Many people think you need to be majoring in pre-med before you are accepted into medical school. The data from the AAMC or the Association of American Medical Colleges states otherwise. Did you know that you have some flexibility in choosing your major? Approximately sixty percent of medical school applications completed their undergraduate degree in biological sciences.
There are certain medical school requirements that need to be completed. Typically, chemistry courses are necessary including biochemistry, organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry. You will also need to complete statistics, physics, calculus, English and biology.
Once you have these classes under your belt, you will be good to go. Ensure that you work closely with your advisor to establish a game plan. Check out the following six college undergraduate pre-medical majors to take into consideration for preparing to become a doctor in the future.
Psychology
As a doctor, you will spend plenty of time interacting with families and patients and need to have great communication skills. Psychology courses can help you understand where people are coming from and how to approach various medical situations to come up with the best treatment options.
Pre-med
If you are set on becoming a doctor, the pre-med track is an obvious route to go. This focus will have a strong curriculum of math and life science courses. It encompasses the best courses for medical school and includes the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT.
Mathematics
If the idea of studying linear algebra, set theory, and fractal geometry gets your heart racing—in a good way—then majoring in math is a great pathway into medical school. It can also help you with the MCAT. But, if multivariable calculus makes you cringe, you may want to consider only taking the minimum number of math courses required.
Sciences
Science classes are one of the backbones of any medical career. You can concentrate your undergraduate studies in a multitude of places. If you like to study dark matter or prefer to work in a chemistry lab, the options are all there. This track helps you to grow your problem-solving and analytical abilities. You can work within the realms of physics, chemistry and biology.
Liberal Arts
At first glance, heart surgery may seem like it doesn't have much in common with Shakespeare; however, the analytical skills and critical thinking involved in the liberal arts go a long way. You will hone your observation skills and grow your attention to detail.
The opportunity to dissect immense texts and the reading required for these majors are essential for physicians as well. Your communication skills will expand with your writing skills as an undergraduate. This can help you achieve excellence on all those medical school papers you will have to write in the future. It will also be beneficial to help you during your patient interaction, especially for clients with different backgrounds. Don't underestimate a liberal arts base.
Business
A business degree can be extremely useful for pre-med. Many doctors work in their own practice and need to be able to manage their books, their staff and their marketing. Even if you don't plan on having your own clinic, this can be an excellent background for a variety of reasons.
Helpful Tips:
Be sure to choose to focus on an undergraduate program that you will excel at and find enjoyable. Medical school applicants are expected to deliver high GPAs. Picking a major that extends beyond your abilities may not be the wisest decision and can breed additional stress in the future.
Allow room in your course schedule to complete your required classes for med school. If you are majoring in English, that is great; however, ensure that your elective credits fulfill your prerequisite math and science courses to be well prepared.
