However, Terrall stresses that, at most, only one-third of history and science concentrators are pre-med.

The Medical Schools

For those who are not history and science concentrators, summer school classes may be the key to completing all of one's medical school requirements. Nevertheless, Lee Ann Michelson, health career adviser for the Office of Career Services, advises against this.

"Often, people will take their pre-med requirements in the summer, but we don't recommend it," she says. "It looks like you're avoiding Harvard's science courses and can look unfavorable to a medical school."

Most medical schools say they are just looking for good students who have pursued their interests while fulfilling the basic science requirements.

"As long as he/she meets the basic science requirements, we don't care what other classes you take," says Barbara Franklin, a Duke Medical School admissions representative. "We actually recommend students to take non-science majors if that's their primary interest since medical school doesn't allow as much flexibility."

Dr. Andrew G. Frantz '51, professor of medicine and chair of admissions to Columbia Medical School, says humanities concentrators are neither preferred nor handicapped in the competition for medical school acceptance.

"My impression is that the probability of science and non-science majors accepted is roughly the same and is therefore not a statistical barrier," he says. "We do like to look for breadth of curriculum and for some form of liberal arts education, usually provided by some form of core program."

According to Frantz, the only difference between the two groups is that "the first year of medical school may be more challenging for non-science majors, but after that, it's all common ground."

Having a Social Life

Another difference between the two groups may be the amount of spare time they possess. Dalope says while strictly humanities concentrators may have an image of their pre-med counterparts as "all work and not play," this picture is only a misconception.

"Baloney," he says, "There is enough time to do whatever you're interested in, you just have to be careful. I'd like to do a psychological experiment on people who say they don't have enough time, [to] track them and see if they're really studying."

Dalope adds, "Last year, I juggled two lab science classes with problem sets and pre-lab write-ups and three different dance troupes, and still had a life!" Currentlyinvolved with the Under-graduate Council, fourdance troupes, the Red Cross and volunteer work ata nursing home, Dalope says he makes time topursue his varied interests.

Both students and medical school admissionsofficers emphasize the need to pursue one'sinterests and to seize present opportunities.

"At this point, the liberal arts educationshould be primary, because I always have thechance to take pre-med classes in the futurebefore I go to medical school," Mitchell says.

"I would rather be a little bit happier incollege," he said because I already know I want togo into medicine, and I can take [those] classesin the future.