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Is double majoring useful for a doctor?

I am planning on being a doctor and am thinking about double majoring. #doctor #hospital-and-health-care #medicine #healthcare

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Karyn’s Answer

First I admire you for even considering a double major given the rigorous demands of medical school. Having said that many medical schools actually offer MD/MBA programs recognizing the importance of physicians to have a solid foundation in business management. I would encourage you to look for programs such as this, it will not only help you in your medical career but personally as well. I included a couple hot links for you to review, the mdmbaprograms.org actually lists all medical schools offering dual programs. I hope you find this helpful and wish you the best of luck.

Karyn recommends the following next steps:

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/admissions/degree-programs/combined-mdmba-program/
http://www.mdmbaprograms.org/md-mba-programs/
Thank you comment icon Karyn - Your answer is great. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with Nikhil! At this moment there are more than 1k unanswered questions so I want to encourage you to keep going! So many students will benefit tremendously from hearing from you. Keep up the great work! Jordan Rivera, Admin COACH
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Yasemin’s Answer

Hi Nikhil! This is a very interesting question for sure! So, there could be different fields that could interest you most definitely. The premed path, the path which you take in college requires you to take certain courses in sciences and some in English, which prepares you for medical school. Along with applying to medical school you also have to volunteer, shadow, research, so a variety of opportunities to strengthen your application. That being said, double majoring can be difficult and the course load can be too much to handle. You can spread it out of course if you really love two things at the same time, but in terms of making a difference on your path to medicine I don't think it would. I would focus on GPA/MCAT, extracurriculars and classes.

However, you can minor in whatever you are interested in as well, it would be lighter coursework and you can still do something you love. My sister loves English but she ended up getting her degree and Master's in Biochemistry however she was able to minor in Literature. I also was a Psychology major but minored in Chemistry as well. Do what you love but make sure to do well in classes and always speak with your premed adviser on your path to medical school.

Best of Luck!
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Estelle’s Answer

Hey, Nikhil. I don't think getting two majors is as important as your GPA, MCAT scores, and experiences leading up to medical school. I think the application committees are looking for hard working, well rounded individuals with grit. If you get a double major, good for you, but don't stress yourself or sacrifice grades to do that.
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Angela’s Answer

I think double majoring as a doctor depends on what you want to do in your future as an MD. If you want to be in the business side of healthcare then an MBA would be helpful, health informatics would be a masters in health informatics, or another science that may be helpful for you in the long run. I think you need to better understand what exactly is your short term goal and long term goal in order for you to have a clearer picture of what you want to accomplish as a doctor. Good luck.
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Richard’s Answer

Not really. If you have extra time, try research, volunteering or clinical shadowing.

Pick a major that interests you. 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.
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Donna’s Answer

Hi, many physicians obtain an MBA as well which is helpful because they are often in positions where they need to be good with making business decisions. Another area that I have seen physicians pursue is Healthcare Informatics.
Health informatics is a specialization that links IT, communications and healthcare to improve patient care. There are physicians that I work with that specialize in this area and they are an asset to the organization in which I am currently working. These are just a couple of ideas and wishing you well in your studies.
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Rachel’s Answer

I was a double major and enjoyed it. However, you need to remember that pre-med is not a major in itself. If you choose 2 majors + pre-med, this is essentially three degrees. Go for it if you love learning and love taking the classes, but do not do this if it will compromise your GPA. GPA and MCAT are the most important factors that med schools consider in your application.
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