<p>I know that the major I choose does not matter when applying for med-school. I am supposed to major in something I really like or would enjoy studying. However, I love everything that has to do with science and medicine. I would like to know which major would most likely allow me(or give me better chances) to participate in research, internships, and maybe land a job in a clinic or hospital while still being an undergraduate student working towards my degree?<em>I know these things do make a difference in my Medical School Application</em>.</p>
<p>These are my Major Interests:</p>
<p>Pre-Medical Sciences (University of South Florida offers it as a major, but I am not sure if this is the same as a pre-med major?....is pre-med really a major?....is a pre-med major 4 years long....I heard that is only a 2 year degree...any true to this?</p>
<p>Microbiology</p>
<p>Biomedical Sciences</p>
<p>*Any good or bad things about these majors? Any recommendations on majors I should consider?</p>
<p>BTW: If in the future I do get into Medical School, I would like to become a Pediatrician,(100% sure) kids are the best.</p>
<p>I would avoid anything that has “pre-med” or anything related as a major. For one, it would be useless should you not end up going to med school for whatever reason. Biomedical sciences may or may not be one of these, it depends on the school. Most schools don’t even offer a major in pre-medicine except in the sense that the school has it on their website just to attract prospective students. Also know that vocational majors like nursing and kinesiology aren’t as good of a choce as more academic majors. Get a regular 4-year degree at a 4-year university whether it is in biology, english, history, or whatever. It sounds like you’d be most interestested in science, but you don’t need to be a science major to get work in a clinical setting. Also know that the things like internships, research, etc. won’t really be of any value if you’re just checking them off the pre-med checklist. Do things you are passionate about. This can be music, art, clubs, sports, etc. Hopefully one of these things you like to do involves some sort of clinical setting…just make sure you gain valuable experiences from it rather than just do it because all the other pre-meds are.</p>
<p>“Biomedical sciences may or may not be one of these, it depends on the school”…what do you mean?</p>
<ul>
<li>I am attending USF (University of South Florida)</li>
</ul>
<p>My school (not USF) offers biomedical sciences as a major and it seems it is too much like a “pre-med major” but it may be different for USF. There are people from my school that get into med school with a biomed degree, and there are those who don’t (just like any other major). You would have to look into it more, especially if it is something that you are really interested in and would major in regardless of what you think it may look like on a med school app.</p>
<p>Yeah, I really do like the major, but I am 100% I want to go to med-school. It also makes sense to major in biomedical sciences(is the application of biology-based science to medical use, be it research, health monitoring or treatment) if I want to go to med-school. I would be learning things I might need or relate to in the future when and if I am able to attend med-school. I think I might just minor, or double major in English to improve writing and communication skills, and make myself more diverse and competitive when I apply.</p>
<p>BTW: Do you know the differences between double majoring, and doing a minor?</p>
<p>By all means, major in biomed if you like the classes that are involved with it. Just remember you will want a major that offers career opportunities for you aside from medical school, and depending on where you are now in college, you may have time to figure things out or change your mind completely before you are done.</p>
<p>Getting a minor requires far less classes, so may be a better option. This is especially true in your situation because of the vast differences in course requirements for biomed and English. There isn’t much overlap, so unless you are fine with having a potentially-difficult courseload or taking some extra time in college to get everything done for each major, you might want to look into a minor.</p>
<p>Well, I’m starting college this fall of 2010…you might say…why is he already worried about med-school, just enjoy college. I definitely plan to enjoy college, but I also want to be focused at all times on my number one goal, which would be to enter med-school. About the a major for potential jobs, I heard people saying that biomedical sciences is not as good as for example a degree in microbiology for job opportunities; but then I searched on the internet job prospects based on degrees(of course engineering got the first 8/10 spots) but biomedical sciences did not seem a bad major for job prospects. What do you think???</p>
<p>Well, getting a BS in biomed might not be of much value unless you want to work in a research lab, or maybe even something like a regulatory agency (health inspector?). If you were to continue your education afterwards (including med school), there would probably be many more opportunities. You could go to graduate school for a master’s or Ph.D. in a related area like microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacy, or whatever. However if you don’t go to med school because of poor performance in classes, you could expect to have some difficulty getting into grad school programs.</p>
<p>You could also look into options that may not directly relate to your major, like being a salesperson for a company that sells health-related goodies.</p>
<p>Do not major in something that will have no employment prospects or is not interesting to you if you do not get into medical school. Medical school admissions is very competitive and most people who apply to medical school are rejected by every school they apply to. In my case I applied to over 20 medical schools, had a 3.6 GPA, and a combined MCAT score of 32 and was accepted at only one medical school (Drexel). Fortunately for me you only need to get one acceptance. I majored in Astronomy which has no employment prospects if you only have a bachelors degree but it is a field that I find very interesting. I am a practicing physician now but I honestly do not know what I would have done if Drexel had not accepted me into their medical school.</p>