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If I want to do sports in college, can I still be premed?
I want to get into medical school, but is it too hard to do the required courses at the same time as being an athlete? #college #medicine #healthcare
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Ashlee’s Answer
Hi Henry, this is a great question, but a tough one to answer. I'm an Advisor out of Dallas Texas, and I've worked mostly with College Athletes and Pre-health majors. In my experience, the short answer is yes, you can be an athlete and be a Pre-med major. However, 85% of students end up choosing either to complete their studies in Pre-med or to change majors, in order to maintain their Sport. This usually happens in the third year/junior year of being in College. The reason so many students end up choosing one over the other is time. There is not enough time, for the majority of students, to be both a Collegiate Athlete and a Pre-med major. This is because being an Athlete requires a lot of training, travel, and therefore time outside of the classroom, and being a serious Pre-med major requires a lot of time in the classroom. Remember the average GPA to enter into the Medical School is a 3.8/3.9, with X amount of hours Job Shadowing (depends on the Professional School you want to attend), and Volunteer Hours. In addition, in order to qualify to apply to Professional Medical Universities you also need to complete the new MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test) as well as receive letters of recommendation from the Health Committee that will supervise your experience at the Bachelors level. I know this is a lot of info, and I'm definitely not telling you all of this to overwhelm you :), I just want you to be prepared that being either Pre-Med or Pre-Law requires a lot of classroom time, and being an Athlete will require a lot court/field time. You can do it! I'd just recommend having a great time management app on your phone (a lot of students like todoist) and going into a Pre-med program prepared to give it your all everyday, especially if you're also going to be an Athlete!
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Dennis’s Answer
Of course, most doctors/dentist are excellent athletes plus you may think about specializing in sports med or eventually be a a professional sports team doctor.
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Richard’s Answer
You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
However with appropriate time management you should be able to participate in athletics. If possible try taking summer classes or get AP/IB credit to help lighten your load during the school year.
However with appropriate time management you should be able to participate in athletics. If possible try taking summer classes or get AP/IB credit to help lighten your load during the school year.
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Dante’s Answer
You will need to create a time management schedule so that you are not falling behind in your classes.
https://youtu.be/uY0JYgJhSSM
https://youtu.be/uY0JYgJhSSM
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Estelle’s Answer
Yes. It will require excellent time management. Playing a sport in college would be similar to having a full-time job. You will need to be organized and hardworking. To get into medical school, you need a high GPA & MCAT. Good Luck!
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Rachel’s Answer
Absolutely you can be pre med while playing college sports. Just remember that you will need to fulfill all of the pre-med requirements as well with a GPA of at least 3.5 (3.8 is better). You will also need to score well on the MCAT, so you will need to prepare well for it.
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Dante’s Answer
Yes!
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Angela D.’s Answer
Great question! The answer is absolutely...as long as you dedicate yourself to study first! Please see the AMA website below that indicates that medical schools do value sports and other student organization and/or professional association involvement. Wishing you the best in your endeavors, Dr. B
https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/preparing-medical-school/which-undergrad-majors-are-best-med-school
https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/preparing-medical-school/which-undergrad-majors-are-best-med-school