What do you guys think?

[nisarg2010]

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First of all, I want to thank all of you who take time out of your busy life to help people like me out.
I have decided on attending University of Georgia but I am torn in what I should major in if I’m planning on attending medical school after undergrad. So far I have narrowed down my search to Biochemical Engineering, Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or Biological Science. I was hoping that you guys could point me in the right direction. I have linked the website for the course requirement for each major.
Biochemical Engineering: http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/MajorSpecific.aspx?MajorId=167
Biology: http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/MajorSpecific.aspx?MajorId=34
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/MajorSpecific.aspx?MajorId=29
Biological Science: http://www.bulletin.uga.edu/MajorsGeneral.aspx?MajorId=33
Once again, Thank you all for what you do.

 

[skierbum]

Biochem is what I'm majoring in-I decided last summer. It's also much more marketable than bio as an undergrad degree if you don't get into med school (so I've heard).

 

[organdonor]

Well my small state UG doesn't have many specific majors, so I chose biology pretty much because it was the most applicable. That said, there is ALOT of material that I really just don't care about. Snail sex, goldfish teeth, you get the idea. I had my mind made up a long time ago about what I wanted to do (become a doctor) so there was alot of useless stuff.

On the flipside, don't just do pre-med. About 60% of the people I started college school with who wanted to become doctors, won't. This includes valedictorians, hard workers, motivated people. It just doesn't work out that way for some (most). A major that might be applicable to other fields or one that you find interesting would be a great idea.

 

[StIGMA]

I sent you a private message. To others who are reading, the jist is that you should do what you want, but be wary that anything 'engineering' has the potential to hurt your GPA. For undergrad, GPA is >>> more important than major.

 

[Morsetlis]

It's all the same. What on earth do you think a Bio major could take that a Biochem major can't? There's a lot of slots for upper-div electives that everybody in the Bio department can take.

However, if you must be nuanced:

Biology is generally thought of as a general field. In this, you may take classes such as embryology, microbiology, hematology, immunology, developmental biology, anthropology, etc. You can either go the lab path or the didactic path. Neither make a big difference in med school, but you may be less qualified for laboratory research positions.

Biochemistry generally involve biochemical techniques in basic sciences labs such as gels, specs, plasmids, PCR, and tissue culturing. These typically deal with manipulation of molecular structures and require a good understanding of them. Biochemistry majors will also have to take upper-level ochem lectures/labs, and perhaps more physics also. They will have slots for electives and generally also take physiology. The core biochem classes are structural, molecular, metabolic, and lab.

I have no idea about Engineering or Bioengineering. I suggest staying away from engineers: they depress your GPA.