Biochem v Molecular Bio v Mico Bio v Anatomy

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

Which major would best prepare me for med? I know there is no “pre med major” and that what you major in doesn’t really matter, but which one will give me a solid foundation. This is for a major at cal poly where there anatomy class works with cadavers which most schools dont touch upon. But then again wouldn’t biochem help me with O Chem? What’s the difference between micro and molecular bio?

Thanks aa

2

Pick a major that will give you options for employment as a back up in case you are not accepted to Medical school or something you have a true interest in studying Several of friends/ family members did Microbiology as their major. Also it helps to have a major that overlaps with pre-req Med school courses but not required.

The commonly accepted coursework requirements for medical school include a minimum of 1 year of:

General biology
Physics with lab
General chemistry (inorganic chemistry) with lab
Organic chemistry with lab
Calculus
English
New - Sociology
New - Psychology

The more interest you have in a subject, the higher chance for success.

http://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-is-Molecular-Biology.aspx

3

Add 1 semester of biochem to Gumbymom’s list above of med school pre-reqs.

For the record, you will take 1-2 semesters of Ochem before you take biochem. OChem is a pre-req for biochem.

Also for the record, there are a number of colleges that use human cadavers to teach human anatomy. Cal Poly isn’t unique in that.

Microbiology is the study of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa.

Molecular biology concerns the molecular basis of biological activity between biomolecules in the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA and proteins and their biosynthesis, as well as the regulation of these interactions.


Major in what you want. With the exception of biochem, all med school pre-reqs are into level classes. If you can master those, you'll have the necessary science background to do well in med school. Having upper level bio electives really won't help in med school because in med school you'll blow through an entire semester of undergrad immunology or neuroscience in 2 or 3 lectures.

What med school really requires is analytic and critical thinking skills--and you can learn those in any major.
4

I didn’t even know there were colleges that offered anatomy as a major.