Hi all, I know that this is very late but I’ve become interested in bs/md programs, or basically any combined program that guarantees (or close to guarantees) admission to a medical school. Does anyone have any recommendations? I’m looking for just a decent one that isn’t too competitive like Case Western, Brown, NU are. Any replies would be great, since Dec 1 is coming up soon!
Here’s some of my stats for context:
SAT 1580/ACT 35
SAT Math II 790, Bio M and Chem 760
GPA 4.0UW
9 APs taken, taking 7 more this year
Did research past 2 summers, and doing research this year through AP Capstone
350+ hours of clinical volunteering
VP in 2 honor societies, P and founder of club
tutor free regularly and member in mental health nonprofit
Again, any suggestions will be welcome!
BS/MD programs are hardly guaranteed. Students typically need to meet GPA and MCAT standards that are high enough to make them realistic applicants for regular medical school admissions, though if they do clear this thresholds, they are then exempt from the cost, stress, and possibility if being shut out in that process.
Due to the possibility of being forced out for GPA or MCAT reasons, choose a BS/MD school that you are willing to attend even if you do not go to medical school.
In addition, admission to BS/MD programs as frosh is always highly competitive.
T he least competitive BS/MD programs are still highly competitive.
You might have had a good chance for University of Pittsburgh’s medical GAP program but I think you had to apply by Nov 15.
Maybe give them a call and see if you can still apply and be considered?
https://oafa.pitt.edu/explore/guaranteed-admissions-programs/medicine-gap/
@culaccino : "I’m looking for just a decent one that isn’t too competitive like Case Western, Brown, NU are. "
I suggest you do some homework and figure out “a decent one that isn’t too competitive”
(see the links below)
BS/MD Results For Class of 2017
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/1973823-bs-md-results-for-class-of-2017.html#latest
BS/MD Results For Class of 2016
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/1857339-bs-md-results-for-class-of-2016.html#latest
Your stats is very good but you have to have actions right away.
(You have to apply few BS/MD programs, “A” decent “ONE” is NOT enough.)
Good luck.
@bsmdegree @mommdc @TomSrOfBoston @ucbalumnus wow thanks for all the replies! I was clearly very misinformed about these, my bad. Honestly, I don’t think I have a chance because I have no shadowing or medical research experience. I know people say to be hopeful but–in all honesty, there’s no way I’ll get into a program that’s at a school I’d be happy to go to even if I didn’t meet the cut, right? I’ve already been accepted into UT, and many of the least competitive (but still v competitive) programs are at schools that are academically lower than UT.
Please correct me if I’m wrong. What’s your opinion on this? Thank you again for the responses!
@culaccino : " I don’t think I have a chance because I have no shadowing or medical research experience. "
Your “350+ hours of clinical volunteering” is good enough for you to get in BS/MD programs.
(I strongly suggest all BS/MD schools verify their applicants’ shadowing experience, I know most of US hospitals ONLY allow 18+ years old people to involve shadowing.)
IMO, you should pick up few BS/MD programs and apply them immediately.
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/2020030-bs-md-ba-md-programs-in-tx-2018.html#latest
Good luck.
Read through all of the information. The goal of the Early assurance programs is that you have a conditional seat in the med school already.
Some don’t even require the MCAT, but a minimum GPA and other requirements that will get you ready for med school.
If you don’t apply you won’t know what your options are. Some deadlines (Pitt) might have already passed. You have very good stats so you have a chance at some of these.
All US med schools are good, and all premed classes are rigorous, so then you compare access to hospitals and research.
Also if you have the chance to get a scholarship for undergrad portion at some of these schools, then you can save that money for med school.
Definitely research the options in your own state first because instate tuition can be significantly less.
- First still it is not too late for few programs. So if you are sure about medicine as your career, you should act swiftly this week and apply to few programs of your choice.
- Don’t assume anything at this point based on all the results and posts in the past years bs/md threads. For example, there are students who got admitted in to BS/MD with no physician shadowing (including my D) and there are many students who got admitted with no research experience. Bottom line at this point, you have equal chance like any one else and need to put your thoughts and actions quickly in to the essays / prompts and apply ASAP.
- Agree, choose some decent schools which you like to pursue your UG even if you decide later not to pursue MD. At the same time remember, if you are so sure about medicine, there is no harm in choosing lower ranked schools than UT where you have already got admission. Because for a successful career in medicine, your UG school alone is not going to be a factor by any means.
- So here is the list (based on 2 cycle back data - so check online with each school to know the dates for this cycle).
Pretty much most of them are very good, except may be few like temple, conn, tulsa, ou, uab, njms). - Assume you are TX resident and hence strongly suggest to apply to both OU and Tulsa (both lead to the same MD school) and both give pretty much free tuition and it is very close to your home state). My D in OU and she has no regret about joining and very happy so far.
- Check for TX BS/MD programs. Since TX typically allows only TX resident, I don’t have that list besides Rice/Baylor, Baylor/Baylor. Also UT/SW dropped that new program. GL.
1-Dec Case Western PPSP Reserve School of Medicine - Pre-Professional Scholars Program in Medicine
1-Dec 71 Baylor - Email to b2b@baylor.edu, admissions@baylor.edu, University_Scholars@baylor.edu
1-Dec 33 Univ of Rochester SOM - REMS
1-Dec 58 Univ of Connecticut - SPiM
1-Dec 19 Rice Univ & Baylor COM
15-Dec 149 Univ of Alabama SOM - EMSAP UAB
1-Dec 3 RU TCNJ + NJMS
1-Dec Oklahoma Medical Humanities Scholar Program
1-Dec 54 George Wash - SOM & Columbian School of Arts
18-Dec 121 Temple Univ + Temple Univ SOM - Health Scholars Program - Email to healthadvising@temple.edu
1-Jan “Northwestern UG - Repeat for HPME Upload samples, essays etc” (need to get an app and that date may be over by now, not sure, check it out)
1-Jan " Warren Alpert Medical - Brown Univ - PLMEUpload samples, essays etc"
1-Feb Tulsa University
15-Jan Washinton Univ Scholars Pgm in Medicine
15-Jan Tulane Univ (check the date to apply for UG to get scholarship, it is either 12/1 or so)
On a different note, Early Assurance Program (EAP) is different from BS/MD programs. EAP after you joined some school for UG but BS/MD is before you join UG school. Also remember, there are so many flavors in BS/MD programs. Though all of them are conditionally guaranteed, some of them no need to even apply (formality), no need for MCAT or no need for interview by MD school. Also though every program need to maintain certain (differs so much in range) GPA in UG, some programs are very hard and some are not that bad at all.
For point 4 above, I have heard that UAB is pretty good, but a 8 year program though. You cannot reduce the duration regardless of how many AP credits you may have.
@culaccino, if you haven’t already come across, you may find this site quite helpful. A rundown of various programs:
http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/BA_MD_programs.html
@culaccino, Also couple of links you may find time saving. Baylor’s (BCM) link I posted recently elsewhere and the reference to usnews they were making in that link (I filtered out non us programs). The link is for all med schools of which these programs are a small subset. You may want to check a particular school’s standing (from the subset) across the entire population given, just to get a feel.
I would also strongly recommend that you take the help of parents, siblings, friends to go through all these, make any phone call enquiries and do the leg work while you focus on getting the application stuff done.
@rk2017 holy hedgehog thank you so much for this help! I will definitely take your advice and look into the links 
I’m sorry I didn’t reply sooner; I’m not that active on CC anymore
@culaccino the title of this thread is an oxymoron. Simply because BSMD programs by nature are ultra competive to get into. Moreover despite the fact you get into one and there really should be anymore competition, there still is among the students. I think it’s just the way BSMD students are wired. There is only something like 45 BSMD or so programs in the country and yes they are truly not guaranteed because there is always a minimum GPA requirement and often times hitting a specific score on the MCAT is necessary. Point is if you plan on going BSMD expect it to be a competive application process, because the percentages of accepted students is less than Ivies.