What should I major in if I am thinking about medicine?
Students are accepted into medical and dental schools with a wide variety of academic backgrounds. No particular major is given preference. In choosing a major the rule is to follow your own interests. Ideally, the major should be one that will support an alternate career. Your choice may range from a concentrated science major to a major in social studies or the humanities. Since so much of medicine and dentistry is derived from a scientific basis, most students who major in a nonscientific field should still take more than the minimum number of science courses. However, the point to realize is that demonstrated ability in the sciences is of greater importance to admissions committees than the quantity of science coursework.
If I don't major in the sciences, what science classes do I need to take and which ones are recommended?
Students should feel free to take courses of genuine interest, whether science or not. In medical school interviews, for example, it’s great to reveal real passion and intellectual engagement in the subject(s) of some course(s). If the applicant can (1) demonstrate genuine interest in at least some undergraduate subjects, (2) articulate awareness of what medicine really is, and (3) demonstrate real desire to practice medicine, then the medical school admissions committee members will probably conclude that the applicant will be genuinely interested in medical school courses just as she/he was interested in their undergraduate courses.
As far as what science courses to take before the MCAT, I tell students that they should have completed (or be near completing) all of the required science courses on the green Premed Fact Sheet, plus a couple of the recommended additional biology courses. Don’t rush these courses, but don’t stretch them out too much either (medical schools worry if an applicant arranged to never take more than one science course at a time each semester!).
All three "General" science subject courses (Gen. Chem., Gen. Bio., Gen. Physics) assume that the student had a year of high school chemistry, biology, and physics, respectively, as well as at least pre-calculus algebra and trigonometry. If, for example, no physics was taken in high school, then take Intro. Physics (PHY 187) in the freshman fall semester along with General Chemistry I, even if that means delaying calculus. Don’t delay Gen. Chem. unless necessary to strengthen chemistry or algebra skills first. As far as biology, most students begin with BIO 212 in the freshman spring, even though it’s numbered higher than BIO 211. BIO 211 uses a fair amount of chemistry, so it’s good to take that in the sophomore fall, after having a year of college chemistry,
Beyond General Biology, the most strongly recommended biology courses before the MCAT would be physiology and genetics. Genetics is required by UNMC's medical school.
Physiology is available from BIO, EXS, and BMS departments. Best choices would be their physiology courses that require General Biology (BIO 211 and BIO 212) courses as prerequisites. Less helpful (but better than nothing) would be BMS 303, which does not require General Biology first.
Very strongly recommended before medical school, and required by UNMC and some other medical schools, is biochemistry. It's not essential to get it before the MCAT, so it is often taken by seniors, but if it can be taken before the MCAT, so much the better. BMS 521 or CHM 371 are the courses to choose from for most students, though chemistry majors will take CHM 381. All three are approved by UNMC's medical school. Students should not assume that BMS 301, the biochemistry course taken by our first year pharmacy students, will suffice. UNMC has not approved BMS 301 for meeting its medical school prerequisite, and BMS 301 cannot count towards the CHM or BIO major, whereas either BMS 521 or CHM 371 can count towards the biology major. No biochemistry course counts toward the BIO minor (only courses listed as BIO can count toward the BIO minor).
When I ask medical students what course they took that helped them the most in medical school, besides physiology the course they most often mention now is BIO 362 (Cell Structure and Function). That one might help quite a bit on the MCAT as well. But if a student takes biochemistry before the MCAT, then the importance of BIO 362 before the MCAT is lessened.
When I ask medical students what course they wish they had taken (but didn't) before starting medical school, the most common choice is anatomy. Anatomy is usually not emphasized on the MCAT, so it can be taken in the senior year. BIO 333 is Vertebrate Comparative Anatomy, which prepares students to efficiently learn human anatomy, and is the only anatomy course which counts toward the BIO major or minor. It includes some histology and some embryology, two other subjects besides gross anatomy that some medical students wish they had known more about before starting medical school. Some students will want to take a human anatomy course, even if only as an elective. Those applying to some physician assistant, optometry, etc. programs might actually be required to take specifically human anatomy rather than comparative anatomy. Medical and dental schools, however, are happy with the comparative anatomy.
Social science courses, though not counted in the math/science GPA for medical school admission, are also important. It’s a good thing that our Core Curriculum requires selections from two different departments. Psychology 111 is certainly recommended, but the other course is also important. Pharmacy schools often require microeconomics, but medical schools leave it open in most cases. Many premedical students find sociology or anthropology to be great choices, but if political science or American studies is of interest, either of those would be fine too.
Additional Resources:
If you would like to talk with an advisor about choosing a major, please contact the Creighton Career Center at 402-280-2722 for guidance.
A list of specific pre-medical advisors includes faculty from a variety of majors.
A study titled "Perceptions of Second Year Medical Students: Importance of Undergraduate Courses" highlights which courses medical students consider important pre-requisites to medical school.
Aspiringdocs.org also has some great information for first year students and answers questions such as:
- Do I have to major in biology if I want to go to medical school?
- As a student entering college who’s interested in medicine, should I take General Biology, General Chemistry, and Calculus all in this first year?
- What classes should I take in my first year that will prepare me for the pre-med track?
- What should I do if I start to slip in my classes?
- What all is involved in preparing for medical school?
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