Anyone else a double-major?

[Rafa]

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I was wondering how many current (or future) applicants to med school here are defying common sense/advisors' wishes/etc. and pursuing more than one major as undergrads. Is it common? Can it be done? Do you get weird looks from other pre-meds? 🙄

 

[ballsbreaker]

i did chem and philosophy and it was very doable. when i tell people i did those two they say that they are not related or y didn't you do bio 🙂). shrug. just do what you like to do but watch yr gpa. i managed to do really well cause i liked both things...

 

[otemd]

I tripled in college (math, chem, molecular bio), and I think it has helped me to stand out somewhat with adcoms. It is doable, and I enjoyed it.

 

[Highclimber]

religion and molecular biology... Who would tell you not to pursue a double major... All my advisors recommended it and cheered me on... Its very obvious when people do things just to get into medical school... for g-d's sake... get out there...be original and yourself... do what you love and thats all that matters...

 

[JustBreathe]

I majored in biology and psychology and I was fine. Of course, I avoid other pre-meds...

 

[RunnerMD]

Majored in psych and history, minored in biomedical physics...i think its helped me in the app process and it was DEFINITELY DEFINITELY doable. If I had really tried, I don't think it would have been to difficult to pick up bio or chem as a third major

 

[shantster]

Bio/Psych double major that will have minors in Chemsitry and the Humanities. If I really wanted to, I could get my Chem major but I don't want to take the class that I would need for that.

 

[Sprite]

Double-majored in Molecular Cell Biology (cell and developmental bio) and Computer Science. People always seem amazed at that combination, since both of them aren't trivial at the university I attended.

I say, if you can, shoot for a double major. It will definitely make you stand out.

 

[big_smiles]

I haven't, but if I had to start all over again I would.
Good luck! Go for it!
I had two majors the first two years and dropped one, but regret it because I liked those courses and now I am filling in with electives when it could have been done.

Go for it!

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

Psychology and Neuroscience for moi

 

[MahlerROCKS]

Biochemistry and Classics

 

[novawildcat]

Mathematics and Chemistry w/ econ minor. I mostly just got a chem major and econ minor out of pure interest. The only thing I have to recommend before you persue 2 degrees is MAKE SURE YOU FINISH ON TIME!!! I had to spend 1 extra semester and it sucked. You will know no one after your friends graduate and you will have to spend a lot of extra $$$ if you don't graduate on time. Beware of people who say double majoring or even more is "very doable and enjoyable". Taking 20-22 credits pretty much every semester is NOT enjoyable. You will get annoyed at your other non-major requirements very easily and might push them off.

 

[Mizuno]

I double majored in Chemistry and Psychology. The elective requirements complemented each other so there was hardly any trouble in pulling it off.

 

[nikibean]

Literature and Women's Studies.


(okay, and then I did a post bac program, so I guess you weren't looking for that kind of answer...)

But I definitely could have started out with a bio/humanities major no problem at both schools I attended (started at UCSD, transferred to UCSC). It depends on how much you like school, how much you like your classes and how fast you read (I'm not kidding). I also worked full time throughout school, albeit for a coffee shop so I had odd hours that allowed me to do so.
When I entered college, most of my GEs had been waived through testing, and that also helped- so if you have a situation where you're a semester or two ahead, go for it, but do it because you like it, not because you think it'll "look good." It's not worth going crazy, and you'll be busy enough with studying for the MCAT and what not. When I was in my postbac program, I had a boyfriend at an art school nearby. Kept me sane- I basically got to audit classes and play with clay when I needed a break from Ochem (there's only so much you can study in a day).

 

[Peter Griffen]

Cell and molecular biology and pre-medical studies (two separate degrees at my school🙂lol With a chemistry minor.

 

[baylormed]

Does a Bio major with two minors count???? 😍

 

[gdbaby]

Anthropology + Latin = useful

 

[Rafa]

I've always heard it's better (if you do d-m) to major in two unrelated fields, i.e not Biology and Biochemistry, or things of that nature, since it might look like you just took three extra classes (due to overlap) to get d-m credit.

 

[big_smiles]

You each have some interesting combinations! I can see how they'd be useful. I dropped my double-major (biology and nursing) to only biology. However, a lot of premeds pick bio and it just doesn't seem to stand out. I am surprised of the diversity of majors listed here. Awesome, guys!

 

[ShyRem]

I was also a chem/math double major. Picked up the chem major after I took pchem for the fun of it.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

Double major in biochem and english lit

 

[75969]

Biology & Chemistry (biochem?)

Not as much overlap as you would think, but they complement each other well.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

Biochemistry and Classics

Ha! Me too. My parents thought both were useless, but adcoms seem to love it.

 

[Nikki2002]

i have 2 minors in psychology and sociology--it rocks!! everyone should have minors--they're so easy to pick up! and fun--did i mention that?

 

[QofQuimica]

Natural Sciences and Spanish. It worked out well, because the Spanish classes were a good break from the science ones.

 

[spaceman_spiff]

double major in physics and math (but the math degree was only 5 more classes, so why not) and 2 minors in chemistry and music, just to be awesomely cool. 😎 😎 😎

 

[jpwinsmcgee]

double in history and sociology of science and hispanic studies. loved it and adcoms seem to take an interest! maybe i'll get in where i want....

 

[okayplayer]

Biomedical Sciences and History for me. Did them both in four years. It is very doable (if you are willing to take 18 credits per semester) and quite enjoyable, actually. I loved getting a break from the hard sciences to learn about stuff I actually enjoy, which was most of my history classes.

 

[Dixie06]

chemistry and psychology w/ a minor in Italian for me.

 

[Rafa]

bump...

 

[veridisquo]

Neuroscience & Biology double major here. I could also do a BSc in Chemistry if I really had an interest in doing so; I only need two more classes to meet the graduation requirements.

Double majoring just to impress med school admission directors seems like an unnecessary hassle. Study what you love. In my case, that happened to be two different disciplines.

 

[Caligirl05]

I doubled in Chemistry and Economics....as for helping was adcoms - only one interviewer actually commented on the fact.

 

[Doc.Holliday]

oh oh oh! I'm not the only triple am I?

cell/molecular bio, evolutionary bio, and history...

almost entirely finished history and cmb in 3 years, and as I have a 4 year scholarship am picking up the third for more fun.



but, im going to say that you should absolutely think this through. getting more than one major looks good ONLY if you do well. Having a second major isnt going to make up for much as far as gpa, so beware. Make sure you can handle the load. I made the sacrafice of gpa, i'm still in the acceptable range of med schools, but i sometimes wish i was capable of settling for one major and getting a 4.0 in it (i just couldnt do it, i have to many interests). Hopefully i wont have too tough of a time in admissions, but my gpa will be my big obstacle (a 3.4 isnt bad, but i obviously could have done better if id had less to concentrate on).

 

[MahlerROCKS]

but adcoms seem to love it.

I hope I have the same adcoms you did when I apply

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

I doubled in biochem and english lit, and two interviewers were kind of mean about the english thing. i had to keep reminding them i studied biochem as well. its as if they just kept asking me to justify why i studied english, and how i feel it prepared me better than another major. and i'm sitting there going.... um......... biochem... and english?... i like to write.
its like they don'ty like it if you're honest and say I did it because i love it. not because it was going to get me into medical school. i want to write. i'd like to be like oliver sacks and do medical writing, but fundamentally, i did it because i love it.

blargh.

anyway. I think i agree with the grades thing. You just need to do well. and be able to justify why you did what you did.

 

[BMW M3]

Chemical Biology + Literature dual major here.

Did it help during the admissions process? probably not
Did it improve my appreciation for books? not at all
Does it allow me to carry a semi-intellegent conversation on modern poetics, chaucer, shakespeare, etc.? Yes
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat

 

[annamoo]

Yes I double majored at UT Austin, graduating in May 2004 after 5 years and 5 summers with 250 hours and a BS in Microbiology and a BJ in Photojournalism. I have worked for world-famous researchers and photojournalists (sometimes at the same time) and now live in Austria as a Fulbright grant awardee. I double majored bc these truly are my interests, and didn't decide to go to med school till my 4th year of college anyway, so it wasn't about looking good to med schools, and my advisors in both colleges supported it once they realized I was serious (which they realized my first semester)...but I wasn't a premed so I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to what premeds were "supposed" to be doing anyway, and then I decided to move to Europe and apply to med school from over here and just matched at a Texas school and was also accepted to Tulane....my point is, do whatever you want and don't worry about the weird looks, I sure got plenty of questions about whether my future goal is t photograph bacteria and stuff like that, but whatever. It's your life and a med school that truly appreciates diversity and different areas of study and isn't threatened by "outside" interets will be the right fit for you....

 

[novawildcat]

What are some of the requirements in the arts and sciences schools where you people go (im talking about non major required courses for everyone)? I see that some of you can get away double majoring and take less than 20 credits a semester.

 

[Anastasis]

Psychology and English Literature with a minor in Religious Studies.

To answer the question about courseloads: I took 2 summers and transfered in 32 hours. So I basically had a year done before I started.

Yeah and then I did a post-bac

 

[DrLalich]

My double major is a BS Human Biology and a BA Chemistry. The double major thing played out well at most all of my interviews.

 

[Doc.Holliday]

What are some of the requirements in the arts and sciences schools where you people go (im talking about non major required courses for everyone)? I see that some of you can get away double majoring and take less than 20 credits a semester.

I am a triple major and ive never taken over 19, and thats with only 1 summer session and no AP credit etc. I think the most essential thing is planning your schedule out from the start.

anyway, core reqs= 1 english, proficiency in foreign lang. (4 semesters if you start from scratch, i only needed one), 3 social sciences, 3 humanities/fine arts, 3 science and maths + lab req, nonwestern culture class, western culture, and a writing intensive course.

 

[Sweetlill1]

Double major in Cell/molec biology and Judaic Studies... and graduted in three years (four credits short of getting a BA and a BS)... I would have gotten a psych major also had I stayed for four years... (fyi I had 32 credit hours coming into college thanks to AP and taking college classes while in high school)... in my interviews I was asked quite a bit about my Judaic studies major but never about graduating in three years...

 

[Rafa]

Bump...

 

[SexyLexie729]

Neurobiology & Psychology

 

[dom1n1c]

Molecular biology/Business Admin from UT-Dallas.Ihated research but my school made it mandatory to graduate with honors.I used the Business party as a spring board to get my Masters in Finance. I know it will help me run the community center I want to open.

Northwestern Class of 2010

http://mdapplicants.com/viewprofile.php?id=5028

 

[krazykarls]

Doable...obviously however be aware

A: it's more work

B: it will limit you in persuing other opportunities. You have more reqired classes which means you can take fewer interesting classes, and you are also limited in the amount of extracarricular activities you can meaningfully commit to.

If you want to do it for a concrete reason like dom1n1c, by all means go for it, but if it's just a side interest, you'll be happier majoring in the one you like more and only taking the classes in the second major that interest you. (and if you find you still like it you can always give up some electives and finish it)

As for med schools, its common enough that they won't care much unless you have a compelling reason behind why you chose to do it.

 

[acennace]

Double major in bio and philosophy... Hoping for a minor in Japanese

 

[deuist]

I would advise against double majoring in two fields that are closely related such as biology and chemistry. A prof once said that taking extra classes to study the same material is a waste of time. If you do want to pursue a second major, do it in something vastly different from your current field. I did physics and religion.

 

[BigRock]

I double majored in Biology and Biochemistry
It's definitely do-able and I have time to spare, even with writing an honors thesis.
I definitely recommend taking classes in the summers and hopefully you can bring in AP credits...that will definitely help make it do-able

I did not get any questions regarding my double major or anything to that nature....however, you get to take more classes that will definitely help you with MCAT and even medical school (virology, immunology, histology, biochem,etc)

goodluck!

 

[Touchdown]

Double major in Pre Med and History, very doable (the history only required 8 classes) with my AP credit. I love history but not enough to have a career in it is I figured I may as well indulge myself in undergrad since it was my only chance to do so.