N
NLS
I will be entering college in the fall as a freshman. I will be pre-med but I am not sure of which major to choose. I was thinking about majoring in Italian or Biology. Will majoring in biology look better to med school?
O
ocean_doc
It is good to major in anything that you are interested in. Many pre-med's are bio majors. This is a good preparation for the MCAT and for med school. But, majoring in something else may make your application rather interesting. The most important thing is to fufill your pre-med requirements. Of course do well in them. I have read about a doctor that majored in English literature before going into medicine. He just had to do the pre-med requirements along with his program. Good luck.
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2000
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
And I knew a guy who was an English major and got a 44 on the MCATs, so go figure. The best advice is major in something that will be interesting to you and that you will enjoy but that will also allow you to maintain a good GPA. For example, don't major in Math just because you think you'll stand out on the application, if you are not good in math and it is really difficult to earn good grades taking all those math courses in your school. A high GPA, in my opinion will equally if not more so will get you into medical school. On the other, hand you should try to take a mix of various courses besides for those required for your major to look like a well rounded person at the med school admissions interview. This is just as important. In addition, any science courses besides for the basics will help you do well on the MCATs, which is maybe the most important grade that will get you into med school despite everything. I should mention that I think though, that guy was an English major, he was a Chemistry minor.
Alex from New York City
Alex from New York City
1
---123
The stats clearly show humanities majors score the highest on the MCAT. You'd do well to avoid the trap of trying to arrange everything you do so that it comes off as "looking good" to the adcoms. There is no formula. Adcoms value independence and diversity. You should do what you want, fufill the necessary prereqs, and excel academically, regardless of your focus. Medicine is filled with all types -- scientists, musicians, artists, athletes etc.
- Joined
- Feb 26, 1999
- Messages
- 1,768
- Reaction score
- 4
Take some friendly advice...select your major by what interests YOU; not by what you figure will impress the AdComs the most. First, by focusing on something that you enjoy/love, you will most likely perform at your best. Second, very few people who enter college as a pre-med actually enter med school...I'm not implying that you will change...however, by choosing something you will enjoy and do well at, you are increasing the likelyhood that if you do change your mind, you will already be on track to a career you will enjoy more.
Best wishes and success to you!
------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03
Nothing Risked, Nothing Gained!!
Best wishes and success to you!
------------------
'Old Man Dave'
KCOM, Class of '03
Nothing Risked, Nothing Gained!!
- Joined
- May 23, 2000
- Messages
- 52
- Reaction score
- 0
Like these guys have said, it really doesn't matter what your major is. MCAT is what makes the difference, or so I've heard. Yeah, you've got to have a decent GPA and the core courses, but other than that, just about anyone with the brains can get into med school.
Me personally, if I had a gift for languages, I'd major in Italian. It offers a definite chance for a semester abroad, and my semester overseas was one of my favorite. I'd recommend the experience to anyone. But I digress...
Question...does the reason for considering Italian have anything to do with a dislike for science? Because then you'd be in some trouble. However, if you like science and can do it, you have nothing to fear. Just take what you need for the MCAT (esp. the organic/biochemistry...I found that section to be hardest) and best of luck.
Ciao!
------------------
Dr. Sig
*disclaimer* All opinions are worth
what you paid for them.
Me personally, if I had a gift for languages, I'd major in Italian. It offers a definite chance for a semester abroad, and my semester overseas was one of my favorite. I'd recommend the experience to anyone. But I digress...
Question...does the reason for considering Italian have anything to do with a dislike for science? Because then you'd be in some trouble. However, if you like science and can do it, you have nothing to fear. Just take what you need for the MCAT (esp. the organic/biochemistry...I found that section to be hardest) and best of luck.
Ciao!
------------------
Dr. Sig
*disclaimer* All opinions are worth
what you paid for them.
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2000
- Messages
- 5,910
- Reaction score
- 41
Major whatever you enjoy the most. Majoring in Italian may even look better for you.
I am a 3rd year Biology/Biochemistry major at a school with a very tough science curriculum...inf act, the whole school IS science!
Sometimes I wish I had gone to UCONN as a History major like I originally planned. But, then I look at all the intresting courses I have now and I am happy.
No regrets makes for better learning.
Best of luck.
------------------
Josh Hazelton
[email protected]
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
"D.O. Wannabe"
I am a 3rd year Biology/Biochemistry major at a school with a very tough science curriculum...inf act, the whole school IS science!
Sometimes I wish I had gone to UCONN as a History major like I originally planned. But, then I look at all the intresting courses I have now and I am happy.
No regrets makes for better learning.
Best of luck.
------------------
Josh Hazelton
[email protected]
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
"D.O. Wannabe"
- Joined
- May 28, 2000
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
I'm a computer science major at my university and am also following the pre-med "track" that is laid out for those interested in medical school admissions. While this major isn't exactly boosting my GPA it enables me to approach med school applications from a fairly unique angle, which is important to me (what can I say... I've never believed in doing things the typical way!) Hope this helps
--Stafford
--Stafford
- Joined
- May 27, 2000
- Messages
- 128
- Reaction score
- 0
This is a reply to someone I gave concerning a similar question - it sounds like it may apply to you too. Just take it for what it's worth:
"You MUST major in what you ENJOY! Your college years will most likely be the most fun of your life. If you major in something just to "prepare" for med school, your taking your chances of ruining these years with your choice of studies. There is so much out there to learn and experience and this may be your only chance.
I'm a first year in med school - med school is basically a trade school; there's nothing liberal about this education. I REGRET taking some of the courses that I thought would "better prepare" me for med school. Folly! You'll see more science in med school than you want, and non-science majors are at no real disadvantage. Trust me, you'd be a much more interesting and valuable person in your class if you contributed something other than your knowledge of physiology or metabolism. Preparation is learning about yourself, your role in society, your past, nurturing your interestes, and developing skills needed to interact with people (not lab rats).
If those majors are truly what you enjoy (and by the way, against popular belief, you aren't required to have a passion for them to love medicine - apples and oranges), then just take my sermon for what it's worth. The core classes that med schools require are ALL you need - TRUST ME! Work hard in those 4 sciences and you'll be more than prepared for that MCAT and for a life of studying the body. You've got your whole life to learn about it - you've only got a few precious semesters to master French.
When I entered college I had full intention of going to medical school, but I NEVER once considered myself "Pre-Med." Do you understand what I'm saying? I was an Environmental Science major with a passion for medicine. The "pre-med" culture is evil; it controls people and turns them into monsters they never intended on becoming. DON'T FOLLOW THAT PRECEDENT! Maintain your perspective or be swallowed in the bowels of competition, stress, and fear.
I hope that I have gotten through to you a little bit. There is no external formula that will tell you the best way to prepare. Doctors would be carbon copies of each other otherwise - what is valuable to one person may be WORTHLESS to another. What prepares you most for medical school is developing the qualities you have to become a better person and contributor to society - it is certainly not having memorized the glycolytic pathway (it may sound like I'm trying to be ridiculous sounding - but that's is exactly what you seem to think). Do not be a cookie cutter pre-med! BE YOURSELF - PLEASE!!!
Following my own dreams and not someone else's,
Philly
"You MUST major in what you ENJOY! Your college years will most likely be the most fun of your life. If you major in something just to "prepare" for med school, your taking your chances of ruining these years with your choice of studies. There is so much out there to learn and experience and this may be your only chance.
I'm a first year in med school - med school is basically a trade school; there's nothing liberal about this education. I REGRET taking some of the courses that I thought would "better prepare" me for med school. Folly! You'll see more science in med school than you want, and non-science majors are at no real disadvantage. Trust me, you'd be a much more interesting and valuable person in your class if you contributed something other than your knowledge of physiology or metabolism. Preparation is learning about yourself, your role in society, your past, nurturing your interestes, and developing skills needed to interact with people (not lab rats).
If those majors are truly what you enjoy (and by the way, against popular belief, you aren't required to have a passion for them to love medicine - apples and oranges), then just take my sermon for what it's worth. The core classes that med schools require are ALL you need - TRUST ME! Work hard in those 4 sciences and you'll be more than prepared for that MCAT and for a life of studying the body. You've got your whole life to learn about it - you've only got a few precious semesters to master French.
When I entered college I had full intention of going to medical school, but I NEVER once considered myself "Pre-Med." Do you understand what I'm saying? I was an Environmental Science major with a passion for medicine. The "pre-med" culture is evil; it controls people and turns them into monsters they never intended on becoming. DON'T FOLLOW THAT PRECEDENT! Maintain your perspective or be swallowed in the bowels of competition, stress, and fear.
I hope that I have gotten through to you a little bit. There is no external formula that will tell you the best way to prepare. Doctors would be carbon copies of each other otherwise - what is valuable to one person may be WORTHLESS to another. What prepares you most for medical school is developing the qualities you have to become a better person and contributor to society - it is certainly not having memorized the glycolytic pathway (it may sound like I'm trying to be ridiculous sounding - but that's is exactly what you seem to think). Do not be a cookie cutter pre-med! BE YOURSELF - PLEASE!!!
Following my own dreams and not someone else's,
Philly
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2000
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 0
yea.....that post was originally for me....however, I wasn't confused about what to take. I was merely asking which of the 3 science majors would serve as a better prep for a pre-med student and what differences existed among them.
oh well......I must say that I find your concern for me a both pleasent and refreshing surprise.
"What's the only thing worse than a smart person? . . . a confused one."
------------------
**To Know is to Understand**
oh well......I must say that I find your concern for me a both pleasent and refreshing surprise.
"What's the only thing worse than a smart person? . . . a confused one."
------------------
**To Know is to Understand**
- Joined
- Nov 17, 1999
- Messages
- 62
- Reaction score
- 0
For what it's worth - I was a Russian major and Soviet Studies minor in college. (yes, that probably dates me a little - do the math.) It's really true that you can do whatever you want in college - take advantage of it because you probably won't have time to take just whatever interests you for a very long time. I think it helped me that in college I had no interest in medical school - I'm sure I would have been a lot more anxious about what courses I took if I was med school bound then. But life is funny, and you never know what will catch your interest if you're open to it. No one could have predicted that I would be starting medical school this fall from my interests ten years ago. Good luck and enjoy the ride.
