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does it matter what to major in college to get into a medical school?

i considering going to med school but don't know if i should major in pre-med or if it even matters #medicine #college-major #pre-med #biology #hospital-and-health-care

college-major biology pre-med
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Eric’s Answer

Hey there Maxim,

Generally Pre-med courses are universities (at least in my experience) are a "prepare you to take the MCAT" major. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what degree you get as long as you are able to sufficiently complete the MCAT well. Now, there are some degrees that assist you with this more easily. Take Biology for example, many universities require a certain level of mathmatics to be completed in order for you to get the degree. This level of math might also be what is required on the MCAT. Additionally, a Biology student might be able to answer more questions regarding human physiology than a Business major without additional schooling. Not to say that the Business major cannot do well, they would just have to either learn it on their own, or pay to take additional courses.

Completing a degree in a "hard-science" also is found to be more favorable. While a photography major might be as knowledgeable on human physiology than even a biology major, the good grades carry more "weight" with a more academic major.

All-in-all, study what you find is interesting. If you are wanting to go straight into med school then I would definately consider a Biology program. Sometimes Pre-med programs are there JUST to teach you what you need to know concerning the MCAT and are very "wide but shallow", whereas Biology can have many different routes while also picking up everything you need to know about the MCAT. I would also consider a Biology program because it allows you to have flexibility in what you want to do. All to often do people enter university with a pre-med major, and figure out halfway through organic chemistry that the professional suddenly does not appeal to them. Being a Biology major allows you to take different routes whether that means entering the work force or to move onto med, professional, or graduate studies.
Thank you comment icon I think this is an excellent answer. Also while my background is not in medicine I did complete a major in clinical pathology before my nursing background as much I was in class with a bunch of pre-med students. I would just add that most medical schools do favor students with varied backgrounds. What do I mean by this? Some schools are moving away from the traditional bio/chem route and really like students whom perform well on the MCAT AND have a non traditional major and some life experience. Just my $.02. Nick Collins, MS, RN, CNS
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Estelle’s Answer

As long as you meet all of your pre-med requirements, you can be a music major or a mathlete. Work really hard and have fun. Get great grades!
Good luck
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Richard’s Answer


Pick a college major that interests you. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.

Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses.

Typical medical school prerequisites include:
Biology: Lecture – 4 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
General Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Organic Chemistry: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Biochemistry: Lecture – 1 semester
General Physics: Lecture – 2 semesters; Lab – 1 semester
Math: Statistics – 1 semester
English: Rhetoric (Composition) and Literature – 2 semesters
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Karyn’s Answer

Hi Maxim,
It matters! But you need to think ahead a little bit and answer a few questions for yourself; are you naturally good at math and science? have you taken advanced classes and made A's or do you struggle? and by struggle I mean do you have to study really hard to understand math and science? If you struggle with these topics in high school taking pre-med will definitely better prepare you for medical school. If on the other hand you are a math and science wiz you may want to build a different foundation before entering medical school. You may want to take business classes, finance, accounting, management, insurance, real estate, etc. classes that will benefit you as an adult, personally. It is amazing how many doctors I've worked with in the past that don't know a thing about buying their 1st house or what insurance they need, or how best to invest their money. Of course no single class will make you an expert but it will expose you to information that you can draw on in the future, to guide you in your research to make better/informed decisions. I hope this helps! Good luck!
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Rachel’s Answer

Major in whatever field interests you and will allow you to maintain an excellent GPA. I majored in Spanish literature and had no trouble with my med school applications. You do need to complete the pre-med requirements that vary from school to school. These include at least a year of biology, 1 year inorganic chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry + labs, physics, calculus, and biochemistry. Your junior year, you will need to take an MCAT study course prior to taking the MCAT. With a solid GPA and MCAT score, you should be a competitive applicant.
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