jessemaximus asked: What are your thought and/or experiences on a humanities or other than science major for an undergrad seeking admission to medical school?

Hi jessemaximus!

What do I think? I think it’s great! Especially because my major had a very large humanities component, I really value and appreciated the humanities background I had that enriched my science courses. 

When medical schools see applications from humanities and non-science majors, the key word is balance. Do enough humanities and non-science courses to enjoy yourselves and learn enough to get your major, and do the same for your science courses; don’t try to avoid them! They want to see that you can truly do both. Otherwise, they will tell you to hit the highway and go for a PhD in the humanities or the sciences, but not an MD. 

That being said, the value of humanities is not to be underestimated when applying for medical school. The current trend is to seek students with humanities backgrounds or have science majors who are still well-rounded. This stems from an interest in fostering the multi-disciplinary nature of medicine. Thus, an individual with a non-science major can be seen as very appealing! But again, it’s a balancing act. The admission committees need to know that you’ll be able to take on the rigors of science courses, so remember to get breadth and depth in your science courses that can parallel your humanities courses!

If your concern is that it’s harder for those of us who aren’t science majors to get into medical school, it’s up to each individual’s resume and their willingness to be a well-rounded person. Those who put in this effort will not be disadvantaged; we are definitely not handicapped. Enjoy your passions, science or non-science in undergrad! Your ambition will show, and medicine values passionate, ambitious, balanced individuals!

I hope that helps, let me know!

Love,

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