FOR ALL NON-SCIENCE MAJORS!

[The Sultan]

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To the powers at SDN,
I am a non-science major, but i am getting near the end of all my medical school pre-requisites. I was wondering, if it is considered lazy if i dont take courses beyond what is required to apply at each individual school. I really need to pay more attention to my major, but if there are hidden 'recommended' courses for med school, i guess i'll work through them. Any help would be appreciated.

Peace,
Sultan

 

[mma]

Sultan,

As a Classics major and post-bacc pre med student, I took exactly the minimum number of required courses (including 1 year of calculus) and was OK for getting into schools.

The main thing is to do well both in the required courses and in your major--it is vital that you be able to show passion for what you choose as your intellectual focus.

Good luck!

mma

 

[ncmd]

Hey- as a history major I also just took the minimum requirements- it worked out well for me! I really think it is an advantage not to be a science major when applying. With so many applicants, being able to talk about something interesting and different (like my Irish History major) in interviews makes you stand out a little more, at least!

 

[drlion06]

more than one interviewer said to me "i think all applicants should be english majors"... so i think it's OK not to take a bunch of sciences. i took exactly the required intro classes and didn't find any trouble getting in. the point is to study what you enjoy and actually get something out of college.

 

[Doctora Foxy]

I also took only the basic premed requirements as a Spanish and Latin American Studies Major. I think adcoms appreciate the diversity in academic focus and it gives you something to speak passionately about at your interviews. 🙂

But since no one has mentioned it, I recommend Biochemistry. Many med schools have it under their list of recommendations, and I think it may be helpful to have the basis for med school. I'm actually pretty frightened about med school since I haven't taken a science class in a while.

 

[sorrento]

I second the vote for biochem. I only took the minimum requirements (American Studies major) and found out, too late, that many schools require or "strongly recommend" biochemistry. If it is not possible for you to take it, don't worry, just know that you'll have to drop a couple of schools from your list as a result (UC Irvine, Case Western, come to mind.)

But as far as being a non-science major - you'll be fine. As everyone else has said, it makes you different (although with all of us around, maybe not so different after all! :wink: )

 

[Future_Doc]

Accounting major here - I took EXACTLY what was required to get in during postbacc. No more, no less. Time is too scarce to waste on classes I don't need. I remember the head of the premed committee told me one day (after I was finished taking prereqs and was in the middle of the appl process) that I should be taking some more biology courses in the meantime. Whatever! Got in anyway.

 

[none]

That depends, have you taken the MCAT and done well? If so, then don't worry about extra classes. Otherwise, some additional bio courses might make the MCAT somewhat easier by re-enforcing stuff you learned eons ago in basic bio.