What is the best major to get into medical school?

There's no single "best" major for medical school; it's more about excelling in pre-med requirements (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.) while choosing something you enjoy, like Biology, Chemistry, or Neuroscience (common choices due to overlapping courses), or even a unique major like English or Psychology to stand out, as long as you maintain a strong GPA and MCAT score. Focus on a major that builds strong foundational science knowledge, allows for a good backup career, and genuinely interests you to perform well and develop unique skills.

What is the best major for medical school?

Biology (including general biology or biomedical sciences) is the most commonly chosen pre-med major among students who are accepted to medical school.

What is the most accepted major into medical school?

Which major has the highest acceptance rate into medical school? Math and statistics majors, humanities majors and physical science majors have the highest acceptance rates into medical school. However, biological science majors remain the highest number of applicants to medical school.

What should I major in if I want to go into the medical field?

The most common degrees for premed students are science based like biology, chemistry, and things like that because it is the easiest option for many people. Others do business, public health, nutrition, literature, and anything else imaginable.

What major prepares you best for the MCAT?

It turns out that students in humanities, math and statistics, and physical sciences—the groups with the highest admissions rates—tend to achieve the highest total MCAT scores.

The BEST PRE-MED MAJOR | Proven By Med School Acceptance Data

Do med schools prefer BA or BS?

In fact, there's no required or even preferred majors that medical schools are looking for. Consider majoring in whatever interests you; this will keep you engaged and motivated during undergrad.

What major has the highest MCAT score?

On average, math and statistics majors topped the list with an MCAT score of 511.6. Let's go over how each of the majors fares when it comes to the MCAT.

What doctor makes $500,000 a year?

Doctors in surgical and high-demand procedural specialties frequently earn over $500,000 annually, with top earners often being Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Cardiology, and Thoracic Surgery, driven by complex skills, high demand (especially with aging populations), and lucrative elective procedures or emergency needs. Other fields like Radiology, Gastroenterology, Urology, and Anesthesiology also see average incomes exceeding this threshold.
 

What are the top 3 hardest majors?

While difficulty is subjective, Medicine, Engineering (especially Chemical/Aerospace), and Physics/Chemistry consistently rank as the top hardest majors due to intense coursework, demanding problem-solving, heavy memorization, and complex analytical skills, often leading to very low average GPAs and extensive study hours. Other contenders often cited include Architecture, Neuroscience, and Computer Science. 

Is a 3.7 GPA too low for med school?

No, a 3.7 GPA is not bad for medical school; it's generally considered competitive, often around the average or slightly below for highly selective MD programs, but strong enough for many schools, especially with an upward trend and a good MCAT score. A 3.7 combined with a strong BCPM (Science) GPA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) and compelling extracurriculars makes you a viable applicant, though lower GPAs might need more exceptional scores or experiences to compensate. 

What is the easiest major for med school?

Majors like biology or health sciences are popular among pre-med students because they naturally include many of the courses needed for medical school. This overlap reduces the need to take extra classes and makes MCAT preparation more straightforward, especially since much of the material is directly relevant.

Do med schools like unique majors?

Medical schools generally prefer students with a strong background in the sciences, so popular majors like biology, chemistry, and physics fit the bill. However, don't worry if your major is different! Having a unique major can actually make your application more memorable and distinctive.

What's the hardest medical major?

So, let us look at the top 5 most competitive specialties that conclude the debate of what is the hardest doctor to become.

• Plastic Surgery. ...
• Neurosurgery. ...
• Radiation oncology. ...
• ENT. ...
• Orthopedic Surgery.

What do pre-med students major in?

The Most Popular Pre-Med Majors

This includes pre-med majors such as biology, biochemistry, microbiology, neuroscience, or biomedical engineering. These majors often ensure required pre-med classes are covered.

What is number 1 med school?

14 Top Medical Schools in the United States (2025)

• Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine.
• Harvard Medical School.
• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
• Duke University School of Medicine.
• UPenn Perelman School of Medicine.
• NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
• UCSF School of Medicine.
• Yale School of Medicine.

What do most doctors major in in college?

Biology is one of the most common majors for those who want to pursue a medical career, especially aspiring physicians and surgeons. According to the AMA, 60 percent of all students taking the MCAT chose biological sciences as their undergraduate major [1].

What is the #1 easiest major?

There's no single #1 easiest major, as it depends on your strengths, but Psychology, Education, English, and Criminal Justice frequently rank as the easiest due to higher average GPAs and less demanding technical skills compared to STEM fields, often focusing on human behavior, societal structures, and communication. Majors like Sociology, Social Work, and Communications are also commonly cited as easier liberal arts options. 

What is the no. 1 toughest degree in the world?

Medical is usually regarded as the hardest major because of the vast scope of its curriculum, lengthy time frame, and significant stakes in life-or-death decisions. It requires a rigorous education in the classroom, as well as practical training as well as emotional resilience.

What's the rarest major?

There isn't one single "rarest major," but rather a group of very niche fields like Puppet Arts, Egyptology, Ecogastronomy, Bagpiping, and Fermentation Science, often offered at specific universities, attracting few students due to their specialized nature, limited broad career paths, or unique focus, though they can lead to rewarding careers in arts, museums, parks, or food industries. 

What is the lowest paid doctor?

The lowest-paid doctor specialties consistently fall in primary care and certain pediatric subspecialties, with Pediatrics often cited as the lowest overall, followed by Public Health/Preventive Medicine, Family Medicine, and pediatric subspecialties like Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases. These roles offer lower compensation than surgical or high-demand adult specialties, often due to the broad nature of primary care and the focus on children's health, though they provide excellent work-life balance for many.
 

What jobs in the US pay $300,000 a year?

Jobs paying $300,000 or more in the U.S. are typically senior roles in technology, finance, law, and medicine, including roles like CEOs, Chief Technology Officers, Investment Bankers, Partner-Level Lawyers, Surgeons, and Specialized Physicians, along with top-tier Sales Directors, Management Consultants, and Private Equity Executives, often relying on bonuses, commissions, or profit-sharing for high earnings. High-income careers without traditional degrees can also be found in tech entrepreneurship, high-level skilled trades, and top-performing sales. 

How rich is the average doctor?

About 60% of physicians reported a net worth of $1 million in 2024, up just 1% from 2023. Even with medical school loans taken into account, six in 10 physicians have a net worth that exceeds that of the average American family.

What's the best pre-med major?

The best pre-med majors are typically science-focused like Biology, Chemistry, or Biochemistry, as they align well with medical school prerequisites and the MCAT, but Math/Statistics, Physics, Psychology, Humanities, or even Kinesiology are excellent for building diverse skills, with medical schools valuing strong GPA/MCAT scores and unique perspectives from any major, provided core courses are completed.
 

What is a top 1% MCAT score?

A top 1% MCAT score generally falls around the 515-520+ range, though the exact score shifts slightly with each testing year's percentiles, with scores like 475-477 often representing the 1st percentile on the total score chart, but a 99th percentile is closer to 520+, requiring near-perfect section scores (131-132) for the highest ranks, with 528 being perfect. 

How rare is a 525 MCAT?

A 525 MCAT score is extremely rare and exceptional, placing you in the top 1% (100th percentile) of test-takers, just three points shy of a perfect 528, making you a top-tier applicant highly competitive for even the most selective medical schools. While exact numbers vary, only a tiny fraction of test-takers (around 1 in 450 or less) achieve scores of 525+, signifying mastery of the material.