Does a B.A. look bad (even marginally) compared to a B.S. to med. school?

[masterMood]

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B.S. at our school has too many boring classes for b.s. whereas i could take more medically related bio electives with a b.a., so yeah the question is does either or really matter? A B.S. sounds much better but how significant is it?

 

[Law2Doc]

B.S. at our school has too many boring classes for b.s. whereas i could take more medically related bio electives with a b.a., so yeah the question is does either or really matter? A B.S. sounds much better but how significant is it?

It doesn't matter at all. In fact, just taking the prereqs and getting a BA in a totally nonscience field is fine for med school. The days of the strictly bio major premed are long gone.

 

[drlalchick]

Liberal arts schools have some of the highest student rates of acceptance into medical school, and they ONLY give B.A. degrees. So it really doesn't matter as long as the premed pre-reqs are completed.

 

[Dr Trek 1]

I have a BA in Psychology and working toward a MS in counseling. I don't think it hurt my chances.

I always hear that so many people no longer have science degrees in med school. However, every school I interview at, I seem to be the only non-science major, oh- and the only person who has spent my life on stage performing rather than in the lab.

However, I haven't interviewed at all schools. Regardless, having a BA can only help you, in my opinion.

 

[jon0013]

I have a BA in Psychology and working toward a MS in counseling. I don't think it hurt my chances.

I always hear that so many people no longer have science degrees in med school. However, every school I interview at, I seem to be the only non-science major, oh- and the only person who has spent my life on stage performing rather than in the lab.

However, I haven't interviewed at all schools. Regardless, having a BA can only help you, in my opinion.

not at all..its all about the pre-reqs...what you study doesnt matter as long as you show you can hack the pre-reqs...who cares about Electrical Engineering in med school? not me at least...

 

[snobored18]

Liberal arts schools have some of the highest student rates of acceptance into medical school, and they ONLY give B.A. degrees. So it really doesn't matter as long as the premed pre-reqs are completed.

Word...

 

[etf]

at berkeley our biology degrees are B.A., with no B.S. option (which I and fellow MCBers feel is BS) so I'm hoping people don't care...

 

[potato51]

BA is just as good, even more preferable at some schools. If you're applying for MSTP/MDPhD's programs though, it's a different story.

 

[BerkeleyMD]

at berkeley our biology degrees are B.A., with no B.S. option (which I and fellow MCBers feel is BS) so I'm hoping people don't care...

MCB-CDB here and the B.A. worked out fine. A B.A. or B.S. doesn't mean much at all to the medical community (its all the same and just a stepping stone). The doc I work with introduces me as a Berkeley graduate, with a masters in biology and entering med school in the fall (even though I don't have a masters).

I doubt med schools actually compare BS vs BA. In fact, a BA in molecular biology may have more wieght than a BS in marine biology (or eq.), just because MCB can be geared more into the medical aspects of biology.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

BA is just as good, even more preferable at some schools. If you're applying for MSTP/MDPhD's programs though, it's a different story.

I highly doubt that having a BA instead of a BS makes any bit of a difference to a med school. They accept students who are good at what they like to do.

 

[Dr Trek 1]

All that matters is your transcript, not whether you have a BA or BS. At my school, for instance, we have lots of different bio majors and the BA track in bio is the least intense- however the school will see that from the transcript. That's just at my school though, so in the end your transcript is all that matters.

 

[tubercle]

Liberal arts schools have some of the highest student rates of acceptance into medical school, and they ONLY give B.A. degrees. So it really doesn't matter as long as the premed pre-reqs are completed.

Hollar!

 

[LizzyM]

Six years of reading applications and I've never noticed BS/BA. I'm not sure it is even on the AMCAS.

 

[Dr Trek 1]

You are on a med school adcom?

 

[Dreaming]

Is it more difficult for someone working on a BA to get an undergrad research position than it is for someone working on a BSc?

 

[eddie13231]

Depends on what type of research and the researcher. If you want to get a science research position, I know my researcher doesn't really care, just as long as it relates to science (BS or BA). If you want to do a further or perhaps independent research project (in some scientific aspect), then a BS would give you more weight (and perhaps more understanding) in convincing a researcher to take you under their wing. I know that some researchers want very specific people on their teams (ex: BS Biochem instead of BA) but thats just a few. It is easiest to just e-mail a bunch on them and see if you can get on their team without even saying what type of degree(s) you are persuing.

 

[dr.z]

Liberal arts schools have some of the highest student rates of acceptance into medical school, and they ONLY give B.A. degrees. So it really doesn't matter as long as the premed pre-reqs are completed.

👍

 

[dr.z]

Is it more difficult for someone working on a BA to get an undergrad research position than it is for someone working on a BSc?

I had no problem getting research position as BA. I also didn't have any problem getting into Ph.D program in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology.

 

[gujuDoc]

You are on a med school adcom?

Yes, LizzyM and REL are our TWO RESIDENT ADCOM members here on SDN.

 

[BooMed]

I have a BA in Spanish/Sociology and it was no problem. In fact, during most of my interviews all they wanted to talk about was which yoga classes I liked the best and how well could I play piano and did I still rockclimb. (I took a lot of random classes.) It was kind of weird but maybe they were excited to talk to a non-science person or something. 🙄

 

[gujuDoc]

BTW, in response to the original question........

BA or BS does NOT matter!!!!!! Get what degree you want to get and do well and keep the rest of your app well and you'll be likely to get interviews.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Liberal arts schools have some of the highest student rates of acceptance into medical school, and they ONLY give B.A. degrees. So it really doesn't matter as long as the premed pre-reqs are completed.

Yes, they do have high acceptance rates. However, many award B.S. degrees.

 

[REL]

BTW, in response to the original question........

BA or BS does NOT matter!!!!!! Get what degree you want to get and do well and keep the rest of your app well and you'll be likely to get interviews.

Amen. There is so many other more significant factors, it is on the app, but it surely doesnt matter.

 

[shantster]

The only concern I would have with getting a B.A. instead of my B.S. is whether I'd be able to do something with my degree if med school doesn't work out. Something to think about...

 

[JG198]

The only concern I would have with getting a B.A. instead of my B.S. is whether I'd be able to do something with my degree if med school doesn't work out. Something to think about...

The comment above is rather naive. MANY people have a B.A. degree and still have jobs

 

[shantster]

The comment above is rather naive. MANY people have a B.A. degree and still have jobs

It depends on what you want to be able to do with it. I do know that people do have a B.A. degree and still have jobs, but if you are looking into other options, it would be good to make sure that the B.S. is not preferred in whatever field you want to go into if med school doesn't work out.