What should I major in??

[writingmonkey10]

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I know it doesn't matter what I major in to get into med school as long as I fulfill all prerequisites. My plan is to major in Biology and English w/Creative Writing Specialization and possibly minor in Journalism. However, I don't want to kill myself trying to maintain a high GPA so I'm trying to weight my options.

Anyway, my question is this: Would I be better prepared for med school if I majored in biology (or any science for that matter)? Or are the prerequisites enough to ensure that I go into med school prepared?

I'll be freshman in college this fall so I still have time to think.

Thanks - any help will be appreciated.

 

[NickNaylor]

Major in

1) What you're interested in
2) Something you can use as a "plan B"
3) A subject you're likely to do well in

In that order.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

If you like bio and English, you can double major. If you're doing bio just to help prepare yourself, stick to English with the journalism minor (if you have time/interest in the minor). The prereqs should adequately prepare you for school.

 

[luke587]

you can major in whatever you want, i have a buddy who is a theology major and doing the pre-med reqs, just do what interest you, your going to have to take the science courses anyways, its best to balance a really hard course with something easier; ie: orgo chem with humanities class.

 

[deleted202457]

the english major will also probably help with the verbal and essay part of the MCAT, writing your PS, and may also help you interview well since you should learn how to better communicate with an english major. plus you'll stand out a little and will have something to talk about (such as why you majored in english).

 

[morning]

Bio and English are decent majors, especially since schools are looking towards getting more non-Bio majors into their classrooms.

In my school, and I think most schools, you can finish a biology major without a lot of extra effort past the medical school pre-reqs (all the science pre-reqs are part of the required biology curricula in my school!) so depending on your school it might be pretty easy to do. Look for classes like Microbiology, Mycology, Parasitology. Not to prepare yourself for medical school (honestly, very little is going to prepare you for medical school) but because MOST people find them pretty easy.

I disagree with the person above me, though...a philosophy major would prepare you for the MCAT better than an english major.

 

[deleted202457]

Bio and English are decent majors, especially since schools are looking towards getting more non-Bio majors into their classrooms.

In my school, and I think most schools, you can finish a biology major without a lot of extra effort past the medical school pre-reqs (all the science pre-reqs are part of the required biology curricula in my school!) so depending on your school it might be pretty easy to do. Look for classes like Microbiology, Mycology, Parasitology. Not to prepare yourself for medical school (honestly, very little is going to prepare you for medical school) but because MOST people find them pretty easy.

I disagree with the person above me, though...a philosophy major would prepare you for the MCAT better than an english major.

oh yeah i'm not saying its the best prep. he just didnt give me the choice of philosophy. he said he wanted either english or bio. so i picked english out of those two.

 

[teenmachinery1]

I know it doesn't matter what I major in to get into med school as long as I fulfill all prerequisites. My plan is to major in Biology and English w/Creative Writing Specialization and possibly minor in Journalism. However, I don't want to kill myself trying to maintain a high GPA so I'm trying to weight my options.

Anyway, my question is this: Would I be better prepared for med school if I majored in biology (or any science for that matter)? Or are the prerequisites enough to ensure that I go into med school prepared?

I'll be freshman in college this fall so I still have time to think.

Thanks - any help will be appreciated.

bio is the worst major imo, unless you like fungi reproduction cycles and other useless garbage like that.

Q: What's the difference between a monocot and dicot?
A: Who gives a ****?

 

[writingmonkey10]

Thanks everyone for all your help!

I took ap bio last year (my senior year) so I'm used to the necessary but relatively boring fungi and plant topics. Also, the biology major at my school has many courses just as ChartaBona said - Microbiology, Genetics, etc. So it'll be varied.

Anyway, from the looks of it I'm leaning towards the double major in english and biology. Not sure if I'll have room for a journalism minor - I don't want my schedule to be too full.

Thanks you

 

[sonia1177]

I know it doesn't matter what I major in to get into med school as long as I fulfill all prerequisites. My plan is to major in Biology and English w/Creative Writing Specialization and possibly minor in Journalism. However, I don't want to kill myself trying to maintain a high GPA so I'm trying to weight my options.

Anyway, my question is this: Would I be better prepared for med school if I majored in biology (or any science for that matter)? Or are the prerequisites enough to ensure that I go into med school prepared?

I'll be freshman in college this fall so I still have time to think.

Thanks - any help will be appreciated.

I might get some criticism for this but I am going to be honest and say what I think anyway 🙂 Yes, of course you will be better prepared if you have majored in a science like biology because it gives a solid background about some of the topics you have to learn about in detail in med school (microbiology, immunology, human physiology, parasitology, and the list goes on and on). For me, its always easier to learn if I have initial exposure to the material. Think about it this way, you are a lot better prepared in the class having known SOMETHING about the material rather than starting from a clean slate and not knowing anything (i.e. you have to take or study a topic like microbiology in medical school so you''ll be more comfortable recognizing and understanding the material from the fact that you took it in undergrad as a bio major). But then again, if you major in something else you could always just take upper level biology courses. This is somewhat harder because then you'll have to handle the harder classes you have to take as a non-science major along with some of the harder biology/science classes (the ones that are directly relevant to medical school are normally considered "harder"--meaning they require more time and effort). So in my opinion, it becomes slightly harder to maintain a higher GPA. And to people that do it and get accepted, Great! 👍 I think your idea of majoring in bio and minoring in Journalism is excellent. This way you don't get caught up in that premed bubble of taking too many science classes without having exposure to different areas of study. I know not everyone agrees with this, but this is just my opinion. Of course you should take "other" classes rather than sciences, this is part of becoming a well rounded student. But I am saying that in my opinion, have a solid science background (being a bio or chem, etc.) major is going to make life in medical school somewhat easier. Again, just my opinion, I am not enforcing or imposing or speaking for anyone else.

 

[ker68]

Tons of people major in Bio...for the obvious reason. To make yourself stick out, why not major in a physical science that YOU enjoy a lot?

I'm a Neuroscience major. I love it. It was the best thing for me.
I have a self-designed minor in the Classics so I'm a little more "well rounded". That too I enjoy.

I recommend choosing a minor that is NOT science-related that you enjoy so you can become more well-rounded and not get stuck just taking science classes the whole thing. Med schools like people who are well-rounded.

 

[gettheleadout]

In my school, and I think most schools, you can finish a biology major without a lot of extra effort past the medical school pre-reqs (all the science pre-reqs are part of the required biology curricula in my school!) so depending on your school it might be pretty easy to do. Look for classes like Microbiology, Mycology, Parasitology. Not to prepare yourself for medical school (honestly, very little is going to prepare you for medical school) but because MOST people find them pretty easy.

I agree, I'm doubling with a science major because I might as well take a couple more science courses in addition to the med school prereqs.