Psych Major VS. Psych Minor

[Pinda0812]

I'm a sophomore in college when I first got here I was a psych major because I wanted to be a psychiatrist, then I wanted to become a surgeon so I switched to bio but now I want to be a psychiatrist again so would it be ok if I was a psych minor and a BBH (bio behavioral health) major or should I switch my major back to psych? Thanks.

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[sunlioness]

What you major in in college is completely irrelevant. If it were me, I'd choose something you love and probably won't get a chance to learn about again. It's more fun that way and makes you look interesting on paper. And then in your med school interviews, you have something unique to talk about. Like me. I was a history major who studied abroad in China. I never got asked hard interview questions because everyone was so intrigued by that. It made me stand out from the cookie cutter science majors. Don't pick something as a ploy to stand out. Pick something because you love it. And if you love bio or psych or behavioral whatever, sure, go ahead and major in it. But only if you love it and want to. But now is the time to learn about stuff you'll never get a chance to again. Why not take advantage of that?

Take your premed reqs. Do well. Have fun.

Also, I went to med school to become a pediatrician. Then I matched into medicine. Then I switched into psych. And now I think maybe I shoulda been a pathologist. Point being, it's too early for you to know what you'll end up wanting to do because you haven't tried any of it yet. Why taylor your experience now based on something that you might change your mind on when you get there?


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[Psychotic]

There are threads here, in the psych forum, that will tell you it doesn't matter one bit what you major in. I majored in a foreign language / regional studies lib arts program.

You have to get into medical school, first. What you major in has nothing to do with any specialty you choose down the road.

Spend time in the student forum and find out what it takes to be a successful med school applicant. The people who post here are pretty far removed from the process.

 

[Pinda0812]

There are threads here, in the psych forum, that will tell you it doesn't matter one bit what you major in. I majored in a foreign language / regional studies lib arts program.

You have to get into medical school, first. What you major in has nothing to do with any specialty you choose down the road.

Spend time in the student forum and find out what it takes to be a successful med school applicant. The people who post here are pretty far removed from the process.

thank you

 

[Pinda0812]

What you major in in college is completely irrelevant. If it were me, I'd choose something you love and probably won't get a chance to learn about again. It's more fun that way and makes you look interesting on paper. And then in your med school interviews, you have something unique to talk about. Like me. I was a history major who studied abroad in China. I never got asked hard interview questions because everyone was so intrigued by that. It made me stand out from the cookie cutter science majors. Don't pick something as a ploy to stand out. Pick something because you love it. And if you love bio or psych or behavioral whatever, sure, go ahead and major in it. But only if you love it and want to. But now is the time to learn about stuff you'll never get a chance to again. Why not take advantage of that?

Take your premed reqs. Do well. Have fun.

Also, I went to med school to become a pediatrician. Then I matched into medicine. Then I switched into psych. And now I think maybe I shoulda been a pathologist. Point being, it's too early for you to know what you'll end up wanting to do because you haven't tried any of it yet. Why taylor your experience now based on something that you might change your mind on when you get there?


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Thank you that was really helpful.

 

[sunlioness]

You're welcome. And the cool thing is . . . You know how they say you'll never get a job if you major in Art History? You will if you go to med school. And you'll rock your histology class. ;-)

I think I probably struggled a bit more in some med school classes. . . Like med school was my first exposure to biochem and we did it in a month. I think people who'd had it before weren't as freaked out by that. But it didn't make so much of a difference that I regretted my choices. I mean, I can write. I can construct arguments. I know about things most people don't know about. And I've been to places most people haven't been. Well, except for the billions of people already living there. But you take my point.

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[Psychotic]

What you major in in college is completely irrelevant. If it were me, I'd choose something you love and probably won't get a chance to learn about again. It's more fun that way and makes you look interesting on paper. And then in your med school interviews, you have something unique to talk about. Like me. I was a history major who studied abroad in China. I never got asked hard interview questions because everyone was so intrigued by that. It made me stand out from the cookie cutter science majors.

This was my experience, too. I had a very unique major, and had spent a couple of years abroad in college and post college as a Fulbrighter. Interviewers were pretty interested in me - I stood out from the crowd of bio majors.

But like you, it wasn't a ploy for getting into med school - I majored in what I loved, and it showed. Also, I had a 3.9+ GPA, and that comes in handy with med school apps...

 

[Psychotic]

I think I probably struggled a bit more in some med school classes. . . Like med school was my first exposure to biochem and we did it in a month. I think people who'd had it before weren't as freaked out by that. But it didn't make so much of a difference that I regretted my choices.

Ditto.

In the end, I was an "average" med school student and had "average" Step scores and grades. I took only the necessary pre-reqs and nothing extra, and I do not regret it. In MS1, there were people in med school who clearly had a leg up on me with some of the hard science classes, but I don't think it mattered all that much in the end. By MS3, I was every bit as prepared as my classmates for the wards, and that is what counts the most for the next phase of training.

 

[thoffen]

As is always the case, do what you are most interested in. The only other requirement is what is necessary to get into medical school (including what's necessary to prove you belong in med school). The biggest part of that requirement is the maturity to understand the implications of your choice to go into medicine. The best way of doing that is to find experiences that are you rather than what others expect of you.

 

[wolfvgang22]

Major in something marketable you like, in case med school doesn't work out. Minor in something fun. Psychology bachelors are not marketable.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Ditto.

In the end, I was an "average" med school student and had "average" Step scores and grades. I took only the necessary pre-reqs and nothing extra, and I do not regret it. In MS1, there were people in med school who clearly had a leg up on me with some of the hard science classes, but I don't think it mattered all that much in the end. By MS3, I was every bit as prepared as my classmates for the wards, and that is what counts the most for the next phase of training.

As a non-science major who was actually kinda rock star in medical school (not that that matters now), it seemed like any advantage of being a science major was gone by maybe the first semester. Your undergrad prep might get you through the first few weeks of biochem and anatomy, but nothing in undergrad matches the depth of material in medical school anyway. I agree with sticking with the prereqs and whatever you might actually be genuinely interested in taking and going on from there.

 

[notdeadyet]

In college, study what you enjoy and find meaningful.

That's good advice even from the perspective of medical school alone. People tend to get better grades in subjects they enjoy, and your GPA is a big factor for medical school admissions. If your interests are in the liberal arts, keep in mind that liberal arts majors have typically outperformed science majors on the MCAT, and the MCAT is a big factor for medical school admissions.

Win-win.

 

[sunlioness]

My MCAT was off the chain. Stellar. Best test score I ever got. I should frame the score report and make people look at it.


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[Davole]

Major in someone you like, unless it's something stupid like communications (in that case drop out). Take the required classes for med school and definitely also take biochem. I would recommend taking an anatomy class as well. I didn't and I wish I had. The first two years of med school are insanely boring and unfun, so doing something now to allow you to study less in med school is advisable.

 

[sunlioness]

I really liked the first two years of med school. It was third year that sucked. That probably says something. Heh.


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