Majors for Medical School

[Hymas283]

So I am to the point I'm my undergraduate work that I need to choose my major I will pursue before medical school, but I am having a hard time deciding what to choose. I have the standard options that every medical undergrad takes, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, but I also have options like nursing and rad tech. Is it worth going with a nursing or rad tech degree, plus taking medical school requirements, and getting some experience in the medical field before applying to medical school, keeping in mind I'm trying to get into an Ivey League caliber school, or should I stick with a traditional major and just hope I can get in?

Thanks,
CJ

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[487806]

So I am to the point I'm my undergraduate work that I need to choose my major I will pursue before medical school, but I am having a hard time deciding what to choose. I have the standard options that every medical undergrad takes, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, but I also have options like nursing and rad tech. Is it worth going with a nursing or rad tech degree, plus taking medical school requirements, and getting some experience in the medical field before applying to medical school, keeping in mind I'm trying to get into an Ivey League caliber school, or should I stick with a traditional major and just hope I can get in?

Thanks,
CJ

Major doesn't matter. You can major whatever you want, and as long as you complete the prereqs, you're good.

 

[gyngyn]

So I am to the point I'm my undergraduate work that I need to choose my major I will pursue before medical school, but I am having a hard time deciding what to choose. I have the standard options that every medical undergrad takes, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, but I also have options like nursing and rad tech. Is it worth going with a nursing or rad tech degree, plus taking medical school requirements, and getting some experience in the medical field before applying to medical school, keeping in mind I'm trying to get into an Ivey League caliber school, or should I stick with a traditional major and just hope I can get in?

Thanks,
CJ

Your major doesn't matter. It only matters that you distinguish yourself in a field of study that deveolps your strengths and allows you to master the necessary material on the MCAT.

 

[Hymas283]

Is there any specific major that gives someone an edge in the application process?

 

[gyngyn]

No.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I definitely don't recommend a vocational major like radiology tech or nursing. Some may disagree with me on the nursing one, but academic majors consistently do better in the admissions process. No one can really say if that is due to the major or the population that selects it.

 

[Barcu]

I definitely don't recommend a vocational major like radiology tech or nursing. Some may disagree with me on the nursing one, but academic majors consistently do better in the admissions process. No one can really say if that is due to the major or the population that selects it.

I agree. In many instances, the courses for these vocational majors tend to be less strenuous, which can hurt you on the MCAT and in the eyes of adcoms. In addition, these are majors for a specific job. Adcoms may not want to take someone away from these potential jobs.

Some of the clinical experience or field-specific knowledge may give you some benefit. However, it doesn't make up for the potential downsides that I listed above. Furthermore, undergrad is not the time to learn how to be a doctor. That's what med school is for. While you do need some clinical experience, the purpose is to show you what being a physician entails. You do not need any actual clinical skills when applying to med school.

 

[lobo.solo]

So I am to the point I'm my undergraduate work that I need to choose my major I will pursue before medical school, but I am having a hard time deciding what to choose. I have the standard options that every medical undergrad takes, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, but I also have options like nursing and rad tech. Is it worth going with a nursing or rad tech degree, plus taking medical school requirements, and getting some experience in the medical field before applying to medical school, keeping in mind I'm trying to get into an Ivey League caliber school, or should I stick with a traditional major and just hope I can get in?

Thanks,
CJ

Major in something that you're interested in learning.

 

[darkjedi]

The major that will give you an edge in applications is one that you are passionate about and can do well in. The latter shines through much more so than the name of your major on your degree.

 

[HughMyron]

Majored in Philosophy, still applying. U mirin?

 

[Ost3oclast]

1. Pick a major you will enjoy
2. Do well in classes / nail MCAT
3. ????
4. Profit

 

[Lollygag]

Agreed that you should do something you enjoy. I'd just like to emphasize tho that you should not do nursing or similar majors. We constantly see those threads on SDN that say PharmD to med or nursing to med, does it look bad? And that's because it CAN look bad to an ad com because as an above poster said, you are essentially taking the spots of people who actually want to be there and stay in that career. It can also look like a lack of commitment which can easily be avoided by picking a different major.

 

[jamisondb]

Academic majors do fare better because they do not train you for a specific occupation. Medical schools are not as lenient in taking skilled professionals from their respective fields, especially if that field has a shortage (nursing for example). Regardless, major in what you're passionate about. It will show and you will be more motivated to study because you will have an interest.

 

[Nymphicus]

I personally would avoid the nursing or rad tech major.

Find something you're interested in.

However, I will say that if there is an undergraduate pharmacy/pharmacology major, that would be super useful. A lot of it is basically clinical physiology.

 

[Praefectus]

Pick a major that you want to learn about. This is the last time in your life when you can explore a field other than science/medicine. Take advantage of it.

 

[Eon]

Humanities and social sciences tend to get higher MCAT scores, but that's because Bio and, to a lesser extent, Chem majors are overrepresented. But generally speaking any major works. Do it because you'll get that 4.00 more than you'll enjoy it. In the end, 3.8 in something that you hate > 3.6 in something that you enjoy.

 

[drbsn]

I majored in nursing, but only because I did not want to be a doctor from the beginning. Instead, I wanted to do nurse anesthesia. Around my second semester in, I saw the physician light and haven't turned back. I graduated in May with my BSN, am working in an ICU, and finishing up my prerequisite courses. While I don't think my nursing background will hurt me, it definitely is not the easiest path to follow if you know you want to be a physician.

 

[lawton]

Do whatever you want. I did marine science and it worked out great! Great faculty, scholarships, and internships that my interviewers really enjoyed asking me about

 

[Hymas283]

I personally would avoid the nursing or rad tech major.

Find something you're interested in.

However, I will say that if there is an undergraduate pharmacy/pharmacology major, that would be super useful. A lot of it is basically clinical physiology.

That is also another option I have considered. I attend Idaho State University, not a well know school, but they do have a very good pharmacy program. ISU is a good school, its the most likely option for a medical school in Idaho. Given that, they have many good health science programs and I could do pharmacy pretty easily.

Not to talk myself up, I am there on a full ride scholarship and my GPA is a 3.93 with 56 credits including orgo, physics, bio, ect.. So I'm not exactly worried about my GPAa. Its more what major, or program, that I complete that will provide me a very competitive application. So if anyone has any ideas for anything that is better than another I am all ears. From ISU I could double major in biochemistry and microbiology by adding 9 additional credits to the 120ish needed to graduate, that might be another viable route for me as well. I just have one shot at applying to some of these ivy league caliber schools, I don't want to waste my opportunity and regret not exploring all my options.

 

[Barcu]

That is also another option I have considered. I attend Idaho State University, not a well know school, but they do have a very good pharmacy program. ISU is a good school, its the most likely option for a medical school in Idaho. Given that, they have many good health science programs and I could do pharmacy pretty easily.

Not to talk myself up, I am there on a full ride scholarship and my GPA is a 3.93 with 56 credits including orgo, physics, bio, ect.. So I'm not exactly worried about my GPAa. Its more what major, or program, that I complete that will provide me a very competitive application. So if anyone has any ideas for anything that is better than another I am all ears. From ISU I could double major in biochemistry and microbiology by adding 9 additional credits to the 120ish needed to graduate, that might be another viable route for me as well. I just have one shot at applying to some of these ivy league caliber schools, I don't want to waste my opportunity and regret not exploring all my options.

Your major really isn't going to help you compete much. If you want to go for ivy caliber schools you need a good gpa (in whatever major), a solid MCAT score, and good ECs/research. A major like nursing, etc could potentially give you some clinically-relevant ECs which can help. However, due to the downsides people have listed, it might not be enough. I would pick the major that interests you (I would stick to academic ones like biochem and micro) then prepare like crazy for the MCAT and seek out some good ECs and research. Not all of them have to be medically-related (and many times it can be the non-medical ones that help you the most).

 

[circulus vitios]

You have two choices:

Major in something that will get you a job if you're one of the 55% who don't get into medical school. Your GPA will probably suffer with an employable major.

Major in something easy, something that will give you a high GPA. You probably won't be able to find a job with an easy major.