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Med Students...a guestion...

Most are science majors (usually Biochemistry, Zoology, Genetics, Microbiology, etc...) the biological sciences for obvious reasons. The reason being that the MCAT is fairly science intensive.

I know a few nursing majors who were accepted. Prerequisites for application vary by school, though at mine you need 2nd year biochem which means you need intro bio, intro chem, and organic chem.

That's not to say that you need a science degree to apply (you might at some schools), but it really helps in that it provides a large amount of core knowledge (human physiology, physics, cell bio, molecular bio, and genetics are almost a must when writing the MCAT).
 
At least in the US, you can major in anything, med schools do not discriminate based on major. I got my major in Poli sci and with only the pre-med requirements got a 35.
 
^^^ Yeah I majored in Chinese. One day years after I graduated I realized the verbal workout of this major could serve as an excellent preparation for medical school, since memorizing names and words is a huge component of med school. Like you proto, after only the basic sciences and 5 weeks of prep books and timed practice tests I got a 32 on the MCAT. I'm going to be starting this fall.
 
I once had a conversation with an old British-educated physician, and he said that the problem with North American doctors is that they are trained for research, not for healing. That is why they are allowed any major.

He thinks a real doctor would major in physiology (or at least biology) and gain an understanding of the whole body. He did claim that this was the british system, although that might have changed since the 40 years or so he went to university!

I sort of agree with him - if I were to become a M.D., I'd make physiology at least part of my major. Although I do appreciate doctors who are versed in the humanities, too.
 
^^^ No, I think they're allowed any major because historically there have been enough successful and effective doctors who've majored in diverse things as an undergrad to prove that undergrad major is not a large determinant of success as a doctor.

In fact, I'd extend that to a lot of advanced professional / graduate degree programs -- they give you such a complete and intensive new set of practical skills, from start to finish, that the only thing that really matters from undergrad is the mental training and study habits, plus the social acclimation to the academic environment.

I was routinely advised NOT to take loads of anatomy and physiology at the undergrad level, because no matter what I'd be blown away by med school's A&P courses. I should take them if I'm passionate about them and know I'll succeed at them, not because I think I'll get a leg up in med school.
 
Major in what you enjoy!

I've always found that when you really love what you're studying it hardly seems like work. Self motivation and discipline come much easier. Most people routinely score better in course in which they are actually interested.
 
In australian unis there are undergraduate medicine courses. ie No pre-med degree/major
Though this is disappearing, with moves towards more postgraduate degrees

My sister is starting and undergrad course this year, now she's considered the smart one and i'm just an engineering student (with the massive alcohol tolerance that accompanies that course)
 
I studied chemistry as an undergrad.

Took 4 years off, then returned to school to do the bio pre-reqs. Took the MCAT about 7 months ago - did well enough to be competitive for my first choice school, so I'm happy.

Should be starting medschool in 2009.

You should major in whatever you enjoy studying. Just know that regardless of what you study you'll need to hit the big three - bio, chem, physics - to prepare you for the MCAT and as general requirements in order to get INTO med school.

OP, Where are you at in this process?

Where're you headed mydoors? Congratulations!
 
PlurredChemistry, I'll PM you about that. For privacy / paranoia / reluctance to mix business and pleasure reasons, I won't name my med school in the open forums. It's a school that graduates a lot of primary care physicians, and has a great geriatrics program, which interests me having worked with the elderly and really enjoyed it. I'm also a big fan of travel medicine.

Did you just need to take macro and micro biology for prereqs, or did you take higher courses like molecular genetics and cell biology too? I ended up taking molecular genetics just because it interested me, and thought it was really cool shit.
 
MyDoorsAreOpen said:
Did you just need to take macro and micro biology for prereqs, or did you take higher courses like molecular genetics and cell biology too? I ended up taking molecular genetics just because it interested me, and thought it was really cool shit.
Click to expand...

i'd like to say i was taking classes that i was really interested in, but pretty much i've only been able to take classes that best work around my work schedule. working full time and trying to take classes is tough not only for the time commitment, but also the scheduling nightmare for your work.

thus far: biochemistry & microbiology (+lab). when i was an undergrad i took intro bio (in 1999), genetics (in 2000) and a chemical biology course (+lab, both in 2002). this summer i'm going to hit up more course + lab (physio probably) and hopefully be done with it.

i'd say about 70% of the bio i know is from mcat studying alone. i've never learned any molbio/cellbio/neuro/physio in a course. though when i learned about the Na/K pump i almost had to change my boxers. science rules!
 
^^^ srsly! Learning the steps and mechanisms for transcription and translation felt a lot like playing with my old Tinkertoy or Lego Technic sets from childhood! The cell is one cool machine.
 
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