<p>I live in a state where there are zero combined med. programs(NC).The nearest one being VCU. Although I know I want to be a doc. I really like Duke. Besides most combined programs are quite far from where I live and my parents are not for me going too far from home atleast for undergrad :-)</p>
<p>Now my stats. can probably get me into Duke ED(not sure about RD as I have no hooks)or some low tier combined med. programs. My dilemma is should I just try for Duke, do pre-med, work hard and then could I get into atleast some med. school(this is what I would like to do) or should I try for the combined ones just so I have the assured seat. The thing is as advised in this forum, I do not have any state school that offers combined prog. So I am not sure how much money I can save or how far from home it would be...</p>
<p>Will I be foolish to go the Duke route?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks</p>
<p>Duke has a pretty good med school acceptance rate so you’d prob. be fine either way, but it’s always more relaxing not to have to worry about maintaining a high gpa/ MCAT while doing multiple activities including research and club leadership and so on.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>
<p>There are advantages of going to combined program. However, you still cannot relax about gpa/ MCAT. there are min. requirements for gpa in every program that I am aware of and some of them require MCAT. In addition, most programs at state schools (funded by state taxpayers) give heavy preferences to IS applcants (but not all). And yes, it is expensive to go OOS, and you cannot save enough money to go to college.
Apply to both combined programs and regular route UG’s, see who accept you, then make decision. My D. was successful at both, she was in combined program and then applied out to Med. Schools outside of her program. She was much more relaxed than other applicants during her application process to Med. Schools because she already had one spot. Her program required gpa=3.45 and she had to take MCAT.</p>