Answers from the Experts

A Career As a Cardiothoracic Surgeon

"I am interested in studying cardiothoracic surgery and I would like to know if I should start college under a biology program or pre-med. I would also like information about ways to shorten the years I will spend in college because I know this is a very dedicated and demanding career that takes a long time to accomplish."

Responses were sent from:
Northern Arizona University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY Metropolitan Recruitment Center, The University of Vermont, and Juniata College.

Member Institution and Association Answers:

From Northern Arizona University:

I will answer this question because I happen to be an MD. Your actual major in college is not all that important. What is extremely important is that you take the basic classes required for entrance to medical school (bio, chem, etc.) "Pre-med" is not really a major, but rather a program designed to make sure you take the multitude of required classes for entrance into medical school. As a "pre-med", you would still need a major. Majors such as biology or chemistry are advantageous in that many of the classes needed for medical school admission will also be required for your major. Were you to major in, for instance Spanish, you would find that you would have to take many of your "electives" in classes such as biology and chemistry. Trying to shorten the college time will be difficult because of the number of classes you must take for med school admission. Trying to take a lot of courses this challenging would make for a pretty stressful college career since you will be wanting as high a GPA as possible to be competitive. Additionally, many med schools look at other experiences such as community service, internships, etc.

James E. Casebeer
Assistant Director
Office of Enrollment Services
Northern Arizona University
928-523-6080
james.casebeer@nau.edu

From Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute:

First off, very few schools, if any, have actual pre-med majors. On most campuses, any student, regardless of major can follow a "pre-med" advising system which is in place to direct students toward additional courses, internships, research positions, etc. that will prepare them for and give them the best chances of getting accepted into medical school.

Secondly, going to medical school, especially if you are interested in such a specialized area, should never be something you try to rush your way through. However, there are many schools that offer accelerated programs that allow students to satisfy more of their undergraduate courses while they are at medical school thus saving time in the undergraduate major. There are so many avenues into medical school and there is no one, single major that is preferred. Most medical schools welcome students from various different undergraduate disciplines. There will be some specific science courses that you will need, regardless of your major. The key element is to make sure you identify a major that you enjoy and will do well at because most every med school wants students who have done well and have strong GPA's.

Michael E. Moore
Associate Dean & Director of Minority Recruitment
Office of Enrollment Management
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY 12180-3590
moorem5@rpi.edu
518-276-8046 Phone
518-276-4072 Fax
http://admissions.rpi.edu/
http://admissions.rpi.edu/counselor_web/michaelm

From SUNY Metropolitan Recruitment Center:

Start as a pre-med major cardiothoracic surgery is a specialty, which would be during your residency after med school.

Randy Miller
Director
SUNY Metropolitan Recruitment Center
New York, NY
Randy.Miller@suny.edu

From The University of Vermont:

Like most colleges and university today, UVM does not offer a premedical major. With few exceptions, a UVM undergraduate student can prepare for professional school from any program offered at the University. Whilst many premedical students do pursue degrees in physical or biological sciences, these are not a prerequisite for entry to medical school. When it comes to applying, most medical schools are interested in overall academic quality, the scope and diversity of a student's academic work and successful completion of premedical course work. It is important to follow your interests when selecting a major, to maintain high standards and to be flexible. Not all well-prepared students gain admission to highly competitive medical schools; remain open to related or alternative careers.

Jilly Warner
Assistant Director
Office of Admissions
The University of Vermont
194 S. Prospect St.
Burlington, VT 05401-3596
www.uvm.edu
Ph: (802) 656-3370

From Juniata College:

You can major in Biology, Biochemistry, Pre-Medicine, or whatever you choose before going on to medical school. The important thing is to make sure the school you choose has an advising system that will make sure you are preparing yourself for a career in medicine. Look for colleges and universities with excellent acceptance rates into medical schools. To shorten the time it takes to become a surgeon; look into schools with Co-operative programs that allow you to finish the undergraduate part of your degree in less time. For example, Juniata has an MD co-operative program with Tulane University, and a DO co-operative with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Both allow students to transfer into medical school after just three years at the undergraduate level!

Heather Doyle
Juniata College
doyleh@juniata.edu