Which major is harder & which will look better on an application to med school?

[ToldYouSo]

I get that the actual learning of calculus is necessary and America is behind the rest of the first world countries in scientific/mathematic knowledge in general. I also get that calculus is a necessary prereq for upperdivision classes in most science majors. What I don't get is why calculus is required by medical schools. I have not seen a differential or integral in 8 years and haven't needed to use any math skill beyond that required for basic statistics.

Very very few fields require you to use calculus in your day to day job... or organic chemistry or general chemistry or physics etc...

It broadens your analytic ability and you learn about how the world works. Every college student should take 2 semesters of calculus at the very least.

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[TexasSurgeon]

You're fine, that's how the 'mathematician' joke came up People like to get extremely technical on here (out of boredom I guess) while I'm more of a laid back type of guy. That's why I rarely bother to post/reply.

Hahah well it is SDN after all- home of the neurotic premeds.

 

[Aerus]

If I'd wanted a good post-undergrad job I would've majored in Comp Sci.

I meant if you wanted to work in that field. BME is just an inferior combination of ME and EE. Job employers would much rather just hire the real thing.

 

[Jamaic]

wow wtf -_- all this time I wanted to take a "sciency" major to make my application look better.... So if I major in like economics they won't give a **** as long as my premed classes look good? sorry, if my questions seem redundant but you see the rest of my life is at stake and I'm growing quite anxious lol

^ The end of this post is a bit dramatic...take a breath...you'll be fine. I know it seems like the biggest deal ever right now, but it isn't. In college you shouldn't do stuff just to get into to medical school. Sure you HAVE to do certain things, but if you stake your life on getting into medical school your college experience will be unfulfilling. Major in what interests you, do well in science classes, do well in ALL classes, get out of the country (doesn't have to be a medical mission or full semseter even), do well on the MCAT, shadow A LOT, get exposure to medicine (to be SURE that's what you want to do), and study whatever you want aside from that. Major in theatre for all they care...but going with Biology sure never hurts.

 

[tantacles]

Okay! I think I realize that now.. still kinda paranoid though cause legit every person ik that wants to get into med school is majoring in biology & or biological chemistry, and I just didn't wanna seem like the bad grape out of the bunch lol

While many people who want to get in to medical school major in biology or biological chemistry, the people who actually attend medical school have a wide variety of majors.

 

[S Howdeshell]

I am currently a senior in highschool planning to enter college this fall. Ik a lot of people major in psychology and biology when trying to get into medical school but I figured that must be a cliche. Im choosing between Biological Chemistry and Neuroscience. Which major do you guys think will appeal best to a medical school's admissions team? and if you have any other suggestions for majors feel free to tell me Thank You!!

It's great you already know what you want to do, but there's no "perfect" way to go about it. Choose whatever major you're most interested in and will satisfy you the most over the next four years. College is important, and not just as a steeping stone to med school. Do what you need to do to set yourself up as much as possible, but you don't have to do everything with how it's going to look on the AMCAS in mind. Enjoy your college experience; don't waste the next four years only planning for the four after that.

I was a religion major in college with no idea I wanted to go into medicine at all; after graduating and teaching for a couple years, I realized what I really wanted to do. So, I had to do a post-bac the last two years to get my prereqs. In August I'm going to be starting at one of the top med schools, and I'm still only 27. Things work out; don't stress over everything; do what will satisfy you and do your best!

 

[nysegop]

Major in whatever interests you, neuroscience in my case.