University of Connecticut |
Biology Advising FAQ
I want to go to Medical (or Dental) school. What do I need to know?UConn has a Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Office, directed by Dr. Joseph Crivello. Their website contains lots of information that should answer most of your questions.Here are a few common questions and answers related to biology: Q. Can I major in Pre-Med? A. No. Neither UConn nor most other universities have such a major. Q. Which major is best for someone who wants to go to medical/dental school? A. Roughly 70% of UConn students who enter medical school majored in some form of biology. Another 20% or so majored in chemistry. The remaining 10% majored in a variety of subjects -- English, Political Science, Statistics, etc. Q. Which of the biology majors is best for a pre-medical student? A. Any of the majors in biology -- Biological Sciences, EEB, MCB, or PNB -- will give you good preparation for medical or dental school. Those schools only require a year of introductory level biology -- they don't expect that all their incoming medical or dental students have majored in biology. The more you learn about biology, the more you will find yourself well-prepared for the curriculum of medical or dental school. The MCAT or DAT exams don't require more than a solid foundation in introductory biology. What is more important is that you choose a major that you enjoy, and that allows you to explore and enrich you understanding and appreciation of biology. Don't worry about choosing a major that will make you "look good" on paper -- people evaluating your transcript and application information will be far more impressed by evidence that you have done well than by whether you chose major "A" over major "B". Review our advice on choosing a major. Don't forget that you can also minor in some area of biology -- for example, you could major in Biological Sciences and minor in MCB, PNB, or EEB if you want your transcript to carry evidence of specific accomplishment in some area. Q. Are there particular courses I should take that will help me prepare for medical school? A. If you really want to use your college career to get a head start on medical curriculum, you will find a number of courses in EEB, MCB and PNB that introduce concepts relevant to the medical curriculum. Examples include:
NOTE: this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, just some suggestions of UConn courses that may provide useful preparation for a medical curriculum. This page last updated 1 August 2008.
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