<p>I apologize if this has been asked before, but I'm really interested in doing my undergrad in mechanical engineering - yet I've wanted to go to medical school and become a pediatrician since I was six. Would med schools shut me down if I don't have an undergrad major of Chem/Bio/Premed/etc?</p>
<p>No. Lots of people do engineering but mechanical may not be one of them normally.</p>
<p>If you choose chemical or biomedical, you usually get to cover the premed required classes in physics, chemistry and biology as part of your degree requirements. I dont know if that is the case with mechanical.</p>
<p>Admission to med school requires the following: 2 semesters of biology, 2 semesters of physics, 2 semesters of general chemistry, 2 semesters of organic chemistry, 2 semesters of English, plus taking the MCAT (some schools are now instituting more requirements, such as calculus, biochemistry, or genetics). You can see the statistics at Harvard Med ( [Harvard</a> Medical School: Class Statistics](<a href=“http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=statistics]Harvard”>http://hms.harvard.edu/admissions/default.asp?page=statistics)) which says that 73% of the incoming class majors in some sort of science discipline. This means that a full quarter major in something non-science: history, economics, English, etc. So as long as you take the required courses and do well on the MCAT, you can study anything you want during undergrad. However, two comments:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Engineers tend to have lower GPA’s at most schools due to large quantities of challenging, rigorous coursework. GPA is a big factor in med school admissions.</p></li>
<li><p>I do feel there is a push towards trying to encourage students to get more exposure to science coursework before entering medical school. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Finally, a quote from the Harvard Med admissions page:</p>
<p>The Faculty of Medicine accepts applications from current students in good standing and graduates of accredited colleges who demonstrate aptitude in the biological and physical sciences during their undergraduate years, but not to the exclusion of the humanities and social sciences. (A study at Harvard Medical School has shown that students are successful in their medical studies regardless of undergraduate concentration, providing that they have had adequate science preparation. Students are urged to strive for a balanced and liberal education rather than specialized training. No preference is given to applicants who have majored in the sciences over those who have majored in the humanities.)</p>