I am a junior in high school and am considering med school after college. I keep hearing about students being pre-med at their school, but I don’t know what that is exactly.
Does it take the place of your major?
Do you need to do pre-med to get into (a good) medical school? Or does it just help you get in?
If I wanted to double major in college, would I still be able to do pre-med?
@Screen_Name pre med is just a path that people add on to their major.
Pre med reqs are science and math classes and do not need a science major to complete, many history and math majors can also do the reqs as well as any other major.
Pre med tracks are usually available under biology or biochem and you have special advisors. Doing pre med just means you are taking the reqs and attempting to get into med school after.
Here are the general Medical school course requirements:
All medical schools pretty much require the following pre-med coursework:
General Chemistry with lab: 2 semesters
Organic Chemistry with lab: 2 semesters
General Physics with lab: 2 semesters
General Biology with lab: 2 semesters
English: 2 semesters
Calculus: 1 semester
Note that some medical schools require courses such as Biochemistry or additional Calculus, for example. Other special non-science courses may also be required by some medical schools. A few examples: The University of Nevada in Reno requires one upper-division behavioral science class or something like it (and they are very specific about which ones will cover this requirement) and University of Utah requires a “diversities” class such as Women Studies, Gender Studies, or some sort of minority studies. Harvard requires 2 semesters of Calculus instead of just one.
You need a high GPA along with Medically-related experience (research/volunteering/job) with a High MCAT score to apply.
Pick a major where you will be able to complete your Med school requirements while getting a competitive GPA but you are not limited to science-related majors. Also have a backup plan in case you do not get into Medical school and you want to keep your Undergrad costs to a minimum since Medical school is very expensive.
Any major will do. Most students pick some bio major because you can satisfy both premed and major reqs at same time whereas if you’re an Art history major you’ll have to find time to fit premed reqs into schedule. Med schools don’t require double majors. Many students do double major and get into med schools, but many have trouble maintaining competitive GPAs with demands of double major, especially if neither is bio. Med schools wont give bonus points for your decision to pursue double major and ending up with low GPAs. Most importantly enjoy your remaining time in high school. Good luck.
As it’s been said, pre-med is an intention, not any particular major.
Among my daughters’ med school classmates, there are agriculture, business, computer engineering, English lit, history, mathematics, music composition, physics, public health, Spanish language & culture, theology and women’s studies majors, beside the more usual biology, chemistry, biochemistry and neuroscience majors.
In order to apply to medical school, you need to complete your major, complete the pre-reqs (those listed above by Gumbymom plus statistics and biochemistry because both of those are major topics covered by the MCAT), have a high GPA, a strong MCAT score, plus have engaged in the necessary pre-med ECs (research, clinical volunteering, community service, leadership activities). Med school applicants also need strong communication and people skills.
Since most freshmen pre-meds never actually get to the point of applying to med school, and more than half of med school applicants every year fail to garner a single med school acceptance, I recommend that you choose a major that you both enjoy and that may offer you a Plan B career should you not get accepted into med school.
You can double major in college and still complete your pre-med requirements (both my daughters had double majors & went to med school), but it will require very careful planning on your part to fit everything in.
Med schools will not overlook a lower than optimum GPA simply because you have two majors instead of one, or because you picked a “difficult” major (like physics, math or engineering).
<<<
Do you need to do pre-med to get into (a good) medical school?
[QUOTE=""]
[/QUOTE]
As mentioned above, you major in WHATEVER you want, and include the premed prereqs. You don’t major in “premed”.
[QUOTE=""]
get into (a good) medical school?
[/QUOTE]
Uh…all med schools in the US are “good”. In fact, they’re all VERY good. We don’t have any “not-good” med schools in the US. Any premed should be thrilled to get into ANY US med school.
As for double majoring. If you’re SERIOUS about going to med school, I would NOT recommend double-majoring. You’ll just put your GPA at unnecessary risk. AND…NO med school will give you ANY leeway for having a lesser GPA because you double-majored.
What majors are you considering? Pick ONE. If you have TIME, then maybe choose a few not-too-hard-and-not-too-demanding interesting classes from the OTHER major to take for fun and interest.
<<<
Would I not be able to pursue a double major in biochemistry and computer science?
<<<
Again…pick ONE. Which major do you like better? Is CS your Plan B if you don’t go to med school?