What Kind of Degree is Best for Applying to Med School?

Kats writes:

Please help me…I’m dazed on how to get into medical school. You see, I really want to become a doctor, but unfortunately my parents do not have the means to send me to med school. Instead, I took up a science-related courses hoping that I can somehow catch up with the pre-med students. But I’m not happy with my current courses. I have heard some pre-med students in our school are dissuading other hopeful medical students to enter med school. Does a bachelor of science degree versus a bachelor of arts degree really matter when applying to med school? Would it be more advisable to take up the B.S instead of B.A? Please help me. I really do appreciate an expert’s opinion right now.

The Career Doctor responds:

I’m kind of confused because you say you want to go to medical school, but you don’t think you have the means to do so… you decided not to be pre-med in college and instead are following some other degree path, possibly ending with a bachelor of arts rather than science?

I haven’t seen any statistics, but my guess is that most people who apply to medical school can’t afford it, but make it through fellowships, scholarships, and student loans. So, if money is the only thing stopping you from following your dream, don’t let it.

If your passion is to become a doctor, then you need to find a way to do so…

Majoring in a pre-med program makes the most sense, but you do not need to do so to get accepted into medical school. I had a student a few years ago who was a dual business and biochemistry major, but as soon as he was accepted into medical school, he dropped the science major and graduated with a business degree. The key was he had taken all the core science classes that medical schools required (and he had scored well on the MCAT).

So, your goal should be to research exactly the requirements you need for medical — and then follow whatever degree path makes sense to you.

By the way, the business degree was a great idea for my student because he planned to open his own practice and wanted the business skills to help him be successful with it.