This is the best part about the BSMD application process: whether or not pursue a BSMD program over a “dream” school. Over the years I have witnessed much success and failure of our patients and offspring, who are intending to become a doc. The biggest cause of downfall was ego and greed. Unless you are a stellar student, who scored mostly 5 on science APs, it is not wise to go to a school where you will be an average student although it might be your “dream” school since it is extremely difficult to maintain 3.75 average in that college unless you are in top 20 percent of the student body. One of my patients was thrilled to get into her “dream” school, but that dream was quickly dashed when she couldn’t overcome 3.2 GPA even though she studied till 2 AM every night at her a little ivy school library. But that result was predictable based on her preparation. She was not adequately prepared to compete with stellar students. She was one of top students from a neighbor high school, where they produce 1 national merit semi-finalist per year. On the other hand, a young lady turned down Brooklyn BSMD to enter MIT, where she flourished doing research and continue to play piano. She was one of eight Fulbright recipients from MIT, and she is already scheduled to enter Harvard medical school. She was one of top students from a highly regarded magnet high school, where they produce about 125 national merit-semifinalist per year.
To give a real world perspective on direct vs. traditional route of going to a medical school, I am listing real students mostly from our office:
Harvard…2 yrs gap…mid tier MD ((((this student was envious of BSMD students…she was not selected into a
BSMD program))))
Harvard…1 yr. gap…mid tier MD…psych
Harvard…Caribbean med school
Columbia…top 10
Columbia… 2 yrs. gap
UPenn…dropped out of pre-med tract (dropped from now on)
Brown…2 yrs. gap… DO…OB/GYN
Brown…1 yr. gap…mid tier MD…IM
Brown…2 yrs. gap (hard post B)…dropped
MIT…2 yrs. gap… mid tier MD
MIT (turned down Brooklyn BSMD)… Fulbright scholar studying in Germany…Harvard Med(Scheduled) … she is an
excellent student from one of top magnet high school with elite level of piano skills, even playing with Boston
Pops Orchestra.
Northwestern… 2 yrs. gap…mid tier MD
Wash U…dropped
Cornell…4 yrs. gap…currently a research technician
Stanford…DO
Emory… low tier MD
CMU…2 yrs. gap…DO
JHU…2 yrs. gap…DO
RPI…top 25
NYU…mid tier MD
NYU…1 yr. gap…DO
NYU…Caribbean med school…IM…pulmonology…
U Mich…2 yrs. gap…mid tier MD
BC…low tier MD
BC…dropped
Stony…1 yr. gap…mid tier MD with partial merit scholarship (MCAT 99%)
Wesley…2 yrs. gap (easy post B)…mid tier MD …surgery .
Williams…top 10…anesthesiology
U of Rochester…DO
Swarthmore…2 yrs gap…??
Hunter College…2 yrs. gap… mid tier MD
St. John’s U…DO
Brandeis…3 yrs. gap…??(dropped??)
Virginia Tech…DO…neurology
Brooklyn/Downstate…neurosurgery
Union/Albany…IM…cardiology
Sophie Davis…Caribbean med school…IM
Sophie Davis… anesthesiology
UIC GPPA…Oxford(MS)…anesthesiology (Northwestern)
RPI/Albany
VCU BSMD
Brown PLME
Pleas save this for the future reference:
I highly recommend one to consider this program if you do NOT get into a US medical school:
Ochsner Clinical School - Medicine Program - University of Queensland.
https://medicine-program.uq.edu.au/ochsner-clinical-school
This program combines first 2 yrs. at Brisbane Australia and last 2 yrs. at Baton Rouge Louisiana.
Good luck everyone!!