Major Advice

[doc4seen]

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I am looking into different majors right now but I am a little confused as what I want to study. The ultimate goal is to get into medical school and I don't see myself doing anything else in life. I would go abroad or even Caribbean if things don't work out.

The options I am considering are psychology, biological sciences or economics. Would a double major be in my favor when applying to medical schools? Which of these majors would benefit me the most in the long run and application process?

 

[eggs13]

I am looking into different majors right now but I am a little confused as what I want to study. The ultimate goal is to get into medical school and I don't see myself doing anything else in life. I would go abroad or even Caribbean if things don't work out.

The options I am considering are psychology, biological sciences or economics. Would a double major be in my favor when applying to medical schools? Which of these majors would benefit me the most in the long run and application process?

it does not matter what your major is. while biology is probably one of the more popular for premeds, as long as you do well in your medical school prereq's and have a solid BCPM and overall GPA, it really does not matter what you major in (granted you do well on your MCAT and get some clinical/volunteer/research experience as well)

A double major may look nice, but ONLY if you can maintain a high GPA.

 

[Rumalum]

..

 

[Praefectus]

do a real major like chemistry or physics so that you're not a ******* like half my class ("how do you calculate a standard deviation")

In case anyone was wondering...

OP, your major doesn't matter. Just be comfortable being in that field for the next 40 years if med school doesn't pan out.

 

[FSU2013]

Sudy what you want to learn.

 

[DrDreams]

I completely agree as said above. I initially started as a chem major, but quickly realized i actually really liked physiology and enjoyed it, so i changed my major to that. If you enjoy it, you will work harder at it. At the same time, it wont be a drag.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Major in whatever the hell you want, but don't go to Caribbean.

 

[doc4seen]

Will med schools look down upon a major such as economics which is seen to be a very easy major and doesn't really relate to the medical field as compared to a tougher major such as biology or neuroscience?

 

[DokDakotaDok]

Will med schools look down upon a major such as economics which is seen to be a very easy major and doesn't really relate to the medical field as compared to a tougher major such as biology or neuroscience?

No, they will not.

And Biology and Neuroscience aren't looked at as 'tougher' majors.

The only major that seems to get leeway in regards to GPA is engineering, and even that is not worth much in the eyes of an AdCom. Much of the initial screening process is relatively 'automated' in that low GPAs are going to get cut without some very impressive activities, life stories, or test scores.

Do what you'd like to do.

 

[theseeker4]

Will med schools look down upon a major such as economics which is seen to be a very easy major and doesn't really relate to the medical field as compared to a tougher major such as biology or neuroscience?

They really, really don't care, as long as you ace the pre reqs. Do what you want to and can get As in.

 

[kpcrew]

do a real major like chemistry or physics so that you're not a ******* like half my class ("how do you calculate a standard deviation")

lmao this is so true

 

[Perrotfish]

I am looking into different majors right now but I am a little confused as what I want to study. The ultimate goal is to get into medical school and I don't see myself doing anything else in life. I would go abroad or even Caribbean if things don't work out.

The options I am considering are psychology, biological sciences or economics. Would a double major be in my favor when applying to medical schools? Which of these majors would benefit me the most in the long run and application process?

1) No major sigificantly benifits you in the eyes of ADCOMs in and of itself. Double majors benifit you even less. If anything does helps, its being unique rather than medically relevant. Bio and psych are terrible choices for standing out from the crowd.

2) That's not to say your major choice doesn't affect your chances. The goal for medical school is a GPA of > 3.6. The trick to medical school admissions is to put yourself in a position to get that GPA. So from day 1: light credit loads, research your professors' average class GPAs before signing up for a class, and in general an easy major.

3) Now there is one other thing to consider, which is a backup plan. Easy majors don't make a lot of money if medical school doesn't work out, and it doesn't work out for most people who come in as premeds. However sure you are, I think its a good idea to have a resume that an employer would want. At the very least, make sure you pick up several internships or a co-op (not university research lab experience) so that you have something on your resume if things don't work out during medical school admissions. The nice thing about work experience is that, unlike difficult/lucrative majors (engineering, accounting, etc), your backup plan doesn't get in the way of your primary plan. It can't hurt your GPA. Looking for a job can take more than a semester: start sending out resumes for the summer during your first semester.

4) whatever you do, remember that adjusting to college is a 5 credit class. Your first semester make sure you take no more than 12 easy credits to give you time to rush, join/quit a dozen clubs, cycle through groups of friends, etc. You will be in a much better position to take a ton of credits when your college life settles down to a managebale routine around winter break.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

lmao this is so true

Hey now, I don't actually remember how to do stdev by hand because I have excel do everything for me nowadays. And this is coming from someone who has had a significant amount of experience with statistics.

And just so you know, coming from a person with a quadruple major, they don't give a **** about how hard your work was because you went above and beyond. Expect to be judged based on GPA (>3.6), MCAT (>30), ECs (active, academic, & leader), and your interview (social & professional), just like everyone else.

 

[doc4seen]

Thanks for the advice. I am just taking the core classes to complete my school's requirements at this point. I hope by the time I am done with those, I can lean towards a major with full satisfaction.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

do a real major like chemistry or physics so that you're not a ******* like half my class ("how do you calculate a standard deviation")

Microsoft Excel is my favorite way.

 

[Rumalum]

Microsoft Excel is my favorite way.

it's not so much about knowing the formula as it is raising your hand in a medical school lecture to ask the professor how to find one of the most googled formulas in existence

 

[FSU2013]

We had a professor who taught on osteoporosis. She told us how you have to be 1.5 SDs below average for the dx and some huge percentage of people had it. I asked how that was possible and she gave me some rediculously wrong answer trying to explain how SD and percentages worked - appearantly she didn't know it was scaled to people much younger. Obviously I didn't either, but hey, I was in the class, not teaching it.