Expert: Bruce - 2/21/2010

Question
Hi Bruce,
I'm a junior from  NW Indiana and looking into pre med. My long term goal is to get my PhD in Geriatrics. I really just want to work with the elderly and do something big to help them. I know you have to take 4 years of premed, 4 years of studying specifically what you want to be, and follow someone for around 2 years after that.. I'm trying to find a Christian college (I am Southern Baptist) that has this, but  I'm looking at all colleges. (Huntington University is one I've noticed) I'm really wanting to stay in Indiana, or a surrounding state, just because the out-of-state prices are so crazy. My biggest problem is my GPA which is currently a 3.0 and my PSAT was a 1410 (I am studying my brains out for the SAT), and my bio 1 and 2 average is a C. I love biology, I just would rather learn about the human body, and have a hard time understanding things I cannot see sometimes. I am planning on taking a 4 block vocational of Anat%26Phs which I am looking forward too. Is this better than Physics, for what I am wanting to be? I guess the break down of what I'm asking is:
What can I do to get into premed? Absolutely anything?
Do I possibly have the grades for it?
What are some Christian or any colleges that would be good for me to look into?
And what exactly are all the steps?

So many questions! Thankyou so much for your time.
Lauren

Answer
I would check out Indiana Wesleyan, Grace College, Bethel - all in IN. By the way, because you are looking at private schools, their prices will be the same even in you come in from another state. So, unless you have a lot of in-state aid coming to you, you can certainly look around.
Out of state, check out Houghton, Roberts Wesleyan, Cedarville.

You should also think about other options for serving the elderly - an admirable goal. You may want to think about social work with a geriatric specialty (a psych/soc undergrad major and an MSW would set you up for that), or consider getting into nursing home administration. The elderly have many needs beyond the medical. You may find that you love science enough to spend 8 yeaqrs studying it, but having  aplan B toward the same general career goal makes sense.