Should I get a Biology minor?

[Scrizzy]

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Since I have already sent my application and interviewed at several med schools, I know that getting a biology minor will not do anything for me for this coming February... But should I get one anyway?

I am currently am enrolled in a BS Chemistry with 12 credits this coming spring semester. Within these 12, I have to take 7 credits in order to get the minor (1 biology, 1 bio lab, and 1 chemistry). If I decide not to get a biology minor, I can shift a course that was originally listed as biology to chemistry and only have to take 5 credits this semester (1 chem lec and 1 chem lab). Which would be great... if I did not hate the idea of only taking 5 credits for a semester so much. I have research and volunteering, so I can put a lot more time into that, but that is still A LOT of time left over and I do not like that idea. Plus, I'm one of those types that find it easier to "keep the ball rolling" and feel that I will not be able to start my engine when getting into med school if I have almost a 8 month break.

I would like to know you guys opinions. Thanks in advance!

 

[cactusman]

Do you need financial aid? Because 12 credits is the minimum to be considered full-time. 12 is still fairly light and it sounds like you'd prefer it. I'd go for the minor.

 

[Scrizzy]

Do you need financial aid? Because 12 credits is the minimum to be considered full-time. 12 is still fairly light and it sounds like you'd prefer it. I'd go for the minor.

Money isn't too much of a problem since I have a half-tuition scholarship for 1 more semester (still expensive though). It's more of a "why not" type of situation. Since I'm pre-med, I fulfilled the majority of the courses for a Biology minor, so I'm just doing it to keep myself busy and focused in preparation for med school.

I'm also siding with getting the minor as well. Just want a couple of other peoples' opinions to see if any of them change my mind.

 

[benjamin94559]

dont get the minor if u want to travel. if you have friends from high school spread thruout the country and you want to take some time off to visit them it could be nice. remember your friends are going to be your peers and networking is important

taking the courses might be nice too if they're in interesting material. who knows maybe something will pique your mind for a project you could develop in MS but i'd probably take other things if the classes were like plant morphology or something

 

[Scrizzy]

QUOTE="benjamin94559, post: 18532996, member: 572725"]dont get the minor if u want to travel. if you have friends from high school spread thruout the country and you want to take some time off to visit them it could be nice. remember your friends are going to be your peers and networking is important

taking the courses might be nice too if they're in interesting material. who knows maybe something will pique your mind for a project you could develop in MS but i'd probably take other things if the classes were like plant morphology or something[/QUOTE]

I don't think I'll be able to travel that often, since the 5 credits will still have me attending school Monday to Friday. I am interested in taking the polymer chemistry class since I have done research on it. The others are biochemistry lab and cell biology, which I don't have much of a interest in.

 

[monchienestbeau]

what's the benefit of the minor?

 

[Scrizzy]

what's the benefit of the minor?

Currently? Nothing. I'm just thinking about doing it to keep myself busy, so that I don't slack off if I go to med school in Aug. Plus I just feel "off" only take 5 credits.

In the worst case scenario, where I am not accepted by any of the med schools this Feb. It *may* help my application if I reapply. But according to several other threads, med schools don't really care what your major or minor is, so the minor probably won't help my application significantly or at all.

 

[aalamruad]

Currently? Nothing. I'm just thinking about doing it to keep myself busy, so that I don't slack off if I go to med school in Aug. Plus I just feel "off" only take 5 credits.

In the worst case scenario, where I am not accepted by any of the med schools this Feb. It *may* help my application if I reapply. But according to several other threads, med schools don't really care what your major or minor is, so the minor probably won't help my application significantly or at all.

Don't do the minor

 

[monchienestbeau]

idk how you're doing in the cycle, but thinking if you matriculate this year the minor is pretty pointless.
if you happen to have to reapply, you'll need to do things more important than a minor, you know?
if you wanna take an extra class do it because you genuinely want to!

 

[Fluffy123]

Don't do the minor. Take the time to relax and destress before med school begins because once it does, you wont have the option to relax until at least the following summer. so just relax and chill.

 

[Scrizzy]

Thanks guys. One last question.
If I had already updated my expected Spring 2017 courses for TMDSAS (I believe AMCAS has the same thing) early January with these 12 credits, would changing it now hurt my my application?

 

[benjamin94559]

QUOTE="benjamin94559, post: 18532996, member: 572725"]dont get the minor if u want to travel. if you have friends from high school spread thruout the country and you want to take some time off to visit them it could be nice. remember your friends are going to be your peers and networking is important

taking the courses might be nice too if they're in interesting material. who knows maybe something will pique your mind for a project you could develop in MS but i'd probably take other things if the classes were like plant morphology or something

I don't think I'll be able to travel that often, since the 5 credits will still have me attending school Monday to Friday. I am interested in taking the polymer chemistry class since I have done research on it. The others are biochemistry lab and cell biology, which I don't have much of a interest in.[/QUOTE]


I'm sure your classes monday and or friday are some what skippable 😉

 

[Fluffy123]

Thanks guys. One last question.
If I had already updated my expected Spring 2017 courses for TMDSAS (I believe AMCAS has the same thing) early January with these 12 credits, would changing it now hurt my my application?

I don't think it should hurt you. You should be able to change it as future classes are not set in stone

 

[BeddingfieldMD]

No medical school is going to care about your minor. If your college doesn't require you to get a minor, then don't do it just to have a minor to impress med schools.

But if you only take 5 credits, make sure you're doing something productive, interesting, and ideally relevant to medicine during your downtime. You might get asked what you did during your cushy semester during interviews. Your response can either be a strength or a weakness.


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