What courses should I be taking in high school/college? + A lot of other questions

[SociopathicMoose]

I'm currently a freshman in high school with a 3.6 GPA, and I'm hoping to work in emergency medicine or become a trauma surgeon one day.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Colleges look at high school. Med school looks at college

This is my plan for grades 10-12

Grade 10

• Pre-AP English 2
• Pre-AP Geometry
• Pre-AP Chemistry
• AP-World History
• Spanish 2
• PE
• Principles of Health

Grade 11

• AP-English 3
• Pre-AP Algebra 2
• AP-Biology
• AP-US History
• Medical Terminology
• Health Science Th... (it doesn't tell me the rest of the name)
• Psychology
• Sociology

Grade 12

• AP-Economics
• AP-English 4
• Pre-AP Calculus
• Anatomy and Physiology
• AP-U.S Government
• Practicum in Health/Extended Practicum in Health

(My grammar sucks you've been warned)

Here comes a barrage of questions

Assuming I hold a good or above average GPA, what kind of colleges will these classes get me into?
Which of these classes do you think is just added stress?
Should I take the "added stress" classes to help prepare me for college?
What classes should I change?
Is it a good idea to be taking these med courses to get a general idea of what I'm going to be doing?
How many colleges should I apply to?
What are some good colleges?
What GPA should I aim for?
What College classes should I take?
Which classes should I focus on more than others
Once in med school, what is the path to work in emergency medicine;trauma surgeon.
How long will each part of the "path" take?
What are the most critical parts in my journey from high school to becoming a certified (insert choice here).

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[SnowInVenice]

High school has nothing to do with medical school unless you are wanting to do a BS + MD/DO program in which case you will need to have both high ACT/SAT scores and a stellar GPA. Is pre-AP the same as honors? If so, your schedule looks fine, but I would reconsider taking one less class in your junior year. 8 classes seems a bit much, especially with your course load. I'm a senior, and neither of my high schools had pre-AP.

1. You will get into above average schools (The best public school in your state) and possibly a top 20 school if you are at the top of your class, have great extracurriculars.
2. Economics and sociology seem unnecessary, personally.
3. See above. I would replace with classes that align with your personal hobbies. Say, web development or band, for example.
4. The medical classes won't suffice for MCAT preparation, but they are definitely a great resource and provide good science foundations.
5. Apply to as many as you want. Some people apply to 10. I applied to 2 because I want to stay close to home and have in-state tuition.
6. This depends on your goals. Harvard may be more prestigious, but they also have a ton of competition. I plan on attending the University of South Carolina, which is still the best public school for pre-med in my state as it has a ton of programs and has 2 medical schools.
7. Aim high! The higher, the more scholarships you can get. Again, BS+MD/DO programs are great!
8. Focus on the AP classes more than anything, but do not forget extracurriculars!
9. After you complete medical school, you will need to complete 5 years of a surgical residency then 1 year of a critical care/trauma specialty.
10. See above.
11. College GPA, MCATs, college ECs/clinical experience. High school means nothing to medical school.

 

[Thomato]

I'm currently a freshman in high school with a 3.6 GPA, and I'm hoping to work in emergency medicine or become a trauma surgeon one day.

Correct me if I'm wrong. [STRONG]Colleges look at high school. Med school looks at college[/STRONG]

That's correct. Unless you're planning on applying to any combined degree programs, then what you do in high school isn't considered when applying to medical school.

Assuming I hold a good or above average GPA, what kind of colleges will these classes get me into?
Which of these classes do you think is just added stress?
Should I take the "added stress" classes to help prepare me for college?
What classes should I change?
Is it a good idea to be taking these med courses to get a general idea of what I'm going to be doing?
How many colleges should I apply to?
What are some good colleges?
What GPA should I aim for?
What College classes should I take?
Which classes should I focus on more than others
Once in med school, what is the path to work in emergency medicine;trauma surgeon.
How long will each part of the "path" take?
What are the most criti
cal parts in my journey from high school to becoming a certified (insert choice here).

1) Receiving above-average grades in those classes should get you into most public, in-state schools that aren't super competitive. Being at the top of your class, receiving all A's in your classes, getting high scores on the SAT/ACT, having solid extracurriculars, and being given stellar recommendations will make you a great candidate for more competitive, private schools.

2) I'd swap out sociology or some other elective for another year of Spanish.

3) I wouldn't deliberately elect to take extra classes that just stress me out and increase my workload. I think the courses you have are fine and will prepare you for college. After all, AP classes are supposed to be equivalent to introductory college classes.

4) Refer to my second answer.

5) The medical courses are fine, but by no stretch of the imagination do they come close to what courses in medical school are like. But they'll give you some basic understandings of the subjects and will help you to determine if you truly enjoy them or not.

6) Ultimately it's up to you to decide, but I'd recommend anywhere from 3-9. Anything over that, in my opinion, is kind of unnecessary.

7) It's all relative. Someone may not agree with me if I deem a certain college as "good," and vice versa. Determine what you want in your college, and do some browsing. Want something local and small? Look at small colleges that are nearby. Want something that has a large campus and is near a specific city? Search for colleges that match that description.

8) There's no magic number, but if you really want to look good on your college application, aim for the highest GPA in your graduating class, which is typically above a 4.0 on the weighted scale.

9) Like I previously said, AP classes are supposed to be on the college-level. Getting 4's or 5's on the exams will almost always confer college credits, but their transferability is not always guaranteed.

10) Focus on your AP classes. Getting bad grades in those classes don't look well on your transcript.

11) SnowInVenice beat me to it. To be a trauma surgeon, after medical school you must complete a five-year residency in general surgery, followed by a critical care/trauma fellowship for a year.

12) Refer to my previous answer.

13)What you achieve in your undergraduate years is most important. To be specific, maintaining a high GPA, racking up clinical and non-clinical hours for extracurriculars, and receiving good scores on the MCAT are vital components of being accepted into medical school.

By the way, if you aren't already, volunteering at a hospital or other healthcare facility is a great way to get a taste of what goes on in the daily lives of doctors, nurses, and other practitioners. Shadowing doctors can also be beneficial.