Comparative Lit Major?

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So, my little sister is starting college this coming fall, and wants to be a comparative literature major. She also wants to go to medical school, and wants advice about getting in... I'm a junior Genetics major at the same University, and don't know a whole lot about preparation for the MCAT, med school admissions etc. from a major outside of the sciences. I know that a major like comparative lit might make her stand out to adcoms, but will it put her at a disadvantage as far as science prep and MCAT prep goes? Anyone who has majored out of the sciences (like way out) have some advice? Thanks alot.

 

[gatoradedrinker]

you really only need a handful of science courses under your belt for MCAT prep.... with a comparative lit major though, hopefully she'll destroy the MCAT Verbal section.

as long as she does well in her requisite science courses (bio, chem, phys, math), she'll be in good shape.... heck, after you've nailed those courses, major in film, english, etc... whatever will help you maintain as high a GPA as possible.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Just make sure to take the pre-recs and that will do.

 

[RoyBasch]

I'm actually going to disagree with the above posters (and it seems the conventional logic of SDN). No, major does not matter directly. Ceteris paribus, a lit major is the same as a bio major. BUT that is a very unlikely position because I think science majors get a big leg-up on some of the other parts of an application. For example, almost all medical schools require a letter of recommendation from one or more than one science professor(s). If you have just taken the premed pre-reqs how are you going to get a LOR? Are you going to get a LOR from your general chemistry prof who taught a class of 600? For me all of my letters of recommendation came from profs I had small upper level seminars with. I suppose its possible, but I think the science majors have a leg-up.

Also for medical school, research is a big help to your application, it is much easier to get involved in science research if you are a science major. At interviews, I have been interviewed by many PhDs, and sometimes the conversation has swayed into a scientific topic. Having comfortability with discussing a higher-then-MCAT-level science topic can definitely help you score points with an interviewer. But this is a discourse someone who had experieinced upper-level science electives that involve reading journal articles and talking about research will be more skilled in.

Lastly, BCPM GPA counts, and for me, it was very hard to do well in the pre-req classes because of curves and other pre-meds. I only slowly rebuilt my BCPM GPA in upper level courses that although they were hard, were not impossible to get decent grades in because the classes emphasized knowledge over competition.

Now, I know many humanities majors who got into medical school and go to medical school and rock it without ever taking a single BCPM class over the pre-reqs. But I think it is innacurrate to say there is NO advantage in being a science major in the premed game.
-Roy

 

[TexasPhysician]

I'm actually going to disagree with the above posters (and it seems the conventional logic of SDN). No, major does not matter directly. Ceteris paribus, a lit major is the same as a bio major. BUT that is a very unlikely position because I think science majors get a big leg-up on some of the other parts of an application. For example, almost all medical schools require a letter of recommendation from one or more than one science professor(s). If you have just taken the premed pre-reqs how are you going to get a LOR? Are you going to get a LOR from your general chemistry prof who taught a class of 600? For me all of my letters of recommendation came from profs I had small upper level seminars with. I suppose its possible, but I think the science majors have a leg-up.

Also for medical school, research is a big help to your application, it is much easier to get involved in science research if you are a science major. At interviews, I have been interviewed by many PhDs, and sometimes the conversation has swayed into a scientific topic. Having comfortability with discussing a higher-then-MCAT-level science topic can definitely help you score points with an interviewer. But this is a discourse someone who had experieinced upper-level science electives that involve reading journal articles and talking about research will be more skilled in.

Lastly, BCPM GPA counts, and for me, it was very hard to do well in the pre-req classes because of curves and other pre-meds. I only slowly rebuilt my BCPM GPA in upper level courses that although they were hard, were not impossible to get decent grades in because the classes emphasized knowledge over competition.

Now, I know many humanities majors who got into medical school and go to medical school and rock it without ever taking a single BCPM class over the pre-reqs. But I think it is innacurrate to say there is NO advantage in being a science major in the premed game.
-Roy

1. Comp. Lit majors can still be pre-med and have a pre-med advisor. Many schools have a pre-med committee that writes 1 cumulative letter. Other letters can be gained from lit profs, M.D.'s you gain medical experience with etc. You won't be lacking in LOR's if you make yourself a good applicant (regardless of major).
2. Research can help....but so can a lot of things. In undergrad I roomed with 2 other guys.....none of us did research.....all of us got accepted to multiple med schools. You can do medical mission work, extravagant volunteer activities, teach in foreign countries or whatever to stand out. Research is no where near required.
3. BCPM gpa is important. Sure if you don't do as well in the pre-recs, you might want to add a couple upper level courses or a minor in Bio.

I think you are right however that science majors have an easier time once you are ALREADY in medical school. With that much science background, courses like genetics, biochemistry, and physiology during MSI-II were relatively easy for me.

 

[RoyBasch]

I think you are right however that science majors have an easier time once you are ALREADY in medical school. With that much science background, courses like genetics, biochemistry, and physiology during MSI-II were relatively easy for me.

It's funny, every pre-med adviser has told me something on the lines of, "oh well med school is so difficult and different than anything else that nothing can prepare you for it, so everyone is on a level playing field when it starts." But 80% of medical students I have talked to say that first year peoples' differences in background definitely count in terms of how easy it is to do well in a good number of classes like (as you said) biochem, physio, etc.
-Roy

 

[MrAgreeable]

And he was like, no dude it's the carborator

--There are enough California people in here somebody has to get that???

 

[fastboyslim]

It's funny, every pre-med adviser has told me something on the lines of, "oh well med school is so difficult and different than anything else that nothing can prepare you for it, so everyone is on a level playing field when it starts." But 80% of medical students I have talked to say that first year peoples' differences in background definitely count in terms of how easy it is to do well in a good number of classes like (as you said) biochem, physio, etc.
-Roy

My biochem prof used to teach biochem at the medical school of my university. She said that half the kids had majors/minors in chem or biochem and were really well prepared. She said the other half struggled with the basics (ex. didn't have a quick intuitive idea of what a pKa was). I also know a physics major who said med school was relatively easy compared to undergrad, probably because he was so accustomed to pushing himself at a rigorous level (let's admit it, physics is a hard major).

 

[TexasPhysician]

It's funny, every pre-med adviser has told me something on the lines of, "oh well med school is so difficult and different than anything else that nothing can prepare you for it, so everyone is on a level playing field when it starts." But 80% of medical students I have talked to say that first year peoples' differences in background definitely count in terms of how easy it is to do well in a good number of classes like (as you said) biochem, physio, etc.
-Roy

Let's just say that my Biochem/Genetics block was like a vacation compared to everything else (thanks to my undergrad classes)......