One of the most persistent myths in pre-med advising is that you need to major in biology or another science to get into medical school. You do not. Medical schools do not require or prefer any specific major. You can major in English, history, music, engineering, political science, art, philosophy, or any other field and still complete the pre-med prerequisites alongside your major coursework. The AAMC® data confirms this: students who major in humanities and social sciences are accepted to medical school at rates comparable to biology and chemistry majors when controlling for GPA and MCAT® scores. This page explains how to choose a major that serves you well as both a student and a future physician.
Why Major Choice Does Not Matter for Admissions
Medical school admissions committees evaluate your application based on your overall GPA, your science GPA (the GPA in biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses specifically), your MCAT® score, your clinical experience, your research experience, your letters of recommendation, your personal statement, and your interview performance. Your major is not a factor in this evaluation. A student with a 3.8 GPA in English, a 3.7 science GPA, and a 515 MCAT® is a stronger applicant than a student with a 3.3 GPA in biology, a 3.2 science GPA, and a 508 MCAT®, regardless of major.
In fact, non-science majors can offer a subtle advantage in the admissions process: they demonstrate intellectual breadth, distinguish you from the thousands of biology majors in the applicant pool, and develop skills (critical analysis, persuasive writing, ethical reasoning, cultural understanding) that complement your scientific training and make you a more well-rounded physician. Medical schools have explicitly stated that they welcome and value applicants from diverse academic backgrounds.
How to Choose Your Major
Choose what you love: You will spend 2 to 3 years taking courses in your major. If you major in a subject you find boring, your motivation will suffer, your grades may slip, and your college experience will be less fulfilling. Major in the subject that makes you excited to go to class, that you would study even if it were not required, and that you cannot stop thinking about after the lecture ends. That passion translates into better grades, more engaging conversations with professors, and a richer educational experience.
Choose where you can earn strong grades: Your GPA is critical for medical school. If you are naturally stronger in humanities than in science, majoring in a humanities field may help you maintain a higher overall GPA while you work harder in your prerequisite science courses. If you are strongest in science, majoring in biology or biochemistry aligns your major coursework with your prerequisites and may feel more efficient. There is no wrong answer. The right major is the one where you can earn your best grades while developing skills and knowledge that enrich your life and your future practice.
Consider practical factors: What if you decide not to pursue medicine? Approximately 50 to 60 percent of students who start as pre-med change their minds during college. A major that leads to career options outside of medicine (engineering, computer science, business, public health, education) provides a safety net that a narrowly focused pre-med biology major may not. This is not pessimism. It is practical planning that reduces the pressure on your medical school application by ensuring you have viable alternatives.
Common Major Paths for Pre-Med Students
Biology/Biochemistry: The most common pre-med majors. Significant overlap with prerequisites means fewer total courses, and upper-level biology courses (genetics, molecular biology, immunology, neuroscience) directly prepare you for the MCAT® and medical school. The downside: you are one of thousands of biology majors applying to medical school, and your major does not distinguish you.
Chemistry: Strong overlap with prerequisites and excellent preparation for the chemistry-heavy components of the MCAT® and medical school. Develops rigorous analytical thinking. Upper-level courses in physical chemistry and analytical chemistry go beyond what is required for pre-med but build a deeper understanding of the science.
Engineering/Computer Science: Develop quantitative reasoning, problem-solving, and systems thinking that are increasingly relevant to medicine (medical devices, health informatics, AI in healthcare). Coursework is demanding, which can make maintaining a high GPA challenging, but engineering and CS majors who perform well in their major and their prerequisites are highly competitive applicants.
Humanities and Social Sciences: English, history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and other humanities and social sciences develop communication, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and cultural understanding. These skills are directly relevant to patient care, and medical schools value the perspective that humanities-trained physicians bring. The challenge: you need to fit all pre-med prerequisites into your schedule alongside your major requirements, which may require careful planning and potentially summer courses.
Public Health: A growing option that combines population-level health thinking with individual health preparation. Public health majors study epidemiology, health policy, social determinants of health, and health promotion alongside their pre-med prerequisites. This background prepares you well for the MCAT® Psych/Soc section and for the increasing emphasis on population health in medical education. See our MD-MPH page.
Double Majors and Minors
Some students double major (biology and a humanities field, for example) or add a minor to their primary major. This can work well if you can maintain strong grades across both sets of courses. However, overloading your course schedule to accommodate a double major at the expense of your GPA, clinical experience, research, or wellbeing is counterproductive. A single major with a high GPA and strong extracurricular profile is always preferable to a double major with a lower GPA and thinner experiences. Use a minor or second major strategically, not compulsively.
For course planning, see our pre-med requirements page and pre-med timeline. For academic support, see our pre-health advising page.
The Double-Edged Sword of Biology: Biology is the most common pre-med major, and there are good reasons for this: significant overlap with prerequisites reduces your total course load, and upper-level biology courses directly prepare you for the MCAT® and medical school. However, biology majors face two challenges. First, grade deflation in competitive science departments can lower your GPA compared to what you might earn in a humanities or social science major with the same level of effort. Second, you are one of tens of thousands of biology majors applying to medical school, which means your major does not differentiate you. If you choose biology, you need other elements of your application (research, clinical experience, personal statement, non-science activities) to distinguish you from the crowd. If you choose a non-science major, your major itself is a differentiator, but you need to demonstrate that you can handle college-level science through strong prerequisite grades and MCAT® performance.
Changing Your Mind: Approximately 30 percent of college students change their major at least once. If you start as a biology major and discover a passion for psychology, philosophy, or public health, switching majors does not derail your pre-med plans. As long as you complete the prerequisite courses (which you can take alongside any major), your pre-med status is unaffected. Conversely, if you start in a non-science major and decide to add pre-med prerequisites later, you may need to extend your undergraduate timeline (by a semester or a summer) to fit everything in. Plan early, stay flexible, and communicate with your academic advisor and pre-health advisor as your plans evolve.
References
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). “Using MSAR.” AAMC, 2025. https://www.aamc.org/. Accessed March 2026.