The plight of premedical education: myths and misperceptions--Part II: science "versus" the liberal arts.

For decades it has been known that students who major in non-science fields perform as well as science majors who go to medical school. Yet the overwhelming majority of future medical students still major in biology or chemistry, and organic chemistry has come to be the defining premedical science course. This article traces the history of the liberal arts tradition, discusses its importance for medicine, and urges that readers think about the medical college in the age of the university. The author believes that the medical faculties should take a lead in helping to reshape the premedical as well as the medical education of future doctors.