If you’re interested in a medical career, there are several undergrad majors for medical school that can help you prepare. With a solid pre-med plan, you can increase your chances of being accepted to medical school by as much as 30% to 200%.
Aspiring doctors have many options for undergraduate study, but many of them don’t consider the pre-med track. This is a mistake. Medical school is a competitive process. You need to stand out from a crowd of thousands of applicants. Choosing an undergraduate major can help you do that.
These are some options that may make you stand out. So look through this list and see which one to consider. I believe this will encourage you to make a learned choice for your career and your life’s goals.
- Biology,
- Biomedical engineering,
- Nursing,
- Biochemistry,
- Public health,
- Exercise science,
- Pre-medicine,
- Health sciences,
- Math and Statistics
- Foreign language,
- Psychology, and
- Engineering.
12 Best Undergrad Majors for Medical School
01. Undergrad degree in Biology
A degree in biology is all it takes to get a foot in the door. For those who set out to become doctors, many will find themselves on the right track by earning a degree in biology.
For getting into medical school, your undergraduate degree is only a reference piece of paper. The degrees of the people interviewing you, the letters of recommendation you’ve gathered, and the merits of your application are all more important than the major you pursued in college.
That said, there are degrees that will help you get a foot in the door more than others. For example, if you’re hoping to go to medical school, a degree in biology is likely to be more useful than a degree in philosophy, regardless of where you ended up on the academic spectrum.
02. Degree in Biomedical engineering for medical schools
Biomedical engineering is a great major to pursue if you want to work with your hands and learn all about the human body. Biomedical engineers design and build the medical devices, machines, and technologies that save lives and improve the quality of life for people around the world.
Medical schools across the country are increasingly looking for applicants with liberal backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math to fill their coveted seats. While a BS in biomedical engineering isn’t necessary for entry into medical school, it gives you the foundation for further studies in medicine.
03. Undergraduate degree in Nursing
You can maximize your chances of getting into medical school with a nursing degree. Today, more and more people are choosing to pursue a career in the medical field. In reality, there is high-demand and employability of nurses especially in medicine.
There are several options for obtaining a degree in nursing, including obtaining a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and even a doctorate degree.
You may have always wanted to be a doctor, but when you got into medical school, you realized that the amount of schooling was too much and the specialty you wanted wasn’t right for you. So, one of the best ways to get into medical school is to major in nursing.
04. Biochemistry
Biochemistry is a huge part of the medical field, and it helps students to get into medical schools. Medical schools greatly need more qualified applicants. An undergraduate degree in biochemistry is the main qualification required for medical schools.
It is a scientific discipline that deals with the chemical composition of biological matter. While biochemistry is primarily used for biological research, it can also be applied in the study of medicine and other fields. The basic premise of biochemistry is to understand the chemical processes that occur in the body and how they affect biological systems.
So, biochemistry is a major component of the biomedical sciences and therefore has many interdisciplinary applications. Thus, a degree in biochemistry can help a person obtain a medical degree without having to complete a pre-med curriculum.
05. Public Health Undergraduates degrees
Public Health programs are often overlooked when searching for a degree that will lead to a career in public health. Many people think that a degree in public health won’t put you in line for a decent job in the medical field, but some major medical schools change that notion.
In fact, many top hospitals are offering a degree in public health as a way for people to enter the medical profession. During the program, participants figure out the causes of disease and learn to design interventions to reduce illness and impairment among populations.
Likewise, public health students learn to conduct surveys to determine trends in disease, to design interventions that reduce health risks, and to work with governmental agencies to implement, evaluate, and refine these programs. So, public health programs are also ideal for those who want to pursue a career in medicine.
06. Exercise Science majors
It is a field that is very much in demand by medical schools. In fact, they are looking for more and more of them. So, if you have the passion for it, you would be wise to major in exercise science.
A degree in exercise science is a great asset in medical exercise science, as a doctor will explain or recommend an exercise program to patients. Exercise science, the study of the relationship between exercise and health, is a growing major in college. The study of the human body and its responses to exercise has a long history as the major of physical education and sports.
Today, however, the major is more commonly seen in medical and health-related degrees. Exercise scientists are also increasingly called upon to assist the fitness professionals in developing and testing the newest exercise equipment and in-class instruction.
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07. Pre-Medicine Majors
In fact, pre-meds student easily enroll in the medical school for further studies. You also need to have an internship or two, in order to work experience with the people who do the work. There are several reasons for this. One is that the science majors have prerequisite courses that medical school students take.
Another is that the science students take science courses that are useful to the medical scientists and clinicians. A third is that there are a lot of medical problems to solve, and the students who come from a science background are often better suited to the work.
Another reason is that the students who have a science background are more curious about the world, and the curiosity that they bring to the medical field is an important part of what it takes to be a good doctor.
08. Health Sciences majors for medical school
The education of a doctor is one of the most prestigious fields in which to study. The medical profession is incredibly broad, and there are many careers one can pursue.
A degree in health sciences is a great way to study the medical field. It is an increasingly popular field, and there are many paths to becoming a doctor. Students can study dentistry, nurse, physician, or pharmacist. The field of health sciences is broad, and there are many careers within it.
09. Math and Statistics undergrad majors
Statistics play a critical role in the medical field. It is used to study how diseases develop, how genetics impact health, how treatments work, and how diseases can be prevented through better healthcare practices. Students who have majors in mathematics and statistics often pursue graduate education in Medical schools.
This degree is particularly sought after because it not only leads to higher paying jobs in the medical field, it allows the student to specialize in a certain area of medicine.
In the medical profession, it is imperative that doctors are thoroughly acquainted in statistics and mathematics like some other subjects. This is because most medical research and practice is based on statistics.
It is not a question that “if” you know statistics, you will become a better doctor. Rather, it is a question of “how” you use statistics and which statistics are useful to your profession.
10. Foreign language degree for medical schools
Most medical schools in the United States require foreign language courses as part of their foreign language requirement. Having a strong command of a foreign language is very important for medical students and patients.
To have a common understanding when communicating, whether they are in their native language, English, or a foreign language. It is imperative for medical staff, doctors, and patients to communicate in a foreign language.
The reason for this requirement is to prepare students to understand and understand the health care systems of the United States and other countries and languages.
Additionally, this requirement often helps students to develop a greater awareness of the differences between the medical systems in various countries and their corresponding culture, customs, and beliefs.
11. Degree in Psychology
The Psychology undergraduate majors for medical schools are developed to help students to completing their degree with a major in medical schools. The degree has been used by doctors and researchers in psychology to study the effects of mental illness and other psychological disorders.
It also can help people who suffer from mental illness or may have a mental disorder in the future. The Psychology major prepares students for careers in medicine, besides other career paths in health care and the sciences.
12. Engineering Degrees
How do undergrad majors for medical school in engineering help students to prepare for a life in medicine?
You can say that an undergraduate degree in engineering teaches you how to think, how to collaborate, how to communicate clearly and concisely, how to manage time, how to balance multiple projects, how to work in a team, etc.
You can also say that being an engineer has taught you how to be a doctor. The students are graduating in engineering but have no aim of going to medical school, but why-not taking this path?
GPA and MCAT
GPA requirement
You know that most medical schools have a minimum GPA (grade point average) requirement. If you want to apply to medical school, you will need to have some type of special exam. Your medical school application should have a 4.0 GPA. If you want to be a doctor, you will need to be a graduate of a medical school.
Medical College Admissions Test
Next step is to take the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), which is an exam that is given to medical students to help them determine which medical school they should apply to. The MCAT is given in three main categories: verbal, numerical, and analytical.
The verbal section comprises questions that will test your vocabulary and knowledge of grammar. You will be tested on your ability to understand and understand written English.
So, the numerical section will assess your knowledge of mathematics. You will be evaluated on your analytical skills in the numerical section. You can take the MCAT up to two times a year. If you want to try out for the MCAT, you will need to make sure that you go to medical school.
In fact, the medical school application process includes five essays, five medical school entrance tests, and scores on the medical college counselling bureau’s (MCAT) Chemistry subject examination.
The MCAT is a standardized test focused on chemistry that is used to evaluate students’ chemistry knowledge and skills, and the medical school application process tests students on their chemistry knowledge and skills. The medical school admissions committee may place more weight than other factors on the MCAT.
Tips for the Students
Students should always investigate the school and program they wish to attend and be sure that it is the best fit for their life goals. To be successful in medical school, it is important to be a good student from the start.
These suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt, as each student has a unique experience, based on their personality, interests, work experience, and goals.
All suggestions are my personal research, observation and are not an endorsement of any specific program or medical school. Some useful tips for future doctors choosing undergrad majors for medical school are described below:
- Be a good student, smart and a good communicator.
- You must be hardworking, focused, and ambitious.
- Demonstrate a strong work ethic, be a good team player with strong leadership skills.
- Aspirant students must have a positive attitude, and a good sense of humour.
- Show a thirst for knowledge and problem-solving skills.
- Be a good listener, and ask questions.
- Take on more work than one can realistically handle and have a good time management skills.
- Be good at working under pressure, willing to take risks, and take on extra credit projects.
Conclusion
There’s a lot going on for choosing undergrad majors for medical school, so many options to consider. Also, medical school application requirements test students’ knowledge and skills in a variety of disciplines, including mathematics, biology, chemistry, human anatomy, physiology, and medicine.
So, I have listed some of the best pre-meds undergrad majors to guide the students who want to pursue higher medical degrees. Hence, this will hopefully be a great starting point for anyone that wants to major in medicine or has already decided on that as an option.
FAQs
English is the best foreign language for medicine to learn since it’s one of the most widely spoken.
To become a doctor, students must complete their MBBS. After class 10th, students should take biology and Science if they want to become doctors. Biology, Chemistry, and Physics are crucial.