I’am a Biology major on the pre-med track and need help picking a minor that would benefit me into doing well on the MCAT.
Below is a list of minors my university offers.
Why a minor at all? Minors are the most over-rated part of college academics to start with, and to do one to prepare for a standardized test is inexplicable logic.
Pre-med recs & reqs are typically a year each of general chem, o chem, physics & bio, plus a semester each of psych, soc, and biochem. With those courses taken, prepping for the MCAT is basically test prep.
Use your electives to take classes that are genuinely interesting to you, whether they relate to your major, your intended career, or just being an interesting person.
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If you’re already majoring in biology and taking all of the premed prerequisites, your existing course load (and supplemental test prep) will prepare you just fine for the MCAT. If you do a minor at all, do it in another area of interest.
In all reality, a biology minor combined with the other premed prereqs would cover your bases just fine in terms of the MCAT. You could major in something else entirely and still be fine. In fact, that is often recommended, both for med school admissions purposes and for the sake of alternative career opportunities if you don’t end up in med school after all. Major in biology only if you specifically love biology and want to take more advanced coursework in bio that isn’t really needed for med school.
To quote your own school’s pre-health advising site (emphases added by me):
"Stony Brook University is an excellent place to prepare for a future in medicine, dental medicine, and other health professions. Students pursuing health careers can major in many different disciplines, and work closely with Academic Advisors to complete the best courses in preparation for a future in healthcare.
Students are encouraged to explore academic interests in and out of the sciences, engaging in intellectual inquiry, independent study, and disciplined research. Stony Brook applicants who have been successful gaining acceptances into some of the top schools in their field, are well rounded individuals with strong health related experiences and other diverse activities."
Take full advantage of pre-health advising, and make sure you are prioritizing correctly. Perhaps you are already pursuing research, volunteering/shadowing, and “other diverse activities”… but if not, then these are far more important than adding a minor, especially if you’re considering it only as a test-prep vehicle.
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