Is there a difference between pre-med degree and majoring in chem/bio/etc?

[vin5cent0]

So I'm applying to my colleges once again and they need to know what my intended major is. One of my friends, who is also planning on going into medicine, is advising that I don't go into pre-med since if I don't make it into med school, I have a worthless degree. Is this true?

I can see where he's going, but I honestly think if I majored in chemistry and didn't get into med, I'd have to keep trying to get in because I never want to be a chemist or the like. Does it look more favorable to a college to see 'pre-med' instead of chem major or whatnot?

On that note, I also have another question about this topic. What are some good degrees (if you don't go the pre-med degree) to get into med school with? I've heard biology and chemistry are too common and that people don't stand out with those degrees. I had been planning on majoring in biology and then minoring in chemistry or possibly Latin but now I'm unsure. In fact, I'm unsure of everything because I also thought you chose your major in pre-med, I never knew it was an actual major of its own.

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[Law2Doc]

So I'm applying to my colleges once again and they need to know what my intended major is. One of my friends, who is also planning on going into medicine, is advising that I don't go into pre-med since if I don't make it into med school, I have a worthless degree. Is this true?

I can see where he's going, but I honestly think if I majored in chemistry and didn't get into med, I'd have to keep trying to get in because I never want to be a chemist or the like. Does it look more favorable to a college to see 'pre-med' instead of chem major or whatnot?

On that note, I also have another question about this topic. What are some good degrees (if you don't go the pre-med degree) to get into med school with? I've heard biology and chemistry are too common and that people don't stand out with those degrees. I had been planning on majoring in biology and then minoring in chemistry or possibly Latin but now I'm unsure. In fact, I'm unsure of everything because I also thought you chose your major in pre-med, I never knew it was an actual major of its own.

Med schools don't care what you major in. So a premed major is kind of pointless. You can take the prereqs regardless of what your major is. Major in what you enjoy, whether it is science related or not.

 

[Dendrite]

So I'm applying to my colleges once again and they need to know what my intended major is. One of my friends, who is also planning on going into medicine, is advising that I don't go into pre-med since if I don't make it into med school, I have a worthless degree. Is this true?

I can see where he's going, but I honestly think if I majored in chemistry and didn't get into med, I'd have to keep trying to get in because I never want to be a chemist or the like. Does it look more favorable to a college to see 'pre-med' instead of chem major or whatnot?

On that note, I also have another question about this topic. What are some good degrees (if you don't go the pre-med degree) to get into med school with? I've heard biology and chemistry are too common and that people don't stand out with those degrees. I had been planning on majoring in biology and then minoring in chemistry or possibly Latin but now I'm unsure. In fact, I'm unsure of everything because I also thought you chose your major in pre-med, I never knew it was an actual major of its own.

I don't think "Pre-medicine" is an actual major, but an area of study that can encompass a number of different degrees. You can still be "Pre-med" and major in Biology, Chemistry, etc.

It's okay if you don't know what you want to major in; many students change their major once or more after they enter college. Choose whatever major you are interested in, and speak with a premed advisor to see what prereqs you have to take.

 

[dd128]

At my school we don't have a "premed" major, I'm not sure if others are like this, but you just go with bio, chem, basket weaving, etc. Most people go into some science major and self label themselves as premed, it really doesn't have much meaning except maybe to your parents, and friends you can brag to who don't know any better. If you go by my school, you have like hundreds of bio majors in freshman year calling themselves premed. when you look to the 3rd and 4th years that's usually weeded down to like a dozen. I think it's mainly that they didn't quite know what they were getting into. I would find a major you like and just take the science pre-reqs rather than wasting a year in case you change your mind. Personally I love biology so it wasn't hard for me...🙂

 

[skyeblue0610]

Well I'm a poli sci and psychology major. I decided to just take the pre-med classes instead of getting a degree in bio or chem. Pick whatever major you want. Don't do business though, I've heard that don't care too much for business as a major. I've heard the same about engineering which baffles me considering how MANY people on here either are or were engineering majors😕

 

[Dendrite]

Well I'm a poli sci and psychology major. I decided to just take the pre-med classes instead of getting a degree in bio or chem. Pick whatever major you want. Don't do business though, I've heard that don't care too much for business as a major. I've heard the same about engineering which baffles me considering how MANY people on here either are or were engineering majors😕

Any possible explanations?

 

[Asp]

Business isn't intellectual enough; it's a trade, not a science.

 

[TopDocChick]

I go to a state school and there is no pre-med major offered at my school. I majored in biochemistry and I have really enjoyed it. I too would not want to do anything with my degree besides be a physician, but there is still the enjoyment of learning the theoretical aspects of the chemical interactions - and getting a full picture of how this world works. At least, that is the way I feel.

One summer, at the local, private, big name university, I took the "pre-med" organic lab that was offered because I had been pregnant during my school's organic class and couldn't take the lab while in the class. It was crazy how watered down and easy it was compared to the lab that the premeds at my school are required to take. From that experience, I have very little respect for someone who can only hack the watered down version of premed science classes. Of course my opinion is based on one school and one lab, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[smq123]

So I'm applying to my colleges once again and they need to know what my intended major is. One of my friends, who is also planning on going into medicine, is advising that I don't go into pre-med since if I don't make it into med school, I have a worthless degree. Is this true?

I can see where he's going, but I honestly think if I majored in chemistry and didn't get into med, I'd have to keep trying to get in because I never want to be a chemist or the like. Does it look more favorable to a college to see 'pre-med' instead of chem major or whatnot?

On that note, I also have another question about this topic. What are some good degrees (if you don't go the pre-med degree) to get into med school with? I've heard biology and chemistry are too common and that people don't stand out with those degrees. I had been planning on majoring in biology and then minoring in chemistry or possibly Latin but now I'm unsure. In fact, I'm unsure of everything because I also thought you chose your major in pre-med, I never knew it was an actual major of its own.

Major in whatever you want. Your friend is right - majoring in "pre-medicine" (which is an actual major at some schools) is not a smart decision, since you have nothing to fall back on. Major in whatever interests you.

Don't do business though, I've heard that don't care too much for business as a major. I've heard the same about engineering which baffles me considering how MANY people on here either are or were engineering majors😕

Sometimes SDN is really helpful and full of good info....and sometimes it's full of incorrect information.

You can major in business - no one cares. There are 2 business majors at my medical school. I think we even have someone who majored in art. We have a couple of history majors and a few English lit majors. Many people who majored in engineering get into medical school - I think we have 5-6 former engineers in my class. They truly do NOT care what you majored in (even if you majored in business). You just need to do well in your science classes and do well on the MCAT.

 

[frankenpootie]

So I'm applying to my colleges once again and they need to know what my intended major is. One of my friends, who is also planning on going into medicine, is advising that I don't go into pre-med since if I don't make it into med school, I have a worthless degree. Is this true?

I can see where he's going, but I honestly think if I majored in chemistry and didn't get into med, I'd have to keep trying to get in because I never want to be a chemist or the like. Does it look more favorable to a college to see 'pre-med' instead of chem major or whatnot?

On that note, I also have another question about this topic. What are some good degrees (if you don't go the pre-med degree) to get into med school with? I've heard biology and chemistry are too common and that people don't stand out with those degrees. I had been planning on majoring in biology and then minoring in chemistry or possibly Latin but now I'm unsure. In fact, I'm unsure of everything because I also thought you chose your major in pre-med, I never knew it was an actual major of its own.

Pre-med is not a major but regardless of what you choose as your major you can still get into medical school as long as you take the pre-reqs.

History, Biochemistry and Psychology are good degrees to have but at the end of the day you should choose the subject that interests you the most.

 

[Dendrite]

Business isn't intellectual enough; it's a trade, not a science.

I know a lot of economics majors that would disagree with this statement.

 

[dd128]

You can major in business - no one cares. There are 2 business majors at my medical school. I think we even have someone who majored in art. We have a couple of history majors and a few English lit majors. Many people who majored in engineering get into medical school - I think we have 5-6 former engineers in my class. They truly do NOT care what you majored in (even if you majored in business). You just need to do well in your science classes and do well on the MCAT.

Yeah, I mean if you can major in business and nail the mcat I don't think adcoms would care. Besides, I've heard lots of physicians in private practice say they wish they had more business experience.

 

[vin5cent0]

Well now I have another question hehe.

Based on my experience from when I was going into pharmacy, each school has their own pre-reqs that they need for you to apply. If every school has a different set, how can you apply to multiple schools? What I mean is when I was going to apply to pharm school at South Dakota State University, they had a strict set of classes they needed. There were so enough that I didn't have any classes to spare. At the U of M, they had a different set. So I was more or less locked into only applying to SDSU. Is it like this for med school?

 

[TopDocChick]

every school pretty much requires one year of bio, one year physics, one year gen chem and one year orgo. some schools have an English requirement - of 1 year, stats, biochem, genetics, and i think Hopkins has a requirement of a certain number social science classes. It is not that many. Most of the schools just have those first four requirements.

 

[Bond8204]

Well now I have another question hehe.

Based on my experience from when I was going into pharmacy, each school has their own pre-reqs that they need for you to apply. If every school has a different set, how can you apply to multiple schools? What I mean is when I was going to apply to pharm school at South Dakota State University, they had a strict set of classes they needed. There were so enough that I didn't have any classes to spare. At the U of M, they had a different set. So I was more or less locked into only applying to SDSU. Is it like this for med school?

A few points:

--I wouldn't classify economics as a "business major" per se. I think when people were referring to business majors they meant marketing, accounting, finance. As people have already said here, if you nail your prereq's and the MCAT with a business major, you'll probably be just fine. They might ask you why you ended up in medicine instead of business in an interview, but that's the most I can see someone giving you a problem about it.

--Of course a premed organic chemistry course is easier than what a Biochemistry major is used to. Flippin Biochemistry as a major is like advanced organic chemistry. The orgo that shows up on the MCAT is even more watered down than a premed orgo course.

--I got a degree in Pre-med (it was called something more fancy, but I don't want to reveal too much about myself). The Pro's are that you get to take much more electives as far as your core sciences go--so I was able to take fascinating science courses in environmental chemistry and neurobiology that counted toward my major while Bio majors would have to take Ecology and Botany. The down side is that if you don't get in, I do think a Biology degree is more useful than a Pre-med degree, but I'm taking a year off and got a job at a prominent research university medical research lab with my degree (admittedly, it took a great deal of effort). So far, nobody has scoffed at my degree when I explain what it is--they actually think it's a good idea. Finally, most alternatives to medicine you might decide to go into accept Biology, Chemistry, "or related" degrees. Right now, I recommend that you go in as a Pre-med major, and as people have alluded to above, you can later change your mind.

--To answer your specific question: Most medical schools have the exact same requirements: A year of gen chem, year of bio, year of organic chem, year of physics. Some schools then require calculus so you might want to take that as well. Statistics and Biochemistry are often strongly recommended so are also good ideas. Some schools also have funky humanities requirements (ex. UIC requires 2 psychology courses and an additional social science) and English requirements, but you'll probably fill all of those types of things without even realizing it. One advantage of a Premed major program is that you'll likely get guidance from early on on what you should be taking.

 

[Quadratic]

Well I'm a poli sci and psychology major. I decided to just take the pre-med classes instead of getting a degree in bio or chem. Pick whatever major you want. Don't do business though, I've heard that don't care too much for business as a major. I've heard the same about engineering which baffles me considering how MANY people on here either are or were engineering majors😕

I think that's just folklore. No one really cares much about any particular major (if they chose something to disregard, it should be BIO since it's THE most popular major among premeds). I think medical schools want to see that applicants can handle the course work with poise.

But maybe I'm biased because I like finance AND engineering 😎