Is Pre Med a Major in College?

Contents

1. What exactly is a pre-med major?
2. Which major will help you get into med school?
3. Pre-requisites for medical school
4. General medical school admission requirements
5. Picking the right undergrad college
6. Ready to start researching colleges?

Choosing a major can feel overwhelming—like your first big step toward shaping your entire future. Throw in extra questions and doubts, and suddenly, you might be questioning everything.

In this article, we’ll clear up whether pre-med counts as a major. Plus, we’ll share some of the most popular (and flexible) majors pre-med students go for.

What exactly is a pre-med major?

At most schools, pre-med isn’t actually a major (same goes for pre-law, pre-dentistry, pre-vet, or pre-pharmacy). You can major in anything and still get into med school.

Pre-med is more like a program you follow alongside your major to prepare you for the med school application process.

A lot of students assume you have to major in biology or another STEM field to qualify for med school. But just because you’re good at science doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be a great doctor.

Which major will help you get into med school?

Med schools want students who can listen, analyze data, think critically, show empathy, and work with all kinds of people. Because of that, liberal arts majors get accepted just as often as STEM majors—as long as they’ve taken the right pre-requisite courses.

Pre-requisites for medical school

If you’re aiming for med school, make sure to take these classes:

• Biology (two semesters in a row, with labs)
• Chemistry, including general (inorganic), organic, and biochemistry
• English or a writing-heavy course (two semesters)
• Genetics (one semester)
• Math (two semesters, covering calculus and stats)
• Physics (two sequential courses with labs)
• Psychology (at least one semester)
• Sociology (at least one semester)

General medical school admission requirements

The three biggest things that determine med school eligibility are:

1. The courses you’ve taken
2. Your college GPA
3. Your MCAT score

Students apply to med school through the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®). AMCAS® uses a formula that combines GPA and MCAT scores. Med schools then filter applicants based on those results. The better your grades and test scores, the higher your chances of getting your application reviewed.

After the initial screening, the process becomes more holistic. Med school admissions teams will want:

• Strong recommendation letters (3–5 professors, at least two from science courses) that explain why you’d make a great doctor.
• Patient care experience—gained through roles like CNA, EMT, Medical Assistant, or phlebotomist.
• Undergrad research (doesn’t have to be medical research).
• Well-written, thoughtful essays on why you want to be a doctor.

Picking the right undergrad college

Choosing the right undergrad school can make a big difference in your med school admissions journey. You might assume you need to go to a big-name research university with its own med school.

But sometimes, a smaller school—where you can build close relationships with professors, dive into research opportunities, and maintain a strong GPA—might be a better fit. And no, attending a university with a med school doesn’t boost your chances of getting into that med school.

When visiting schools, ask about their pre-med programs. Find out how they help students get research and patient care experience.

Ask if they offer:

• MCAT prep
• Application support
• Recommendation letter guidance

Also, check their med school acceptance rates and where their students get in. Most importantly—will you thrive there academically and earn solid grades? If yes, hit the books!

Ready to start researching colleges?

If you’re a student-athlete aiming to play in college, you’ve got even more to think about. Your college list will include extra factors compared to non-athletes, so it’s smart to start researching early.

With a free Appily account, you can explore colleges and find schools you might’ve overlooked. Compare them based on:

• Athletic conference & association
• Tuition costs
• Average scholarship awards
• Application deadlines
• Acceptance rates

Just click the button below to access all the tools you need to plan, decide, and apply for college.