Is it better to take a science major to get into medical school or to take an unrelated major to be unique?

Most med schools are recommending students only take the prerequisite courses for entry into med school and study other topics that interest them. I would seek the counsel of your academic advisor on this matter, as they usually have been in contact with your state’s medical school and know what the schools prefer.

Unfortunately, most medical students go the science major route, which is why you see the statistics so heavily skewed with science majors. But that isn’t what the med schools want. Med schools want the ‘well-rounded’ applicant–meaning the non-science major. People relate to non-scientists better and non-scientists tend to relate to people better, too. This improves the quality of health care. Statistics also prove that people tend not to sue physicians they like–so it pays to be able to talk normally about non-medical things with your patients.

I have worked with physicians who have some rather unique interests and I have worked with those ‘robots’ who only know medicine. The ‘robots’ are technically skilled, but lousy doctors, usually.

Natural Science

While medical schools do often mine the best qualified students from all disciplines for the sake of diversity, they mine the science degrees more heavily than any other. Chemistry is likely the best prep.

If you do choose something other than science, you may find yourself in medical school but not prepared to succeed there.

If you are determined to study something other than science, I suggest Spanish. If you cannot get into an American school with it, you can go south to come back as what we call a “banana doc”. This is a path often taken by people who find they cannot get accepted to med school here.

best to pick a major that will compliment medical school. that doesnt mean you have to be a biochem major though. mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or any number of other majors. who knows, you might make the next big break through in science that helps mankind, and makes you rich.

you still have to take all of your science classes so you have a chance of doing well on your MCATs.

my uncle is cheif surgeon where he works, and he was a history major.

Why not a double major?

You should major in what interests you. Don’t do something stupid that will not interest you.