The best major to be sucessful in medical school

[The Phlebotomist]

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Hello Drs and (almost Drs),

I will immensely appreciate a moment of your time here.

I wanted to know which major will make your first year in medical school easier and not necessarily (the major that will be easier to help you get in) These are very two different question as I'm sure you know.

Such as (a 4.0 in arts and pre reqs will get u in med school with a very high chance assuming good mcat.)

UCLA has a major called physiological Science (B.S) this is not an easy major by any means and is challenging to get impressive grades.

It includes studying: Cerebrum & Cerebellum, Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nervous System, and Brainstem, Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems, Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Respiratory Systems, Comparative Anatomy, Muscles of the Upper Extremity, Back, and Abdomen (cadaver), Bones of the Skull and Lower Extremity, Muscles of the Lower Extremity and Skull (cadaver), Structures of the Skeletal, Articular, and Muscular systems. This course also includes CELLULAR NEUROPHYSIOLOGY, SYNAPTIC PHARMACOLOGY/SENSORY PHYSIOLOGY.


I find that this major is more interesting compared to MCB (Molecular Cell Biology) at Berkeley or UCLA because you really don't get to work with cadavers and Berkeley doesn't have this major because it does not have the medical school to support such program. Berkeley has Integrative Biology which includes much less specialization in anatomy.

I'm a transfer student and I have taken Molecular Cell Biology + Lab at my college, I got an A in the class and did enjoy ligating DNA/ making bacteria glow and calculating unknown concentrations using assay's and doing DNA/Protein electrophoresis.

I was able to dissect worms/pigs/sharks/clams/lobsters etc. and did enjoy learning about the anatomy of it all. I got an A+ in the class! I was one of two students out of 90 in my community college to get an A+ in that course. So, yes I find this really interesting.

Any suggestions? Should I go for it? Should I choose UCLA over CAL because of this great program I like? I would love to hear from your experience!

The picture below (one of five core courses that must be taken) will show this clearer.

2/5 core courses

3/5 core courses

4/5 of core courses

and the fifth core course is Biochemistry

20+ units of electives have to be taken also.

 

[laughingfrog]

You know OP that's really interesting because one day I was thinking,

I will immensely appreciate a moment of your time here.

I wanted to know which major will make your first year in medical school easier and not necessarily (the major that will be easier to help you get in) These are very two different question as I'm sure you know.

Such as (a 4.0 in arts and pre reqs will get u in med school with a very high chance assuming good mcat.)

UCLA has a major called physiological Science (B.S) this is not an easy major by any means and is challenging to get impressive grades.

It includes studying: Cerebrum & Cerebellum, Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nervous System, and Brainstem, Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems, Nervous, Cardiovascular, and Respiratory Systems, Comparative Anatomy, Muscles of the Upper Extremity, Back, and Abdomen (cadaver), Bones of the Skull and Lower Extremity, Muscles of the Lower Extremity and Skull (cadaver), Structures of the Skeletal, Articular, and Muscular systems. This course also includes CELLULAR NEUROPHYSIOLOGY, SYNAPTIC PHARMACOLOGY/SENSORY PHYSIOLOGY.


I find that this major is more interesting compared to MCB (Molecular Cell Biology) at Berkeley or UCLA because you really don't get to work with cadavers and Berkeley doesn't have this major because it does not have the medical school to support such program. Berkeley has Integrative Biology which includes much less specialization in anatomy.

I'm a transfer student and I have taken Molecular Cell Biology + Lab at my college, I got an A in the class and did enjoy ligating DNA/ making bacteria glow and calculating unknown concentrations using assay's and doing DNA/Protein electrophoresis.

I was able to dissect worms/pigs/sharks/clams/lobsters etc. and did enjoy learning about the anatomy of it all. I got an A+ in the class! I was one of two students out of 90 in my community college to get an A+ in that course. So, yes I find this really interesting.

Any suggestions? Should I go for it? Should I choose UCLA over CAL because of this great program I like? I would love to hear from your experience!

The picture below (one of five core courses that must be taken) will show this clearer.

2/5 core courses

3/5 core courses

4/5 of core courses

and the fifth core course is Biochemistry

20+ units of electives have to be taken also.

 

[MaxPlancker]

Science majors may have a slight advantage in having seen some of the basic science concepts before hitting med school but really, the best major is the one that keeps you the most satisfied throughout college.

 

[takeurmeds02]

This thread is intense.

 

[BeaverLover]

OP you double posted

 

[NimbleNavigator]

I can't believe you posted a whole syllabus. LOL

Also,

I was one of two students out of 90 in my community college to get an A+ in that course.

I'm not impressed to be honest. I took a number of classes at community college and the caliber of students there is, in general, very poor. Of course, I also know a few studs who came from community college.

 

[The Phlebotomist]

I can't believe you posted a whole syllabus. LOL

Also,



I'm not impressed to be honest. I took a number of classes at community college and the caliber of students there is, in general, very poor. Of course, I also know a few studs who came from community college.

Yeah ofcourse, it can't be compared with students from UCLA or Berkeley. But the course was very difficult for a community college students, in my Cc there is also intense competition for grades because of the vast number of international students.

Anyhow, what do you reccomend?

I did not post twice (some troll reposted everything)

 

[NimbleNavigator]

Yeah ofcourse, it can't be compared with students from UCLA or Berkeley. But the course was very difficult for a community college students, in my Cc there is also intense competition for grades because of the vast number of international students.

Anyhow, what do you reccomend?

I did not post twice (some troll reposted everything)

I'd go to Berkeley. The bay area is full of lots of really smart people. As elitist as it sounds, I like being around other smart people.

 

[The Phlebotomist]

I'd go to Berkeley. The bay area is full of lots of really smart people. As elitist as it sounds, I like being around other smart people.

Honestly, My intended question was that UCLA has a medical school which gives rise to this program listed above while Berkeley does not have that program.

Thanks for responding Mr. Trump

 

[Mansamusa]

Choose the major that most interests you. I've learned everything on that syllabus and I know that there is a lot more that wasn't covered and will be covered in med school

Those who are able to hit the ground running in med school are likely not those with more background knowledge, but those who already know what study habits work best for them.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Moving to hSDN

 

[Mansamusa]

Moving to hSDN

Op is in college. He is a transfer student (it says that somewhere within the essay he wrote)

 

[The Phlebotomist]

Moving to hSDN

I would appreciate if you re move it.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Oh, sorry, didn't see you were a transfer student. Back to pre-allo!

 

[neekzg]

Honestly, My intended question was that UCLA has a medical school which gives rise to this program listed above while Berkeley does not have that program.

Thanks for responding Mr. Trump

Hi Cookiepro. Although UCLA has a medical school, I would not expect any special treatment for their program just by going to UCLA. There are few instances where you can work with med students, such as with a health insurance/enrollment club (CCTC) and Mobile Clinic Project--but there are not huge benefits to going to a school with an attached med school. Even if that were the case, there are plenty of Berkeley students at UCSF (from what I could tell at admit weekend) which has probably the same amount of overlap for opportunities for medical school interface as UCLA undergrad/med does. My advice would be to choose UCLA vs. Cal based off the atmosphere and location of the school you prefer. The particular major matters little unless you plan on spending 100% of your time indoors studying.

In regards to your original question--PhySci is a very difficult major that I have seen my smartest/most studious colleagues at UCLA struggle with. From your lab experience it seems like you would enjoy MCDB or MIMG, which has core classes that are difficult, but likely not as competitive as the core classes for PhySci. Feel free to ask me any questions about UCLA pre-med/majors here or via PM. I can't answer much about Cal but if you have any questions about UCSF I can help there as well.

edit: I just re-read your post about wanting a major that will best equip you for success in med school. I would not base my major off of that decision, and would rather implore you to explore other interests. Although PhySci covers a fair amount of anatomy/physiology, it will pare in comparison to the amount you will be required to know in medical school. There is little benefit in making yourself endure the pre-med hell that is PhySci to gain a slight advantage over your colleagues for the first few months of med school. Ultimately, it is your decision. PhySci is very difficult to do well in (as you have been forewarned), but if it is truly your passion and the subject you are most intensely interested in, by all means give it a shot.

 

[The Phlebotomist]

Hi Cookiepro. Although UCLA has a medical school, I would not expect any special treatment for their program just by going to UCLA. There are few instances where you can work with med students, such as with a health insurance/enrollment club (CCTC) and Mobile Clinic Project--but there are not huge benefits to going to a school with an attached med school. Even if that were the case, there are plenty of Berkeley students at UCSF (from what I could tell at admit weekend) which has probably the same amount of overlap for opportunities for medical school interface as UCLA undergrad/med does. My advice would be to choose UCLA vs. Cal based off the atmosphere and location of the school you prefer. The particular major matters little unless you plan on spending 100% of your time indoors studying.

In regards to your original question--PhySci is a very difficult major that I have seen my smartest/most studious colleagues at UCLA struggle with. From your lab experience it seems like you would enjoy MCDB or MIMG, which has core classes that are difficult, but likely not as competitive as the core classes for PhySci. Feel free to ask me any questions about UCLA pre-med/majors here or via PM. I can't answer much about Cal but if you have any questions about UCSF I can help there as well.

edit: I just re-read your post about wanting a major that will best equip you for success in med school. I would not base my major off of that decision, and would rather implore you to explore other interests. Although PhySci covers a fair amount of anatomy/physiology, it will pare in comparison to the amount you will be required to know in medical school. There is little benefit in making yourself endure the pre-med hell that is PhySci to gain a slight advantage over your colleagues for the first few months of med school. Ultimately, it is your decision. PhySci is very difficult to do well in (as you have been forewarned), but if it is truly your passion and the subject you are most intensely interested in, by all means give it a shot.

MCDB at UCLA or MCB at CAL will typically have the same jobs because it's only BS (both will have about equal $$) so I'm only choosing physiological science because it's interesting, and I want to learn more about the human body even if I do not enter medicine.

How hard is this major? How hard is it to get above 3.7?