I’m a high school senior… WAIT DON’T STOP READING
I’m thinking about majors and minors. I want to major in Biology for sure… and I know the MCAT has a decent amount of Chemistry… so should I minor in Chemistry? Or… well… do I need to minor in Chemistry? A major in Bio and a minor in Chem sounds really intense.
I know there are art majors that do well on the MCAT, but I’m really not the standardized test type… so I want to prep myself as much as a possibly can through my classes.
You can minor in chemistry if you want, but it’s not necessary.
Med school pre-reqs currently require 5 semesters of chemistry ( 1 year gen chem, 1 year Ochem, 1 semester biochem).
A chem minor typically requires 5-6 semesters of chem courses–gen chem, Ochem plus 1-2 more upper level electives. Biochem may or may not be an allowable upper level elective. Some colleges may require 1 semester of PChem for chem minors. (Will vary by program.) A chem minor will also typically require additional math (Calc 2), plus calc-based physics (instead of algebra-based physics).
As for a bio major w/ a chem minor–it’s a very common combination for pre-meds. Whether you will be able to handle it depends on your academic preparation and time management skills.
As for standardized testing–if you don’t like standardized exams and don’t do well on them, then you have really picked the wrong profession. Medicine is one high stakes national standardized exam after another, all the way through med school, all the way through residency and then every few years thereafter for as long as you practice medicine. Bet you didn’t know that!
BTW, simply taking classes will not prep you in any way to take to the MCAT. It may provide you with a knowledge base to work from, but MCAT prep is all on you.
There is no need to get a Chemistry minor. The premed prerequisites should give you everything you need to take the MCAT.
@wayoutwestmom I’m aware of all the standardized testing that happens. I’m willing to give it a shot because I genuinely want to be a doctor.