<p>Definitely going to be in the class of 2015 here, w/ a full ride. Really excited! However I do have a question about my major. </p>
<p>I was accepted into NEU as a Bio major but now I'm having second thoughts. The Health Science major sounds very interesting with learning about our healthcare system etc and being hands-on... and Bouve sounds like a really great community. However, it does seem like a less rigorous major than Biology. Less-detail based and more general. </p>
<p>I'm planning to follow the pre-med path so is there an advantage to either of them in terms of med school preparation or taking pre-reqs? Is either harder than the other? Would I benefit more from Bouve than CAS? </p>
<p>I guess another option would be to major in Bio and then minor in Health Sciences, but Im not sure if it's possible since they're in two different schools. </p>
<p>Any comments/opinions/experiences would be great!</p>
<p>Pre-med should DEFINITELY do bio instead of health science. Med schools care about in depth study and research, which is much easier as a bio major (or chemistry). However you can technically take the “pre-reqs” as a health science major.</p>
<p>Med schools are going to prefer Bio (or another science) over health science. If you read the pre-med forum on this site they say the same thing. Doesn’t mean you can’t get into medical school but you will be at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>Health science is a better major for people who want to be PAs or go into public health, even though it does cover pre-med reqs. Should you decide not to be a doctor, you can do all the things a health science major can do (public health, PA school, nursing school, clinical research, etc etc).</p>
<p>I have been reading through the pre-med forums and I have noticed the general consensus is that med schools prefer a more academic curriculum rather than a vocational one which Health Sciences would offer.</p>
<p>But at the same time, I am not 100% gung-ho about med school and being a doctor and I feel as if health sciences would open doors and opportunities in the health field for me that Bio couldn’t. I can’t picture myself doing research and labwork 24/7, but personal communication and hands-on work I can see myself doing. I don’t want to get rejected from med-school and then be restricted to a teaching or research profession, as I have heard many people mention. </p>
<p>I know it looks like Im trying to tell myself that health sciences is what I want to do, but Im just weighing my options for both majors. </p>
<p>It’s tough and I guess it’s a decision that I have to make about my future. Hopefully I can get more input from my guidance counselors and advisers at NEU. </p>
<p>Yes it is, but health science is the easiest to transfer into. Pharm (and possibly PT) doesn’t let any transfers, and Nursing is so hard to transfer that it’s barely worth applying.</p>
<p>You aren’t closing any doors as a bio major. Bio majors are well qualified to go into other clinical “health science” fields and you’ll have most of the options a health science major has.</p>
<p>A bio major can potentially go on to medicine, public health, PT, pharmacy, nursing, biotech, academic research. A health science major would be underqualified for pharmacy, biotech, and academic research, because their science background just isn’t strong enough.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to trash health sciences, those are smart kids and a lot of them love the program. But the friends I have in the major are almost all aiming for PA or public health, they aren’t (mostly, this is a generalization with obvious exceptions) going to go into science, medicine, or pharmacy.</p>
<p>Thanks for your response Emily. I think I’m going to stay as a Bio major.
Health science does seem like a pushover when it comes to “hard science”, which I am interested in.</p>
<p>I just want to make stay in the health profession, like you mentioned, with my bio degree even if I decide not to go to med school.</p>
<p>I’m going to disagree…How many bio majors do you think apply to med schools? TOO MANY. Health science is still a really good major to do pre-med, although right now im in biochem, im debating whether to switch because my sis did biochem at BU and she’s in med school, and she said it has NOTHING to do with med school. You can still do co-ops and get plenty of research opportunities if you look for them as a health science major, and if you do want to go to med school, they want a gooood gpa and it may be difficult as a bio major. As long as you complete your pre-med reqs, major in whatever you want, med schools like diversity, you won’t be at any disadvantage…</p>