If I want to go to medical school what majors should I take or does it not matter?
Does it have to be science related?
Does it have to be science related?
Anonymous
It does not have to be science related. Many people will encourage you to go the science route but you do not have to. I majored in Psychology and went to medical school. In my opinion Spanish is the best major, this will provide you with a skill to interact with a lot more patients. I would recommend this unless you are already bilingual. This is a skill science cannot teach you. Anything you need to be a successful doctor is going to be learned in medical school. The prerequisite classes are the subjects that are going to be on the MCAT as well. If you do decide to go the non science route it's important to find a non traditional school. Like an Osteopathic program. Do lots of research. This is a helpful link: http://www.aacom.org/data/applicantsmatriculants/Pages/default.aspx
Anonymous
You can major in anything you like; however, you will need to complete the mandatory Math and Science Requirements, known as the Pre-med Track. Many students elect to major in a Science because it provides such a strong background and great preparation for Medical School, and oftentimes cuts down on the number of classes the student needs to complete for both the major and Pre-med.
Star
They will not look at you any differently than a science major if you have a Arts degree or a humanities degree etc..
You do need to graduate with a 3.9 GPA at the least and you must have some experience in a hospital or healthcare environment. It is very competitive.
My friend who become a doctor was a English Literature major/ Spanish Literature Minor because she wanted to appreciate good literature before she dedicated her whole life to science!
This video will help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW2oTxGIZL4
Jeff
No, you don't necessarily have to major in a science field. Admission to medical school will be based on your undergraduate degree, grades, and MCAT score. But, when you're competing against other students for admission, students who have a science background do have an advantage over students who do not. Plus, the additional science classes will make you better prepared.
?
It doesn't matter, as Jeff said. Because there are science pre-requisites in Biology, Chemistry and Physics, many students choose to take a degree in one of those, but technically you can get a BA/BS degree in anything.