Those of you who got accepted into BS/MD programs...

[drorthoman]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for someone who is interested in BS/MD programs, but I'll just post here anyways. And Mods, please don't move this to hSDN (no one replies on there). Please? Lol

Anyways, for those of you who got accepted into BS/MD programs and then followed through and went there, here are my questions:

1. What school did you go to?
2. What was you SAT score and did you take any SAT Subject tests?
3. Do I have to have any research to even be a candidate for a BS/M program?
4. How many hours of volunteering do I need?
5. Do I need to shadow a doctor - if I do, for how long?
6. I've heard lots of horrible things about BS/MD (not that I care since I know that this is what I want to do) but is it true that as a BS/MD student, you don't really fit into any kind of group (either the undergrads or the medical students). ?

So yea, anyone who has any information or personal opinion, please reply.

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[Doctor Strange]

I have a personal opinion here:

I'm currently in a sort-of BS/MD program that is not binding, which I like, because I can apply to and matriculate at any school I want. Binding BS/MD programs, to me, are kind of tricky in that you're stuck with what you got, which might not be what you really want in the end.

A lot of pre-meds go into college and end up changing their minds a lot about what school they want to go to or even whether or not they even want to be a physician anymore. If you ask them on their first day, though, they'll always tell you that they are SURE this is the path they want to take. Like I said, it turns out not to be the case in many instances.

I guess what I'm saying is to be sure you know what you're getting yourself into with a BS/MD program, especially if it's binding and accelerated. There's more to college than studying all the time and dedicating all your time to making yourself look good for medical school. If I were you, I'd want to keep my options open.

Regarding your actual questions, the requirements for every program is different, so you're not really going to get a solid answer. Most will require an SAT score of over 2100 with some clinical experience. From my knowledge, most will also require that you take the MCAT and score above a certain threshold along with maintaining a certain GPA.

 

[Omppu27]

I'm not a BS/MD student myself, but i do know of a few people who are. One goes to the University of Cincinnati, one goes to Ohio State, and the other goes to Brown.

At Cincinnati i think she takes normal classes (non honors), has to maintain above a 3.4, get atleast a 30 MCAT, and her schedule i think is picked out for her. not too sure about the EC requirements as an undergrad. not sure if it is a binding contract

At Ohio State it is honors courses, she doesn't have to take the MCAT, and if she were to decided to apply somewhere else she would lose her seat in the med school. She is one pace to graduate in three years and has had other requirements such as volunteering, research, and shadowing.

At Brown i'm not nearly sure about what goes on there. I do remember the girl telling me that some of her classmates are lazy and don't do as much ECs and others are real busy and do a lot. perhaps they dont have an EC requirement there as an undergrad.

I'm sure if you look around online you could find out all that i just told you... and much more


good luck!

 

[help1]

[delete]

 

[DrizzyDrake]

del

 

[yjj8817]

Do you think getting into BS/MD programs is a lot harder/more competitive than getting into regular medical school programs? Like, are the students in the BS/MD programs really just that bright, intelligent, mature, great, perfect etc. etc. ?

 

[DrizzyDrake]

Do you think getting into BS/MD programs is a lot harder/more competitive than getting into regular medical school programs? Like, are the students in the BS/MD programs really just that bright, intelligent, mature, great, perfect etc. etc. ?

Well, it certainly is getting harder. Some of the kids that got into the combined programs recently certainly seemed like geniuses on paper, but many are falling into academic pitfalls by not taking school seriously enough and assuming being in a program means a free MD.

I think it is getting more competitive because more parents are finding out about these programs earlier and earlier, and are tailoring their kids towards them. Really, to have a great chance of getting in to one, you need to make it a goal in like 9th or 10th grade. I don't know if it is more competitive than regular medical schools, but there are far fewer programs. The book I linked to shows how many kids applied each year and how many got an interview and how many got accepted. For my year, it was around 475 applied, and 14 accept. I don't know how many got offered slots, or any of that.That was also 3 years ago, and it has surely gotten more competitive.

 

[drizzt3117]

Do you think getting into BS/MD programs is a lot harder/more competitive than getting into regular medical school programs? Like, are the students in the BS/MD programs really just that bright, intelligent, mature, great, perfect etc. etc. ?

hahahahaha

 

[Narmerguy]

Moving to hSDN.

I'm not sure if this is the right place for someone who is interested in BS/MD programs, but I'll just post here anyways. And Mods, please don't move this to hSDN (no one replies on there). Please? Lol

Anyways, for those of you who got accepted into BS/MD programs and then followed through and went there, here are my questions:

1. What school did you go to?
2. What was you SAT score and did you take any SAT Subject tests?
3. Do I have to have any research to even be a candidate for a BS/M program?
4. How many hours of volunteering do I need?
5. Do I need to shadow a doctor - if I do, for how long?
6. I've heard lots of horrible things about BS/MD (not that I care since I know that this is what I want to do) but is it true that as a BS/MD student, you don't really fit into any kind of group (either the undergrads or the medical students). ?

So yea, anyone who has any information or personal opinion, please reply.

1) I went to a catholic school
2) My SAT was between 2200 and 2250
3) I had done no research
4) I had a nominal amount of volunteering (100-150 hours)
5) No doctor shadowing
6) I was ultimately advised by my interviewers not to take up their offer. Best decision I ever made, best advice I received a high school student, and my life would literally be very different had I not followed it.

I am a strong advocate for not doing BS/MD programs, but since you say that you know this is what you want to do, I'll keep my thoughts to myself (though I'll mention that I too thought I knew what I wanted back then, I would never had turned down the offer if not for the professors that I met).

 

[DrizzyDrake]

Moving to hSDN.



1) I went to a catholic school
2) My SAT was between 2200 and 2250
3) I had done no research
4) I had a nominal amount of volunteering (100-150 hours)
5) No doctor shadowing
6) I was ultimately advised by my interviewers not to take up their offer. Best decision I ever made, best advice I received a high school student, and my life would literally be very different had I not followed it.

I am a strong advocate for not doing BS/MD programs, but since you say that you know this is what you want to do, I'll keep my thoughts to myself (though I'll mention that I too thought I knew what I wanted back then, I would never had turned down the offer if not for the professors that I met).

Hey topic creator, please note this guy has nearly 4 thousand posts, have been on this sites for years, is a mod and has donated to the site. He eats lives and breathes this stuff, and likely is very obsessive over it. If that is the type of person you are/want to become then by all means go for the non-BS/MD route.

Personally, I explored hobbies and other interests as a result of my combined degree path. Namely, music.

 

[Narmerguy]

Hey topic creator, please note this guy has nearly 4 thousand posts, have been on this sites for years, is a mod and has donated to the site. He eats lives and breathes this stuff, and likely is very obsessive over it. If that is the type of person you are/want to become then by all means go for the non-BS/MD route.

Personally, I explored hobbies and other interests as a result of my combined degree path. Namely, music.

Hmm, personal jabs aside, I would say actually that it was my choice not to pursue the BS/MD route that allowed me to truly explore my interests. Activities could be taken, paths explored, goals pursued without limitation. My time was my own, there were no expectations that I would participate in early clinical work every summer, or take some mandatory seminar, or do anything. I did what I wanted, because I wanted.

For example, during college, I went from wanting to be a doctor, to physics professor, to chemistry professor, to nonprofit worker, to public health official, and now back to medicine--and at each turn, I was able to seriously explore it to the point that I knew if I wanted, there was nothing holding me back. I finished undergrad with no doubts, no questions of "what if" I had taken another path.

To be honest, I did very little preparation specifically for medical school. I haven't taken my MCAT yet, I've got the bare minimum of clinical volunteering I could stomach, and only as much shadowing as kept me interested. However, what was told to me then, is very likely true for others as well. Almost anyone capable of getting accepted into a BS/MD program is more than capable of getting into a medical school. The "guarantee" is not that special, and the school's know it. To anyone considering this, give yourselves some credit. You made it this far, you'll likely have no problem as a "traditional" student either.

 

[I'm No Superman]

Given the name of the thread, I was expecting there to be a "we salute you" somewhere. I am disappoint

 

[DrizzyDrake]

Hmm, personal jabs aside, I would say actually that it was my choice not to pursue the BS/MD route that allowed me to truly explore my interests. Activities could be taken, paths explored, goals pursued without limitation. My time was my own, there were no expectations that I would participate in early clinical work every summer, or take some mandatory seminar, or do anything. I did what I wanted, because I wanted.

F

 

[drorthoman]

I really appreciate everyone's advice. I never really thought about college and the whole BS/MD process as both, DrizzyDrake and Namerguy, have stated. I have to admit, it has really opened my eyes and now I'm thinking that I'll still apply for BS/MD programs, but I'm also going to be applying to a lot of colleges without any programs. I also have another question: Does going to an Ivy League college make you more likely to be accepted into medical school (along with great MCAT scores and all the other good stuff), or does it not matter?

 

[Merely]

It doesn't matter. You can get into Harvard Med from your local state school and Stanford.

 

[DrizzyDrake]

I really appreciate everyone's advice. I never really thought about college and the whole BS/MD process as both, DrizzyDrake and Namerguy, have stated. I have to admit, it has really opened my eyes and now I'm thinking that I'll still apply for BS/MD programs, but I'm also going to be applying to a lot of colleges without any programs. I also have another question: Does going to an Ivy League college make you more likely to be accepted into medical school (along with great MCAT scores and all the other good stuff), or does it not matter?

I'd disagree with the other poster. Having a prestigious university attached to your name always helps a resume in one way or another. It makes you standout and pop. If you get into a really great school (Georgetowns, Northwesterns, Ivy's, etc) don't go into a combined program.

 

[davidbm95]

I really appreciate everyone's advice. I never really thought about college and the whole BS/MD process as both, DrizzyDrake and Namerguy, have stated. I have to admit, it has really opened my eyes and now I'm thinking that I'll still apply for BS/MD programs, but I'm also going to be applying to a lot of colleges without any programs. I also have another question: Does going to an Ivy League college make you more likely to be accepted into medical school (along with great MCAT scores and all the other good stuff), or does it not matter?

Do what you need to do, but remember once you're in there's no going back.

 

[davidbm95]

Hmm, personal jabs aside, I would say actually that it was my choice not to pursue the BS/MD route that allowed me to truly explore my interests. Activities could be taken, paths explored, goals pursued without limitation. My time was my own, there were no expectations that I would participate in early clinical work every summer, or take some mandatory seminar, or do anything. I did what I wanted, because I wanted.

For example, during college, I went from wanting to be a doctor, to physics professor, to chemistry professor, to nonprofit worker, to public health official, and now back to medicine--and at each turn, I was able to seriously explore it to the point that I knew if I wanted, there was nothing holding me back. I finished undergrad with no doubts, no questions of "what if" I had taken another path.

To be honest, I did very little preparation specifically for medical school. I haven't taken my MCAT yet, I've got the bare minimum of clinical volunteering I could stomach, and only as much shadowing as kept me interested. However, what was told to me then, is very likely true for others as well. Almost anyone capable of getting accepted into a BS/MD program is more than capable of getting into a medical school. The "guarantee" is not that special, and the school's know it. To anyone considering this, give yourselves some credit. You made it this far, you'll likely have no problem as a "traditional" student either.

Are BS/MD students considered non-traditional?

 

[rwskiller5]

I got into several BS/MD programs (most of the ones i applied to).

It really depends on the BS/MD programs you get into and the undergrad colleges you get into. Some may not be worth the time such as NEUCOM, UMKC, and Brooklyn College (Downstate). However, if you had to chose between colleges such as NYU or UPITT and the BS/MD programs mentioned above, go with the BS/MD because most premed students from these universities don't even get into US allopathic schools. When these schools boast an 80% medical school acceptance rate, they typically include carribean and DO schools--not to mention half the premeds already drop out because of low grades and MCAT scores. Although most BS/MD programs are binding, these programs are a bit more "binding" because the undergrad universities are not well known and applying out/dropping out of the program and getting stuck with an unknown undergrad could be problematic.


BS/MD programs such as Brown PLME, Northwestern HPME, WASHU, and Rice/Baylor are almost always better than going the regular route (most people pass over all the ivies for these). However, some of these programs are 8 years, as opposed to 7 years and the MCAT requirements can be high, but they are typically lower than the average for the medical schools.

Drexel itself and the BS/MD program have gotten very popular in the past few years. Drexel has quite a few bs/md programs. If you are considering Drexel, be aware that the 7 year programs are much harder to get into than the 8 year programs. Drexel is a binding program, but its 7 year programs are affiliated with several reputable undergrad universities (eg. Lehigh and Villanova) so if you change your mind on medicine or want to apply out to another medical school, you can have the undergrad reputation backing you up. Also, the non BS/MD students at these undergrads are pretty intelligent so it might be easier for BS/MD students to fit in. A lot of students reject ivies or top schools for this program.

UMDNJ has BS/MD and BS/DO programs. The BS/MD program is with UMDNJ Newark (multiple undergrads such as TCNJ, Drew, NJIT, Stevens) and the BS/DO program is with UMDNJ stratford (Undergrad is Rutgers Camden). They're good programs if you only care about saving money. A lot of students reject ivies and top schools for these programs.

Temple BS/MD--Lol don't go to temple unless you want to get shot.

Boston U BS/MD--Decent program . Some people enjoyed this program, some people don't, but it's a BS/MD program so in the end, you get an MD. BU is a solid undergrad so the disparity in intelligence levels between BS/MD students and regular students shouldn't be too great. As with the other schools, kids usually reject ivies and top schools for this program.


What I would recommend is that you apply to BS/MD programs and the regular route. If the only BS/MD programs you got into were the "lower tier" (there really isn't a lower tier system because all BS/MD programs are difficult to get into) ones such as UMKC, NEUCOM, Howard, brooklyn college etc and you got into a few ivies, spend some time thinking/considering the ivies. However, bear in mind that some ivies have notoriously bad reputations for premeds (Cornell ahem ahem).

For the "middle tier"/ "upper tier" programs such as RPI, UMDNJ, Jefferson, Case, Drexel, BU, Rice, WashU, Brown etc... Definitely attend these programs UNLESS you cannot pay for them.

Just to reiterate, some BS/MD students have problems "fitting in" because they tend to be much smarter than the normal undergrad. If you care about fitting in with your classmates, go to programs with good affiliated undergraduate programs.

Hope this helps! If you have any questions, just ask!

 

[Narmerguy]

Are BS/MD students considered non-traditional?

Yes they definitely are. Many of them don't have to take the MCAT and generally have a college experience that is unlike that of most premeds (either because of early engagement in requisite medschool activities or not being involved in many of the common "drama" that consumes premeds desperate to get in somewhere). However, they are more traditional than the group commonly labeled "non-traditional"--adults with previous careers and often over 10-15 years between undergrad and entering med school.

I really appreciate everyone's advice. I never really thought about college and the whole BS/MD process as both, DrizzyDrake and Namerguy, have stated. I have to admit, it has really opened my eyes and now I'm thinking that I'll still apply for BS/MD programs, but I'm also going to be applying to a lot of colleges without any programs. I also have another question: Does going to an Ivy League college make you more likely to be accepted into medical school (along with great MCAT scores and all the other good stuff), or does it not matter?

This is a complicated question. Does the name in itself confer an advantage? Probably. A better question is if the resources/professors/other students at Ivy League colleges make you more likely to be accepted into medical school. I would say this depends on your level of motivation. If you aren't willing to study hard, aren't very proactive, or find yourself easily intimidated, an Ivy school is probably not the place.

However, Ivy's are also places with deep resources for their students, a lot of different activities to pursue with motivated peers, and world-renowned professors as mentors.

If your goal is simply to get into medical school and nothing else (which is a poor goal in my opinion, there is much more your college can offer you than a stepping stone to medical school), it's probably easier to get in from a non-ivy school. Your peers won't be as competitive, you'll probably be able to impress your professors a little easier, and you'll probably have slightly more downtime. However, if your goal is to "learn" (broadly defined), become better connected with future leaders, or keep yourself competitive for a wide range of opportunities on the basis of your school's name alone, an Ivy is a great choice.

Having turned down ivy schools for the college I attended, there is something to be said for the different kinds of relationships and intellectual conversations you can have at an Ivy that is more uncommon at other universities. Though I think the college I ultimately attended was the best in the world for me, I often envied my HS buddies who went off to ivies and told me what it was like.

In my case, there are some schools that are just great "fits" for various reasons. That's why I would choose my school over any other--not necessarily because it was the best for everyone, but because it fit my strengths quite well and really made my weaknesses stronger. But I'll spare you guys the recruitment pitch

I got into several BS/MD programs (most of the ones i applied to).

It really depends on the BS/MD programs you get into and the undergrad colleges you get into. Some may not be worth the time such as NEUCOM, UMKC, and Brooklyn College (Downstate). However, if you had to chose between colleges such as NYU or UPITT and the BS/MD programs mentioned above, go with the BS/MD because most premed students from these universities don't even get into US allopathic schools. When these schools boast an 80% medical school acceptance rate, they typically include carribean and DO schools--not to mention half the premeds already drop out because of low grades and MCAT scores. Although most BS/MD programs are binding, these programs are a bit more "binding" because the undergrad universities are not well known and applying out/dropping out of the program and getting stuck with an unknown undergrad could be problematic.

Don't get too carried away with these kinds of stats. Far and away, your success in getting accepted to a medical school is independent of what school you attend. That a school has an 80% vs 40% med school acceptance rate probably says more about the students at that school than the quality of the school or its ability to help you succeed.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Are BS/MD students considered non-traditional?

Nope. Non-traditional is reserved for people who have taken time off between college and medical school. The length of time required varies with opinion, though technically the MSAR records anyone who took at least a year off (or maybe 2?) non-traditional. At least, they did when I applied.

Do what you need to do, but remember once you're in there's no going back.

Well, there is no going back if you chose the non-BS/MD tract. I know of students who withdrew from their combined programs and transferred.

 

[NotsureMD]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for someone who is interested in BS/MD programs, but I'll just post here anyways. And Mods, please don't move this to hSDN (no one replies on there). Please? Lol

Anyways, for those of you who got accepted into BS/MD programs and then followed through and went there, here are my questions:

1. What school did you go to?
2. What was you SAT score and did you take any SAT Subject tests?
3. Do I have to have any research to even be a candidate for a BS/M program?
4. How many hours of volunteering do I need?
5. Do I need to shadow a doctor - if I do, for how long?
6. I've heard lots of horrible things about BS/MD (not that I care since I know that this is what I want to do) but is it true that as a BS/MD student, you don't really fit into any kind of group (either the undergrads or the medical students). ?

So yea, anyone who has any information or personal opinion, please reply.

I am PGY-3 now so this is dating myself:

1) Defer
2) 1600, took Biology (700), Writing (800), American History (800), Chemistry (800), Math IIC (800)
3) I didn't do any
4) Did work with special needs children, about 750 hours
5) Barely shadowed
6) Ups and downs but enjoyed my medical school experience, have good friends, and right now pretty content as a near-finished resident.

 

[Member55555]

Does anyone have any info on the Penn State 6 year BS/MD program or the TCNJ 7 year BS/MD program. Im looking for stats such as SAT or ACT score and EC's.