Well as the title says, I want to become a doctor and go to medical school. My SAT is 2150, high school UWGPA 3.7, (3.1 freshman year). This year as a junior I have a 99% in AP Calc AB, 99% in Physics 1 mechanics, 97% in AP Chemistry, and 94% in college A&P 1-2. I feel as though my abilities are much higher in math, chem, and physics than biology and A&P, as I’m better with analyzing than memorizing. I do not know what major I should choose for college; I want to become a surgeon, but if I decide not to, I want to have another good route to take. Some majors I have been interested in include Biomedical engineering, bioengineering, biomaterials engineering, biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. What other majors would you recommend, I would like to do something with lots of math, physics, and chemistry that would also prepare me for Medical school?
Med school does not favor engineering for undergrad. Most majors lack the prerequisites for med school, so you would have to crowbar them in as extra courses which translates to either a heavy credit load (which can drop GPA and get in the way of other career-boosting activities) and/or delayed graduation (which costs more). Even if that isn’t a problem, typical engineering GPA’s are 0.1-0.2 below most non-engineering majors, inconsequential for most people but enough to be significant in GPA-focused med school applications. In most cases it is better to take a bio-oriented science undergrad and then if med school doesn’t work out you can jump into grad school for biomedical engineering or the like.
But you are asking for a list of majors, and the best of the bad options would probably be biomedical engineering followed by agricultural engineering. They will likely fill all the med school requirements, and are probably the only majors that will. But you have to ask yourself if these are careers you really want to follow, even as a backup!
thanks for your input man!
Depending on the school, chemical engineering may be second place to biomedical engineering in terms of covering pre-med course work. Bachelor’s level job prospects are usually better for chemical than biomedical if you do not get into medical school.
Of the non-engineering majors on your list, math and physics have probably the better bachelor’s level job prospects, although many of the better jobs are in finance, while some go into computers (obviously appropriate non-major electives would help if going into such areas).
I see, not to sound hollow but I am interested in being a surgeon because I love science, including Bio and A&P, and because I want to make at least $400k a year. The way I see it, if I can do something I really like that interests me and that I have talent for, I might as well do the most profitable career available.