Biology, or a subfield of biology such as microbiology, is a common undergraduate major for those interested in pursuing a medical degree. The required courses for a biology degree serve as preparation for the courses in medical schooling, such as biology and chemistry courses. These can complement the courses that will be taken in medical school, thus helping the student to excel in them. High grades in these courses could also be appealing to a medical school admission representative.
A chemistry or biochemistry undergraduate degree can be helpful for a student looking to go on to medical school. Courses in this major can serve as helpful prerequisites for gaining admission into a medical program following graduation. Proving you can master and excel in complex science courses such as biochemistry and organic chemistry can help showcase you as a prime candidate for a medical school or program.
Because the medical profession is a highly technical and complex field, an engineering degree will be attractive on your medical school application. Engineering is also a highly technical field, and by proving you have mastered this style of thinking and reasoning, you can strengthen your application. Successfully undertaking the challenge of achieving an engineering degree can help you to prove to admissions departments that you will likewise succeed in the medical field.
Degrees in liberal arts or in fields completely separate from the medical field can showcase you as a candidate with a diverse educational background that could complement a variety of medical fields and specialties. A degree in criminal justice, for example, would be a beneficial foundation for someone pursuing a career as a forensic scientist. A degree in marketing or business would show a savvy for dealing with the corporate world, as a doctor would eventually do as a part of a hospital or medical board. An English degree would show that the candidate is well-read and a skilled writer, skills that would complement and benefit a medical student as well as a doctor.