Research Assessment #4

Date: ​October 11, 2018

Subject: ​Obstetrics and Gynecology

Mla Citation:
Powell, Farran. “Top Undergrad Majors at the Best Medical Schools.” ​U.S. News & World
Report​, U.S. News & World Report, 20 Mar. 2017, 8:30am,
www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/articles/2017-03-
20/top-undergrad-majors-at-the-best-medical-schools.

Analysis:

This past week I was lucky enough to have another phone interview with an impressive
OB-GYN, and I also had my first in person interview! This in person was actually with a
pediatrician, but I still learned valuable information and was given some excellent input. I
decided to branch out away from just interviewing OB-GYNs because I received some advice
during my multiple phone interviews that all said the same thing: be open minded. All of the
OB-GYNs that I interviewed went into medical school expecting to become a different type of
doctor that they are now. They all recommended to keep your mind open, be flexible and willing
to switch professional interests. While I am interested in Obstetrics and Gynecology, I don’t
want to seclude myself in a corner, and would rather interview any physician that is willing to
talk to me and learn as much as I can about their different professions and the medical field in
general. In my most recent interview with the pediatrician Dr. Kumar, I asked him what college
major he would recommend to a student that wanted to go to medical school. I was expecting
him to answer biology or chemistry, but his actual response surprised and excited me. He said
that he would recommend not majoring in science at all, but study something in liberal arts, the
social sciences, the humanities, or anything that your passionate and interested in besides
medicine. Dr. Kumar then went onto explain how the doctors that majored in social sciences or
liberal arts brought a unique and helpful perspective into the medical field. I thought this was
quite fascinating, and was curious to know how many medical students with non biology related
majors were accepted into medical schools, which is why I chose to analyze the article ​“Top
Undergrad Majors at the Best Medical Schools” by Farran Powell. This article discusses the
percentage of different college majors that are accepted into medical school and explains why
some medical programs are seeking out students with different degrees that are not related to
biology.
The article begins by explaining the most common undergraduate majors at the top
medical schools. The first major, unsurprisingly, is biological related sciences at 41 percent, but
that means that 59 percent of all the other majors are non biology related, with 19 percent of the
majors being completely unrelated to science at all. The article then discusses how over the last
15 years medical schools have put a bigger emphasis on educational balance, which means that
premedical students now need to focus on the humanities and different sciences. This new
emphasis on a balanced education has even reflected in the new MCAT, with the test introducing
a new subsection: Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior. Lastly, the
article explained how having a non biology related major can actually make them a more
attractive candidate and will help them bring a unique perspective into the medical field.
I really enjoyed reading this article, and if I chose to go to medical school, I will most
likely select a degree that is not related to biology and will just take the prerequisite classes that
are mandatory for medical school, or will minor in biology. I am interested in many different
things and am excited about the possibility of majoring in the liberal arts while still being able to
take science courses and eventually go to medical school.  
 

 
Top Undergrad Majors at the Best Medical 
Schools 
Biological science is among the most popular undergrad majors at 
top-ranked medical schools, U.S. News data show. 

By ​Farran Powell ​, Reporter |March 20, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. 

Top Undergrad Majors at the Best Medical School 

  
Almost 50 percent of medical students at Harvard Medical School pursued an 
undergrad degree in biological science, according to data submitted to U.S. News. (Joe 
Daniel Price/Getty Images) 
Megan Schwehr always knew she wanted to be a doctor, even though she didn't decide 
on her major until her sophomore year of c
​ ollege​. 
"I wanted to pick a major that helped me get there," says the 22-year-old, who initially 
thought a major in biology would serve that purpose. "I actually enjoyed chemistry more 
than I thought I would, and it seemed to be a better fit for what I needed to get into med 
school – so I switched to biochemistry." 
The Idaho native finished her biochemistry degree with a minor in mathematics at 
Linfield College​ in Oregon last December and was accepted at the ​University of 
Washington School of Medicine​, which ranks No. 1 among the 2
​ 018 Best Medical 
Schools for Primary Care​. 
 
"The classes I took catered to the MCAT perfectly," she says. "One concept that was on 
the test I literally learned in my molecular biology class the day before the exam." 
Schwehr isn't the only premed student who studied a biology-related discipline to be 
accepted at a ​competitive medical program​. 
In fact, more than 40 percent of premed students accepted at the top 11 – due to ties – 
Best Medical Schools for Primary Care or the top 10 ​Best Medical Schools for Research 
in 2016 studied a major with a biological science emphasis, according to data 
submitted to U.S. News by 113 ranked medical schools in an annual survey. 
 
(FARRAN POWELL/USN&WR) 
 
Even though Schwehr was accepted at UW, she says, "I applied to Harvard just to get 
rejected." 
Premedical advisers say some top-ranked medical schools are more interested in 
applicants who not only have good metrics in science courses but have also taken 
social sciences electives. 
 
"Previously, medical schools were focused upon excellent preparation for biomedical 
sciences," says Dr. Anthony McGreggor Crowley, a college adviser at IvyWise who used 
to serve on the H
​ arvard Medical School​ admissions committee. "Over the last 15 years 
or so, there has been more emphasis on balance, meaning that premedical students 
now need to focus on these foundational biological courses and on the humanities." 
Crowley says the shift is also reflected in the new ​MCAT​, which now has a new 
subsection: Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior. 
Degrees in the social sciences at both the top medical schools for primary care and 
research represent only a sliver of students. 
At the top 11 medical schools for primary care, 14 percent of students studied social 
sciences, while 19 percent studied "other" as their major. Among the top 10 research 
medical schools, 17 percent of students held a degree in social sciences compared with 
12 percent who held "other" for their undergrad degree. 
But more interdisciplinary majors that allow students to take a mix of health studies 
with the traditional medical sciences, such as organic chemistry and biochemistry, have 
emerged in recent years, experts say. 
The U
​ niversity of Texas—Dallas​, as an example, launched a bachelor's degree in health 
care studies four years ago. The program allows students to take a blend of health care 
topics with traditional premed science courses, says a UT—Dallas spokesperson. 
UT—Dallas student Aseel Dweik, 21, says she decided on this major for her premed 
studies because it allowed her to take electives that suited her interests. "You get a 
taste of everything, and it all revolves around one field." 
Dweik was accepted this year at the U
​ niversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 
and ​Baylor College of Medicine​, which are both tied at No. 8 for Best Medical Schools 
for Primary Care. 
Premed advisers say liberal arts programs can even help boost a student's profile when 
applying to med school​. 
 
"I find my colleagues with nonscience backgrounds bring a great deal to the table," 
Crowley says. "They are often attuned to the psychosocial etiology of diseases and may 
have a leg up on understanding the complexity of illness and its effects on a patient, her 
family and society." 
Michelle Grundy, director of the health professions advising office for V
​ anderbilt 
University​'s undergraduates, says two of the school's most popular majors for premed 
students are interdisciplinary. 
"Our most popular majors are more interdisciplinary like neuroscience or medical, health 
and society, where those majors have premed requirements, but also allow the student 
to understand a broad scope of health care in general," says Grundy, who helps students 
put together med school applications. 
The health professions adviser says that nearly 25 percent of the Vanderbilt 
undergraduate student body are interested in health professions, in part because the 
university is well-known for its medical school, a top medical research center. Nearly 16 
percent of the school's premed students were accepted at ​Vanderbilt University School 
of Medicine​ last year, ranked at No. 14 for Best Medical Schools for Research. 
Grundy's advice to undergraduates: "It doesn't help you to have a medicine and society 
degree if you have really low metrics. But if you have this diverse major and really good 
metrics, maybe it makes you a more attractive candidate in general."