Trying to chose a specific Bio Major. Please help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Riverside
1

<p>So I am currently a senior in highschool
and I want to major in Biology, but i dont know which one to chose
there are many different kinds of bio major offered at UCR
and I know ALL college classes are difficult, but i wanna try to chose the easiest one
any opinions on which bio to take? please no negative comments. thanks! :] </p>

<p>Biochemistry- Biology,Chemistry,Medical Sciences
Biological Sciences-Bioinformatics and Genomics,Biology,Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology,Conservation Biology,Environmental Toxicology,Evolution and Ecology.Medical Biology,Microbiology.Plant Biology
Biology</p>

2

<p>im going in as undecided.. doing a pre-pharm route though..
call admissions theyre helpful</p>

3

<p>The easiest is whichever is most interesting to you.</p>

4

<p>If you're doing pre-med go right into Biomed, Neurbiology, Or physyology (preferably for the love of god, go into physyology)</p>

<p>for med, you pretty much MUST KNOW Physyilogy and Biochem to succeed at the MCAT.</p>

<p>Ummm don't waste your time with other bios if you're a potential med.</p>

<p>If you're into other bio sciences like botany then do a different approach.</p>

<p>Pre-Pharm go into biochem and physyology as well....you may also want to start to read ketzung's pharmacology book.</p>

<p>For those pre-med kids</p>

<p>If you really, really want to LEARN basic med stuff right away</p>

<p>Go read: Guyton's Physyology, Gray's Anatomy, Harrison's Book On Internal Medicine, Mosby's Clinical Diagnostic Book, Ketzung's Pharmacology, Clinical Embriology by Persaud and Moore, Pathology by Kumar.... etc.</p>

<p>Harper's Biochem is also good</p>

<p>anyways, hope this info helps future med students!</p>

<p>(how do I know this? I'm doing volunteer medical program and we read these books a lot!)</p>

5

<p>^^^^Are you a pre-med student? If you are, can you tell me if UCR sends people to top medical schools?</p>

6

<p>You could say that.</p>

<p>I'm in MExico doing rural-medicine (i.e. going to communities with low-health care services and providing them with vaccines, consultations, diabetes prevention seminars, glucose control for type 2 diabetes patients, counseling (sometimes), nutrition help, etc.)</p>

<p>And Volunteer Service at hospitals (i.e. how to put shots, lab work, watching real doctors do consultations, etc.)</p>

<p>At the sime time, we are getting some pre-med preparation, I'm taking 12 subjets in medical theory (i.e. physyology, pharmacology, principles of internal med, biochem)</p>

<p>UCR is outstanding on pre-medical, they have ties with UCLA with that one program they have, the problem is the competition, you need to be dedicated.</p>

<p>UCR has an outstanding bio-sciences program as well, they do prepare their students for Medical schools and they do in top med schools.</p>

<p>However, as I've gotten to know, u can come from the best university but if u don't have a Good MCAT, Some sort of internship or community service (like the one I'm doing)
a great reference and </p>

<p>MOST IMPORTANTLY</p>

<p>an amazing personal statement.</p>

<p>then you won't get to where u want to go.</p>

<p>But, if you have the PASSION for medicine, then you're good, you WILL get there, I guarantee it.</p>

<p>Medicine is all about PASSION, I suggest going for a semester to a 3rd world country to do some medical volunteering, u get the feeling of what reallly medicine is all about: helping humanity.</p>

7

<p>You can major in anything you want, really. Here's a link to a good thread on this topic: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/214387-what-should-premed-major.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/214387-what-should-premed-major.html&lt;/a>
As long as you take the MCAT, keep your GPA reasonably high, take the courses required for med school, and do volunteer work/research, you'll be able to find a spot in SOME medical school or another. How well/how much you do of those things (like going to a 3rd world country) will be the deciding factors as to which medical school you might enter.
Many people choose some sort of Bio (I'm doing Biochem, minor in Theatre or Philosophy) because the Bio major requirements are really similar to the required courses for med school and will help on the MCAT. Some just like another topic but want to be doctors, so to each their own.
Plus you can always change your major.
Best of luck (:</p>