Interview With A Psychology, Premed, and Chemistry Major With A Women's Studies Minor

A psychology major involves the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes which can lead to many unique career paths. Psychology is considered a social science as it studies human behavior, cognition, and emotions in the context of society while utilizing scientific methods. A chemistry major studies the composition, structure, properties, and transformations of matter which can lead to many unique career paths. A Premed major prepares you for medical school applications and sets you up for successes in medical school. From working in medicine to social services to research, these degrees can take you far. To dive deeper into the intricacies of these majors, I interviewed Leah Ridgeway, a retired OBGYN. I asked Dr. Ridgeway a series of questions regarding her chosen undergraduate major and current career path, and here are her responses:

What school did you attend for your undergraduate degree?

"Ohio Wesleyan."

What was your undergraduate major?

"Psychology, Chemistry , Premed with minor in Women’s Studies."

What is your current occupation, and how did your undergraduate major prepare you for your career?

"Retired Ob Gyn. My undergraduate majors were Psychology, Premed, and Chemistry. Premed provided the science background necessary for medical school classes but psychology was helpful in understanding human development, behavior and motivations."

What does a regular day in your occupation look like?

"I arrived early (6:30-6:45am) at the hospital to see postpartum, antepartum, gynecological and post operative patients. Some morning I would perform operative procedures such hysterectomies or c sections and then office work would start around 9:30-5:00 or so. Sometimes I would need to go back to the hospital to see a patient or two [and] follow up at the end of the day. Some days I would preform deliveries or see ER patients in between office visits. A good day when I wasn’t on call I would be home by 6:30 or so. If I was on call ( usually every 5-6th day) I may have spent the night at the hospital working or if it was quiet, may have gone home and been possibly called back for a delivery or an emergency room patient at some time during the night."

Did you do any additional schooling after undergraduate school for your occupation? (If so, then what school/program and how long did it take?)

"Yes, 4 years of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine and 4 years of residency at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio."

What was your favorite aspect of your undergraduate major?

"I loved my psychology and social science classes and upper level literature classes."

What was the most challenging part of your undergraduate major?

"Physical chemistry and calculus because at the time I couldn’t understand the applications in the real world."

What made you choose your undergraduate major?

"[I chose a] science major...to get into medical school. Psychology and Women's Studies was what [I found] interesting. I believe you need a good science background to understand many of the things you need to learn in medicine but you also benefit from a broader liberal arts background in social sciences to understand human behavior and to be a more well rounded physician."