undergraduate major

[juliers]

I am currently still in high school but i know i want to go into medicine. I also know that I want to go to the University of Florida for both undergraduate and graduate degrees if i can get in. However they do not offer a major in pre-med. I was just wanting some feed back on which majors are good for the medical field or does it not really matter.
Thanks
~Juliejavascript:smilie('')
smile

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[bw07]

I'd advise against choosing a major called "premed" even if they had one. Med schools generally want applicants who have studied a subject "in depth" whether it be biology, economics, sociology, or physics. They only want you to take a year of orgo, bio, physics, and gen chem (and possibly english). You can take these classes along with any major. As long as you do well in them, you will be fine.

 

[Sarah Kerr]

Atleast that I'm aware of, schools don't really have a "pre-med" major. You can major in anything that strikes your fancy, really, from history to physics to theatre, and still be considered pre-med...as long as you take the required courses to gain entrance to med school.

Feedbackfrom anyone else....am I on the right track so far??

At my school, if you don't have a particular major in mind, they recommend biology or chemistry, as they take up a major portion of the MCAT. But you can pick whatever you want. Just meet with the pre-med advisor once you are accepted to your undergrad school. Trust me, UF has one. Where are you from? I'd give just about anything to be at UF, but the Army decided otherwise. Hope I helped a little.

 

[Classof07]

According to Dean Silverman at Yale's SOM, English majors had the highest acceptance rate last year (2002 entering class, nationally).
Of course since your 'average' premed student is a science major, that helps to tweak the numbers in favor of humanities students (a smaller number apply, and, generally, those that do might be more focused than an average science student chasing a dream). But all the same, I thought I would relay that information.


English major '02

 

[Street Philosopher]

music majors, philosophy majors, and english majors usually have the highest acceptance rates. biology and nursing have one of the lowest. but these are just numbers.

 

[odelay]

pick what you like. are you asking for ideas on what to study? take the required courses and you're set. your major is up to you.

be a theater major. but take your biology and physics and chemistry and you'll have as good a chance as anyone.

it IS more CONVENIENT to major in a scientific or biological field if you intend to hit a medical school, as your required courses are the prerequisites for most medical schools. the most common? not pre-med, surprisingly. the most popular is just a plain ol' Biology major.

but you can branch out on that. microbiology. chemistry. even kinesiology, really. if its the life sciences you like, take your pick. most of them fulfill the requirements.

personally, i'm a Bioengineer. i picked it because it sounds cool. (and because it had a nice blend of my interests: biology, physics, math, and computing.)

in all honesty, find something you enjoy. what engages you in high school? most admission committees have NO PROBLEM whatsoever with a non-science major. just have the MCAT and prerequisite GPA and you're on the same boat as everyone else.

i think i strayed from your question, oops. there you go.

 

[odelay]

concerning one of the last posts:

"music, english, etc have the highest acceptance rates. biology majors have the lowest acceptance rates."

i read somewhere that these statistics are such that there are simply MORE biology majors who apply for medical school than english and music majors. i know that still doesn't make much sense, but all in all, i don't think your major affects a decision very much. just the prerequisite GPA.

 

[juliers]

Thanks for all the feedback you've helped me alot. by the way i am from gainesville.
Julie

 

[Sarah Kerr]

Originally posted by odelay
concerning one of the last posts:

"music, english, etc have the highest acceptance rates. biology majors have the lowest acceptance rates."

i read somewhere that these statistics are such that there are simply MORE biology majors who apply for medical school than english and music majors. i know that still doesn't make much sense, but all in all, i don't think your major affects a decision very much. just the prerequisite GPA.

I heard that also, Odelay. I guess no one really knows for sure, b/c everytime I turn around, someone is telling me something different. I'm trying to work on that, however...Im a bio major, but not b/c it's a standard "premed" major...I just really love biology!! So I kinda come off looking like a "cookie cutter" premed. Atleast thats what Im told. Oh well its only freshman year, I have time to find another major that will incorporate my love for bio, but also help make a distinction between myself and the thousands of others out there just like me. Oy I kinda got off topic..sorry. Who knows, maybe this is all helping you out Juliers. Best of luck to you.

 

[14931]

Originally posted by Sarah Kerr
Atleast that I'm aware of, schools don't really have a "pre-med" major.

uhm.. there are schools that actually have pre-med majors!

 

[Sarah Kerr]

Originally posted by immediatespring
uhm.. there are schools that actually have pre-med majors!

LOL thats why I said "that Im aware of..." I figured someone MUST have one, but the schools aren't exactly calling me up to keep my updated. I was told before that they didn't, that one just considered themselves premed. Now I know What kind of course work is required in a "premed" major?? Obviously pre-reqs...???? Not that it matters for me, my school doesnt have it.

 

[14931]

haha okay i dont know about their courses but they pretty much take all the prerequisites and at my schools they have to take humanities and arts courses and some courses about how to prepare for medical school and oh foreign languages

 

[Freakingzooming]

I think really bad, big state schools offer majors called premed or prelaw.. it's really a big crock of crap.. I personally think professional school should be a goal/destination in life, but not exactly all of your life.

At first when I took the ochem and bio courses, I was like this really stinks. I won't get any time to take any courses outside of my concentration (philosophy).. too onsided. Cuz I got the core, premed, and philosophy which has generally no overlap.

But you learn to appreciate the difference in having a real major that you really learn something other than to prepare for a professional school.

I find it's more productive to major in something you care about. When you decide your major, weigh out how much practically can handle with the premed bs. and decide what your parents would want too. best of luck

 

[tomjr]

Major in a subject that interests you, one you feel passionate about... medical schools want to see you pursue and excel in your undergraduate field of interest, be it music, bioengineering, literature, or toxicology!

Plus, if you are studying something you enjoy, you'll tend to perform at your peak anyway.

cheers,

Tom