<p>I did a search on the forum and I could only find ambiguous and contradictory opinions. I would like some clarifications please. I have a few questions about doing premed as a psychology major:</p>
<p>1.Why do people claim that premed psychology is easier? Is it truly easier? Are there statistics to support such a claim?
2.Wouldnt the medical school interviewer look down on someone who took easier courses (if they are easier)? Cant you just tell them that you are interested in psychology and that you reasoned that you thought learning about human behavior is important?
3.Does a premed psychology major need to do research in biology/biomed subjects or can he or she do psychology research? Would it make the student a stronger candidate if the student does biology/biomed research?</p>
<p>Sorry if my questions are getting annoying or repetitive. I just don't think anyone really clarified before.</p>
<p>I'd like to hear some answers to these questions as well. I'm considering doing the psych major + premed thing when I begin college this fall. </p>
<p>Here's what I do know:
The requirements for a psych major is one of the easier to complete for a premed. The premed and psych requirements are surprisingly similar.
Also, psych is a popular major for premeds.</p>
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<li>I've never really heard this claim before. Of course there are more difficult majors but there are also easier majors (like english) which people also do. In general your major doesnt matter as long as you take the premed courses and you do well in those and in your major.</li>
<li>The probably wont.</li>
<li>Its all about your overall experience. You dont need to do bio research at all. If you are more interrested in the clinical aspect than do something at a hospital or become an EMT. And if you do one or both of those or something similar and you do psych research that should be perfectly fine. There arent any set requirements when it comes to ECs</li>
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Why do people claim that premed psychology is easier? Is it truly easier? Are there statistics to support such a claim?
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<p>It's not really that "premed psychology" is easier, it's that the psychology major in general is easier than the more common premed majors like biology or chemistry. </p>
<p>I don't know if there are formal statistics that show this to be the case, but I would point out that psychology is often times held up as a 'football major', meaning a major that star scholarship football players are likely to major in. Few star scholarship football players major in, say, chemical engineering. </p>
<p>Also, I would say that from an anecdotal viewpoint, you can basically go to virtually any college and just ask the students what they think the hardest majors are at their school. I would say that the chances of them saying 'psychology' are pretty close to nil. I can't even think of a single school in which psychology is considered to be a harsh and grueling major that only masochistic workaholics major in. </p>
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Does a premed psychology major need to do research in biology/biomed subjects or can he or she do psychology research? Would it make the student a stronger candidate if the student does biology/biomed research?
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</p>
<p>Research is greatly overrated and generally 'necessary' only for MD/PHD programs (and even then, is not strictly required). I agree with Shraf that good clinical experience can more than make up for any lack of research experience.</p>
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Wouldnt the medical school interviewer look down on someone who took easier courses (if they are easier)? Cant you just tell them that you are interested in psychology and that you reasoned that you thought learning about human behavior is important
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<p>Unfortunately ,the answer seems to be that they will not look down on them. They should, but they don't. </p>
<p>Lest you think that I am being harsh, let me turn the situation around. Med-school adcoms ought to "look up" at certain extremely difficult majors, like physics or engineering. After all, students in those majors tend to be given much harder coursework and tend to receive lower grades for their troubles. But the med-school adcoms don't seem to care very much about that. I am convinced that is why premeds from a difficult school like MIT suffer from unusual problems in getting into med-schools compared to students at peer schools like HYPS. The med-school adcoms ought to know that MIT is a tough school that gives out lots of low grades. But from what I can tell, either they don't know, or they don't care.</p>
<p>Please do yourself a favor and choose major you will enjoy. There is nothing more discouraging than trying to master subject you do not like. As far as pre med all you have to do required courses. Med schools adcoms will look much more favorably on the person with a passion than on somebody who just went through motion.</p>