Harvard vs. Combined Medical

<p>I am consider a bunch of Combined Medical Program, like Brown PLME, etc. But I also going to apply Harvard. Which chance is higher? If I got both, which one I should go for? The reason I consider PLME is I don't need to go through the procedure again to apply for Medical schools.
Appreciate your suggestions!</p>

<p>They are both very selective, I think PLME also has around a 7% acceptance rate, not too sure about that the exact percentage. I think if you choose PLME you are basically guaranteed a spot at Brown’s med school so its kind of like you’re assured that you’ll get in to med school somewhere which is a major accomplishment. They both are great programs/schools and I don’t think you’d be wrong choosing either one, however for me personally, I would probably choose Brown as I don’t think its binding (correct me if I’m wrong) and your still guaranteed a spot at med school however, you’re not “trapped” and if you wan’t to go to a better ranked med school you could always study for the MCAT and try your best. Good Luck!!! :)</p>

<p>If you got into both Brown PLME and Harvard, I’d recommend going to Brown. Harvard has a huge majority of people vying for tip-top GPAs for med school, (law,& MBA,) apps. The competition is brutal, and the Life Science and Chem courses are designed to weed out the ‘merely smart’ kiddies. Brown has more flexibility in terms of pass/fail options and class choices.</p>

<p>Thank you for the response! I think most people suggest Brown PLME over Harvard. How about the chance of ED PLME really better than regular?</p>

<p>Though fauve is correct, Harvard generally has severe grade inflation. Many graduates have high GPAs since Harvard wants them to move on to prestigious graduate schools. This article ([The</a> Truth About Harvard - Magazine - The Atlantic](<a href=“http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ReQTaTmPimwJ:www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-truth-about-harvard/3726/+average+harvard+gpa&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari]The”>http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ReQTaTmPimwJ:www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-truth-about-harvard/3726/+average+harvard+gpa&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari)) says the average GPA is a B-plus, so around a 3.4 or so. For an average GPA, a 3.4 is really high and will give you a great shot at med school. On top of that, the MCAT scores coming out of Harvard are amazing. Best of luck to you!</p>

<p>Generally speaking, does ED really has higher chance than regular? I heard early usually more compatitive, so not necessaryly better chance. Do you have any idea?</p>

<p>Sorry I don’t know but one thing I do know is that even if you are rejected by PLME you can still be accepted by Brown University itself in the ED round or be deferred to Brown University RD, so that is something to look at also.</p>

<p>Brown medical school rank is about 35, why most people think it’s worth to go for PLME rather than Harvard? Does the rank matter? Or simply because the application for medical school is hard after college?
Other than Brown PLME, there is also Rice/Baylor combined medical program. Compare these two, which one is better?</p>

<p>Well, getting into med school is very hard, and if you go to Brown PLME you are literally given a free pass to Brown’s med school so it’s not like you’re going to find yourself without a med school since you have a “safety” with guaranteed acceptance. Also, as stated before, you can always study for the MCAT and seek acceptance at other med schools, just with the assurance that if it doesn’t work out so well, you always have some where to go. </p>

<p>And I read somewhere that basically any med school is prestigious as only about 50% of applicants nation-wide get into med school, I however, do not know how true this is.</p>

<p>Also, in case you didn’t know, Northwestern also has a program like PLME, it’s called HPME, so you can look into that as well if you want.</p>

<p>Basically, what Brown PLME has going for it is the assured med school acceptance, and also it does have good acceptance rates into other top med schools. Just trying to help :)</p>

<p>Don’t go by rankings. You’re better off thinking about it like this, coming out of high school you have the opportunity to be guaranteed acceptance to an Ivy league medical school, that’s an amazing opportunity!</p>

<p>I am an MD in private practice and want you to be certain that you really want to study medicine before you apply for a program like the one at Brown. Frankly, I am not sure a high school student knows what they are getting themselves into. They think being a doctor is like how it is portrayed on popular television programs. The reality is that medical school is four years of an unrelenting grind and then you go right into residency which is absolutely brutal. Even after you become a practicing physician the hours can be long, the work physically and emotionally draining and you are always only one mistake away from losing your license and the end of your medical career.</p>

<p>So as a physician, do you regret now? As you know, how many physicians who are in the field right now regret enter into this career?</p>

<p>I have a coworker who is doing engineer told me his father who is a doctor against him to become a doctor. But most of the engineers in my company encourage their kids to be doctors.</p>

<p>I have considered this question as well. Currently, I am pretty determined. 4 yrs later, there maybe a possibility that I change my mind. But I know most of the college graduates applying for medical school are failed. So I decided to do the combined medical right now.</p>

<p>i’m a frosh at northwestern and part of hpme. every hpme freshman had other acceptances - between us, we had harvard, mit, caltech, yale, pton, brown, penn, dartmouth, duke, blah blah blah… but i know every single one of us is beyond glad we came here.</p>

<p>if, in april, you have both options, definitely go visit both and make the right decision for you. but yeah this is just my vote for combined programs :)</p>