life, I already feel like I have stayed in undergrad for a little too long. It will be even worse next year, when it will be my sixth year here. I personally don't mind it, as I love college life, but when I talk to people and mention it, I can feel them passing judgments. You know, based on the stigma of being a "super-senior" or whatever.
But what is more important is that my sister will start college in a few years, and I don't want to be too much of a financial burden on my parents (even though they are my parents and they wouldn't complain. but I want my sister to live as financially-comfortable a college life as I am right now).
So I am drawing the limit at 6 years.
At this point it is impossible for me to decide on medicine, because it is too late. I would have to start college all over again to do pre-med, which is neither feasible, desirable, or reasonable.
Fortunately, I have found out that there is a new field called Biomedicinal and Health Informatics. It integrates information technology in the medicine field, like designing and building devices and information systems to be used in hospitals and such. My university offers masters and Ph.D. degrees in it. I'm considering the master's program.
The problem (yes, I realize there are many "problems") is that I need to take biology. And the way biology courses are set up at my university is they require an entire year of chemistry before I can take them.
Which leaves me with a dilemma: do I drop my econ major and pursue bioinformatics? Bioinformatics will cost me (or rather, my family) more, and it will take longer for me to go into the field, earn a salary and pay my parents back (even though they don't want me to). And I'm practically clueless about what is in it for me, whereas with Informatics and Econ, and my IA cert, I can land a job at the software/IT field, specialize in IA, and move on from there.
I currently have 5 quarters left if I don't do summer quarter. I need to make a decision within the next several weeks, before winter quarter starts.
TLDR version; it's rather complicated for tldr, sorry.
ege02 on
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Do what makes you happy.
Take your year of Chemistry, then take your biology.
I was 30ish credits away from graduating with a Mech. Engineering degree when I dropped it all and switched to pre-med. It was hard to throw away all of that, especially since I paid for all of it myself, but I hated engineering and loved medicine. This is going to be your career. Do what makes you happy.
I'll end up spending 7 years here, myself.
I really respect that.
If I start pre-med now it will take me 7.5 years. That is if I do summer quarters. 8 if I don't do summers.
I know it's going to be my career but... ah fuck.
Bioinformatics is an interesting area and if you're already doing Informatics and Econ you're in a good position for a graduate program. If you really want to continue schooling after two undergraduate degrees, you should really go into a graduate program.
Be warned that MS degrees cost, and funding opportunities are few. PhD programs, especially in Bioinformatics, should be fundable though. That means you will not have to pay to go to school, and you'll draw a (meager but livable) salary. Your tuition and fees will likely be paid by grants that and fellowships. MS students don't have the same fellowship/grant opportunities because...well, the funding people know you're mostly in it for the money anyway.
Most medical schools require you to take a certain amount of biology, chemistry, and physics courses before they accept your application. Pre-med is not a major itself, but rather preparation for the medical school.
In my school's case (University of Washington), the medical school also requires biochemistry.
If I decide to do premed I'm dropping Econ. It's mostly a bullshit degree anyway (unless you're going for very specific career options, like working at World Bank or IMF or something), one that I was going to use to ease my way into an MBA program, nothing more.
I'm currently not worried about or interested in Ph.D.
Can I ask why not?
I always thought Masters came before Ph.D.?
I mean, I'm only 22 dude. Everyone who gets a Ph.D. is like... old. I don't know.
It does, but not in the way that a BS comes before a Masters, or High School comes before College. Many (most?) PhD programs are a combined Masters/PhD program - the first two years is mostly coursework and you receive your MS after some milestone, often a comprehensive or qualifying exam of some sort. For some programs, the MS and PhD coursework are basically equivalent, for others there's a divergence.
If you enroll in an MS program you will likely pay for your Masters coursework yourself.
If you enroll in a PhD program you will likely get your Masters coursework paid for and do some research on the side.
Are there people that do the PhD program up through the MS degree and then drop out? Sure, some percentage of students do this every year. In general this happens when both you and your research advisor agree that the PhD program is not the place for you. No harm, no foul. Going into a PhD program to get the funding and then deliberately dropping out after getting a Masters is VERY bad form and will fuck with your reputation.
Gee, thanks. (You didn't think the 'Dr' in my username was just an affectation, did you?)
It takes about 6 years to get a PhD, including your Masters coursework. So the people that get them, if they start right out of college, probably get them at the ancient age of 28 or 29. Doing a PhD is challenging and interesting. It is FAR more fun than undergraduate coursework, and it allows you to extend the college experience for a long time, if you're interested in that sort of thing. It is unlikely that you will be 1) bored or 2) unemployed if you have a PhD, but it takes a particular kind of temperment and attitude. PM me if you want to discuss this more.
geez, thanks.