<p>I have a question about majors and tracks. If someone wanted to be a physician, you would naturally take the major called "pre-med", right? But a lot of the top notch colleges I've looked at don't offer undergraduate "pre-med" courses (specifically called that), so people also tell me that instead, for your "pre-med" studies, you will select another major... let's say Biology, very common, or chemistry....</p>
<p>And yet people also say "you should pick a major that is interesting so your the admissions officers will think you will stand out and accept you". </p>
<p>WHAT? So are you telling me I should go pre-med and major in Art History and minor in economics.... ?! WHY? WHAT was the whole point of that... because I strongly believe that ok,,, go ahead and make yourself stand out, but take science related courses.. like instead of major in bio, go major in neuroscience/neurobiology and minor in nutrition... right? Since it can all kind of benefit you later on in medical school... right?</p>
<p>No such thing as ‘pre-med’ major. Learn this quickly. Med schools require applicants to complete a BA/BS, take the MCAT and have taken several core classes. </p>
<p>Choosing of majors to impress admissions officers is stupid as they know people feel they can game the system. Plus about 80% of students switch majors so it’s an indicator of nothing. </p>
<p>Frankly study what you want to study. Plenty of non-science majors go to med school to be docs. You’ll be doing it (hopefully) for the rest of your life. Why not take the French literature class versus nutrition? You’ll be an undergrad only once.</p>
<p>“Pre-med” means that you need to take a certain core of math/science courses as an undergraduate in order to prepare for the MCATs. The pre-med courses typically include a year of biology, calculus, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics in courses designed for math/science majors. Pre-med students often wind up as chemistry majors because the calculus, two years of chemistry, and the year of physics typically comprise close to half the required courses for a chem major. But these core pre-med courses can be taken by students who choose to major in other subjects. That’s why people will tell you that you can major in anything you are interested in and still apply to med school—as long as you complete the required undergraduate courses, the med schools don’t care about your actual major. “Pre-med” students also usually want and need some specialized advising concerning the rather complex application process for med schools. The advising not only helps insure that the student completes the required core courses in a timely fashion and is also aware of important deadlines (for MCATs and on-campus interviews with the pre-med committee that typically writes the letter of recommendation for example.)</p>
<p>Med schools do care about: your undergraduate GPA; your GPA in the required pre-med core courses; your MCAT scores; your letters of recommendation (which are done in a different fashion than those for undergraduate admissions); your health-related extracurriculars including volunteer work and intern work in hospital settings; your essay explaining why you want to be a doctor; and your interview.</p>
<p>Because your overall undergraduate GPA is extremely important in the med school admission process, you will want to choose a major that you enjoy, are talented at, and leaves plenty of room in your schedule for completing the pre-med core courses.</p>
<p>“go major in neuroscience/neurobiology and minor in nutrition… right?”</p>
<p>-This will actually look like easy way out, since most neuroscience specific classes in UG are easier than general Bio classes.<br>
I believe that people are trying to say that if you have specific interest, pursue it, but take care of Med. School requirements at the same time. Lots of pre-med doing it by combo of most popular pre-med major at their school plus minor(s). Example: Zoology major, Music minor & Neuroscience minor (or one of them, on none, it depends on personal interests / preferences).</p>
<p>Huh? Miami, do you have the grade distributions for the upper division classes in Bio and in Neuro at your D’s school? For example, are neuro courses graded on an A average and Bio classes a B?</p>
<p>^Nope, just her comments. She has almost completed Neuroscience minor, had to drop it becasue of new requirements of one of Med. Schools on her list, that she actually has applied already. So, now she needs to complete these new requirements instead. Bio classes, including the very first one and all thru higher levels have been very challenging and a lot of work. (most had AP Bio with “5”, including my D.) She managed, but not all of them did. The first Bio was weed out killer that made some of Honors pre-meds change their proffessional goals completely, meanning they are not going to Med. School any more. Bio average grades are on a low side, do not remember exact numbers (in 60%s, I am not sure). Neuro. is something that D. is very interested in and classes have been easier. She is still going to take some in senior year, but no minor anymore.</p>