Choosing a major for med school (Psychiatry) - Biochemistry or chemistry?

College Majors Science Majors
1

<p>As of right now, I want to go to med school and end up as a psychiatrist. </p>

<p>I have a 3.92 GPA for my freshmen + sophomore (combined) and I'm in my junior year right now. My schedule for this year...</p>

<ol>
<li>AP Chemistry</li>
<li>AP Biology</li>
<li>AP US History</li>
<li>AP English Lang.</li>
<li>Precal</li>
<li>Spanish 3</li>
<li>Arts and Humanities (required course)</li>
</ol>

<p>Since the third quarter is over in a week, I pretty much know what I'll end up with as my final grades. All A's except a B in Chemistry/Biology... Keep in mind I didn't take regular Chemistry nor Biology before taking AP in both. My school suggested doing that, and I regret it now, but it was the first year AP classes were really introduced..</p>

<p>Next year's schedule.. (hopefully)</p>

<ol>
<li>AP Spanish</li>
<li>AP Calculus</li>
<li>AP English Lit.</li>
<li>AP Statistics</li>
<li>Video Productions</li>
<li>Co-op </li>
<li>Co-op</li>
</ol>

<p>I'll be co-oping at a factory called "DOW Corning". It's basically a co-op where I'll be testing and working with chemicals and doing other "***** work".</p>

<p>So that's my basic background.. 26 on my ACT, only taken it once. Hoping to raise to 30+ before I start applying for colleges and mainly scholarships.</p>

<p>So what advice do you have for me? Anything is appreciated. Thanks!</p>

2

<ol>
<li><p>You can major in anything you want as a pre-med, as long as you include the pre-med courses (a year each of chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics, English, and sometimes calculus and/or statistics). Most majors except for engineering and business have plenty of breadth elective and/or free elective space to take the pre-med courses in (bioengineering and chemical engineering are exceptions for engineering, since most of the pre-med courses are included in those majors, but there are some other engineering majors who do squeeze the pre-med courses around their engineering programs).</p></li>
<li><p>Biology does not have very good job and career prospects at the bachelor’s degree level, due to the large number of graduates who did not get into medical or other graduate school. Chemistry is only a little better. You may want to consider your choice of major based on your other academic and professional interests, including the possibility of not going to medical school.</p></li>
<li><p>Medical schools generally do not accept AP credit against the pre-med courses (other than sometimes calculus), although they may allow substituting more advanced courses if you use the AP credit to take the more advanced courses. Check with medical schools to be sure.</p></li>
</ol>