Ask a Penn State/Jefferson BS/MD Student!

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
21

<p>Probably too late for your interview date, but in case other people are curious: I’m not a prog, but I did interview and was accepted last year. Penn state/jeff was, I think, the least stressful of all my interviews by far. </p>

<p>The night before interview day, there was a mixer attended by many of the progs, and it was a nice opporunity to get to meet them. I wore a dress, but nothing too formal, and was okay,-- this was a casual, eat-food-and-chat, type of deal. (though, a friend of mine’s prog interview was actually with a prog she had hit it off with at the mixer, which she said really helped her) A few professors showed up, too.</p>

<p>I stayed with a prog that night, which I highly recommend. Hanging out with her made my experience really enjoyable. I also got to help the progs running everything prep, and meet them a little early.</p>

<p>The breakfast presentation was useful, if long. It gives you a ton of information, and your prognosis booklet (literally the best info packet I got at any of my interviews). It was when I decided psu/jeff was a good fit for me, and maybe where some people might realize it’s not. Point is, know about the program beforehand and come with a few questions, but know you’ll have a refresher on it before you interview.</p>

<p>The prog interview is SHORT. It’s casual; mine was just a discussion about music and research. I got the vibe that they’re just looking to determine that you’re not crazy and that you’ll fit in with the progs. One of my friends did get asked to teach her interviewer something during the interview, so come in with an open mind and ready for a weird question. </p>

<p>Lunch is at big tables with progs: it’s a bit hard to have in-depth conversations because of the number of people, but the progs will answer questions or just chat.</p>

<p>The faculty interview is a bit longer. I got a lot of advice from him, but the questions were intense. I talked about the specialty I’m currently interested in, the typical why med schpiel (though he had my essay and made sure to ask me about different stuff), and then dealing with death and responsibility for life. I heard that other interviews were less intense than mine though, so it depends on your professor.</p>

<p>When you’re not in your interview, there are tours that are actually really nice, and give you a goof feel for your prog tour guide’s personality and attitude toward jeff,-- in my case a really positive one.</p>

<p>There’s a gathering after, but I missed it to make my train/flight.</p>

<p>Side note: I was able to get everywhere with public transport/walking, and my interview was the day after Mardi gras, which was cold, but the tall buildings made it not too windy, so I didn’t need a coat.</p>

22

<p>Heyyy, so I see that people haven’t commented on this thread for awhile, but I just came across it and it is practically everything that I wanted to know.
I do still have some questions though, and if the student himself or anyone else could answer this, I would be so grateful.
So right now I’m a junior in high school, and my main focus is med programs because I want to do medicine. And I don’t want to study for 8 years, which is why I’ve researched a bunch of accelerated medical programs and was amazed to see the number that came up.
The main one that I want to get into, ( aka my dream!!!) is the PennState B.S./M.D. Program
The first couple posts on this thread clearly state that this program is great and all, but how hard is it exactly to get into?
Are the expected SAT scores, gpa, and ec’s enough? Is it a guarantee that a student with all this will get in?
Please please please, i need more insight about this. If i got into this program, my life would be made. Residency/Internship would still take awhile after, but it would certainly same some years of my life by doing this program. </p>

<p>Thanks anyone. :)</p>

23

<p>All BS/MD programs are difficult to get into. My one concern with the 6 year jefferson program is how it will prepare students sufficiently for the revised MCAT. The 7 year program should be sufficient.</p>

24

<p>@MrInformed, isn’t the coursework exactly the same, just more spread out in the 7 year program?
<a href=“http://science.psu.edu/premed/premedmed”>http://science.psu.edu/premed/premedmed&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

25

<p>With the additional recommended course work such as biochemistry, different levels of psychology and sociology and maybe even a bit of physical chemistry, it;ll be extremely hard to complete all the required course work + take the MCAT in such a short time period, even with the summer session.</p>

26

<p>I would recommend that you pursue the 7 year track at jefferson unless they have found a way to either not require the new MCAT or to include the appropriate number of courses.</p>

27

<p>is the penn state bs/md program binding? do you have to go to the jefferson medical college or are you allowed to go wherever you want? </p>

28

<p>I found this forum during a google search for the PSU/Jeff 6 yr program for my son. I graduated from JMC in 1995 as a part of the 6 yr program. Back then, you did not have to go to Jefferson if you did not want to. One of the guys in the program was able to earn enough credits in two years and got into a state medical school for much less money. You still had to qualify/apply to Jefferson even though you were in the program. If you held up your end at PSU, your seat at Jefferson was saved for you through the program. A number of people who start in the program, drop out - usually for academics. Some of them still made it to Jefferson as regular students with a 4 year degree from PSU.</p>

<p>Looking back almost 20 years later, I am glad I was in the program. I probably wished I stayed a third year at PSU as I really enjoyed the college experience. However, I started dating my wife while at Jeff and she was also a 6 yr PSU/Jeff student. Things may have turned out differently if I stayed that third year. </p>

29

<p>They’re canceling the 6 year program for the HS Class of 2015 and onwards because of the new MCAT, right? Are they going to offer it again?</p>

30

<p>@triumph1, nope. The 6 year option will no longer be available bc of the MCAT requirements. It will be 7 years instead.</p>

31

<p>Okay, since they won’t offer 6 year, how competitive will the psu/jefferson program will be compared to villanova/drexel, drexel/drexel, lehigh/drexel, and the other ones? I know jefferson is considered “better” (don’t what i said seriously, I’m not exactly sure) but it also it must’ve been harder to get into because they offered 6 years.</p>

32

<p>@triumph1, Jefferson is a much more highly ranked and prestigious medical school compared to Drexel. Changing it to 7 years will not hurt them bc there are so few 6 year programs left — UMKC and NEOUCOM (now NEOMED).</p>

33

<p>Why are neomed and umkc not shifting to 6 year because of the new mcat? Are the undergrads under drexel med school each just as competitive or they have different acceptance rates?</p>

34

<p>@triumph1, I have no idea about NEOMED, as their degree probably already incorporates Sociology, Psychology, and maybe even Biochem, but UMKC does not require the MCAT to be taken at all.</p>

<p>The undergrads that are in combined programs with Drexel med tend to be low tier undergrads.</p>

35

Did any of the progs have trouble meeting the academic requirements for GPA etc., in the program during the penn state 2 years? If so, how did they recover their position in the program? Did they go on to Jefferson Medical?

36

is the 6 year program still available? what do you get a bachelor’s degree in?

37

@macaroonpenguin Only UMKC and Howard have 6 year program. NEOMED also 6 year until last year. From this year, you need to check since there were reports they plan to change it to 7 & 8 years.
UMKC, there are few specific options(Biology or Liberal Arts with minor in Chem) for major during UG and Howard you do a specific curriculum only. But most of the BS/MD programs in 7 or 8 years, you can do pretty much any major.