What should a premed major in?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>What kind of majors am I allowed to have? Do I have to major in pre-med?</p>

<p>Usually, in fact, it is impossible for you to major in “pre-med”. Usually, premeds major in biology, but this is by no means required! In fact, you are allowed to major in whatever you like.</p>

<p>Wow, anything? But surely some majors have better admissions rates, right?</p>

<p>See for yourself:

Most people interpret this result to mean that “your major doesn’t matter”, and I agree with that interpretation. Still, decide for yourself.</p>

<p>I would urge you to remember two things:
1.) This is including variation in MCAT scores and GPA - that is, this does not control for those. In other words, if chem majors have lower GPAs than English majors, then that does not adversely affect either group.
2.) Now, medical schools overall may not prefer any major, but some specific medical schools - or even tiers of medical schools - might. There is no evidence available on this subject. I do not believe this to be the case, but I can’t disprove it, and so I wanted to make that clear.</p>

<p>But don’t some majors prepare me better for medical school? Won’t an art major be behind, since he’ll only know the basics of biology and chemistry?</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>If a bio major is excessive, then perhaps I should major in something like nursing or physical therapy - that would be most direct, right?

</p>

<p>Quotes from <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=205486[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=205486&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

2

<p>dude…nice post</p>

3

<p>the aamc.org link is awry…</p>

4

<p>Try this one: (The “…” broke up the link when I copied and pasted.)
<a href=“http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/sum2005.pdf[/url]”>http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/sum2005.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>About 40% of medical schools have formal math requirements, though the specific requirements range from one semester of math to two semesters of calculus. Statistics or even computer science meet math requirements at some, but not all, medical schools.</p>

<p>Medical School Admissions Requirements, published each spring by AAMC lists general and specific admissions requirements.</p>

<p>See the MSAR 2007 math requirements table posted at the Bryn Mawr pre-med advising website.
<a href=“http://www.brynmawr.edu/healthpro/documents/MedSchoolList2007MathiReqs.pdf[/url]”>http://www.brynmawr.edu/healthpro/documents/MedSchoolList2007MathiReqs.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>do you know if harvard is one of those medical schools?</p>

7

<p>Dude, he put the link for you right there.</p>

8

<p>The problem with being so helpful is that these pre-frosh have become so damn lazy. How many times do we have to answer these questions?</p>

<p>“What classes do we have to take?”</p>

<p>“Do we have to take math?”</p>

<p>“When do you take the MCAT?”</p>

<p>“What’s the MCAT out of?”</p>

<p>“What should I major in?”</p>

<p>It’s clear most of these people haven’t spent more than 5 minutes researching.</p>

9

<p>Bump thread.</p>

10

<p>wow… nice post. I give you the honorary slow clap.</p>

11

<p>nice thread. thanks guys. you may have to sticky this so people dont keep asking the same ol’ questions.</p>

12

<p>If only we had that authority…</p>

13

<p>i actually do</p>

14

<p>You’ll find that regardless, about the same percent of students get accepted from each major each year…</p>

<ul>
<li>fooshy</li>
</ul>

15

<p>What sort of majors are grouped under “Biological Sceinces?”</p>

<p>I thought Biomedical Engineering might be one, but my dad does not think it is for some reason. help please?</p>

16

<p>I think I want to major in Spanish, but if bio will make med school easier to digest, I would definitely take that under consideration. My understanding is that med school bypasses undergrad so quickly, it’s not really worth majoring in bio. How helpful would it be to major in human bio if you were able to take courses like these:</p>

<p>BIBC 102. Metabolic Biochemistry (4)
BICD 100. Genetics (4)
BICD 110. Cell Biology (4)
BICD 111. Cell Biology Laboratory (6)
BICD 118. Pathways of Intracellular Protein Trafficking and Compartmentation (4)
BICD 134. Human Reproduction and Development (4)
BICD 136. AIDS Science and Society (4)
BICD 140. Immunology (4)
BICD 150. Endocrinology (4)
BIMM 100. Molecular Biology (4)
BIMM 110. Molecular Basis of Human Disease (4)
BIMM 114. Virology (4)
BIMM 118. Pharmacology (4)
BIMM 120. Bacteriology (4)
BIMM 124. Medical Microbiology (4)
BIMM 130. Microbial Physiology (4)
BIMM 132. Molecular Biology of Human Retroviruses (4)
BIMM 134. Biology of Cancer (4)
BIPN 100. Mammalian Physiology I (4)<br>
BIPN 102. Mammalian Physiology II (4)
BIPN 105. Animal Physiology Lab (6)
BIPN 140. Cellular Neurobiology (4)
BIPN 142. Systems Neurobiology (4)
BIPN 144. Developmental Neurobiology (4)
BIPN 145. Neurobiology Laboratory (6)</p>

17

<p><em>bump</em> (10 char)</p>

18

<p>Hi, im pretty noob in the biological science major area because I am a transfer student in UCLA studying architecture. Lately, Ive been contemplating whether I should stay in the major or change it to bio.</p>

<p>so reading this thread, to my understanding, I can apply to med school without any bio/chem/science classes?</p>

<p>or if i want to apply to med school, would it be a good idea that while im taking my architecture classes, i take bio/chem classes as well that most bio students to take to go to a med school?</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=214382[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=214382&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

20

<p>That still doesn’t answer my question. Is it helpful to have coursework beyond genetics/physio/biochem? Not for admission - just so that you have a better framework in place to survive med school. I know it’s not required or expected.</p>