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hello ! this is a junior pondering upon the process of getting into a medical school; can someone please explain how the process work (i.e. what courses to major during the undergraduate years)?

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Sarah’s Answer

I am a physician.

For undergraduate, you can really major in any field you want as long as you complete the pre requisites to get into medical school.

The pre-reqs vary slightly from school to school, but always required are:

One year of Biology.
One year of General Chemistry.
One year of Organic Chemistry.
One year of Physics

Many schools will also want at least a semester of a math course, often statistics and less commonly calculus.

As long as these classes are completed, it doesn't matter what you major in. Many students will complete a science related major becasue they like it and becasue they already are completing many of these classes anyhow.

But if you have an interest outside of science, it's fine to pursue that as you major as long as you complete the pre reqs.

Other than that, you will need to prepare to take the MCAT your junior year.

Medical Schools will also look for volunteering opportunities and involvement in extracurriculars to show you are well rounded and able to maintain a good GPA while also participating in other things.

Sarah recommends the following next steps:

[contact info removed]
My website www.sarahreckmd.com has information about medical school.
Check out the AAMC website
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Richard’s Answer

In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree which takes between three and five years depending on the major.

Pick a major that interests you because you will spend countless hours studying this subject. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.

Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.

Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters

Pick a summer during college to self study for the MCAT or take a MCAT prep course.

Take the MCAT and apply to medical school. You will be invited to on-location interviews to choose a school.
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Estelle’s Answer

To go to school you can pick any undergraduate major. When applying to medical school, you need to have completed the premed course requirements as well as a good MCAT and GPA.
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Rachel’s Answer

Hi Thin, I would say major in whatever field interests you and will allow you to maintain an excellent GPA. I majored in Spanish literature and had no trouble with my med school applications. You do need to complete the pre-med requirements that vary from school to school. As stated above, these include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.
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