To me, it feels like an outrageous percent of the Duke class of 2022 is pre-med. While I am too, and have no problem with students having goals and desires for the future, I am not sure how I feel about such a majority of the Duke student body being so pre-professionally focused. I am worried about the impact that being so professionally-oriented could have on our student body, our classes, and our campus atmosphere as a whole.
via: abc.com
I believe that coming to Duke is an incredible opportunity to pursue interests and take classes that are entirely unique to the college experience. Even though as of right now I aspire to become a doctor, I also am planning on taking advantage of all of the incredible opportunities that Duke offers to its students to explore. Duke students have the privilege of attending an incredible university that offers more than 48 majors and 50 minors, with 26 certificate programs and more than 4,000 courses offered each semester.
via: College Raptor
With this in mind, I am planning to pursue the pre-med course requirements alongside my other academic passions and interests. I am interested in pursuing Neuroscience or Psychology, and definitely plan on completing the courses necessary for a certificate in Child Policy Research. I dread getting stuck in the science and math “pre-med cycle,” and truly hope that my fellow pre-med students get the chance to explore the amazing environment we are a part of.
We are so lucky to be members of the Duke community- and chances like this, with such amazing freedom and potential to explore, are so rare! Take a course just to try it out. Who knows, maybe you will find your true passion.