Medical schools want students with diverse interests and the ability to proactively communicate with strangers. As future physicians, we cannot shy away from challenges or situations that make us uncomfortable. Instead, it is beneficial to the school if we enter with those qualities because they are not always able to be learned.
The acceptance rate of biology majors by percentage is low but by quantity is high. Part of the reason the percentage is low is because the people with biology majors took the easiest road to medical school. They may be lacking proof of diverse interests or communication skills. I like to say that medical schools in the 21st century do not want science robots. Instead, they need people who like and understand science but can translate that information into something patients can understand. Nowadays, patients come in with a diagnosis from the Internet and treatment based on television commercials. Someone with a degree in literature is much more qualified to respectfully explain why the internet diagnosis is right or wrong and the proposed drug on TV is a good drug but it is 100 times more expensive than the generic option. They are also more likely to show empathy and better relate to patients. This causes patients to like the physician more. While it was much less relevant 20 years ago, a disliked physician in the 21st century cannot hide from a horrible reputation anymore because it is always available on the internet.
Tony Swicer, DO Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University (2020)
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Medical schools want students with diverse interests and the ability to proactively communicate with strangers. As future physicians, we cannot shy away from challenges or situations that make us uncomfortable. Instead, it is beneficial to the school if we enter with those qualities because they are not always able to be learned.