<p>I heard this is a jock major. Is it true? Is it regarded as a joke major? I'm looking into it as a major for undergrad, then going into medical or podiatry school. Is that a wise choice?</p>
<p>And what are good schools for this major?</p>
<p>no it is not wise for med school. For some reason, kinesiology is not respected by med schools. (dunno why)</p>
<p>The guys that I’ve known to major in this want to be PE teachers and coaches. </p>
<p>It is NOT academic enough to be an undergrad for med school.</p>
<p>If it’s not a good major for pre-med, why do you want recommended schools?</p>
<p>IF you want to go to med school I recommend the following majors…</p>
<p>Biology
Chemistry
Bio Chem
Chemical Engineering
Bio-chem Engineering</p>
<p>Along with the above, you should take whatever classes your school recommends for pre-med majors…often more bio, physics, and/or chem classes…</p>
<p>It can also help to minor in something…</p>
<p>If chem engineering major, consider minoring in biology</p>
<p>It also looks good to be fluent in another language, so perhaps minor in Spanish.</p>
<p>Why are you interested in Kinesiology? If you want to be a doctor, major in something that won’t be considered a negative.</p>
<p>I think it depends on the college/university and the particular program offered.</p>
<p>S2 and I attended an info session for the University of Michigan College of Kinesiology and there were several student speakers who were majoring in a program within that college — movement science — as pre-med students. More than one said they had transferred in from Letters and Science to get better advising toward their pre-med goal.</p>
<p>At UM, within that college, there are separate program paths for athletic trainers, PE teachers and for sports management. The movement science program is more science oriented, with required classes in chemistry, physics, calculus, physiology, etc. </p>
<p>I suggest you look closely at the four-year program requirements for any university program you’re interested in and also email the departments at specific colleges to ask the question about the path to pre-med and whether there is a record of success. </p>
<p>[Meet</a> Kinesiology Students: Elisabeth](<a href=“http://www.kines.umich.edu/prospective/ugrad/meetstudents/pages/elisabeth.html]Meet”>http://www.kines.umich.edu/prospective/ugrad/meetstudents/pages/elisabeth.html)</p>
<p>Why is this not respected by med schools? I thought they more or less viewed all majors equally and they really just look at GPA/MCAT/extracurricular. </p>
<p>I’m interested in kinesiology because well…I’m a sports person. I love playing sports (though in some cases I suck hehe). I also am interested in specializing in sports medicine (either med school–>ortho residency–>sports med fellowship or pod school–>residency–>sports med fellowship) I feel that kinesiology has a lot in common with sports med.</p>
<p>Yea, I’m looking at something along the lines of the movement science offered at UMich. I’m also looking into the programs at Wake Forest, Rice, and USC. Too bad the UCs don’t really have anything like that, except for UC Davis with exercise biology.</p>
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<p>They do, more or less. Just like top law schools don’t like undergrad biz majors or communication majors or education majors, med schools prefer something that is considered more “rigorous”. While UMich’s program maybe the hardest major in Ann Arbor, Kinesiology is typically not hardest elsewhere and has a lesser rep.</p>
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<p>The UCs do not offer it bcos the Cal States do. UC consider such a major as more practical and less theoretical, and thus, not “UC-worthy”.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say they “view all majors equally”. </p>
<p>The rule of thumb is that there isn’t a prescribed “pre-med” major, but there’s no way that a decent med school is going to view a Bio, Chem, or Engineering major equal to a French, English, communications, education, music, dance, or art major.</p>
<p>Mathlegend…</p>
<p>If you’re interested in Sports Med, then a different approach might be better. Either a double major (w/ kinesiology), or a more traditional pre-med major with a minor or certificate in kinesiology.</p>
<p>“While UMich’s program maybe the hardest major in Ann Arbor, Kinesiology is typically not hardest elsewhere and has a lesser rep.”</p>
<p>bluebayou. Where did you come up with this statement? Nobody ever said that Kinesiology is the hardest major at Michigan!</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>I don’t think that is what BlueB meant. I think BlueB meant that Kinesiology is a rather easy major on all campuses, even if the program is harder at Mich. So, I think Blue is saying that it doesn’t matter that it might be “harder” at Mich, it’s rather easy everywhere and not well-respected as a pre-med major…</p>
<p>BTW…it’s not worth the risk. No one with the goal of becoming an MD should risk taking a “light” major and hope to get accepted to med school. Once you find out you’ve made a bad choice, it’s too late.</p>
<p>Dang UCs. >>"</p>
<p>Perhaps I’ll double major with Kinesiology and Biology.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Mathlegend…</p>
<p>How strong are you in sciences? The reason I ask is this…</p>
<p>If you are interested in becoming an orthopedic surgeon (with an interest in sports injuries), then I suggest a bio/chem engineering major. You might still be able to get a certificate in kinesiology.</p>
<p>My DS2 is pre-med and his double major is chemical engineering and biology - together, they are giving him the foundation for med school to become an orthopedic surgeon.</p>
<p>Since you love sports, come to The University of Alabama…strong pre-med majors and there is a kinesiology program.</p>
<p>From what I’ve read and heard, the UM program in movement science particularly — again, a more rigorous and science oriented major than the majors in athletic training, physical education and sports management in the same college — attracts a lot of pre-med students. Michigan gives undergrads a lot of opportunities to perform research and be involved in clinics, which probably helps with a med school application.</p>
<p>It worked for this guy (click on his name):</p>
<p>[Movement</a> Science Alums | U-M School of Kinesiology](<a href=“http://www.kines.umich.edu/career/alums_mvs.html]Movement”>http://www.kines.umich.edu/career/alums_mvs.html)</p>
<p>And this guy is doing something similar:</p>
<p>[Meet</a> Kinesiology Students: Dwayne](<a href=“http://www.kines.umich.edu/prospective/ugrad/meetstudents/pages/dwayne.html]Meet”>http://www.kines.umich.edu/prospective/ugrad/meetstudents/pages/dwayne.html)</p>
<p>I think I’m strong? I took AP Physics, A both semesters. Right now in AP Chem with an A (about 5/35 people have As). Dunno about AP Bio, that’s coming up next year. How would an engineering major be beneficial? I’ll look into University of Alabama though.</p>
<p>Michigan’s looks good. I’ll be considering that for sure.</p>
<p>My kid’s LAC has a department of “Sport Science”, which might sound like a lightweight jock major. Otherwise, the school’s curriculum is strictly liberal arts so this one sorta sticks out. The program consists of bio, chem, math, physics, etc., with some special departmental courses such as Surgical Anatomy, which does cadaver dissections apparently from an orthopedic surgeon’s perspective. It appears to be a fairly rigorous major, very similar to a pre-med program.</p>
<p>As I recall, Mathlegend concluded this college was not a good fit for him. I bring up the Sports Science department to suggest “Kinesiology” might be hiding behind a different label at some schools. Or, you could put together your own interdisciplinary focus within a conventional Bio program. You don’t necessarily need to seek out a school with a certifiably serious department labeled “Kinesiology”. Just find one that otherwise fits you, with strong science programs and the flexibility to let you develop your interests. My 2 cents.</p>
<p>Several months ago my D had a visit with her cardiologist. As they chatted about my D’s plans in college (a very likely English or Spanish major) the Dr. asked about her grades. They are strong. He suggested she look into doing the premed course work along with her English/Spanish major. He stated that med schools like students with non science majors as they bring diversity to the schools and can often better relate to patients. (I suppose his ability to talk with his patients is why we waited 3 hours that day) His own college major was not a science major and neither was that of his son or brother, also doctors. Few of the doctors he knew had majored in the sciences. This brief conversation led me to do a little bit of googling on the subject of college majors and medical school. </p>
<p>A couple of research based conclusions (in other words not just an opinion): non science majors perform as well in medical school as science majors. [Effect</a> of Undergraduate College Major on Performance in Medical School.](<a href=“http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ573766&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ573766]Effect”>http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ573766&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ573766)</p>
<p>The acceptance rate to medical school is not that different for science versus nonscience majors: [Acceptence</a> to Medical School by Major | Knox College](<a href=“http://www.knox.edu/statistics.xml]Acceptence”>http://www.knox.edu/statistics.xml)</p>
<p>My advice to you and all those students that think they want to be a doctor is to major in something you like and to take the required courses for medical school admission. Work hard in those courses and maintain excellent grades. Prepare for the MCATs. Many students think they want to be a doctor or lawyer or whatever as freshman and find that they really are interested in something else. You also need to have a “back up” plan in case you are not admitted to medical school. </p>
<p>You might also investigate the kineseology program at Indiana University. The graduate program is ranked seventh in the nation. The exercise science major requires coursework in anatomy, chemistry, physics, etc. Here is an overview of that major:</p>
<p>[:</a> Department of Kinesiology: School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation: Indiana University](<a href=“http://www.indiana.edu/~kines/undergraduate/exercise.shtml]:”>http://www.indiana.edu/~kines/undergraduate/exercise.shtml)</p>
<p>IU will be easier to get into than Michigan and the program is well respected. IU also offers some nice automatic scholarships for good stats.</p>
<p>tk, which school are you talking about? Did I conclude this school is not a good fit for me? And btw, I’m a girl! :)</p>
<p>rrah: Thats good to hear! (all of it pretty much) Thanks, I will look into the program at IU.</p>
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<p>Sorry! … I may be confusing you with another poster, ml.
The school is Colorado College. I thought we had discussed it and you decided the one-course-at-a-time “block plan” was not right for you. If that’s not the case … I do often recommend it to good students who are looking for an outdoorsy liberal arts college (similar in that way to Middlebury or Dartmouth). Here’s a description of the “Sports Science” course I mentioned:</p>
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<p>One advantage of the block plan is that it does facilitate field work or intensive courses like this, where maybe you would not want to be limited to 60 or 90 minute classes.</p>
<p>The school tends to attract very athletic kids; it has a couple of D1 teams in addition to high participation in D3, intramural, and outdoor recreational sports. If you’re interested in learning how to set broken bones, Colorado probably is the ideal state for that :)</p>
<p>No problem. And yea, Colorado College’s schedule is very unique, but I think I’d be better off with a normal semester or quarter schedule. That surgical anatomy class does seem to be freaking awesome!</p>