<p>I have always wanted to be a doctor but for a long time didn't know what kind. A few years ago I also realized I have a high level of interest in the brain. I'm quite confident right now that I want to pursue a career as a neurologist and also would like to major in neuroscience. What I'm wondering is whether or not a neuroscience major is a good choice for a student panning to go to medical school as opposed to chemistry or biology. Also how much would a neuroscience major benefit me in the future as a neurologist?</p>
<p>The refrain is that it doesn’t matter what you major in for undergrad if you want to go to medical school, as long as you meet their requirements. This is half true. Having a stronger background in science, math, etc. will make you a stronger candidate than if you just meet the minimum requirements, which is an argument for majoring in a STEM field over, say, French. Some people are now saying that having a strong quantitative background like physics, engineering, or math can really make you stand out to medical schools. As for the difference between biology, chemistry, and neuroscience, I don’t think it will make a difference for medical school prospects. I think what’s much more important is that you pick something that you’re passionate about. For me, that meant majoring in neuroscience while planning pre-med.
As for the choice of being a neurologist, I would not get 100% set on that yet. It’s great that you have a goal, but especially once you get to medical school, such goals for specialties can change drastically once you have hands on experience. I was also looking at becoming a neurologist. Then I shadowed a neurologist, and it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be; there wasn’t the level of critical thinking and always new problems that I was used to getting excited about in science. I ended up switching to pre-grad.
I’m not trying to tell you to give up on your plans. I’m just saying to keep an open mind and follow what seems interesting. Don’t follow what you think is the “correct” path to medical school (because there isn’t one), and don’t be afraid to pursue interests apparently tangential to your goals; medical schools are looking for well-rounded, passionate individuals.</p>