Molecular Biology vs Biochemistry vs Pharmacology

[kiddynamite914]

I was wondering, as for undergraduate majors, which one would you guys recommend. I am pretty much equally interested in all three. My school has a great Molecular Biology program and I was leaning towards this. However, some people have also suggested pharmacology is very helpful in medical school. Any input would be much appreciated.

Also what is the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology. I feel as if biochem requires you to take more chem courses (P Chem, etc) while Molecular Biology requires more bio electives (Genetics, Developmental Biology, etc).

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[slopes23]

This is the wrong subforum for this question. It is better suited for the Pre-Allopathic subforum where there are more readers suited to answer your question.

In the mean time, to answer simply, unless you have a dying personal interest in any of those particular majors, I would recommend just majoring in Biology. Then if you want to take any of those courses as electives to "help" you, you can. But those are all fairly difficult majors, will make your path that much harder to get into medical school, and won't significantly increase your chances at admission for it.

But like I said, this is a Pre-Allo question, not Allo.

Good luck

 

[GoSpursGo]

Moving to pre-allo

 

[Goro]

I rank them as follows:
1) Pharmacology
2) Biochemistry
3) Molecular Biology

Pharm really is an extension of Biochem.
My ranking is based upon what I see as the usefulness of the material in the major towards helping you in medical schools, and more importantly, in preparing you for a career in case Medicine doesn't work out (which is more likely).

As to the difference between 2 and 3, google is friend.

Always remember that adcoms don't care what your major is, only that you do well.

I was wondering, as for undergraduate majors, which one would you guys recommend. I am pretty much equally interested in all three. My school has a great Molecular Biology program and I was leaning towards this. However, some people have also suggested pharmacology is very helpful in medical school. Any input would be much appreciated.

Also what is the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology. I feel as if biochem requires you to take more chem courses (P Chem, etc) while Molecular Biology requires more bio electives (Genetics, Developmental Biology, etc).

 

[GrapesofRath]

I was wondering, as for undergraduate majors, which one would you guys recommend. I am pretty much equally interested in all three. My school has a great Molecular Biology program and I was leaning towards this. However, some people have also suggested pharmacology is very helpful in medical school. Any input would be much appreciated.).

Get more input and perspectives from those at your school about these majors. Random internet strangers on SDN won't provide nearly as good feedback as those at your school on these majors at your school . Perhaps try a class in one or two of these majors and that can help give you valuable input in making a decision.

[/QUOTE]Also what is the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology. I feel as if biochem requires you to take more chem courses (P Chem, etc) while Molecular Biology requires more bio electives (Genetics, Developmental Biology, etc).[/QUOTE]

Very school dependent as well. At my school p-chem was actually a requirement for molecular bio majors. At my friends school, there was very little math component to the biochem major. Check the major requirements for each degree at your school.

 

[Gilakend]

I was wondering, as for undergraduate majors, which one would you guys recommend. I am pretty much equally interested in all three. My school has a great Molecular Biology program and I was leaning towards this. However, some people have also suggested pharmacology is very helpful in medical school. Any input would be much appreciated.

Also what is the difference between biochemistry and molecular biology. I feel as if biochem requires you to take more chem courses (P Chem, etc) while Molecular Biology requires more bio electives (Genetics, Developmental Biology, etc).

There's a member on here, Doctor Strange, who is a pharmacology and toxicology major and he speaks very highly of it and said he feels it helped him in med school. He influenced me on my major, and after careful consideration, I chose to also pursue a pharmacology and toxicology degree. Although he said it was pretty challenging, so I would advise you to make sure you are truly interested in it.

I chose it because it genuinely interests me and if I'm not able to get into medical school it has fallback potential. It was the perfect major for me.

 

[kiddynamite914]

There's a member on here, Doctor Strange, who is a pharmacology and toxicology major and he speaks very highly of it and said he feels it helped him in med school. He influenced me on my major, and after careful consideration, I chose to also pursue a pharmacology and toxicology degree. Although he said it was pretty challenging, so I would advise you to make sure you are truly interested in it.

I chose it because it genuinely interests me and if I'm not able to get into medical school it has fallback potential. It was the perfect major for me.

Only thing that is keeping me from Pharmacology is that it required an additional year of languages. Also, the 2 main courses in pharmacology and toxicology can be taken even as an English major as long as you have the prerequisites. Right now I am leaning towards Molecular Biology because it is prestigious at my university. It's a small department (approx. 50 students) and that in it self allows for close relationships with the professor. As for Biochemistry, it is a huge major with many students. As for prestige between the majors, are they fairly similar?

 

[Meeehai]

I recommend biochem, it is most relevant to what you will need to know on the MCAT, in my opinion. Unless you're involved in research, the prestige of your school's molecular bio program doesn't mean much to an adcom looking over your transcript. There's really no "prestige" emphasis on pre-reqs alone, as far as I know. Your performance in these classes far outweighs the importance of prestige. A big difference in biochem vs molecular bio is the focus on chemistry concepts, you shouldn't need any physical chemistry knowledge prior to taking a biochem class, but orgo knowledge is necessary. If it's a serious biochem course, you will deal with a lot of reaction mechanisms and actions of various compounds.

 

[Romz]

Pharmacology. As @Goro mentioned, the some of the Pharmacology core classes will be of great service to you in medical school. You want biochemistry exposure? Take biochem 1 & 2. Based on my alma-mater's biochemistry bac, there isn't many other classes that would give you an advantage on the MCAT that can't be found in other undergraduate science degree.

Please note that Pharmacology classes are NOT counted as part of the sGPA, so make sure to perform extra well in your science pre-requisites to avoid any fiascos that may make it harder to bring that up later down the road.

 

[Gilakend]

Only thing that is keeping me from Pharmacology is that it required an additional year of languages. Also, the 2 main courses in pharmacology and toxicology can be taken even as an English major as long as you have the prerequisites. Right now I am leaning towards Molecular Biology because it is prestigious at my university. It's a small department (approx. 50 students) and that in it self allows for close relationships with the professor. As for Biochemistry, it is a huge major with many students. As for prestige between the majors, are they fairly similar?

I'm in undergrad as well so take my opinion at that. As I've been told many times adcoms truly do not care what your major so don't worry about prestige, if there is any at all, of one major over another. Major in what you like and think you can do well in.