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What should I major in after high school to prepare me to go into medical school?

I really enjoy working with kids at my local daycare center and that’s how I came to the idea I wanted to take care of kids, and become a doctor. More specifically a pediatrician. And I just want to know what I need to major in after high school to achieve my goal.

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Fred’s Answer

There is no definitive answer to this question. Traditionally, pre-med students major in a hard science like chemistry or more common, biology. Some schools may offer anatomy or physiology. If you want to be a pediatrician, child psych might be in order.

However, there is an emerging trend of pre-med students majoring in other areas. The idea is it helps make a more rounded person.

Also, if you are planning on having a private practice, a business degree may not be a bad idea.

Talk to your advisor/counsellor. They are probably aware of your options and can help guide you.
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Midwest’s Answer

Congratulations on that exciting experience and potentially embarking on the journey of medical school and becoming a physician. Traditionally, students who ended up attending medical school majored in sciences such as biology, chemistry, engineering, or other science majors. However, contemporary medical school applicants represent a much more diverse applicant pool with various science and non-science majors. Although applicants may have a variety of majors, there are core pre-medical classes that everyone must complete in order to apply to medical school.

The best use of your time before undergrad is to continue to obtain diverse experience particularly in your field of interest as a pediatrician, focus on achieving academic excellence in all your endeavors, and be open to any field of study or experience outside school that grabs your attention and passion. This may help guide you to choosing a major more than a calculated action for the sake of medical school. Choose something you're highly interested in which should then help you do well!

Next steps:

Midwest recommends the following next steps:

Continue volunteering!
Choose a major that interests you the most
Make sure you are completely premedical requisites
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Scott’s Answer

Hi Toryana! First of all, let me congratulate you on choosing a very worthy goal. I am an internist (a general medical doctor for adults) so I know about the process. There is no one path of study to becoming a doctor. It certainly is necessary to be an excellent college student. You can choose any major you desire but there are some prerequisite courses that all medical school applicants are required to take which you would discuss with your college advisor. Getting varied and meaningful experiences is also important not only for a medical school applicant but for your growth as a human being.
There are many fields which involve helping children so I also suggest exploring a variety of areas as you work towards your goal of becoming a pediatrician. You may be surprised to find yourself passionate about some other pursuits. Good luck!
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