Choosing a Major

“A student's choice of major should reflect a genuine intellectual curiosity and a passion for the discipline rather than a desire to please a medical school admissions committee. … Students at interviews need to explain their choice of major as something that they found intellectually exciting rather than a means to an end.” – M. McGrath, The Advisor

Students can major in any area of interest. Students should select majors and concentrations based on their abilities, interests and a major which will provide an academic base necessary for pursuing a variety of career options. An undergraduate course of study should not be focused exclusively on a future career in medicine but a springboard to examine a variety of careers related to medicine or outside of the medical arena. Students interested in medicine do not need to major in biology or chemistry. The following table reprinted from the 2002-2003 MSAR book reflects the variety of majors in the 2000 medical school class. A Biomedical Studies Concentration may be useful in developing a range of career options.

Acceptance to Medical School by Undergraduate Major, 2000-2001 Entering Class
 
Total Applicants
Accepted Applicants
  No. % Of Total No. % of Major
Undergraduate Major        
Biological Sciences
Biology
13,226
35.7
5,916
44.7
Microbiology
1,118
3.0
495
44.3
Physiology
560
1.5
239
42.7
Science (other bio)
935
2.5
473
50.6
Zoology
694
1.9
301
43.4
Subtotal
16,533
44.6
7,424
44.9
 
Physical Sciences
Biochemistry
2,170
5.9
1,068
49.2
Biomedical Engineering
380
1.0
248
65.3
Chemical Engineering
307
0.8
176
57.3
Chemistry
1,877
5.1
940
50.1
Chemistry & Biology
306
0.8
128
41.8
Electrical Engineering
150
0.4
77
51.3
Mathematics
216
0.6
120
55.6
Natural Sciences
179
0.5
98
54.7
Physics
174
0.5
97
55.7
Science (General)
190
0.5
76
40.0
Subtotal
5,949
16.0
3,028
50.9
 
Nonscience Subjects
Anthropology
307
0.8
168
54.7
Economics
383
1.0
213
55.6
English
442
1.2
241
54.5
Foreign Language
317
0.9
161
50.8
History
383
1.0
226
59.0
Philosophy
191
0.5
115
60.2
Political Science
197
0.5
99
50.3
Psychobiology
298
0.8
150
50.3
Psychology
1,680
4.5
758
45.1
Sociology
161
0.4
69
42.9
Subtotal 4,359 11.8 2,200 50.5
         
Other Health Professions        
Medical Technology
149
0.4
39
26.2
Nursing
240
0.6
66
27.5
Pharmacy
156
0.4
50
32.1
Subtotal 545 1.5 155 28.4
         
Mixed Disciplines        
Double Major Science
860
2.3
432
50.2
Double Major Science/Non-Science
1,493
4.0
881
50.2
Interdisciplinary Studies
223
0.6
143
59.0
Pre-medical
592
1.6
220
64.1
Pre-professional
148
0.4
60
37.2
Subtotal 3,316 8.9 1,736 52.4
         
Other*        
Other
6,390
17.2
2,995
46.9
Subtotal
6,390
17.2
2,995
46.9
         
Grand Total
37,092
100.0
17,538
47.3

*Those applicants not reporting an undergraduate major are inluded in "Other."

Source: AAMC Data Warehouse: Applicant Matriculant File, as of November 22, 2000

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