Minors

[Prozach]

How important are minors in the medical school admission world? The school that I am going to does not require minors, and I was going to forego a minor altogether in favor of a semester abroad. Wise move?

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[DrJ2B]

I do not think minors mean much at all. They just show you liked a certain discipline enough to take a few more classes in it. I would not pass up a semester abroad for a minor. I wish I had done a semester abroad. I think it is much more worthwhile to go abroad and expand your horizons. Do whatever you feel like doing. What you do should not be predicated upon what you think medical schools would prefer. Do what makes you happy as long as it will not screw up your chances of getting in. In your situation, I do not think choosing either will hurt you, but going abroad may help you (make sure you go because you want to and not because ad comms will like it). It is all what you get out of the experience that matters. If I were you, I would study abroad no questions about it. Good luck with your decision. 🙂

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Stop planning your life around what you think medical schools want to see. Medical schools want to see you being yourself. Do what you're interested in, medical schools will be happy to accept that and you!

 

[TRUE]

1 major, zero minors and I still got in. Minors mean NOTHING. Your major means nothing as long as you have one. Do things you're interested in. Your study abroad experience might provide interview conversation, personal statement material, etc... and hopefully broaden your horizons a bit. Def. go abroad over getting a minor in something.

 

[34140]

But if you have a minor, is that an 'UP'? I am a bus. maj. and would like to minor in bio, i mean i am taking extra classes for med school anyway, so might as well get credit!

 

[docmemi]

maybe itll help you to have something to talk about in the interview. otherwise i dont think it really matters. your GPA matters

 

[Cuteasaurus]

I'll tell you guys what my advisor told me. I was trying to figure out my schedule for this (my last) semester and I could finish up 2 mjrs and 2 mnrs and still get out in 4. However, he looked at me and said, get your minors if you want, but know that 9 out of 10 no one will look at them. Schools, jobs, etc...almost no one cares. So, if you're doing it for someone else then you're probably wasting your time. If you want to take classes in something and end up with a minor, good for you. But really they're aren't brownie points for it. So, my 2 cents which are really someone else's 😉 good luck!

 

[Prozach]

Alright, thanks guys. In that case I will probably just do the School for International Training Public Health study abroad program in Nairobi.

 

[DoHzA]

I did a minor in Archaeology along with my biology major and honestly it never came up in any of my interviews. If you were a science major and the minor was completely unrelated to science then I believe it would play a bigger role because they love to see involvement outside of science. Other than that I'd do study abroad if I were you. I never had the chance but I did volunteer in Kenya so I can guarantee you won't be disappointed with your choice.

 

[Neuronix]

The study abroad is much more valuable for both your personal growth and your med school application. I wouldn't hesitate on that one.

 

[CaMD]

I went to a school that didn't even offer minors.

No big whoop.

 

[DMBFan]

I know the standard party line of do what you are interested in, but in a slight variation of the above question, what about getting an extra major? Both my majors would be non-science related (English and Econ). I am doing an Econ major, not for med school, but bec. I have a whole lot of credit and need something to do so I can get 15 hours in per semester without taking pointless classes for the next two years. Anyways, is there any interview advantage in a double major?

 

[CaMD]

I don't think there is any advantage. I had a similar question a couple years ago and the consensus was that no one really cares.

If you're doing it because you love another subject and happen to want to take lots of classes in it that's fine, but don't do it on anyone else's account.

 

[musiclink213]

Originally posted by DrJ2B
I do not think minors mean much at all. They just show you liked a certain discipline enough to take a few more classes in it. I would not pass up a semester abroad for a minor. I wish I had done a semester abroad. I think it is much more worthwhile to go abroad and expand your horizons. Do whatever you feel like doing. What you do should not be predicated upon what you think medical schools would prefer. Do what makes you happy as long as it will not screw up your chances of getting in. In your situation, I do not think choosing either will hurt you, but going abroad may help you (make sure you go because you want to and not because ad comms will like it). It is all what you get out of the experience that matters. If I were you, I would study abroad no questions about it. Good luck with your decision. 🙂

you can still study abroad and finish a minor though. i'm studying abroad and i can still finish my bio minor in the 4 years. rightnow, i just need one more class and i'll be done with my bio minor.

maybe i'm just lucky because my schedule is basically already decided for the 4 years i'm in school since i'm a biochem major, and there's only 1 section of all the upper level classes i need. i don't know, but i'm finding time to finish up a bio minor, and i'm probably going to end up with a french minor, i'm studying abroad, and still graduating in 4 years.