3 answers
ashland
Student
San Luis Obispo, California
1
Question
Asked
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What courses should I take as a 12th grader wanting to major in Anesthesiology ?
I'm in 11th grade now, and am in the process completing Algebra 2, Ap Chem, and English 11. I am very interested in hands on things, such as cars, woodshop, welding etc, but I want to be an anesthesiologist. what should I take?
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3 answers
James Hanson
Pediatric Intensive Care Physician; Consultant
266
Answers
Oakland, California
Updated
James’s Answer
All physicians, including anesthesiologists, have to do well in college, including the core sciences, in order to have a chance of getting into medical (MD or DO) school. There is nothing you should do differently because of your interest there. You should continue to do those courses such as shop/mechanics because you enjoy them and the thinking and manual work you learn there directly applies to being a doctor. Medical schools, like most universities, are interested in well-rounded candidates, not just those who are smart. It is also important that you develop healthy personal behaviors, and don't think you are doing yourself a favor by pulling all-nighters, skipping on healthy food and exercise, or avoiding friends and fun social events. Too many physicians and would-be physicians burn out along the way because they don't care for themselves.
The more you practice good study habits and take harder math and science courses in high school, the better prepared you will be for the college courses you will need to take.
Good luck!
The more you practice good study habits and take harder math and science courses in high school, the better prepared you will be for the college courses you will need to take.
Good luck!
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, Mentor
1220
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Ashland,
It's great that you found a passion for anesthesiology. It's a bit early for you to be set on a particular medical specialty, but you can change your mind until the end of medical school. In order to become a anesthesiologist, you first need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) in any field. Next you take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Medical school is another 4 years and you'll earn your MD/DO. The anesthesiology residency where you specialize to be a anesthesiologist and ultimately take the board exam for that specialty is 4 years. So, it's a long journey, and each step is competitive. You'll need excellent grades and a high MCAT score as well as medical experience and volunteer hours.
Since you are still in high-school and contemplating your course choices, you should take all the science and math classes you can get (biology, chemistry, physics, math) to be well prepared for college. If your high-school offers classes related to health such as psychology or anatomy, you should take those as well. It's good that you are taking on challenging classes like AP to boost your GPA. You can also consider a dual enrollment program to earn college credits if it is available.
In order to get into a good undergraduate program and later into medical school, you also need to start getting experience in medical settings and volunteering in the community. People get medical experience in a variety of ways. You can look for shadowing opportunities if you want to consider different medical specialties. You can look for internships, volunteer opportunities or small jobs in e.g. hospitals or with doctors (even if it is just as a receptionist). There are also certifications that would allow you to work medical jobs while you are in school.
You can major in any field for your bachelors degree. Consider your interests, your career goals but also look at your undergraduate degree as a backup plan in case medical school doesn't happen (because life happens). Many students opt for a biology, chemistry or biochemistry major because it would cover most if not all of the science pre-requisites. Just be aware what the pre-requisites are and that, should you opt for a non-science major, you might need longer to graduate because you might need to take extra classes. Look up medical schools that you would consider and check their admission criteria and pre-requisites. I left a link for Harvard medical school as an example below.
During your undergraduate studies, you should also get in more medical experience and (if possible) research experience. It doesn't have to be medical research, but being in any science department certainly helps to get involved in meaningful projects.
Before you can apply to medical school, you need to study for and take the MCAT. You can take the test during your junior or senior year. Many students also take a gap year after their bachelors to study for the MCAT and get some more work experience, either clinical or in research. If you opted for a non-science major, a postbac program to complete the science pre-requisites is an option.
If you get admitted to medical school, you'll study general medicine for 4 years. There is no need to know from the start which specialty you want to go for. The first 2 years are mostly classroom learning while the last 2 years are clinical and include rotations through different specialties. You'll then decide on a specialty that you want to pursue and apply for residency in that specialty hoping to "match".
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://hms.harvard.edu/education-admissions/md-program/admissions/preparing-apply/eligibility
https://hms.harvard.edu/education-admissions/md-program/admissions/preparing-apply/prerequisite-courses
It's great that you found a passion for anesthesiology. It's a bit early for you to be set on a particular medical specialty, but you can change your mind until the end of medical school. In order to become a anesthesiologist, you first need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) in any field. Next you take the MCAT before you can apply to medical school. Medical school is another 4 years and you'll earn your MD/DO. The anesthesiology residency where you specialize to be a anesthesiologist and ultimately take the board exam for that specialty is 4 years. So, it's a long journey, and each step is competitive. You'll need excellent grades and a high MCAT score as well as medical experience and volunteer hours.
Since you are still in high-school and contemplating your course choices, you should take all the science and math classes you can get (biology, chemistry, physics, math) to be well prepared for college. If your high-school offers classes related to health such as psychology or anatomy, you should take those as well. It's good that you are taking on challenging classes like AP to boost your GPA. You can also consider a dual enrollment program to earn college credits if it is available.
In order to get into a good undergraduate program and later into medical school, you also need to start getting experience in medical settings and volunteering in the community. People get medical experience in a variety of ways. You can look for shadowing opportunities if you want to consider different medical specialties. You can look for internships, volunteer opportunities or small jobs in e.g. hospitals or with doctors (even if it is just as a receptionist). There are also certifications that would allow you to work medical jobs while you are in school.
You can major in any field for your bachelors degree. Consider your interests, your career goals but also look at your undergraduate degree as a backup plan in case medical school doesn't happen (because life happens). Many students opt for a biology, chemistry or biochemistry major because it would cover most if not all of the science pre-requisites. Just be aware what the pre-requisites are and that, should you opt for a non-science major, you might need longer to graduate because you might need to take extra classes. Look up medical schools that you would consider and check their admission criteria and pre-requisites. I left a link for Harvard medical school as an example below.
During your undergraduate studies, you should also get in more medical experience and (if possible) research experience. It doesn't have to be medical research, but being in any science department certainly helps to get involved in meaningful projects.
Before you can apply to medical school, you need to study for and take the MCAT. You can take the test during your junior or senior year. Many students also take a gap year after their bachelors to study for the MCAT and get some more work experience, either clinical or in research. If you opted for a non-science major, a postbac program to complete the science pre-requisites is an option.
If you get admitted to medical school, you'll study general medicine for 4 years. There is no need to know from the start which specialty you want to go for. The first 2 years are mostly classroom learning while the last 2 years are clinical and include rotations through different specialties. You'll then decide on a specialty that you want to pursue and apply for residency in that specialty hoping to "match".
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Vianne Phan
Youth Development Teacher
316
Answers
San Diego, California
Updated
Vianne’s Answer
Anesthesiology is a career you pursue after college and medical school, not a major. So, don't worry about finding the "perfect" major right now. Focus on building a strong pre-med foundation.
In your senior year, take science and math classes like AP Biology, AP Chemistry, or AP Physics. If available, anatomy or physiology courses are great since they relate to future studies. Keep up with math by taking pre-calculus or statistics. English is also important because clear communication is key in medicine.
Your interest in hands-on activities is a plus. Skills like using tools, attention to detail, and staying calm under pressure are valuable in medical fields. Consider volunteering at a hospital, shadowing a doctor, or getting basic certifications like CPR to gain experience.
In your senior year, take science and math classes like AP Biology, AP Chemistry, or AP Physics. If available, anatomy or physiology courses are great since they relate to future studies. Keep up with math by taking pre-calculus or statistics. English is also important because clear communication is key in medicine.
Your interest in hands-on activities is a plus. Skills like using tools, attention to detail, and staying calm under pressure are valuable in medical fields. Consider volunteering at a hospital, shadowing a doctor, or getting basic certifications like CPR to gain experience.