Major?

[WonderingHigh]

What is the best major to take as an incoming freshman to college if I want to have a slightly better chance at getting into med school?

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[nonesuchgirl]

Whatever you want that you like.

Just hit the pre-reqs and you're good.

 

[DoctorDreamer]

Whatever you will enjoy and excel in.

Schools like diverse, well-rounded candidates, so anything goes. The student who majored in music is more unique than the biology major, but the biology major had more of an opportunity to prove their scientific academic prowess. Adcoms love both, all they truly care about is that you excelled in whatever you pursued.

 

[WonderingHigh]

Ah, where would I find the pre-reqs for med-school?

 

[DoctorDreamer]

Ah, where would I find the pre-reqs for med-school?

Each med school's prereqs are listed in the MSAR, and most also have them listed on their websites.

The following are in common for all schools:
1 year biology with lab
1 year general (inorganic) chemistry with lab
1 year organic chemistry with lab
1 year physics with lab

Some schools also require a combination of any of the following:
1 year calculus (or statistics/calculus)
1-2 years humanities
1 year english
1 year biochemistry

You can apply to most schools with any bachelor's degree and the first four prereqs, and pretty much any school out there if you get the others.

 

[Cardinals]

Ah, where would I find the pre-reqs for med-school?

Every school requires a year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. Some schools have other requirements (calculus, english, etc.). Every school should have their requirements on their website.

edit-or what Dr. Dreamer said.

 

[tomtom101]

Your major doesn't matter. Pick one that you will enjoy, thus you are most likely to do well and get a good GPA. That will improve your chances of getting into med school.

 

[3 little birds]

Ah, where would I find the pre-reqs for med-school?

Check admissions websites for schools you are interested in pursuing, as they vary but in general you'll need

calculus (not always, can often be waived with high school courses)
1 year general bio (with lab)
1 year general chem (with lab)
1 year organic chem (with lab)
1 year physics (with lab)
english/writing
social science
biochemistry

sometimes you need things like Statistics and Spanish (UCLA requires the latter and recommends the former)

Pick a major that you like. You'll have plenty of time to learn bio in med school. If bio is what you like, then major in it. I know people who majored in Philosophy and got into med school.

 

[135892]

Major in physics

 

[Perrotfish]

This has been asked thousands of times. Here are my opinions:

Bio/Biochem includes the prereqs, good if you´re short on money for extra semesters. Decent jobs/ PhD opportunities if you don´t get in.

Hard sciences and engineering are good for getting jobs, good if you don´t want to put all your eggs in one basket.

Communications/Playground management/whatever else your football players are majoring in are good for your GPA: good for getting into medical school, real bad if you don´t get in.

More difficult liberal arts majors are probably the most fulfilling (unless you like sciences, in which case ignore this). Good if you want your college classes to be as memorable as your college outside of class, but this is both as bad as Engineering for getting into med school and is as bad as communications for getting a job if you don´t get into med school.

I went with engineering.

 

[Danbo1957]

Major does not matter to med schools, except that you do need to take the pre-med courses required. But, your final GPA will matter, so major in what you like and in that which you can do well...

 

[Wylde]

What is the best major to take as an incoming freshman to college if I want to have a slightly better chance at getting into med school?

This will answer your question:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/search.php

 

[CrouchingTiger]

A B.A. in Underwater Basket Weaving will give you the edge you seek.

 

[bodonid]

A B.A. in Underwater Basket Weaving will give you the edge you seek.

If ever I saw a B.S. degree, it's this one.

 

[3 little birds]

If ever I saw a B.S. degree, it's this one.

hey, that's kind of a sore subject. My school insisted on giving me a BA in BIOLOGY.

 

[PrettyLadyDoc]

WonderingHigh,

The truth is you can pick any major you want and still get into med school. Although I'm not in yet but applying this summer, that's what virtually every pre-med advisor told me. I'm a Psychology major, minoring in Theatre, and I LOVE IT! I still have to take those 4 core classes (Physics, Orgo Chem, Gen Chem, and Bio) everyone else does, but studying humanities is really worth something when you think about medicine as an art.

Good luck in college, friend!

 

[tiedyeddog]

I'd major in undecided. 7 year plan sounds good. Also take the LSAT, GRE, and MCAT. Adcoms love that shiz.

 

[RySerr21]

hey, that's kind of a sore subject. My school insisted on giving me a BA in BIOLOGY.

i feel your pain. i am getting a BA in Kinesiology. stupid liberal arts college.

Major Requirements:

physics I/II
general chemistry I/II
organic chemistry I/II
intro to spych
Biology I/II
Anatomy I and Anatomy II
Human Physiology
Biomechanics
Biochemistry of Exericise
Motor Skills
Diet, Disease, and Exercise
Exercise Physiology.


give me a break. its all good tho, schools will see what classes you have taken.

 

[anomalous738232]

there seems to be a flood of soon-to-be-frosh seeking pre-med advice. just my 2 cents: assuming you've been accepted to X school, X school is likely to go over all your questions regarding X intended major @ your orientation. don't worry. you have your entire u-grad to worry and stress.

 

[mbk21]

This has been asked thousands of times. Here are my opinions:

Bio/Biochem includes the prereqs, good if you´re short on money for extra semesters. Decent jobs/ PhD opportunities if you don´t get in.

Hard sciences and engineering are good for getting jobs, good if you don´t want to put all your eggs in one basket.

Communications/Playground management/whatever else your football players are majoring in are good for your GPA: good for getting into medical school, real bad if you don´t get in.

More difficult liberal arts majors are probably the most fulfilling (unless you like sciences, in which case ignore this). Good if you want your college classes to be as memorable as your college outside of class, but this is both as bad as Engineering for getting into med school and is as bad as communications for getting a job if you don´t get into med school.

I went with engineering.

Pretty good run down. I am considering an economics major, however, people say Bio is competitive in the sense that once you get to your upper division classes you sort of get weeded out.

Best of luck, I am in the same boat right now and I have to "affiliate" with a school in a week

 

[JH377]

Pick a major you will enjoy. I got in being a history major and I have heard of people getting in with just about any major you ever heard of. Consider double majoring in science if you are worried, but college is a time to learn new things. Their will be plenty of time for hardcore science in med school.

 

[ts87v]

Hard sciences and engineering are good for getting jobs, good if you don´t want to put all your eggs in one basket.

what majors exactly are considered hard sciences???
just curious..

 

[luitime2585]

I was told by someone who sat on the admissions committee for Harvard University, that those students that had majors in the humanities were judged separately from those that had majors in the sciences.

If that is the case, consider whether you would like to do something that you enjoy, and that will show that you tried to expand your horizons. Instead of pursuing a course of study that would lead to a greater level of stress, especially, if you will be competing against an undoubtedly larger 'pile' of science majors.

 

[CK0112]

You're better off picking a major based on what type of classes you're interested in, since you're more likely to be paying attention in class, and therefore do better. If you pick a major based on what you think people want you to take, you might find yourself disinterested, and not putting as much effort into those classes.

 

[RySerr21]

what majors exactly are considered hard sciences???
just curious..

biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, geology.....

not hard science: psychology

 

[AUD]

biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, geology.....

not hard science: psychology

I'd even consider mathematics as a hard science. Might not be a science, but the way its taught and learned is pretty similar.