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If your a pre-med student Is it better to major in the sciences or a major of your choice?

I am a pre-med student and i would like to know which major in sciences or a major of your choice will benefit you when applying for a career or med school #medicine #biology #pre-med #physical-therapy #biotechnology #biochemistry #molecular-biology #bioinformatics

biology physical-therapy pre-med biotechnology biochemistry molecular-biology bioinformatics
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Richard’s Answer

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.

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
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Hwal’s Answer

Hi Michela,


You can major in anything you like, and I would say the two most important things to consider are (1) the major you find most interesting and (2) that you'll need to complete prerequisites classes for medical school application no matter what. For example, if you think you'll enjoy fine arts the most, then you can major in fine arts without affecting your chance of getting into a medical school, as long as you take prerequisites classes either as electives or in addition.


Good luck!


Hwal

Hwal recommends the following next steps:

Think about what major you'd find most enjoyable!
Consider whether your chosen major leaves room to take medical school prerequisites as electives, or otherwise think about how to fulfill the prerequisites
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Timothy J.’s Answer

To get into veterinary school is similar to med school. There are course requirements that must be met but the most important thing is that your GPA not rule you out. Solid grads are a must.

My recommendation has always been focused on setting yourself up to maximize your GPA in an academically rigorous program. In order to do that, IMHO, you should go to a school where you will be comfortable spending the next 3-4 years of your life and major in something that you are interested in rather than something you think your dream med school might be looking for.

If the thing you are most interested in doesn't already include the prerequisites then you take them as electives. If they are included, great but the major does not matter as much as good grades.

I had vet school classmates who had degrees in psychology, literature, even economics! They were certainly not all science majors or pre-vet/pre-med majors but they all had GPA's well over a 3.0.
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Dr Julian’s Answer

A better question is which subject do you think will hold your interest for 4 years. If you like biology then by all means study biology.
If history is more your cup of tea then go for it. Just make sure you take all the prereqs you need to apply to medical school. The
majority of med school applicants are biology majors and it is a tried and true route. There are more students lately who have degrees
in other fields so talk to your guidance counselor about what you feel drawn to study.
Good luck.
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Rachel’s Answer

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. 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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