<p>hey guys,</p>
<p>what are the advantages/disadvantages of going the accelerated med path as opposed to undergrad school and then med school? which is better in the long run?</p>
<p>accelerated
pros: more relaxed undergraduate, don't have to use time up or stress over applying for medical school and taking MCAT</p>
<p>cons: sometimes don't get a real undergraduate experience, programs are hard to get into</p>
<p>in the long run, I don't think there's much real difference, because both paths lead to becoming a doctor.</p>
<p>thanks a lot for the reply. my only worry is if the accel. path is too rigorous or fast-paced, or "overkill." i do know that the app process for med school after undergrad is really grueling as are the MCATs and the like. any reply would be great. thanks.</p>
<p>Well,</p>
<p>Here's the thing. Accelerated usuallyr equires you take more courses at once, you must maintain a certain GPA, and for some you have to participate in certain activities. Despite being marked "accelerated" many schools still require the MCAT. I had a friend who started accelerated and dropped out to go regular because of the rigors. He just felt like it was crazy, and that he would probably get a higher MCAT and end up at a better med school anyway. Because he made that decision, he ended up at Harvard Med.</p>
<p>I don't agree that there is a little real difference.</p>
<p>There are some serious qualms that I have with accelerated programs. My main concerns arise from this general question: What happens if you decide that medicine is not for you?</p>
<p>There is plenty of attrition for most premed cohorts at almost any school you look at, and while you would imagine that the people applying to accelerated programs really are set in what they want to do, there is still some concern about what happens if you decide that medicine is for you. The fact is that many HS students really don't understand all the career options available to them, and it's perfectly normal that people change their minds as to how they want to spend the rest of their lives. People choose medicine or law simply b/c they don't know any better. They claim to "like" science, but soon find out in college that it's not as much fun as they thought, or that the studying isn't as rewarding for the time put in or that it is just too hard for them. There are 1000's of reasons why people stop being pre-med.</p>
<p>Many accelerated programs combine medical and UG curriculums (often a selling point that you get to start medical stuff right off). But if you decide to drop out of the program or transfer altogether, what happens to all the medical classes you took that now dont' transfer anywhere - that's a waste of time and money (and the accelerated programs are often very expensive). </p>
<p>Other big questions include maturity levels - the difference between a college senior and sophomore is very pronounced, and it's easy to pick out the two. Further the makeup of a typical med school class containing people with a variety of ages (even into their 30's and 40's) creates a very different environment then one composed entirely of 18 year olds. I can't vouch to what the end effect might be, but I'm sure that there are some.</p>
<p>Further, an accelerated program is NOT going to have a more relaxed undergrad experience. That's the point of an accelerated program. You get everything done in shorter time period how could it not be? While there may be some less anxious moments but overall going to be much more stressful than a normal undergrad. Missing out on "classic" undergrad experience just isn't worth it in my view.</p>
<p>Finally, what's the real point of getting done in 6 or 7 years instead of 8? Are you really going to look back when you're retiring and say "Wow I'm glad I got that extra year of practice in...my life wouldn't have been complete with only 33 years of practice instead of the 34 or 35..." I highly doubt it, and pity you already if that's the case.</p>
<p>dear BRM and others,</p>
<p>thanks a lot for the reply. i have a lot to think about as college is approaching in less than two year's time. i know i want to be a doctor, but am unsure of what path i want to take to get there. would it be benificial to take the 8 year normal path and major in something such as bio-engineering so that i have a great backup major, or just major in something i view as fun and interesting while it not be a rewarding major? again, thanks a lot for the posts.</p>
<p>major in something you are passionate about. What's the point of Bio engineering if you hate it? If you have something you find interesting, then you'll enjoy going to work every day and that will be much more rewarding.</p>
<p>I went the normal 8 year path, and I couldn't imagine missing out on my 4 years of undergrad. They really were the best years of my life, and an accelerated program would have robbed me of those.</p>
<p>ya i totally get what u mean about majoring in a passionate field. the thing about majoring in say bio-engineering or something of the sort is that in case i decide that premed isnt for me, although i highly doubt this, i have a great major to back up to. any thoughts on that?</p>
<p>personally i think there are certain programs that are great and others that aren't. If you could do to the WAsh U program or do the normal route i would do the normal route... but if i could go to Brown PLME i would do that because there are no MCATs and you fcan have a more normal undergraduate experience.</p>
<p>really? if possible, could u give me a list of some respected accelerated med programs in or around the northeast? thanks.</p>
<p>I think accelerated programs are good. The only thing that worries me is the price. They can get very outrageous.</p>
<p>are there any Universities in California that have accelerated programs worth taking?</p>
<p>USC has a good one I believe.</p>
<p>Look at all kinds of schools. Go where you'd LIKE to go; not where other people say to go. Believe me; that means more than you know.</p>
<p>Quote:</p>
<p>Today, 03:13 PM #29<br>
tokenbrownman
New Member</p>
<p>Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8 A 32 ACT score isn't bad at all, but you won't appear to be competitive at most programs. My suggestion for you is to check out progs. such as Drexel or Temple Med, which are excellent. Another thing to consider: ok, so you decide to go to a program in lets say....upstate NY, or even central Indiana. Granted, you'll be happy that you're en route to becoming a physician...but what if the work load gets to you (and BELIEVE me, this has happened to a majority of my friends), and you want to drop out of the program and pursue something else? What I'm trying to say is, you want to make sure that you'll be able to switch out of the program easily and pursue something else at a school that has some credibility in that area. I'll give you a quick example (true story): a friend of mine went to umich for the combined degree program (which is no longer running as of 2002 i believe), and could not handle the 7 year program. Since high school he was telling me of how much he wanted to be a doctor, since his father and 2 uncles were physicians themselves, and that he really wanted to pursue a career in medicine. What happened? Well, in the middle of his 3rd year/1st professional year in med. school he was burned out. He told me that he'd come back from class an immediately start his work (for some reason he was taking orgo., chem, bio, physics, and classics in one semester), and still have to prepare for the MCAT exams that are given frequently throughout the program. He decided that a more traditional route would be better, and soon after he dropped out of the program to pursue research and philosophy. Well, after noting that umich wasn't big in philosophy he transferred over to Rutgers (a state school in NJ) which, at the time had the top ranking for philosophy. After majoring in philosophy, he maintained a 3.9 and applied to med school and was accepted at Yale. Morals of the story are: there is a high chance for you to be burned out in a medical program, and make sure that you go to a university that is apt for a backup plan, should you decide to drop out of a program.</p>
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<p>Last edited by tokenbrownman : Today at 03:24 PM.</p>
<p>Hey you might want to check out UCSD's. Its a 8 year program so no acceleration, you can major in whatever you want. This program's purpose is actually to open the undergraduate years to exploring and bringing different backgrounds to medicine. Anyway, no MCATs just maintain a 3.5 and take some pre reqs. It is a little competitive to get in though, 12 spots for California residents only, and you must be invited to apply, minimum SAT for invitation is 2250 and minimum gpa 4.0w I think. Its online if you look it up, its called Med Scholars Program. Just a heads up if you live in California. Good option if you want to open up your undergraduate years, or at least I thought so.</p>
<p>thanks! :)</p>