Switch majors to benefit MSTP application?

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

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Hey everyone. So digging around, I found a general consensus that being a non-science major doesn't really matter much when applying to MSTP programs. However, looking through class profiles of several schools, it appears that there is definitely a higher amount of science majors.

Currently, I am a sophomore working towards a public health major. I figured with the amount of pre-reqs I have taken for medical school that have nothing to do with my major, I would look into if there was any benefit to switching to a bio major in the interest of saving time and money. However, the Bio major at my school is 180 credits and the public health major is 120, so ultimately it becomes a wash when you factor in the pre-reqs.

I am inclined to keep the public health major for several reasons. It genuinely interests me, I feel it gives me a valuable perspective that can be applied later when practicing, and it ties in better with my narrative (connection with underserved community and dedication to further serve said community). Majority of my research has been epidemiological regarding that specific underserved community, however I would like to pursue a Ph.D. in physiology. A Ph.D. in public health would also be great, but not many programs offer it.

So my questions is, in the interest of MSTP programs, will my public health major put me at any disadvantage? Is it worth switching? I have research experience, but not much in a lab setting. I've applied to about 15 summer research internships to help gain experience that I am not exposed to as a non-science major.

TL;DR - Should I switch to a Biology major to be more favorable for MSTP?

 

[efle]

It genuinely interests me, I feel it gives me a valuable perspective that can be applied later when practicing, and it ties in better with my narrative

Stick with the public health. You really aren't going to get any brownie points for being yet another bio major, and I'm sure you can get lab research opportunities without being a bio major when you have previous research experience.

 

[gyngyn]

I can't say that the major has had any effect on the evaluation of such candidates at our school.

 

[bee17]

Your major shouldn't matter. Your research experience definitely matters, so work hard on those applications! I want to change research fields for my PhD work, and one of the most difficult parts of the MD/PhD app cycle for me has been convincing interviewers that my intended career path is well thought out and makes sense. Some people really "get" the connection between my past work and what I want to do in the future, while others aren't as easily convinced. You will be perfectly fine as a public health major as long as you are able to craft a narrative that demonstrates that you know what you are getting into. Best of luck!

 

[idontwatchgreysanatomy]

Awesome, thanks everyone