<p>So I'm obviously in the process of applying to undergrad schools now. I know I want to go into biological/chemical sciences for a career. Funny, you have many scientists who dismiss other subjects as lesser disciplines, but within the science community, at least so some, many say biology majors are "not real" sciences? Irrelevant? Unworthy? etc, etc. I'd assume this is because biology is less math intensive (which I do like), and is only pure memorization, but when it comes down to it, isn't every subject just that?</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure I don't want to be a doctor, rather I'm more interested in pure research/fieldwork, but of course, this may be changed in time. Basically my options for undergraduate majors are biology, biochemistry, and chemistry. And I know I want to get a masters or Ph.D in some kind of a science in those areas, and I see people telling to-be-MDs to "major in something easy, GPA, MCAT, and ECs are the only things that matter"....does this apply for grad school though (replacing MCAT with GRE).</p>
<p>It is not math intensive except for 1 year of physical chemistry. There is little memorization. It’s mostly plug in formulas which you’ll be given, if even that. You will need calculus for only physical chemistry.</p>
<p>I’m a former biology major, there is far too much memorization. Think carefully before jumping in. It also is harder to transfer from biology to other sciences/engineering, but anyone can transfer from other subjects to biology, so its never too late to go back if you feel there’s time (but to jump from biology, the closest is chemistry, and harder to jump to anything else).</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like anyone responding to this post could know what is for you. Lastthreeyears tells every single person in every single post to go into chemistry or chemical engineering because he is disillusioned with his experiences in the biological sciences.</p>
<p>I don’t think professional scientists dismiss other fields. Quite to the contrary, we prize cross disciplinary studies- just look at the large number of "centers"that have popped up on campuses and the large number of R21 grants through NIH that have the keyword “cross disciplinary” in them.</p>
<p>I also wouldn’t get too caught up on general biology as compared to a specific field with regard to the level of mathematics or memorization. Every field will require memorization but every field also requires critical thinking and problem solving. Some fields of biology are incredibly mathematically demanding, infectious disease dynamics and biophysics/biomechanics come to mind (I work on these both in tandem). Even in less mathematically strenuous fields, evolutionary biology for instance, there are areas of study that do require a lot of math [MIT</a> Press Journals - Artificial Life - First Page](<a href=“http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/106454600568285]MIT”>http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/106454600568285) in order to dissect issues of developmental biology and population biology.</p>
<p>Finally, to your point about what major would best serve you for going on to get a Phd- unlike with MD admissions, grades are less important when applying for a Phd. Your research experiences, publications, research interests, poster sessions, conferences and letters of recommendation (from research advisors) are the most important factors for admission. Beyond that, grades and GRE scores just have to be high enough to not set off alarm bells (above a 3.0 and above 1200, are the stated minimums). You ought to major in whatever you find most interesting as that will connect you with faculty whose work would be most interesting to you. Also, you shouldn’t hesitate as you learn more about science and discover that biological sciences are just biology, chemistry or biological chemistry, to change your major to something you like more.</p>
<p>The mathematically intensive aspects of biology are not in high market demand and you won’t learn about them too much at the undergraduate level. How many infectious disease modellers does the world need? The parts of biology that are in high demand, such as analytical lab work, do not recieve appropriate training. Ok, you know how to do IHC, great. Who needs IHC? Theoretical research only. Isolating protoplasts? Why would you ever want to do that? You want to work on real instruments that real labs in the real world use like HPLC or GCMS? Better luck in the chemistry department.</p>
<p>But don’t take my word for it. Intern for a while at a pharmaceutical company or a biology lab to see if you like it. I have no doubts that some people love the experience or find their biology knowledge extremely useful, but my time at a pharmaceutical company told me that reading an “introduction to biology” text was sufficient for all my biology needs, if that.</p>