Bowdoin pre-med/neuroscience major here. On top of everything else in this thread (which is all pretty accurate), I’d like to add that Brunswick really isn’t that isolated. It’s maybe 20 minutes further from Boston than Amherst and is connected to the Amtrak and Concord Bus routes. As for jock culture, I can’t speak for Amherst but here at Bowdoin it’s not an overly dominant part of the campus culture (unless you want it to be). Yeah, a lot of parties are hosted by and centered around the sports teams, but you’ll stop noticing it after freshman year. The pre-med support has been great. Bowdoin has a pretty laid-back and collaborative atmosphere, and the dining/housing/facilities are all great. Midcoast Hospital (~10 minutes away) has a great medical scribe program, and there are EMT classes offered all the time in the area. PM me if you have more specific questions.