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Hello,
I’m a third year music major and pre med student in college. I’m now the director of strings at a conservatory, and am regularly performing and teaching. I love music and don’t want to let these opportunities and great times go, so I was thinking of delving into medicine when I’m older, in my late 20s. Will my MCAT and grades count if I finish them years before and apply later? Also is it manageable to uphold/expand a music career when practicing medicine?Thank you!
Many of us will have to make the desicion to give up hobbies and passions while in the difficult years of medical training – especially residency. Your situation is a little different in that, it seems your music is more than just a hobby (possibly even it’s own career?)
That makes your desicion that much harder. I’ll reach out on Twitter and see if we can find any people who did both.
In the meantime, realize that while your GPA from undergrad will long be considered, an MCAT score is only considered valid for 2-3 years max.
I was always a creative student in school, never dreaming I could be a doctor despite it being my dream career. I was thrust into the more creative side of school life so my science life came later however, when deciding what to pursue in college after high school I decided to study music during the day to gain the next qualification after GCSEs, as I was 16 I knew time was on my side. During my music studies I felt I wasn’t using my brain so I enrolled in night classes in A-level business and biology and fell in love with science. At 18 I finished my A-levels and music BTEC in college and decided I wanted to really try for medicine so checked the entry and found I had what I needed for postgraduate medicine except a pre-med degree. That year I spent all my time dedicated to getting onto a pre-med course with a feeder into the medical school in my country (Wales). I’m graduating next week from university pre-med and starting postgrad medicine next month. I miss music a lot, but I think even years ago I knew music wasn’t the end of the line for me, I wanted to be academic and after falling in love with science and being able to incorporate it into the front line of medicine… I was sold. Yes, when I go to a concert I wish it was me on stage but medicine was always the dream I never thought possible so I have no regrets. So I’m glad I spent those extra two years with music and exploring my creative passion so I was ready to put the hard work into my medical degree when it was time.
Ensure to fully exercise all your passions, medicine is long and hard. Enjoy the time you have. I’m 24 and will be a fully qualified doctor at 28, when you’re young there are so many doors, as we get older those doors can begin to shut. Good luck!
Sophie
BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences
University of South Wales
