<p>I'm puzzled between the two. At this point in life I want to go to medical school and become a doctor. From doing many reading and listing to teachers they advise to go to a school that is strong in science and biology (most common science to major in to become a doctor). So with that thought I've been looking at UCSD, UCSB, UCLA and Harvey Mudd. </p>
<p>Than the other day when I was speaking to my parents about my choices of college they ask if it was pre-med. And I didn't know how to answer. So my questions are...</p>
<p>Pre-med is just a program not a major, right? </p>
<p>Do I try to find a school that is good in pre-med or just go to a science school and major in bio or such?</p>
<p>If I should try to find a pre-med school are the schools I already listed good for that?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the help...again.</p>
<p>^Oh ok that makes more sense. Thanks. </p>
<p>Does anyone know a good science school that have a good pre med program? I'm looking around the California area.</p>
<p>any other thoughts? Anyone?</p>
<p>There are only a few schools that ever offer a major in pre-med. So in the overwhelming majority of places you can't major in "pre-med". Further, even if you do happen to go to those places that offer it, you shouldn't. </p>
<p>Further, since "pre-med" is only an advising category, and since it covers a wide spectrum of sciences, a "good" pre-med program is ill-defined. Your next thought then is probably, well then I'll go to the best bio/chem/physics [select one] program. The thing is, all the required courses for pre-med are intro, and strengths of specific programs usually come from their upper level courses. Intro general chemistry is intro general chemistry everywhere, and then it becomes a matter of the professor you have for the course - and there can be GREAT professors at horrible programs.</p>
<p>In the end, you should major in what you are passionate about, not what you think will help you in medical school (b/c nothing really prepares you for medical school, and medical school will teach you all the things you need to know anyways). You should also go to the school where you have the best balance and fit socially, academically, physically, and emotionally (balance is important - everyone recognizes that too much partying is bad, but so is the opposite end of the spectrum where you do nothing but study all the time). </p>
<p>This is not to say that there aren't some schools where it's better to be a pre-med than others, just that the ways in which they are better/most helpful are hard to define and even harder to rank. Factors like the quality of pre-med advising, the number of campus and community involvement/service opportunities, research positions, etc. These also aren't things that are impossible to overcome - you may have to do more work on your own chasing things down or you may have to spend some summers away from home or your university to get them done, but they can be accomplished. So in sum, focusing on fit and which school will make you happiest is the best advice to follow.</p>
<p>The truth is that you can major in anything and apply and attend medical school. The important piece here is that you need to make sure that your curriculum in college includes the 11 or so courses that are necessary to a pre medical curriculum and also help prepare you to take the MCAT exam.</p>