Will a human physiology major make me more ready for medical school?

[supastudier2000]

---

Members don't see this ad.

So the consensus is that it doesnt matter what major you are and that medical school is an even playing field, How can this be true? I have a friend that is in medical school and he was a human physiology major. he said that his major did not help at all because he forgot everything in undergrad. That's a fair statement, but Let's assume that you literally remember everything from undergraduate (using the power of Anki), will a human phys major make medical school a little easier? some examples of the classes offered within my human physiology major are: cell biology, human pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, endocrinology, cardiovascular physiology, respiratory pathology, human pathophysiology, immunology, growth and development, etc. These classes are sure to help, right?

 

[jamaica jan sun princess]

I haven't taken physiology but when I toured VCOM, the dissection lab coordinator said students who had taken a physiology class were better prepared for her class.

 

[CatDad26]

same size = 1, but im a human physiology major now and while on one of my interviews I actually met a M4 who was in the same program as me during his undergrad. He told me about how over prepared he felt for certain classes (neuroanatomy + gross anatomy especially) because of the courses our program has us take. I had gross anatomy lab last semester (with real cadavers) and I think that definitely has left me confident in that class in particular going forward. I've loved all my classes so far and don't regret anything so if you're thinking about human physiology I say go for it!

edit: also in cardiovascular pathophysiology right now and we had an M2 at our university medical school come back and actually tell us about how similar his medical school level course was to the one I'm in right now. He said he killed it and the course just felt like review to him

 

[gyngyn]

There is little evidence that such a class (much less a major) will make a bit of difference to an otherwise well prepared and supported student.

 

[JSD2]

n=1 but my high school IB anatomy and physiology has made my college anatomy and physiology classes (need them for my major) a lot easier so I can't imagine that a physiology major wouldn't help at least a little however it isn't going to put you at the top of your class just make it a little easier to keep your head above water in the beginning.

 

[WRL]

Physiology is a multi-trimester/quarter class in my medical school in the first year, so having viewed that information before would lighten your learning load for many months (at many medical schools I think )

 

[IsleyOfTheNorth]

Probably the best major you could take would be one that is rigorous enough to push you without negatively impacting your GPA. Think of your undergraduate years as practicing those study habits. That, in my opinion, is the most important prep you can do for med school.

... cell biology, human pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, endocrinology, cardiovascular physiology, respiratory pathology, human pathophysiology, immunology, growth and development, etc. These classes are sure to help, right?

It really depends on your retention I'd think. I took a Biology major so I could take genetics, anatomy, immunology, etc. as part of my major. It definitely helped with the MCAT. If you learn with the idea of retention, it will definitely help you. (I.e. take it seriously as though you were studying medicine.) If you're just cramming the material for each exam, it's less helpful.

Current students I've spoken to have said that Biochem (1 & 2) and A&P are the most impactful. For myself, my Immunology class covered at least half of the immunology in First Aid (USMLE).

So, in my opinion, the exposure is definitely worth taking a med-oriented major assuming you get in. If you don't get in, you're stuck with whatever degree you completed, so keep that in mind. For me it was MD or bust so I rolled the dice and got in on my first try. (But I had plans to keep rolling indefinitely.)

Again though, the important thing in my opinion is to take something that will help you practice med school-like study habits.