Medical school is a highly competitive field, and applicants must have a strong academic background to be accepted. According to data from the Association of Medical Schools of the United States (AAMC), there are three main groups that have higher admission rates than others: humanities, mathematics and statistics, and physical sciences.Majors in the humanities, such as modern or classical languages, literature or philosophy, have the third highest acceptance rate of all pre-medical categories represented. Mathematics and Statistics students have the highest GPA average and the highest MCAT scores in all specialties, but only have the third highest acceptance rate. Specializations in Mathematics and Statistics may include Applied Mathematics, General Mathematics, or Statistics. Students who specialize outside of the natural sciences have comparable acceptance rates.
This can be a good path for those who decide to pursue medicine halfway through their degree, or for those who want to stand out during the medical school application process by highlighting their skills in another area. All medical school candidates with a specialization that does not belong to one of the above categories are classified as “Other”.Regardless of your major, you'll need to plan your courses strategically to ensure that you meet all of your specialization and pre-medical requirements. You'll also need to demonstrate your knowledge and experience in scientific disciplines. Having a good sense of numbers won't guarantee success in medical school alone, so be prepared to also show your skills in other areas. Identifying the undergraduate courses that will make you the best candidate for medical school and ultimately help you succeed as a medical student is an inexact science.
But with the right preparation and dedication, you can qualify for admission to medical school as long as you meet the medical prerequisites.
