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What is the best undergraduate major for wanting to go to medicine school? #Fall25
What is the best undergraduate major for wanting to go to medicine school? #Fall25
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Judith’s Answer
Dr. Sorokin is spot on.
You should enjoy your college experience- take a variety of courses, major in what interests you the most. Be a well rounded, happy person and don’t worry about needing to be a “science person”.
Clearly you need to demonstrate aptitude in the sciences for medical school but you will do this by doing well in your required pre-med courses.
College is a unique and very precious time in your life. With some careful practical planning, you can take full advantage of the experience.
You should enjoy your college experience- take a variety of courses, major in what interests you the most. Be a well rounded, happy person and don’t worry about needing to be a “science person”.
Clearly you need to demonstrate aptitude in the sciences for medical school but you will do this by doing well in your required pre-med courses.
College is a unique and very precious time in your life. With some careful practical planning, you can take full advantage of the experience.
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Rita’s Answer
You can be any major to go into medical school. You just need to take the required courses.
Most people are science majors but I feel like the science majors help you get a better score on the MCAT exam or during the first quarter of medical school. After that, I don't think it helps too much.
If you have another passion or interest, go ahead and make that your major. I think it might make your application stand out. Just be sure your background in science is strong enough to do well in the MCAT.
Most people are science majors but I feel like the science majors help you get a better score on the MCAT exam or during the first quarter of medical school. After that, I don't think it helps too much.
If you have another passion or interest, go ahead and make that your major. I think it might make your application stand out. Just be sure your background in science is strong enough to do well in the MCAT.
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Suzanne’s Answer
Gael, the good news is that there is no one "best" major for applying to medical school. Although many of us pick a science major (mine was biology) because we are interested in science, there are also many physicians I know who were non-science majors. The key, though, is that you need to take -- and do well in-- the premedical prerequisite courses which medical schools require. Typical requirements are: at least a year of biology with labs, general chemistry with lab, organic chemistry with lab, biochemistry, physics, math thru calculus and statistics. Medical schools vary in what non-science classes are needed but it is common to have requirements for English, anthropology, psychology. Be sure to connect with the pre-medical advisors at your college as soon as possible to ensure you are taking the right classes to apply and to be well prepared for the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). Also check the specific med schools you plan to apply to for their particular entry requirements. As you can see, with these requirements, many people decide to be science majors since they will need to take a lot of science to apply. However, I want to stress that medical schools are also very much interested in non-science majors so don't feel constrained -- as long as you can also take and do well in the premed requirements as well as classes in your major. My good friend, an OBGyn, majored in ethnic studies and finds it very helpful as she cares for a variety of patients of many ethnicities and backgrounds.
Here's a list of all medical schools and what each requires: https://students-residents.aamc.org/system/files/2025-09/MSAR002%20-%20MSAR%20Premed%20Course%20Requirements.pdf
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