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Which major is best for someone wanting to be in the medical field, biology or pre med?

I want to be a pediatric surgeon and I don't know what exactly to major in #biology #pre-med #pediatrics #surgeon

Thank you comment icon Hi Louisena! I'm a freshman in college and one thing I have learned is that you should NOT major in pre-med. The reason for this is that if you are suddenly unable or have lost the will to attend medical school after 4 years, you'll find yourself with a not-so-useful degree. That's not to say there aren't successful people out there who have majored in pre-med and then went on to medical school, of course. But I would advise majoring in biology, or in clinical lab science (which is a program under biology), like I am doing. I also hope to go to medical school. I hope I helped! -Marwa L. Marwa

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Hanah’s Answer

Amber,

There are no good or bad majors for a career in the medical field. Everyone always thinks that you need to have a degree in a scientific discipline and this is not always the case. Yes, you should pay attention to the pre-requisites that are required if you do plan on continuing your education, but also choose what you are passionate about. Most schools look for that diversity in your schooling, think of maybe double majoring if you are worried about getting your biology pre-requisites, but have a passion for history or music. Also, don't be intimidated about choosing a science major. If you are passionate and really enjoy the sciences, then this could also be a great option for you.

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Amber’s Answer

Hi Louisena! I'm not a doctor but I do have a daughter who is currently a freshman in college as well and we just spent a year researching this question! As Marwa mentioned, to get into med school, you do not have to major in either biology or pre-med. Most colleges here in the US do not actually have a "pre-med" major but they use it more as a "track" to ensure that you cover your med school pre-req classes (I believe there are 7 core classes). The great thing about med school is that you can major in anything and get in, provided you cover their pre-med requisite classes also. I would suggest checking into the American Medical Association website and see if there is information on the path to becoming a doctor. We found a ton of information online on how to do this, even from the schools themselves! For instance, if you look at a university's school of medicine website, you should find some information there as well. Be prepared to ask many questions about the programs and pre-med tracks that they offer, their acceptance rates, etc. This will tell you alot about how they format their program and the success of it.

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