<p>Hey guys, I have read countless times that the undergrad major doesn't matter. I've heard this from this site, the medical careers advisory committee at my school, a book, admissions boards, etc..</p>
<p>So I planned on switching from psychology to health and exercise science, but I had some concerns about not being taken seriously as a health and exercise science (HES) major, because there is definitely a stereotype that it is an easy major. My worries seemed to be abated from what I read but when I emailed a previous chem professor for a recommendation he seemed very surprised and explained that he saw HES as a fallback major. He also sent me this link <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/aac/table1.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.colorado.edu/aac/table1.pdf</a> and Acceptence</a> to Medical School by Major | Knox College</p>
<p>and although the "major doesn't matter" trend seems to follow for almost everything, "health related professions" majors seem to be significantly lower. What is the reasoning, does it matter then? Honestly now I don't even know if health and exercise science would even fall under that category since it's not one of the 3 listed, or if it would just fall under "Other". </p>
<p>Before I was thinking how it's probably more correlation than causation (i.e. the people who are health majors on average aren't as prepared or smart as bio majors and I just wouldn't fall into that average) but nursing and physical therapist majors from what I can tell definitely aren't "dumb" so what's the reasoning?? I want to switch, and I would still have a bio minor, but there's definitely a nagging feeling now after looking at those statistics</p>
<p>There is definitely some bias against vocational majors, including health science ones. I would strongly consider staying in psych or switching to another academic major.</p>
<p>From a purely strategic point of view, stay with academic majors, as opposed to vocational. But there should be dozens of options between psychology and health science.</p>
<p>The problem with vocational majors is that they may not be seen as sufficiently academically rigorous to prepare for medical school, or to compare to the more traditional majors.</p>
<p>Hm, definitely not what I wanted to hear :(</p>
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<p>I guess I’m just not interested in anything else. Everything seems to either be a science which I’ll already be taking plenty of for my premed classes and bio minior, and the rest seem to all involve tons of long papers…which I hate :</p>
<p>Why would that be the case about it not being academically rigorous? I mean I’d still have to take all the liberal learning requirements, all my pre-med requirements, the sciences within Health and Exercise Science, and a few upper level bio courses for my bio minor. </p>
<p>Does that mean people with an Art or Music major (I’m assuming these aren’t vocational but I guess it’s kind of towards a profession) would actually have a better chance than someone in Health and Exercise science? Doesn’t almost any major prepare you for jobs in a certain field? Psychology to become a psychologist/psychiatrist and whatnot.</p>
<p>Art and Music are acceptable majors if you have an interest in them. Why not take a Health Science major class and see for yourself if it is rigorous?</p>
<p>David- You will not be taken seriously with HES major.
You know that already because your posts are protesting that no one gives it any respect.
Looks like you are just trying to dodge any difficult tasks like writing papers, or anything that will challenge you academically.
Having a Bio as a minor does not prop up your HES major, sorry, bro.
Man up and stay with a science albeit a soft one like Psych.
IMHO.</p>
<p>"Does that mean people with an Art or Music major (I’m assuming these aren’t vocational but I guess it’s kind of towards a profession) would actually have a better chance than someone in Health and Exercise science? "</p>
<p>-Neither Art, nor Music are easy at all. Particularly. Art is extremely time consuming. Music might not be hard for people with extensive background and/or talent. I would not jump into any of it, unless you have some background in either.<br>
However, Psych classes seems to be on an easier side of Bio related classes. Stick to Psych if possible at all. But you are the only one who can decide.</p>
It’s not that I’m trying to dodge any difficult tasks, I just really hate writing papers. I’d almost rather be a straight up bio major than have to write tons of research papers.</p>
<p>Can you explain your post a little more? I’m seriously confused now, I’ve always read that the major you choose doesn’t matter. Why then would this major be any different, especially if I took all the same science classes? You recommend staying with “a science”…this confuses me as well because I know an english, business, engineering, etc. major would be just as good as a science. So…?</p>
<p>One part of me really wants to switch, I think I would enjoy HES so much more than psych and could at least look forward to half of my classes as opposed to hating all of them. But the other part of me definitely doesn’t want to ignore legitimate advice. I contacted Harvard medical school and Robert wood johnson and they both said it’s not a problem but I don’t know…</p>
<p>Thanks for the help
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<p>At first it was because I thought it might be a little break from all of the other work but now that’s not even part of it. Looking at future classes I’m really not looking forward to my psych classes for the most part (some exceptions) and for the past 4 years or so I’ve had a strong passion for health/fitness/nutrition so some of the HES classes seem really exciting to me.</p>
<p>Also, for anyone reading, is HES a a major at your/most schools and if so does it have the same stereotype? I talked to one other guy online who was almost offended because he said he got his BS in nutrition or something and that it wasn’t easy at all and that he had to take many upper level science courses (many of the premed ones)</p>
<p>You are choosing HES as your major and are premed- hoping to attend Harvard Medical School.
If RWJ sez it’s no problemo well, he’s the Man.
Good Luck.</p>
<p>No, you went to the source and he told you, no problem. So, you can relax.
Really, relax-no malice intended.
I’ll leave since you think I’m mean, when I took the time to respond to you honestly.</p>
<p>You contacted HMS? Because on their website it says:</p>
<p>**Students are urged to strive not for specialized training but for a balanced and liberal education. **</p>
<p>If you feel like HES isn’t vocational then fine. Ultimately though, the axiom “major doesn’t matter” has always implied an academic major. Meaning bio versus chem versus english versus whatever. I personally feel that HES is more of an applied major. Honestly though it seems like you should switch out of Psych into something else one way or another.</p>
<p>I am not trying to be mean but if you really want to play Russian roulette with med school admissions, major in HES. The odds for admission are already long for most students with traditional academic majors; why would you knowingly want to play against the odds when virtually everyone is telling you not to? Many med schools require research as part of the degree requirements; how do you plan to handle that?</p>
<p>There are no short cuts to med school nor is there an easy path. Listen to what others are telling you, not what you want to hear.</p>
I appreciate the advice I just thought you were being sarcastic considering you said “you want to got to harvard med and major in HES…”</p>
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<p>This is what they said:</p>
<p>Thank you for your interest in Harvard Medical School. The major you</p>
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<p>This is from RWJ: "Hi David,</p>
<p>You may get your degree in any field. To apply you must have taken the prequisites and have taken the MCATs one year prior to matriculation.</p>
<p>Thank you"</p>
<p>I replied with: > Thank you for your reply. I know I’ve heard this before, my only</p>
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<p>They answered: Hello David,</p>
<p>We do not look at an “easy major” as a detriment You need to do well with the prerequisites and the MCATs.
Thank you</p>
<p>From NJMS admissions: Dear David,
Majoring in Health and Exercise is fine. We’ve accepted students from various backgrounds. If you are looking to challenge yourself, try taking additional course work in the upper level sciences (example: microbiology, genetic, etc).</p>
<p>I hope this was helpful. Please let me know if you have addtional concerns.</p>
<p>Best wishes</p>
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<p>Well I just didn’t think it was necessarily an applied major, but I don’t know a lot about the differences. I mean wouldn’t a music/art major be vocational? I mean that as a serious question. What else would a music major get you other than being able to teach music or something similar? If that’s what you mean by vocational. Same with art, architecture, etc…I mean it seems like health/exercise science could be related to many jobs in the health industry and of course I would need my liberal learning classes and pre-med classes. </p>
<p>As for the last comment, is that because it seems I don’t like psych? Honestly if I didn’t go into HES and I can’t of anything else I would want to do. </p>
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<p>I’m pretty sure people in the major have performed various studies (like maybe effects of XYZ on cardiovascular output or something for example, if that’s what you mean.)</p>
<p>I am now strongly considering staying with psych but I would like to understand the above and honestly would enjoy HES much more.</p>
<p>Anyone who goes to med school will have a passion for health/fitness/nutrition. You will get a ton of it in med school. You will get so much that you will be sick of it.</p>
<p>Med schools want to see that you have other passions. They want to you pursue a course of study that is different from what you’ll see in med school. Even a bio major is vast different in scope from medicine (I would know since I majored in bio and am now a med student; there is very little overlap). This is the only time you’ll have a chance to since you’ll be dedicating the rest of your life to healthcare and medicine.</p>
<p>Yea I guess there could be some overlap with HES and med school, at least the physiology and kinesiology parts…I don’t know about the nutrition though. Would those same classes be covered in Dental school though? Because that’s what I’m leaning towards honestly.</p>
<p>I would talk to your premed advisor. Your college may have data on the med school admissions success by major. The problem here is PERCEPTION. It is possible that there is a university that offers a vocational major that is every bit as academically rigorous as a traditional academic major. The problem is whether med schools recognize this. If they do not, then the major is a bad idea, even if you get a great education.</p>
<p>It is hard to offer suggestions of majors without knowing what your options are, but it sounds like you are at a large university, and likely to have plenty of options. Look around. If you are willing to do a biology minor, how about doing a bio major and taking some HES courses (not too many, check with your premed advisor).</p>
<p>If you go into medicine, you will spend a large portion of your time doing things not because you want to, let alone find them interesting or worthwhile, but because someone ordered you to. This is just part of the life. There is little need to write papers, but there is also very little choice in what to do. </p>
<p>Psychology can vary widely in rigor, depending on where you are in college.</p>