Pre-med "major" track

[EmpathMan]

Hey guys, I've googled some mixed thoughts about this question. There's a Biology for Pre-Professional students major at my school that requires you to basically take all the required Pre-Med classes + additional life science credits + genetics, e.t.c stuff like that. Some people have said that majoring in something like this if your school provides it is a very bad thing because it shows like no "imagination and everyone's a bio major anyway." Is this true? Because I thought you could major in anything and get into a medical school.

Thanks for your time

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[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hey guys, I've googled some mixed thoughts about this question. There's a Biology for Pre-Professional students major at my school that requires you to basically take all the required Pre-Med classes + additional life science credits + genetics, e.t.c stuff like that. Some people have said that majoring in something like this if your school provides it is a very bad thing because it shows like no "imagination and everyone's a bio major anyway." Is this true? Because I thought you could major in anything and get into a medical school.

Thanks for your time

I'd say that yes being a premed major is really uncreative. Being a bio major is just fine honestly. But it all comes to the end result that you can major in anything just as long as you do well in it.

 

[chman]

Is it any different than what a normal bio major with pre-reqs would be? If not then I would just do bio + remaining pre-reqs, if that is what interests you. I imagine that if you did well in the program they would not hold it against you, but it is a bit generic if you ask me.

 

[EmpathMan]

Ah okay, I see. Well, there are like 6 biology majors at my college actually. The one I'm looking at is "Pre-Professional track" under College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. So compared to just the normal "Biology" track, it lacks a few classes, but you can take those classes anyway cause the Preprof track requires 12 minimum credits in life sciences.

http://major.biology.ufl.edu/curricula.html

 

[chman]

Ah okay, I see. Well, there are like 6 biology majors at my college actually. The one I'm looking at is "Pre-Professional track" under College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. So compared to just the normal "Biology" track, it lacks a few classes, but you can take those classes anyway cause the Preprof track requires 12 minimum credits in life sciences.

http://major.biology.ufl.edu/curricula.html

What do you want to major in?

 

[rxnfiend]

I am actually a Microbio major at UF with the pre-med track and it is just fine. The pre-med track is exactly that... A track. It just makes the prereqs a requirement so its really no different than the other tracks if you have to take the classes anyways. You will still graduate with a Biology degree and not a pre-professional track degree.

 

[EmpathMan]

Oh I see! Cool, thanks a lot man. Mind if I PM you some other questions about UF then if you have time?

 

[rxnfiend]

Oh I see! Cool, thanks a lot man. Mind if I PM you some other questions about UF then if you have time?

Sure.

 

[azrael87]

I don't think doing a pre-med track for a bio major is a "very bad thing" at all. Or even just a "bad thing". It's just nothing special aka neutral. People that say it is a bad thing overestimate the effect of having an exotic major. Yes, there is some benefit to having a unique major because it makes you look slightly more unique, but it's nothing game changing. I'd say a lot of the benefit that comes with it can be mostly balanced by doing well in the multitude of science classes a pre-med Bio track gives you. Unless there is some other unrelated major you are genuinely interested in, I wouldn't go fishing for anything.

As for whether a pre-med track Bio major would look much different than a general Bio major...I doubt it. The differences in classes are small, and to me it would just look like you're more sure of the type of field you want to enter. There's nothing wrong with that as long as your grades back it up.

As for my personal opinion, I would've taken a pre-med Bio track rather than the gen Bio one if I'd had the option because I could've taken less classes relating to ecology, botany, and zoology. I was always more into the human stuff.

 

[EpiIV]

Second UF student here. There are other majors offered at this school that have all of the premed requirements. Applied Physiology and Kinesiology served me very well.

I wouldn't pick a major just because the premed requirements are already in it though. Go with what you love or explore a little if you're unsure what that is.

 

[goldandapager]

Do the pre-professional track at UF. You don't have to take a bunch of useless bio classes (like plant stuff). The major is the same regardless of which track you choose.

 

[EmpathMan]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Very helpful Azrael I think you hit it right on the spot because I don't particularly have a narrowed down interest in something specific. That's why choosing a major has been very hard for me. I just want something slightly interesting and not too ridiculous that I can major in so I may apply to med school and whatnot. But again, thanks everyone!

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Call it Zoology and be done with it.

 

[seanparsel]

Why don't you go for Chemical Engineering...it's easy.