<p>I'm still deciding between an MD and a PhD. However, I have heard that if I choose the latter in Neuroscience it is better to major in Bio or Chem instead of Neuroscience itself. Is this true?</p>
<p>nope, thats not true. What is true is that it is essential to take the key courses that allow you to understand the physiology and neurochemistry of the brain. Some neuroscience majors are closer to Psych majors and do not require General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Both are essential to understanding brain function and both are required for Pre-med.</p>
<p>While it is true that neuroscience is better for neuroscience grad school (although this varies from program to program), biology is the better choice in just about every other situation. I would advise against specializing so early unless you’re absolutely positive that this is what you want to do.</p>
<p>To put it another way, you can do just about anything with biology (which isn’t to say that you can’t do anything but neuro with a neuroscience degree, but there is a noticeable disparity). Including grad school for neuroscience.</p>
<p>Consider being a bio/psych double or a bio/psych minor, while taking some neuro courses here and there. Also try to get in a lab that works on things related to neuro. You can still be very competitive to neuroscience phd programs with a bio major.</p>
<p>I would say that you should do whatever you are more passionate about…I chose neuroscience for my undergrad degree because I loved the subject matter. I originally thought I was going to be studying biology, but decided against it because I was not much of a fan of the ecology/plant biology. I am prefectly pleased with my choice and I will be heading off to medical school next year. Will I be a neurologist? Probably not, but I’m certainly not counting it out.</p>
<p>I know a lot of neuroscience majors, psychology majors, and biology majors who have chosen grad school within their respective areas because they also simply enjoy the subject matter. If you like what you are studying, that is what you should be studying, regardless of the subject matter.</p>
<p>I concur with iceile252, study what you’re passionate about. General biology major is not a neutral choice based on practical issues with specific curriculum offered.</p>
<p>That’s fair enough. To clarify though, I am not advocating the abandonment of one’s interests in the name of practicality – it was not my intention to come off that way.My post was directed at someone who I interpreted as having feelings of uncertainty towards his/her future.</p>
<p>Perhaps more relevant advice would be this: from what I understand about graduate school admissions in neuroscience (I myself am studying it), neuroscience undergrads are not significantly more competitive than their biology counterparts (with relevant coursework and research experience, of course).</p>
<p>Research the graduate schools you’re interested in, and find out their undergrad requirements. As I’m sure you know, there are also two main fields of neuro, behavioral/cognitive and cellular/molecular – keep in mind that there are key dissimilarities in their undergraduate coursework expectations.</p>
<p>If I can be of any help, feel free to contact me.</p>
<p>Being competitive for a neuroscience graduate program is less about the major and more about if you participated in neuroscience research outside of the classroom. Graduate school admission committees wish to see that you’ve explored your potential graduate field of interest. In addition, GPA and GRE scores are important. With relevant research experience, good scores and grades, it doesn’t matter what your major is: even dance majors have been accepted into grad school.</p>
<p>To the OP, the issue of MD versus PhD is a large difference in what motivates and rewards an individual. Both require high degrees of expertise with a large body of knowledge, but that is where the similarity ends. MD should be more about service to the individual-and does not really contribute to increasing knowledge as a primary goal. The PhD is primarily about research and expanding knowledge and with a more diffuse motivation about service to the community</p>
<p>Aren’t you still in HS? The last thing you should be doing is trying to choose between different careers that diverge after your first degree. They are really apples and oranges. Go to college with the intent to major in science…learn a lot about the areas of study and yourself, and while keeping your grades up, take it from there. Nothing else you have to do. </p>
<p>Sure some people happen to figure out their lifelong career path in HS, but very few. It’s like talking about who to marry while still in HS. Unnecessary and premature. There is no rush, so work hard, enjoy the learning along the way, follow what interests you.</p>
<p>If you are still in HS… then comb through school offerings with a fine tooth comb… Im a cc transfer this year and I know because of personal reason si want to be heavily involved in neurodegenerative research. so i am looking for a neuroscience major… however, my top choice school has a cellular and molecular biology major whose course offerings surpass those of schools with the neuro major… and UPenn has an excellent junior-senior program which consists of research in emergency med, neurodegenerative, or neurodependency (alcoholism and the such)</p>
<p>I have also seen an amazing Biology of Behavior major which i am very interested in… so you cannot simply look at a major like that without seeing what the school actuallty offers, and what will be your long run benefits from a course.</p>