Cal's Career Center Health Team

Being a Pre-Med Non-Science Major at Cal

How has your experience as a pre-med non-science major been?

            When I was a freshman, I  was interested in the MCB major. Although, when I looked through the booklet of required courses to complete the major, I saw that most (if not all) of the classes were science. I wondered if I would have a chance to take anything else that interested me like anthropology, political science, public health, and other non-science classes. Either way, I decided to stick to MCB. I admit, I found the Math 1A-1B series hard, which helped me lean towards my interests even more. Around the end of my sophomore year, I started looking for majors that would let me take classes in all departments. That’s when I decided to major in Development Studies. With this major, I had room to take classes of interest while at the same time taking pre-med classes. I was juggling my major classes as well as pre-med requirements on the side. I thought I needed to have my pre-med requirements done around my senior year if I wanted to go to Med School straight out of CAL. But then I decided to take some time off before applying to med school after hearing Med School Dean’s/representatives speak at workshops. They encouraged students to take some time off before applying to Med School for a number of reasons. I wondered why I was so rushed to get into med school when there was no real reason to feel rushed. So I decided to take it slow, and finish the rest of my pre-med requirements at a post-baccalaureate program. This allowed me to take more of the classes I wanted to take like Portuguese, many P.E. classes, and others. I also decided to graduate in 5 years rather than the traditional 4. During my fifth year, I’ve been taking upper division science classes like human anatomy, human reproduction, and other interesting courses. Taking some time off can be very beneficial because during that time off, one can volunteer, travel, explore other interests, and see if one is ready to commit to Med School. Applying and preparing for  Med School can also be much easier during that time off.

            I’ve really enjoyed being a non-traditional pre-med student because my major has allowed me to explore other interests in addition to science. Some people ask me: “But aren’t you at a disadvantage or falling behind in your sciences?” I say no. Many Med Schools encourage students to major in something that interests them and where they can

do well in. In a post-baccalaureate program, students can finish the pre-med requirements without feeling rushed.  I can truly say I am well rounded when it comes to academics.   

 

By Edith Bretado, Career Center Peer Health Advisor

Being a Pre-Med Science Major at Cal

Myth or Fact:  All pre-med students must be a science major. 

Major MYTH!

In fact, most medical schools do not care what you major in as an undergraduate as long as you complete the pre-med course requirements and demonstrate a passion for medicine.  So why major in science?  Well, for one thing, science is cool! I decided to major in science because really appreciated my high school science classes.  Also, learning about evolution, the urea cycle, photosynthesis, the nervous system, bacterial pathogenesis, human anatomy and physiology, and genetics is very exciting! Many of the concepts taught in science courses at Cal

can be applied to everyday life.  For example, when I start to feel a little sick, I know that it is because cytokines are being released as my immune system prepares to fight off the incoming infection. Being a science major introduced me to a new way of thinking about things. Learning about these things can be really fun, but can also be overwhelming…especially as a pre-med student.

All of us who have taken a science course at Cal know what it is like:  highly competitive.  People even compete to get inside the lecture hall to get the best seats.  This high level of competition can be a bit overwhelming at times and it can even cause some stress which might affect the way you learn the material.  The grade distributions do not help either.  Why is a 90% a B+ instead of an A-?  Oh right, because this is Berkeley, and everyone is a genius.  Not true.  It is all in how hard you are willing to work.  Being a pre-med science major may seem a little rough, but it also has its benefits. If you learn to manage your time well…actually, REALLY well, then you should not have a problem.  The hardest part of being a science major is keeping up with the work (i.e. overcoming the temptation to procrastinate) and trying to ignore the competition.  Once you have mastered this, you can learn and have fun at the same time. 

Another benefit of being a pre-med and a science major is that many (if not all) of the pre-med requirements are also science major requirements.  This is why most people say that the Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) major should just be called “Pre-Med Major.”  This is not entirely true, however, because after completing the pre-med requirements, science majors also have to complete upper division science courses.  While these courses are mostly really interesting, a passion for science is almost necessary to do well in them.   These classes are very time-consuming and require a lot of studying.  Because of this, many science majors might not have time to take other non-science classes that they are interested in.  However, it can be done. 

I am a science major and since freshman year, I have been able to fit in at least one non-science class into my schedule.  In all honesty, however, during my freshman and sophomore years, I usually chose classes that I thought would not be very time-consuming just so I can balance these humanities courses with my science classes.  Being in labs for at least four hours a week left me no choice!  However, now that I am taking upper division courses I find that I have a lot more room in my schedule to take classes that I want to take.  For example, this semester I am taking a language class and a social psychology class in addition to my immunology and bacterial pathogenesis classes.  I feel that this is a good balance because I am getting a little of both worlds.  With only three major requirements left, I feel that I have a lot of room to explore different departments and finally take the classes that I have wanted to take during my senior year.

So while being a science major may seem a little tough, a little time management and schedule planning will help you develop a well-rounded education at  Cal.

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by Roaya Namdari, Career Center Health Peer