What are the hardest medical school majors?

Asked by: Jerad Von  |  Last update: August 12, 2023
Score: 4.8/5 (30 votes)

Many of the fields that are important to study of medicine are also some of the hardest majors. These include molecular biology, chemistry, and physics. Because of this, pre-med students often have a difficult time choosing what to focus on during their undergraduate years.

What is the most difficult class in medical school?

Most students consider their first semester of Biochemistry to be the hardest class they've ever taken. Students with a limited knowledge of biology will find this one especially challenging.

What major is easiest for med school?

If you're looking for the most straightforward path, biological sciences, including majors like molecular biology, cell biology, and neuroscience, feature several courses that overlap with your medical school prerequisites. That's why nearly 60% of all applicants choose this major.

What major is most accepted to medical school?

According to this data, there are three major groups—humanities, math and statistics, and physical sciences—that enjoy higher admissions rates than others. In fact, these are the only three groups (aside from biological sciences) that get into medical school at a rate greater than 40 percent.

Which years of med school are the hardest?

Year one is the hardest year of medical school.

Many students will likely disagree, but the first year is widely recognized as being the most difficult. The majority of the first year of medical school is spent in classrooms and labs and requires an enormous amount of memorization.

The BEST PRE-MED MAJOR | Proven By Med School Acceptance Data

35 related questions found

Which is the most difficult degree of doctor?

MBBS or Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery is the toughest medical course that requires you to study for at least 5 years. After the first 5 years, you can choose your specialization and master it in the next 3 years. Further, you can specialize more in the field for 3 years or so.

What is the least stressful medical school?

Among would-be doctors, the Yale School of Medicine is famous for being mellow. Its educational approach, known as the Yale System, is an optimistic one: treat medical students like adults, give them plenty of freedom and responsibility, and they'll not only do fine in school, but also make fine doctors.

What major has the highest MCAT score?

Matriculants with math and statistics, physical science and humanities majors scored the highest on the MCAT, with scores of 514.8, 513.1 and 512.9 respectively. The average accepted GPA between majors is close across the board with math and statistics and physical sciences majors tied with a 3.61.

What is the ideal GPA for med school?

Many admissions officers view a GPA of 3.8 as very competitive, and they like to see at least a GPA of 3.5 or above. These scores will be especially competitive if your major is related to medicine, and it's even better if it's a difficult science major like neuroscience or physics.

Do med schools prefer certain majors?

In fact, there's no required or even preferred majors that medical schools are looking for. Consider majoring in whatever interests you and will keep you engaged and motivated during undergrad.

What is the hardest class for a pre-med major?

Organic Chemistry:

1 spot as the hardest college course. This course is often referred to as the “pre-med killer” because it actually has caused many pre-med majors to switch their major. Like all the others, this class requires a strong commitment to consistent and serious studying.

What is the easiest doctor field?

Easiest doctor to become: General practitioner
  • Psychiatry.
  • Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation.
  • Pediatrics.
  • Pathology.

What percentage of premeds get into med school?

That's an acceptance rate of only 40%, which is an increase from the previous cycle but still less than favorable odds. If you're a premed just starting your future doctor journey, these are worrisome statistics. There is a silver lining though. Getting into medical school isn't like winning the lottery.

How many med school students fail?

Graduation Rates

But almost 96% of six-year medical students graduate. The variation of people who fail out is large. It's between 7% and 35% based on yearly graduation rates. The rate of failure depends on years in the program, single or combined years, and personal issues.

What is the hardest medical field?

When weighing the options of what is the hardest doctor to become, those pursuing neurosurgery undeniably make up a considerable number. The surgical subspecialty of ENT treats conditions affecting the head and neck.

What is the toughest subject in Medicine?

Now, the toughest subject that has been voted on is ANATOMY. It is believed that anatomy has the basic topics that cover the entire syllabus of MBBS in Nepal. Medical courses in Nepal contain this subject –anatomy, which is considered as one of the main subjects in the foundation of a doctor's degree.

What med schools use the 32 hour rule?

Consider the “32-hour rule,” where certain medical schools only look at your most recent 32 credit hours to determine your GPA.
  • Wayne State University.
  • Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
  • Boston University Medical School.
  • Louisiana State University – New Orleans.

What is the average GPA of a doctor?

Average MCAT Scores and Average GPA for Med Schools

The average GPA for med schools overall is 3.64 for science and a 3.71 overall. Most medical schools require candidates to have a 3.0 or higher GPA to even apply, and many require 3.5 or higher.

Is a 2.8 GPA bad for med school?

It's difficult but not impossible to get into a top medical school with a GPA of 3.0 or lower if the med school has no GPA requirement. Data from the AAMC shows that acing the MCAT ( a score above 517) and having a GPA between 2.8 and 2.99 results in a 46.7% chance of admission.

Has anyone gotten a 528 on the MCAT?

Since this method is not perfect, we'll leave you with a range; between 30 and 70 students every year achieve a perfect 528 MCAT. This is out of the nearly three hundred thousand students who take the exam.

What majors do well on the MCAT?

MCAT Scores by Undergrad Major

Interestingly, students who pursue math and statistics, humanities, and physical sciences as pre-med majors tend to achieve higher scores on the MCAT than those who take other majors. While there are exceptions, these three majors are definitely good majors for pre-med students.

Has anyone gotten 100% on the MCAT?

Anything between a score of 524 and 528 is considered in 100th percentile, and there is no perfect score, as the exam is calculated on a percentage basis and changes from year to year. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that about 85,000 people sit for the MCAT every year.

What type of doctor has the most free time?

If you think you want to be a doctor but don't want to take on the burden of being on call every night and weekend, consider pediatrics. It's one of the best medical specialties for work-life balance because it offers predictable hours and lots of time off.

What is the easiest doctor to become with high salary?

The 10 Least Competitive Specialties in Medicine
  • Family Medicine.
  • Pediatrics.
  • Psychiatry.
  • Emergency Medicine.
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
  • Neurology.
  • Child Neurology.
  • Pathology.

Which medical specialty has the least burnout?

Least Stressful Medical Specialties
  • Plastic Surgery. ...
  • Ophthalmology. ...
  • Orthopedics. ...
  • Emergency Medicine. ...
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) ...
  • Neurology. ...
  • Urology. ...
  • Critical Care. Critical care physician burnout rate (56%) was only second to Emergency Medicine in Medscape's 2022 report.