<p>Getting into medical school is a different story, </p>
<p>But would it be hard to become a brain surgeon without an undergraduate degree in neurobiology, human biology, or some kind of science?</p>
<p>For example, if my undergraduate major was music or sociology and I got into a med school, would it be impossible for me to achieve being a surgeon?</p>
<p>No, not at all. Your major in no way affects what you do in med school because you will have to take the same prerequisite courses anyway.</p>
<p>Major in what you want to major it and quit worrying about your ostensible career goals 6 years down the line. Have fun.</p>
<p>well, i didn't think it would hurt to think a little into the future...</p>
<p>because most surgeons have like, PHDs in their field... so this isn't true?</p>
<p>No, most are just MDs. </p>
<p>There's a difference between thinking about your future and driving yourself nuts. Just major in what you enjoy.</p>
<p>I agree with UCLA. Just enjoy yourself & do well at what you like.</p>
<p>I still don't understand the "major in anything you want" philosophy. True, you won't be at a disadvantage in medical school, but wouldn't you be at a major advantage if you did major in biology?</p>
<p>If medical school is so much work, wouldn't you want to have already taken biochem, molecular bio, etc? Then, you would have half the work, and medical school would be a breeze.</p>
<p>No, because you're taking the same classes for prereqs anyway.</p>
<p>Oh, and you all end up being retaught everything anyway. Maybe the bio freak will have a slight advantage, but a good thinker is a good thinker no matter what they majored in.</p>
<p>Again, agreed. None of the science majors I went to school with were any better at basic sciences than the liberal arts folks. The hardest workers came out on top.</p>
<p>Even if you major in biology, you might have more exposure to the material in med school.</p>
<p>But the quantity of material taught at med school is still so large that both bio majors and any other majors will have to study lots. The advantage is very very small and more likely, any difference in grade will be reflected in difference of work ethic and not major!</p>
<p>Med school courses are different that undergraduate courses anyway. College courses focus on concepts, analysis, building intellectual bridges across ideas. Medical school courses focus on memorizing facts. If you took medical school courses in college, and again in medical school there would be some advantage, if you could stand the college side of it, and the repetition. Taking college bio really will not help you much. </p>
<p>The major decision about taking residents is based on how they do on their clinical rotations, much less on the basic science courses. There is not much you can do in college that will help your clinical rotations. These depend on being alert, studying a lot, paying attention, and being responsible. It will be rare for anyone to ask you a question the answer to which you could learn in college.</p>
<p>Until you have spent some time in medical school you don't know enough about medicine to know what field you would prefer. Certainly too early to plan for it now. </p>
<p>One of the best neurosurgeons I know was a classics major.</p>
<p>Hi- I am planning on becoming a neurosurgeon and I'm in my junior year of highschool. I've been looking at colleges and majors and stuff lately and I've been wondering. Would it be better to major in neurobiology or cognitive neuroscience? I'm planning on double majoring- in one of the above or pre-med/biology/chemistry and spanish. The University of Connecticut has a great neurobiology program but I was wondering if cognitive neuroscience might be a better choice. Thanks</p>
<p>Honestly...u may think u know wut u wanna do by being a neurosurgeon...im sure u have great reasons behind this decisions however there are so many specialties out there that you have yet to experience or even hear about. Dont sets your sights on sumthing that is 10-15 years away, get through pre-med first and major in whatever you want (pre med isnt a major btw). </p>
<p>If you are majoring in neuroscience because u wanna be a neurosurgeon in 15 years and not because u are actually extremely interested and enjoy learning about all that then ur making a huge mistake.</p>
<p>Becoming a neurosurgeon isn't why I want to choose those majors. I'm in love with the brain. Everything about it fascinates me and that's why I choose the profession of a neurosurgeon. I want to major in that area because that is what interests me. I just didn't know which was better, thinking ahead.</p>
<p>then hey if ur in love with the brain go for it...but just know that theres a very good chance u 1) might not even get into medical school and ur left with a major in neuroscience and 2) you might not be able to get a residency in neurosurgery...just consider those two possibilities</p>
<p>Neurosurgery residency is hell. Ask anyone who have grades good enough to get in. There is a huge huge rate of poeple changing residency after one year due to the insane hours and insane responsibilities. Neurosurg is harder then almost any other residency and odds are you will change your mind about it at some point. That being said, UCONN does have a good program in neurobio. You will have to do well which requires a lot of work. Then worry about getting into med school which is definitely not easy. Then worry about trying to get into a neurosurg residency. Take it one step at a time. If you really like the brain that much take that course of study, but it will most likely not help you get a neurosurg spot in the future.</p>
<p>So essentially.
Im 16 and I've been obsessed with becoming a surgeon.
It seems like im drawn to the most difficult areas of surgery
as well (The brain and heart) cuz they normally
don't let u screw around with those too organs
unless u know what your doing.</p>
<p>Anyways.. I was just reading what u
guys were talking about
and it seems like your saying
that majoring as an Undergrad
in say Human Bio for instance
doesn't really help ur chances to get into
med school and that there are even people
who majored in like Art History that
get into med school.
So i guess my question is.
How the hell did they do that?
Cuz don't you need to know all ur science
stuff
To take the MCAT's and pass..?
And also. I could possibly go to
Princeton or Harvard with help from a sport I play
Any suggestions on which one has
a better science program...
Im going to assume it's Princeton
but one of you might no better.</p>
<p>
[quote]
So essentially.
Im 16 and I've been obsessed with becoming a surgeon.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Essentially,
it's still an obsession.
If you're interested in medicine as a career,
take a deeper look at the various professions
and what each requires.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It seems like im drawn to the most difficult areas of surgery
as well (The brain and heart) cuz they normally
don't let u screw around with those too organs
unless u know what your doing.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Are there organs that they,
whoever they are, normally
let you screw around with?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Anyways.. I was just reading what u
guys were talking about
and it seems like your saying
that majoring as an Undergrad
in say Human Bio for instance
doesn't really help ur chances to get into
med school and that there are even people
who majored in like Art History that
get into med school.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's true.</p>
<p>
[quote]
So i guess my question is.
How the hell did they do that?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>They took the pre-med
science courses.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Cuz don't you need to know all ur science
stuff
To take the MCAT's and pass..?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And also. I could possibly go to
Princeton or Harvard with help from a sport I play
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I suppose
so, but I don't know
anything about college sports at those two schools.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Any suggestions on which one has
a better science program...
Im going to assume it's Princeton
but one of you might no better.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's unlikely that either one is
somehow better than the other
in terms of the sciences.
What matters is which school would be
a better fit for you - if
a school doesn't fit you, it'll
be much harder to succeed
academically and extracurricularly.</p>
<p>Med school admission
Discussing it is fun, but
Prose might be better</p>
<p>
[quote]
don't let u screw around with those too organs
unless u know what your doing.
[/quote]
As opposed to...? What hospital 1) hires people that don't know what they're doing, and 2) lets them screw around with patients' organs?</p>
<p>New required reading for everybody with questions:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/377780-premed-forum-faqs-read-first.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/377780-premed-forum-faqs-read-first.html</a></p>
<p>They'll pretty much let anyone operate on the liver or gallbladder. Those aren't too important.</p>