What is the best major for med school?

The answer is: there isn’t one best major that will prepare you for medical school. Actually, medical schools don’t really care what you choose to major in, as long as you demonstrate that you’re able to perform well in the sciences.

Having said that, most pre-med students do choose to major in one of the natural sciences because they like those fields and tend to do well in them (hence the interest in attending medical school). At Pitt, biology and neuroscience are the most popular choices; chemistry is also a common major for pre-meds. However, if you have a very strong interest in one of the arts, humanities or social sciences, feel free to pursue that field as a major. Just be sure to work closely with your academic advisor to integrate the needed science courses into your plan of study.

If you are unsure about your interests and having a hard time deciding on a major, please contact a career counselor in Career Services. There are many ways a counselor can help you to define your interests and to choose the major that will work best for you.

What if I don’t decide until later in college that I want to go to medical school? Is it too late?

No, it is not too late for you to pursue a career in medicine. However, you will still need to do all of the things listed above before you will be ready to apply. Be sure to schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to discuss the science and math courses you will need to take and how those courses will fit into your curriculum. Also schedule an appointment with the Health Professions Counselor to talk about the application process, and how you can become the best candidate that you can be. You’ll also need to decide – realistically—when you should apply. Trying to cram a lot of courses, volunteer work, research experience and studying for the MCAT into a few months, just so you’ll be able to meet deadlines, doesn’t make too much sense if you could wait for a year, get better grades, experiences and scores and be a much more attractive candidate.

After working for a few years after graduation, I’ve decided that I want to be a doctor. Am I too old to go to medical school?

NO!!! Actually, the average age of medical students has increased slightly over the past few years, so you’re certainly not alone in your decision to wait for a couple of years. Again, you’ll need to assess your credentials (coursework, grades, volunteer and research experience) to see what you need to do to make yourself a good candidate. Many schools accept people in their 30’s and 40’s every year; if you are older than 50, however, you may have a more difficult time gaining entrance – not that it’s impossible, mind you, but older candidates do sometimes have more difficulty getting admitted than those in the younger age brackets. Again, focusing on the quality of your candidacy is what will be most important.

How many times can I take the MCAT?

You can take the MCAT up to 3 times before you will have to provide documentation (either a completed AMCAS or AACOMAS application, a letter of rejection from a medical school or a letter from the Health Professions Counselor) indicating why it’s necessary for you to take the test a fourth time. If you are taking the MCAT, it is expected that you do intend to apply to medical school and pursue a career as a physician. Keep in mind, though, that MCAT scores rarely change by more than a point or two, and there’s always the possibility of earning a lower score, as well as a higher one; also, most medical schools are very wary of candidates who have taken the MCAT more than twice.

I know my grades are too low to get accepted to medical school. How can I improve my application?

There are several ways to improve your grades and prove to admissions committees that you can handle the advanced level science coursework required of a medical student. You may choose to only repeat a few courses, if most of your science grades were good, but you struggled with a few classes. You could also consider enrolling in a post-baccalaureate program or a Master’s Program in one of the hard sciences (other Master’s programs will probably not help your application much). I keep hearing about post-baccalaureate programs. What are they and should I enroll in one? Post-baccalaureate (or post-bacc, for short) programs seem to come in two varieties: programs for career changers, who have little or no science background; and programs for application improvers, who have a background in the sciences, but need to strengthen their credentials before applying (or re-applying) to medical school. These programs are offered by a number of colleges, universities and medical schools, and usually offer enrollees an opportunity to take courses in both the required and upper-level sciences. Some schools integrate preparation for the MCAT into their programs and some programs actually lead to a Master’s degree (usually in a subject like “medical studies”). Many applicants do not enroll in a post-bacc program until they have gone through an application cycle and have been rejected by all the schools to which they applied. However, you may want to consider a post-bacc program before you ever apply if you know your grades will be an issue. Obviously, people who have little or no coursework in the sciences should complete a post-bacc program before applying or taking the MCAT. The AAMC maintains a list of post-bacc programs on their website at www.aamc.org.

What is osteopathic medicine, and how is it different from allopathic medicine?

Osteopathic medicine is a branch of medicine that differs somewhat in philosophy and practice from allopathic medicine, although the training and licensure procedures are very similar. Osteopathic physicians earn the D.O. degree, instead of the M.D., and tend to have a focus on preventative and primary care, as opposed to specializing in a branch of medicine (not to say that osteopathic doctors don’t specialize, but it’s not as common). Also, osteopathic physicians learn and are able to practice Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT), a method of adjusting the musculoskeletal system and the spine. The requirements to enter an osteopathic medical school are the same as those required for allopathic schools, although some osteopathic schools ask for a letter of recommendation from an osteopathic physician, in addition to letters from faculty. There are 20 schools of osteopathic medicine in the United States – all of them are outlined in the Osteopathic Medical College Information Book.