<p>Here’s a fascinating article on meta-analysis of medical research. It’s a good example of why statistics could be an excellent major for some pre-meds to consider.</p>
<p>[Lies</a>, Damned Lies, and Medical Science - Magazine - The Atlantic](<a href=“http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2010/11/lies-damned-lies-and-medical-science/8269]Lies”>Dr. John Ioannidis Exposes the Bad Science of Colleagues - The Atlantic)</p>
<p>nah it’ll lower their GPA due to hard math classes. premeds should take something like Communications.</p>
<p>If you are serious about pre-med, obviously either biochemistry, biology, or chemistry will be great. Among them, biochemistry seems a better route to prepare MCAT and future medical work. However, if you are looking for nursing that’s not an issue. Just go to a nursing program.</p>
<p>nah science will lower their GPAs. the best way is to take an easy major with no math and science, take the minimum amount of hard classes needed to get into medical school, take maximum amount of easy classes, volunteer to be a janitor or something easy at a hospital, and apply.</p>
<p>I think that article is more of an example why there should be more statistics classes as a requirement to get a MD.</p>
<p>I’m a Statistics major, hoping to get a MS in Biostatistics. I don’t think my math heavy Stats undergrad would prepare me properly for med school.</p>
<p>That was a very good article showing how many medical studies are manipulated based on the wanted outcome of the company paying for the study. You have to question who is designing and running these studies, though.</p>
<p>I knew someone who double majored in Math and Statistics and is now a Pediatrician. Bright, disciplined, etc.</p>
<p>^^Clearly, training in statistics, experimental design should be included in the training of all medical students.</p>
<p>As long as premed requirements are met, a student planning on medical school can major in any field. For some students, stats could be an appropriate area, especially for those who have an interest in evidence-based medicine. I just offered this to suggest a major that is less commonly chosen by premeds.
[The</a> Dartmouth Institute - Institute Initiatives](<a href=“http://tdi.dartmouth.edu/institute-initiatives/]The”>http://tdi.dartmouth.edu/institute-initiatives/)
[The</a> Cochrane Collaboration | Working together to provide the best evidence for health care](<a href=“http://www.cochrane.org/]The”>http://www.cochrane.org/)</p>
<p>Yes, you’d have to question who is designing and running these studies. Much of the research in question, however, was published in top, peer-reviewed journals.</p>
<p>I think a huge contributing factor for questionable research in certain areas of medicine are financial conflicts of interest among many researchers, e.g., drug company funding of research on psychiatric meds.
[Side</a> Effects May Include Lawsuits - Readers’ Comments - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/business/03psych.html?sort=recommended&scp=3&sq=psychiatric%20drugs&st=cse]Side”>http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/business/03psych.html?sort=recommended&scp=3&sq=psychiatric%20drugs&st=cse)</p>
<p>There are many things you can do to manipulate the outcome of a study, starting well before any data is collected. It often starts with poor sample/experiment design and builds from there. There are many phases to clinical trials, and they often take years to complete. When there has been a lot of time and money committed to a particular outcome (drug approval), there is a lot of pressure to design a study to achieve that outcome. It’s the unfortunate reality of the collision between capitalism and science.</p>