Minor? Yes or No?

[jwenz10]

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I'm a college sophomore and recently changed my major from biology to forensics, and while speaking to the forensics advisor I mentioned I would like to minor in Art and Architectural History. The advisor basically told me the minor wouldn't count for anything and I'd be wasting my money. He said that med schools only look to see that you did well in your science classes, and unless I minored in something science related, a minor would be useless.

I would think that having a non-science related minor would show that I have other interests. I took an AP Art History class in high school (scored a 4) and really enjoyed it to the point that if my college offered an Art History major, I would have majored in it seeing as med schools seem to encourage non-science majors.

Do med schools look at minors at all, and if so, would a minor in something non-science related help in anyway?

 

[JESSFALLING]

I think it would show some depth of interest, but you may get the same effect just by having the courses on your transcript. I would recommend taking a few of the art history courses and see how you enjoy them. If you end up with a minor, it won't hurt you.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I have heard others mention that the observational skills acquired in Art and Art History courses can be very beneficial to medical students/residents (esp. in fields like Radiology, where the ability to quickly differentiate very minor visual details is essential.)

 

[dominicandoctor]

"I would think that having a non-science related minor would show that I have other interests"

I agree. I'm not part of an admissions committee or whatever, but I think medical schools definitely like to see some diversity. I think it's a good thing to pursue other intellectual interests.. not just just for medical school but just for yourself. I minored in English (was a major for a while) simply because I enjoy literature and writing. I think that taking some art history classes will make the adcom see you as a more complete and rounded human being rather than some neurotic pre-med who only does well in science classes. Simply, it is good for your soul to pursue what you want and I think this is expressed in a lot of intangible ways.

"The advisor basically told me the minor wouldn't count for anything and I'd be wasting my money. He said that med schools only look to see that you did well in your science classes, and unless I minored in something science related, a minor would be useless."

Your mentor is right in one regard, but he is very short sighted. Honestly, if you do well in your pre-requisite courses for medical school you will be just fine regardless of what other classes you take. There is no reason to ONLY take science courses in college. The undergrad experience is all about expanding your mind, learning how to think, and pursuing things your interested in. In fact, many medical school matriculants come from all kinds of liberal arts majors.. not just Bio and Chem.

In the end, I know my English minor is kind of unnecessary but I am glad that I went out and did it. I enjoyed pursuing it and I learned a lot of writing and analytical skills that I think were very useful. (So, I never studied Verbal Reasoning for the MCAT... first practice tests I took I was already scoring between 11-14. I know many super intelligent science guys that struggled with verbal reasoning and couldn't seem to improve.)

I say screw your advisor and go for it.
1) It makes you stand out as an applicant
2) You should pursue your intellectual interests in college
3) You might learn a lot of valuable analytical, critical thinking, and writing skills a long the way. If anything, it isn't science and it'll help you think in a different/more creative way.. expand your mind brah!
4) It might give you something to talk about during your med school interviews (who knows, an interviewer may just happen to be a big art buff.. I just read a post where someone's interviewer asked them to analyze a painting)
5) It definitely won't hurt you

 

[theseeker4]

I'm a college sophomore and recently changed my major from biology to forensics, and while speaking to the forensics advisor I mentioned I would like to minor in Art and Architectural History. The advisor basically told me the minor wouldn't count for anything and I'd be wasting my money. He said that med schools only look to see that you did well in your science classes, and unless I minored in something science related, a minor would be useless.

I would think that having a non-science related minor would show that I have other interests. I took an AP Art History class in high school (scored a 4) and really enjoyed it to the point that if my college offered an Art History major, I would have majored in it seeing as med schools seem to encourage non-science majors.

Do med schools look at minors at all, and if so, would a minor in something non-science related help in anyway?

It will probably make little difference to your application, but if you are an otherwise solid candidate, it might make the adcom notice you in the stack of apps. Don't do it if you are just interested in padding your med school applciation; if that is your goal, it probably isn't worth it. If it interests you and you have the time/money, go for it.

I will caution you about one thing though: be very careful with art classes. Many times, they are graded very subjectively and in such a way that it is nearly impossible to get an A. If this is the case at your school, and you end up with a few classes that you get very poor grades in, you could tank your GPA. Sure, if they investigate your application in depth they may say "Oh, that was an art class, I don't care about their grade in that." but that doesn't help you if your application is tossed in the other pile due to GPA alone. Just a word of warning, and obviously not all colleges or all art classes are graded this way.

 

[Miss Alyssa]

It will probably make little difference to your application, but if you are an otherwise solid candidate, it might make the adcom notice you in the stack of apps. Don't do it if you are just interested in padding your med school applciation; if that is your goal, it probably isn't worth it. If it interests you and you have the time/money, go for it.

I totally agree with this. But of course I'm biased. I specialized in neuroscience and minored in Caribbean studies. I also did a semester abroad in the Caribbean to further enrich my studies. It was really nice to take a 'break' from science and switch mental gears. It's actually be helpful for me in showing my dedicated interest in underserved/disadvantaged populations and global health issues for a number of purposes.

When I give people advice now I tell them if they're going to do a minor do it in something non-science related. Unless you get poor grades, I don't see how it would put you at a disadvantage.

 

[ppfizenm]

I've heard a minor is like the equivalent of using colored paper for a resume.

That being said I minored in biochem but was only one calc class away from a double major in that and Neurosci which would have looked much better.