Nontraditional degrees (not Bio/Chem/Biochem) = Advantage for apps?

[bihari]

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My younger brother is taking the ACT, choosing his AP classes for next year, and pretty much figuring out what he wants to do. He wants to study medicine, and as of now he is thinking of an undergrad major to do.

His current plan:

BS in Physics or Engineering discipline (Either Bioengineering or Nuclear)
and
BA in Psychology or Sociology
doing both together would take roughly 5 years.

Many schools say that Medical schools like non-traditional degrees (traditional = biology, chemistry, biochemistry), because it shows that you are dedicated to something (they give you 4 years for whatever you want) and that you aren't just doing Bio/Chem/Biochem because most of the classes that are needed for med school are in the degree already.

So would this be a correct assumption?

Second reason is a 'backup' type of thing, in case something comes up, preventing him from going to med school, or if it doesn't work out; he can still work as an engineer.

Psych/sociology is more/less interest, and since they are BA degrees, they do not delay him more than 1 yr (dual degree)

Also, he is volunteering at some places, do med schools care where you volunteer specifically, or that you simply volunteered?

Any tips/comments?

 

[FlowLimited]

Your choice of major won't make a difference. Furthermore, degrees in physics/engineering or psychology aren't original.

 

[Lokhtar]

He would make it easier on himself by just doing one degree that he likes and doing exceptionally well in it. That's the surest way.

 

[bihari]

Your choice of major won't make a difference. Furthermore, degrees in physics/engineering or psychology aren't original.

what would constitute original? i'm sure medical schools have seen everything across the board

psychology of course is quite common... i guess we thought engineering was different because the majority of people we know (come to think of it, everyone we know) studied something from this list:

biology, chemistry, or biochemistry
--cant count how many ppl did this [ >25 ]
philosophy (1)
bioengineering (1)
biophysics (1)
psychology (>5)

 

[bihari]

He would make it easier on himself by just doing one degree that he likes and doing exceptionally well in it. That's the surest way.

that was the plan, he just wanted to know if this would also perhaps work in his favor, icing on the cake type of thing

 

[drizzt3117]

that was the plan, he just wanted to know if this would also perhaps work in his favor, icing on the cake type of thing

Choosing a non-science major specifically to go into medical school isn't helpful. Just do what you are passionate about and interested in.

 

[bihari]

Your major can make a difference. You will have to explain why you chose a liberal arts major if you apply to medical school an get an interview, from my experiences on the road.

Thanks

btw is your avatar a pic of Ibn Sina (Avicenna)?

 

[FlowLimited]

Your major can make a difference. You will have to explain why you chose a liberal arts major if you apply to medical school an get an interview, from my experiences on the road.

Sure, you may be asked to describe why you chose your major. However, no major is going to wow a school to the point that you get extra points for choosing it. It's just not going to happen. They've seen it all before.

 

[shindotp]

What's the point of getting 2 Bachelor's? That's kind of... a waste of time in my opinion.

 

[bihari]

What's the point of getting 2 Bachelor's? That's kind of... a waste of time in my opinion.

he wants to minor in psychology (18 hours)...but a second degree is only 30 extra hours of courses beyong the first degree (psych has 33 hours) so he is thinking that might as well go all the way

mind you he is just planning right now, may or may not happen, he is thinking he'll start with a minor and see how much extra work it is and if its worth it or not

another reason was perhaps to make himself stand out, but we've ruled that part out.

 

[Podalarius]

What's the point of getting 2 Bachelor's? That's kind of... a waste of time in my opinion.

If they were both in the liberal arts, I guess that might be the case - my roommate and I both finished a BA/BS in engineering and a social science in four years, and it's served us well in the application process. I happen to be interested in the overlap of the two fields and medicine, and wouldn't recommend concentrating in anything other than what you're interested in.

 

[bihari]

If they were both in the liberal arts, I guess that might be the case - my roommate and I both finished a BA/BS in engineering and a social science in four years, and it's served us well in the application process. I happen to be interested in the overlap of the two fields and medicine, and wouldn't recommend concentrating in anything other than what you're interested in.

The physics degree is LAS, but not a 'bachelor of science with a major in' it actually is 'BS in Physics'. either that or 'engineering physics'. dont know for sure yet.

 

[shindotp]

he wants to minor in psychology (18 hours)...but a second degree is only 30 extra hours of courses beyong the first degree (psych has 33 hours) so he is thinking that might as well go all the way

mind you he is just planning right now, may or may not happen, he is thinking he'll start with a minor and see how much extra work it is and if its worth it or not

another reason was perhaps to make himself stand out, but we've ruled that part out.

With a year... You could get an MPH or MS instead. The opportunity cost for a rising doctor is just so high to get 2 Bachelor's. I'm sure it'd help marginally, but is it really worth it?

 

[bihari]

With a year... You could get an MPH or MS instead. The opportunity cost for a rising doctor is just so high to get 2 Bachelor's. I'm sure it'd help marginally, but is it really worth it?

very good point - didnt think about that route

gotta love the forums

 

[drizzt3117]

I think the MPH is becoming a lot more useful than it once was. A lot of medical schools are really interested in public health in recent years, and are incorporating public health into their curricula to larger and larger degrees.

 

[bihari]

where the idea came from:


"Have you considered a Chemical Engineering major as your route to medical school?

​

Benefits:​

(1) Medical schools are increasingly looking for students with non-traditional degrees. A degree in chemical engineering will make you stand out among the competition and improve your chances of being admitted to medical school. Also, if you are interested in research, a chemical engineering background is highly valued in the medical community. At ____ you can minor in biochemical engineering as well."


from a school's Chemical Engineering website
​

 

[drizzt3117]

where the idea came from:


"Have you considered a Chemical Engineering major as your route to medical school?

​

Benefits:​

(1) Medical schools are increasingly looking for students with non-traditional degrees. A degree in chemical engineering will make you stand out among the competition and improve your chances of being admitted to medical school. Also, if you are interested in research, a chemical engineering background is highly valued in the medical community. At ____ you can minor in biochemical engineering as well."


from a school's Chemical Engineering website
​

That's a bunch of BS, I was a Chem E major and I don't think my major helped me one bit with admisisons. The quant skills I learned in it HAVE helped with research though.

 

[bihari]

That's a bunch of BS, I was a Chem E major and I don't think my major helped me one bit with admisisons. The quant skills I learned in it HAVE helped with research though.

did the hardcore math and physics help on the MCAT?

"(2) It will help you professionally. Chemical engineering represents a versatile mind-set for analyzing and developing complex systems - from pharmaceutical plants to nano-materials. The human body is an engineering marvel, and you will be better able to understand it with your chemical engineering education. You will learn how the functions performed by human organs have close analogs in process equipment, and you will develop understanding of artificial organs"

just thought i'd throw it up there while we are discussing it

 

[Naijaba]

Hi bihari,

I agree with many of the other people who have posted. If your sibling chooses to pursue a non-traditional degree, make sure that it is his passion. With that said, if you look at the major distribution for accepted applicants...here is an interesting fact:

Math and statistics majors have the HIGHEST average MCAT scores of any applicants in all categories except for verbal reason (Humanities majors averaged 0.2 higher in verbal than mathematicians, but they were still in 2nd). Furthermore, mathematicians are the smallest group of majors applying. Last year there were 377 math & statistics applicants out of 42,231 total. Lastly, the acceptance rate for math majors was 46% as opposed to 42% nationally, while humanities majors were accepted at a 50% rate.

Moral of the story: If you're shooting to be accepted based upon your major(s), choose mathematics and humanities and do the medical requirements on the side.

All of the data I mentioned was from here:

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/mcatgpabymaj08.htm

 

[GoSpursGo]

did the hardcore math and physics help on the MCAT?

"(2) It will help you professionally. Chemical engineering represents a versatile mind-set for analyzing and developing complex systems - from pharmaceutical plants to nano-materials. The human body is an engineering marvel, and you will be better able to understand it with your chemical engineering education. You will learn how the functions performed by human organs have close analogs in process equipment, and you will develop understanding of artificial organs"

just thought i'd throw it up there while we are discussing it

No, it won't help with the MCAT. All of the math and physics on the MCAT is very basic.

 

[drizzt3117]

did the hardcore math and physics help on the MCAT?

"(2) It will help you professionally. Chemical engineering represents a versatile mind-set for analyzing and developing complex systems - from pharmaceutical plants to nano-materials. The human body is an engineering marvel, and you will be better able to understand it with your chemical engineering education. You will learn how the functions performed by human organs have close analogs in process equipment, and you will develop understanding of artificial organs"

just thought i'd throw it up there while we are discussing it

Not really. I did well on the MCAT but it wasn't because of my engineering background, in fact I thought PS was the hardest section of the MCAT by far even though I got the same score on all three sections. The MCAT doesn't really use hardcore math/physics. Ironically it is useful in the research I'm currently doing, but other than that, having taken analysis or modern algebra or finite math hasn't had much use in my career in medicine.

I'd just choose a major I was passionate about and would presumably do the best in.

 

[bihari]

Thanks for all the info you guys!!!!!!!

Another poster indicated that there is a high school forum here, which I didn't realize. I'll have my brother make an account and go on there

Thanks again!!

 

[FlowLimited]

where the idea came from:


"Have you considered a Chemical Engineering major as your route to medical school?

​

Benefits:​

(1) Medical schools are increasingly looking for students with non-traditional degrees. A degree in chemical engineering will make you stand out among the competition and improve your chances of being admitted to medical school. Also, if you are interested in research, a chemical engineering background is highly valued in the medical community. At ____ you can minor in biochemical engineering as well."


from a school's Chemical Engineering website
​

My Magic 8-ball tells me it's UIC. 😉

 

[shindotp]

Hi bihari,

I agree with many of the other people who have posted. If your sibling chooses to pursue a non-traditional degree, make sure that it is his passion. With that said, if you look at the major distribution for accepted applicants...here is an interesting fact:

Math and statistics majors have the HIGHEST average MCAT scores of any applicants in all categories except for verbal reason (Humanities majors averaged 0.2 higher in verbal than mathematicians, but they were still in 2nd). Furthermore, mathematicians are the smallest group of majors applying. Last year there were 377 math & statistics applicants out of 42,231 total. Lastly, the acceptance rate for math majors was 46% as opposed to 42% nationally, while humanities majors were accepted at a 50% rate.

Moral of the story: If you're shooting to be accepted based upon your major(s), choose mathematics and humanities and do the medical requirements on the side.

All of the data I mentioned was from here:

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/mcatgpabymaj08.htm

I think if you're shooting to be accepted based on your major, choose the major you're most passionate about. It'll help your grades, keep you happy, and it'll show during interviews.

 

[bihari]

My Magic 8-ball tells me it's UIC. 😉

yea i was thinking that a simple google search will reveal it all

but eh, thought i'd make it ever so slightly more challenging to discover

 

[binko]

I majored in German. When people hear I want to be a doctor they look at me like I'm an idiot who didn't know that medicine is science-based and picked the wrong major.

One of the things I'm looking forward to the most about getting into med school is people not asking me anymore if why I don't want to be a translator.

 

[sarahg]

This has been repeated a thousand times, but the best major for him is what he's interested in and good at. He'll get a higher GPA and he'll be prepared for jobs or grad programs that suit him if he doesn't go to medical school.

And if he's going to go to medical school, there's no point in double majoring. Double majors are most useful for people who want to study a second language intensively, or people who want a backup major to a "passion" major. For example, I know people who majored in dance because that's what they really wanted to do, but most people who want to be pro dancers never get to be, so they also majored in a science. Most people start college wanting to double major but very few of them stick with it when they find out how much work it is.

 

[bnleong]

Majors don't make you stand out.

High GPAs and MCATS make you stand out.

Extracurriculars and Research make you stand out.

A major really doesnt do anything for you. You can quadruple major in theatre, music, biochemistry and physics get a 3.3 average and not get a single interview.

Or you can pick one major, publish some outstanding research, get some clinical experience and you'll be hearing back from medical schools.

 

[fizzle]

All of the data I mentioned was from here:

http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/2008/mcatgpabymaj08.htm

I find it interesting in those tables that while the humanities majors are predictably the highest scorers in the verbal section of the MCAT and the physical sciences majors are the highest scorers in physics, the biological sciences majors score only somewhere in the middle out of all majors in the biology section of the MCAT.

 

[FlowLimited]

I find it interesting in those tables that while the humanities majors are predictably the highest scorers in the verbal section of the MCAT and the physical sciences majors are the highest scorers in physics, the biological sciences majors score only somewhere in the middle out of all majors in the biology section of the MCAT.

I think we all suspected that bio majors were a little dense. This just proves it. 😀

 

[bnleong]

I find it interesting in those tables that while the humanities majors are predictably the highest scorers in the verbal section of the MCAT and the physical sciences majors are the highest scorers in physics, the biological sciences majors score only somewhere in the middle out of all majors in the biology section of the MCAT.

Look at the number of bio majors applying. The fact that there are over 20,000 applicants that are bio majors and comparably less that are physics/math and humanities majors, this affects the overall average.

 

[FlowLimited]

Look at the number of bio majors applying. The fact that there are over 20,000 applicants that are bio majors and comparably less that are physics/math and humanities majors, this affects the overall average.

Do you honestly think that this outrageous claim is more plausible than my perfectly reasonable theory? 😀