What Are Some Tips for Deciding Between Medical School and Physics?

[bkras]

Hi! I'm in a bit of an interesting situation. I am 24 years old and torn between a) starting medical school in fall 2016 (I have an acceptance) or b) going back to undergrad to get a physics B.S. and then ostensibly going to graduate school for a PhD in physics.

My relevant, physics background:
-physics i (intro mechanics) and physics ii ( E&M)
physics ii (E&M) was when I first realized how much I love physics. I would find myself completely engaged and in awe of what I was learning (this is how nature works!), on the edge of my seat, and often attending the same lecture for both sections of the day (which were back to back). After this course, I was hooked.
-calc 1-4
-almost two years as a research assistant in a biophysics lab although my role has been microbiology related almost entirely.

Anyway, my current plan is to learn more about what a physics phd would entail (thus my forum question here), to take more time over the next couple months (I have time off) to go to the library and study more advanced physics, and to generally get a better sense for what the road ahead would look like. Will my passion and curiosity for the material translate over into the research side of physics (i.e. grad school and onward)?

Any anecdotes, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[berkeman]

Hi! I'm in a bit of an interesting situation. I am 24 years old and torn between a) starting medical school in fall 2016 (I have an acceptance) or b) going back to undergrad to get a physics B.S. and then ostensibly going to graduate school for a PhD in physics.

My relevant, physics background:
-physics i (intro mechanics) and physics ii ( E&M)
physics ii (E&M) was when I first realized how much I love physics. I would find myself completely engaged and in awe of what I was learning (this is how nature works!), on the edge of my seat, and often attending the same lecture for both sections of the day (which were back to back). After this course, I was hooked.
-calc 1-4
-almost two years as a research assistant in a biophysics lab although my role has been microbiology related almost entirely.

Anyway, my current plan is to learn more about what a physics phd would entail (thus my forum question here), to take more time over the next couple months (I have time off) to go to the library and study more advanced physics, and to generally get a better sense for what the road ahead would look like. Will my passion and curiosity for the material translate over into the research side of physics (i.e. grad school and onward)?

Any anecdotes, suggestions, etc. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Welcome to the PF.

What experience do you have so far with Patient contacts? What motivated you to do pre-med and apply to Medical School?