Heske adds, "I chose anthropology since it offered such a huge array of topics. I wanted a concentration that wasn't so focused on science, and could give me a broad-based college experience."

However, even the best-laid plans can go awry when concentration and medical-school-required classes conflict with one another. Since science courses plan only with other science courses when determining class times and exam schedules, it is often difficult to create a schedule without time conflicts and overlapping midterms and exams.

Mitchell says, "Last semester, I had to rush out of Shakespeare to take a biology exam, which was the hour afterwards, but although the biology professor wouldn't allow me to take the exam ten minutes late, the Shakespeare head TF allowed me to start the exam 10 minutes early so I could get to the biology exam on time."

But pre-med students say all the hassle is worth it in the end.

Lee A. Dalope '99, a pre-med sociology concentrator, says, "I just find people interesting and can't imagine medicine for myself without a more humanistic focus."

Narayan adds that science and social studies complement each other and enhances his understanding of both.

"I thought concentrating in social studies would give real breadth to my approach to science," he says. "I'd like to look at medicine as more than just scientific tendencies and consider the more social implications, how an individual is affected."

History and Science

Many cite history and science as this perfect merger of science and the humanities.

"It really lets me mix the two worlds," says Monica B. Shah '99. "I may not be the best problem set solver and not the best paper writer, but I can do both. Sociopolitics and science are interrelated because you can't look at the modern medical system without a scientific background, but you [also] need an understanding of social issues."

As a first-year, Shah says she found herself in a difficult situation when she was confronted with the dilemma of being pre-med and concentrating in English with honors at the same time.

"I would have needed 16 credits for English honors, eight for pre-med and eight Core classes-and that's it," she says. "I think that in some ways Harvard does encourage pre-med students to be science concentrators with all their demanding requirements, or else to not have any electives outside of your concentration."

Shah says she has found her niche with history and science, because it has broadened and enhanced her pre-med focus, compelling her to look at the more social aspects of medicine. Now, Shah says she constantly asks herself, "How is what I'm studying affecting the world?"

Associate Professor and Head Tutor of history and science Mary Terrall says that the reputation of history and science as "the ultimate pre-med concentration" is unfounded.

"We're not catering to pre-med students," she says. "It's possible to get an honors [degree] in history and science and be pre-med since some of the requirements overlap, which is how we get the reputation, and we do get a lot of interest from pre-med students."