All premed degrees aim to help students meet medical school requirements. These requirements differ from program to program, so before choosing your premed degree, make sure you know what medical schools you'd like to attend and know what they expect. The majority of medical schools look for an undergraduate degree, good MCAT scores, a competitive GPA, and a minimum of one year's study of biology, physics, chemistry, calculus, and English. When selecting a premed degree, make sure the program helps you meet these prerequisites.
Some schools offer a major called pre-medicine. This degree aims to meet the requirements for medical school by providing the necessary background in the sciences, and preparing participants for the MCAT. This curriculum emphasizes biology and chemistry and also provides the necessary background in physics and mathematics.
Majors in the specific sciences are also valid premed degrees. Degrees in chemistry, biology, bio-chemistry, physics or anatomy will qualify. When taking a scientific premed degree, make sure your general course selections also targets your future medical career. Courses like Latin, Greek and Latin medical terminology, and the history of medicine are beneficial.
Obtaining a nonscientific premed degree, with the right number of required science courses, is also a viable option. Some medical schools actually favor applicants who have a nonscientific undergraduate degree, as this makes a diverse student body. The best nonscientific premed majors include Latin, scientific etymology, history with emphasis on history of science, and philosophy, including ethics and philosophy of science. If you choose the root of a nonscientific major, remember that you still need to have at least a one year course in biology, physics, chemistry and calculus. You can either include these in your general education selection, or obtain them after completing your undergraduate degree.