<p>I was hoping you guys could advise me on what undergrad degree i should peruse to get into a biomedical graduate program. Up till now I've been doing chemistry, but since this is only my first year I've really only completed prereqs.</p>
<p>My university is just a state school, but it offers a really good program in biochemistry, and a decent program in biology. Theres also a lot more funding in the biochem department, so theres more research opportunities available. I was wondering which of these would be more appealing to a graduate committee in the biomed field? assuming I do equally well in both. thanks in advance.</p>
<p>IMO, I think that biochemistry is a very desirable major to adcoms of biomedical graduate programs. I believe that many people going into biomed grad programs are usually bio, molec bio, etc…so having a biochemistry degree will make you stand out, allowing you to offer more of a chemistry background that would make the graduate program’s potential entering class more diverse. I am a biochemistry major and was accepted to many graduate programs…and the upper division classes I took were exclusively chemistry and biochemistry. However, one thing I wished I would have done was take more bio electives like molecular bio and genetics…I don’t know if this will affect my knowledge in graduate school, since I realize most programs have these classes anyway in the first year, but I believe I would have felt more prepared. So, in summary, I think that majoring in biochem but taking a mixture of chem and bio electives would make you a strong applicant. </p>
<p>However, please realize that I personally am strongly biased towards chemistry I would like to see what other people think who are/were more in the bio field at the undergraduate level…</p>
<p>I agree with roxanne. Several times at interviews professors have been impressed with my chemistry and math background. Even if you do not want to pursue biochem having a strong chem foundation will help you. Also, this may be personal preference, but I find it easier to read and catch up on bio I may have not had coursework for, but I find it much harder to teach myself a new chem concept I have had coursework for.</p>
<p>My opinion is that the classes you take and the research you do are more important than what’s actually on your degree. I don’t think a student who’s officially a biochemistry major would be any more desirable a candidate than a biology major who’s taken the same chemistry courses.</p>
<p>Having more opportunities for research in the biochemistry department is a valid reason to pick biochemistry over biology.</p>
<p>I agree with mollie–it’s about the research you do and the actual classes you have taken.</p>
<p>Follow whatever really grabs your interest and don’t be hung up on what the adcoms are looking for. If you’re passionate about something, that will be far more appealing than an applicant who is just trying to impress them. Don’t try to make THEM happy, make YOURSELF happy with the kind of science you do.</p>
<p>Good point mollie and Evo… my degree in biochemistry correlated with my great interest in chemistry and biochemistry…and that was probably conveyed in my SoP and interviews. A passion for your subject is definitely desirable, and if you have a genuine interest in it, it will show.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the information guys, its been really helpful. As far as what makes me happy, I enjoy both fields. My major concerns is more about difficulty, by that I mean is one major going to be largely more difficult than the other, so much so that it’ll effect my GPA? I’ve heard some horror stories about upper level chem classes, so Im somewhat leery. I really dont want to have the added difficulty of chemistry, if a biology degree will be equally preferable to a graduate school (or vice versa). On the other had I feel that the biology degree requires a lot of classes that cant really be applicable or relevant to biomed ie. ecology, animal psychology ect. where the biochemistry classes all seem relevant to biomed.
I was hoping you guys might look at the major reqs my university requires for each respective major, and advise me which would be more suited to the biomedical field. </p>
<p>you shouldn’t worry too much about your GPA-- graduate school is not like medical school. As long as you have >3.0 you should be mostly fine, and anything greater than a 3.5 doesn’t really matter. Do what interests you and that will matter the most.</p>
I would like to see what other people think who are/were more in the bio field at the undergraduate level…</p>