The College System Creates the Pre-med Dropout
A surplus of student pressure is the precursor for every medical professional
By Madi Fraedrich with art by Sana Ikramuddin
Immediately upon entering college, it feels as though completely building and revamping a personal identity will entirely determine how the course of the next four years will go. Some will turn to Greek life to find a sister/brotherhood, some will turn to the theater, and even more yet will make the awful mistake of turning to pre-med/pre-law programs.
As a biology major who never had the intention of going pre-med, I have personally experienced the large amount of pressure to perform well in extremely difficult chemistry and biology courses. Even sitting in the classroom environment, it feels alienating to not have the same pre-med dream as my peers. Professors and fellow students constantly discuss the classes and certain lab elements that would look good on an application for medical school, and it builds unseen tension within every student to study until their brains are rotted. While it makes logical sense that these specific majors are designed for students to be best prepared for the post-graduate education they need, it makes everyone else feel the pressure. Regardless, the system of pressure creates uncertainty in the future for many students and eliminates a lot of potential career opportunities that don't require post-graduate education. College advisors and many resources are available to prepare you for the post graduate steps; however even with these guides, you can still feel lost. It’s best to evaluate where you want to utilize your skills best; like if you find a love for journalism while stuck in pre-law classes, you still have time to make a writing career possible. If you find yourself dwelling in a pool of tears due to the academic stress of high GPAs and what looks good on an application, know that the options are not as limited as you think and that education regardless is a huge benefit for your future.