Increasingly, prospective medical students are understanding that they aren’t required to major in a hard science to gain admission to medical school. While this may be a relief if you have interests in other fields, it can also be intimidating.
With so many possible majors and the pressure of completing rigorous premedical requirements, how should you choose your major as a premed student?
[Get tips on choosing the right major for medical school.]
How can you be sure that majors outside the hard sciences will prepare you for the challenges of a medical education? And what factors should you consider when planning for intensive coursework beyond the sciences and in prerequisite premedical courses?
Here are three aspects of potential majors you should contemplate when deciding what to study.
1. Interest level in a potential major: Given the significant time commitment of any undergraduate major, don’t choose your concentration because you believe it will enhance your resume, your family or friends suggest you will be good at it or the subject is easy for you — these are weak reasons.
To avoid locking yourself into a series of classes and assignments that you are ultimately disinterested in, think about your interests and motivations for a potential major.
Are you weighing a mathematics major because you have always been drawn to math and are already engaged in research in the field, or do you wish to major in math because you are naturally talented at it and think this would be the path of least resistance during your undergraduate years?
Are you interested in concentrations with fewer required classes because you are excited by what you might learn or because you think you will have more time to focus on challenging medical school prerequisites if you major in a less-time-intensive field?
While you should certainly consider the practicalities of finishing your medical school prerequisites alongside required classes for your major, remember that just because a major seems simple does not make it the right choice for you. In fact, an easy major will not guarantee you good grades, especially if you find it difficult to motivate yourself and to complete the involved work.
[Learn to shine on medical school applications without a premed major.]
2. Medical career goals: While your undergraduate major may not academically relate to medicine or hard science, the skills you develop in certain concentrations may help you prepare for success in specific areas of medicine.
For example, as a psychology major, you may become adept at reading primary research papers in your field and conducting experiments of your own. If you are interested in becoming a clinical researcher during or after medical school, familiarizing yourself with how to read technical papers and the structures of experimental designs could serve you well.
Similarly, economics majors who are interested in becoming hospital administrators may find that their understanding of economic trends and statistics facilitates better comprehension of the financial challenges facing hospitals.
As you consider majors, think about what general area of medicine you see yourself in — academic medicine, community-based medicine, administration or countless other areas — and how your potential concentration could deepen your understanding of that area.
[Read about five things to look for in a college as a premed student.]
3. Available mentorships and advising resources: Most undergraduate institutions offer preprofessional advisers who guide potential medical school applicants through their undergraduate years, but many students find that their time with the adviser is limited.
As you explore different departments at a school, examine the advising resources offered to students majoring in each department. Has a department had premedical students, and how did the faculty support these students’ applications to medical school?
Will you be able to interact with faculty members in a meaningful way so that they will know you well when you ask for a medical school letter of recommendation? What internship or summer opportunities are available to students in that department?
Consider other mentorship avenues beyond the typical application support that colleges or universities offer — this may help you build stronger faculty relationships, obtain richer letters of recommendation and open up unique job and research opportunities during your undergraduate years.
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Premed Students: 3 Considerations for Majors originally appeared on usnews.com
