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Is it better to major in non science majors as a premed student

Would like to apply to medical school . Was told medical schools look for diverse students who stand out not just science majors

#medicine #college-major #medical-school #college-admissions #graduate-school #pre-med

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Richard’s Answer

Pick a 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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Hwal’s Answer

Kennedy,


I wouldn't say there's a better or worse major, but I'll say that the best major for you is the major you enjoy the most. In other words, choose an undergraduate major where you think you'll have most fun, because you'll be just as eligible as qualified for medical school no matter what your major is as long as you take all prerequisites and other requirements for application/admission for whichever school you decide to apply to.


Good luck!


Hwal
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Jane’s Answer

Hi Kennedy,
Great questions! Med schools do look for applicants from all backgrounds. They’re looking for traits that will indicate success in medicine: ability to think critically and problem solve quickly, accurately. So, there are students admitted to med programs from all majors.

But, no matter what major applicants complete, they will also need to complete all of the prerequisites for med school. For this, I recommend that you work closely with your academic advisor/mentor to a) make sure you’re clear on what is needed for all med programs you’re considering, b) make sure you fit all of those prerequisites into your academic plan, and c) make sure you’re taking them in the right order so you get the most out of each class. Beyond that, for your major, follow your interests! If you study what you find most compelling, you’ll likely get higher grades in those class. No matter what your major is, med schools want to see high overall GPAs.

Lastly, test your interest in medicine before you lay out your plan to get into med school. You can volunteer in a medical setting, get your CNA license and pick up nursing assistance shifts, and do some informational interviews with people working in medicine. Find out what they like and what they find most challenging about their jobs. What would they do differently if they could go back and do it again?

Good luck!

Jane

Jane recommends the following next steps:

Find an academic advisor you can go to anytime with academic planning questions.
Look into Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) programs on your state’s board of nursing website. If you decide to get your license, you can earn money and learn a lot about working in medicine on these shifts.
Research the med schools you most want to attend and make a spreadsheet of all their prerequisites. Prioritize those that are required by all programs in your academic plan.
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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, preferably with A’s. 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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Abby’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Hi Kennedy! I’m sorry no one’s answered your question yet. We're working hard to get it answered by Professionals with the best insights, but in the meantime I've included a link to a relevant Q&A here on CareerVillage.org that should be super helpful for you to read through.


Kara asked: What is the best thing to major in if you are going premed?, and one of the Pros who answered it said:


I would suggest you major in the Biological Sciences with perhaps a minor in chemistry. Having said that, if you have an area of interest, such as history, language, sports; try and make an effort to explore these other area of interests. Medical Schools like to see a degree of diversity. They would prefer to see a person who has interests, which will expand their personality making for a more rounded professional...


Click the question to read more of what this Pro and others had to say!


Good luck! 

Abby 

Community Management Intern at CareerVillage.org
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