Hi I’m currently a sophomore in high school and I’ve had my heart set out on becoming a doctor specializing in FM or EM. Anyway, I was doing research and came across an article about BS/MD programs. I know they’re an accelerated course that combines both a Bachelors degree and Doctorates degree into 6-8 years, but how exactly do you get in and what requirements do you need? I also take AP/DC classes and am planning on taking a few CLEP exams this summer, would any of the credits count in a BS/MD program or possibly decrease the time spent? Thank you so much!
Every program will be different in its policies regarding AP/IB and dual enrollment (DE) credits. So is whether they will allow you to accelerate your program. This is something you will have to research personally with every program before you apply.
But generally speaking BA/MD programs expect students who have advanced standing due to AP/IB/DE credits to take additional upper level coursework in the same department to supplement any of those type of credits. (Partly because AP/IB credits don’t carry a grade on a college transcript and aren’t included in your GPA.)
Medical schools seldom accept CLEP credits so it’s very unlikely that BA/MD programs will.
Admission to BA/MD programs is extremely competitive. They’re harder to get accepted into/have lower acceptance rates than Ivy League colleges. You need tippy top academics with a full complement of science classes–bio, chemistry, physics, and math–taken at the highest level your high school allows. This may be AP, IB or dual enrollment.
Besides having a high GPA while taking the toughest classes offered at your school, you need high SAT/ACT scores.
You also need to have the right extracurriculars–physician shadowing and community service w/ disadvantaged groups. Both of those are expected of all applicants. Clinical volunteering (that is, volunteering with patients) is also usually expected of all applicants. Some BA/MD applicants do science research at a university research lab during high school–which is a nice plus.
Understand just being enrolled in a BA/MD program does NOT guarantee you will automatically matriculate into medical school. Your acceptance to medical school is provisional.
Different programs have different thresholds for moving into the professional portion of the program. (i.e. actually starting med school.) Every program requires you meet a minimum GPA and science GPA (sGPA). All will require you earn above a certain grade in key pre-req classes. All will require you meet some sort of minimum benchmark for clinical volunteering, shadowing, research and community service completed during college. Many have a minimum required MCAT score Many also require periodic interviews or reviews with med school faculty during the program to make sure that you have the personal qualities/competencies that being a physician requires.
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To answer your question, there is no formula to get into a BS/MD program, but you’ve done the 1st step in getting interested and thinking about applying. Every competitive applicant is considered the best of the best at their high schools, and to be competitive, you need to be at their level in academics, service, and medical experience.
Like @WayOutWestMom said, every BS/MD program will differ in their requirements and rules. However, some BS/MD programs will require you to take classes at the partnered undergrad school like Biology, Chemistry, or Statistics, even if you have those AP credits transferring to that UG. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t take those AP tests, as any padding your application can get is needed!
Going back to your questions, most accepted students have some aspect of their application that makes them truly stand out. This could be academics, test scores, research experience, medical experience, service, etc. To list the exact achievements to get into a BS/MD program is impossible because every accepted student is different. I was invited to interview and accepted into 3 BS/MDs last year. I would chalk it up to my extensive research and volunteer hours, as well as strong interviewing skills.
For now, you’re probably focusing on getting your application to the table. Make sure to keep as high a GPA as you can, but focus on the bigger picture too. You need to start taking advantage of your time (with the upcoming summer) and pad your application with hours and extracurriculars too.
Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions about the BS/MD application!