Marissa Stinnett, Class of 2020
As a student at UCLA, one of the most--if not the most--asked question is “Are you a North or South Campus major?”
Whether your major is either North or South Campus is entirely up to you. However, what is of even greater importance is that when most people hear “South Campus,” there next statement is almost exclusively: “Oh, so you’re Pre-Med”--as if it there is no option for any other profession if your field of study is STEM.
Such a reaction brings up two common misconceptions regarding major and the medical field: 1) the assumption that a STEM major is only good for going to medical school and 2) the erroneous concept that you have to be a STEM major in order to become a doctor. While both thoughts are of equal importance to familiarize oneself with, the remainder of this article will be discussing the latter.
According to UCLA’s Career Center, in the past couple of years, the majors with 5 or more accepted applicants to medical schools have all been STEM. Among the most popular are Biochemistry, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, Physiological Science, and Psychobiology. In fact, in both 2013 and 2014, the majors with 5 or more accepted applicants were solely from STEM-related fields. Thus, the majority of UCLA students who are getting accepted to medical schools are primarily South Campus majors. This feeds the stereotype that in order to go to medical school, a student must have a deep passion for any and all things STEM, when, in fact, that is entirely not the case.
It is understandable that these majors make up the bulk of medical school acceptances, for most people who major in anything STEM have rather similar lower division coursework to the pre-requisite classes that students must take in order to prepare for the MCAT and apply to medical schools. Since their coursework for their major is the same coursework they would need to focus on in order to attend for medical school, it often seems like the most practical choice.
However, what is most practical is not necessarily what is best for developing and fostering a spirit of helping others, thinking critically, and eventually becoming a holistic physician. A student might have a passion for writing and a nact for communicating one’s thoughts and arguments clearly, yet she must fit into the mold of the “perfect Pre-Med” and forego that side of herself. A student may care deeply about public policy and legislation affecting healthcare, but he is coerced into majoring in Biology because that is what is going to get him into medical school. A student with the most beautiful voice may have studied opera performance his whole life as a hobby, yet all along, he knows his true calling is medicine; thus, he must leave behind such an identity because physics majors are not supposed to be able to sing. All of such scenarios stifle Pre-Med students’ abilities to exercise talents or skills that make them unique, interesting, and special.
The American Medical Student Association, known more colloquially as AMSA, recognizes the importance of choosing the major that is right for the student. In addition, AMSA states that it is “generally recognized that your pre-med major itself does not play an enormous role in influencing admissions committees.” Admissions committees “will not heavily value one field of study over another.” Thus, it is clear that selecting a stereotypical Pre-Med major is not the only route to get into medical school, as an alternative option may be more beneficial for certain students.
Furthermore, the Association of American Medical Colleges, also known as AAMC, does not even have a page or a column about the “perfect” Pre-Med major. Instead, it provides information about the admission requirements for medical school, which essentially just states the basic prerequisite coursework for most medical schools. This continues to assert that one does not have to major in something related to STEM in order to be a competitive applicant for admission into medical school. Students who major in fields relating more towards the humanities or arts have to simply complete said prerequisites in addition to the coursework for their major.
Some may argue that medicine is a scientific field, making a STEM major the best precursor to a life as a physician; however, that does not mean that you have to love science in order to be a good doctor. For instance, medicine, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease.” One should not be fooled with the presence of the word “science” in the definition of medicine, for science means “the state of knowing” or “a department of systemized knowledge as an object of study.” Thus, medicine is essentially the knowledge of maintaining health and preventing or easing disease. While a background in some science is essential in order to understand concepts relating to the body and its systems, it is does not mean that an aspiring physician must be an aspiring scientist.
Thus, the next time you asks someone whether he or she is a North or South Campus major and his or her answer is “South,” remember not to fall into the trap of assuming they are Pre-Med. Even more importantly, undergraduates need not be so concerned with what field of study their peers will have printed on their degree come graduation; instead, they should inquire what the next steps are for someone after they have successfully completed a major in such subject. For aspiring medical students, there is a minimum of at least 7 years of schooling after finishing one’s undergraduate degree. Therefore, it is essential to know that for all of those future doctors out there, one’s major most definitely does not define you.
Whether your major is either North or South Campus is entirely up to you. However, what is of even greater importance is that when most people hear “South Campus,” there next statement is almost exclusively: “Oh, so you’re Pre-Med”--as if it there is no option for any other profession if your field of study is STEM.
Such a reaction brings up two common misconceptions regarding major and the medical field: 1) the assumption that a STEM major is only good for going to medical school and 2) the erroneous concept that you have to be a STEM major in order to become a doctor. While both thoughts are of equal importance to familiarize oneself with, the remainder of this article will be discussing the latter.
According to UCLA’s Career Center, in the past couple of years, the majors with 5 or more accepted applicants to medical schools have all been STEM. Among the most popular are Biochemistry, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, Neuroscience, Physiological Science, and Psychobiology. In fact, in both 2013 and 2014, the majors with 5 or more accepted applicants were solely from STEM-related fields. Thus, the majority of UCLA students who are getting accepted to medical schools are primarily South Campus majors. This feeds the stereotype that in order to go to medical school, a student must have a deep passion for any and all things STEM, when, in fact, that is entirely not the case.
It is understandable that these majors make up the bulk of medical school acceptances, for most people who major in anything STEM have rather similar lower division coursework to the pre-requisite classes that students must take in order to prepare for the MCAT and apply to medical schools. Since their coursework for their major is the same coursework they would need to focus on in order to attend for medical school, it often seems like the most practical choice.
However, what is most practical is not necessarily what is best for developing and fostering a spirit of helping others, thinking critically, and eventually becoming a holistic physician. A student might have a passion for writing and a nact for communicating one’s thoughts and arguments clearly, yet she must fit into the mold of the “perfect Pre-Med” and forego that side of herself. A student may care deeply about public policy and legislation affecting healthcare, but he is coerced into majoring in Biology because that is what is going to get him into medical school. A student with the most beautiful voice may have studied opera performance his whole life as a hobby, yet all along, he knows his true calling is medicine; thus, he must leave behind such an identity because physics majors are not supposed to be able to sing. All of such scenarios stifle Pre-Med students’ abilities to exercise talents or skills that make them unique, interesting, and special.
The American Medical Student Association, known more colloquially as AMSA, recognizes the importance of choosing the major that is right for the student. In addition, AMSA states that it is “generally recognized that your pre-med major itself does not play an enormous role in influencing admissions committees.” Admissions committees “will not heavily value one field of study over another.” Thus, it is clear that selecting a stereotypical Pre-Med major is not the only route to get into medical school, as an alternative option may be more beneficial for certain students.
Furthermore, the Association of American Medical Colleges, also known as AAMC, does not even have a page or a column about the “perfect” Pre-Med major. Instead, it provides information about the admission requirements for medical school, which essentially just states the basic prerequisite coursework for most medical schools. This continues to assert that one does not have to major in something related to STEM in order to be a competitive applicant for admission into medical school. Students who major in fields relating more towards the humanities or arts have to simply complete said prerequisites in addition to the coursework for their major.
Some may argue that medicine is a scientific field, making a STEM major the best precursor to a life as a physician; however, that does not mean that you have to love science in order to be a good doctor. For instance, medicine, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease.” One should not be fooled with the presence of the word “science” in the definition of medicine, for science means “the state of knowing” or “a department of systemized knowledge as an object of study.” Thus, medicine is essentially the knowledge of maintaining health and preventing or easing disease. While a background in some science is essential in order to understand concepts relating to the body and its systems, it is does not mean that an aspiring physician must be an aspiring scientist.
Thus, the next time you asks someone whether he or she is a North or South Campus major and his or her answer is “South,” remember not to fall into the trap of assuming they are Pre-Med. Even more importantly, undergraduates need not be so concerned with what field of study their peers will have printed on their degree come graduation; instead, they should inquire what the next steps are for someone after they have successfully completed a major in such subject. For aspiring medical students, there is a minimum of at least 7 years of schooling after finishing one’s undergraduate degree. Therefore, it is essential to know that for all of those future doctors out there, one’s major most definitely does not define you.
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