Mount Sinai Humanities in Medicine

<p>What do you guys know about this program? I was looking at it online and was wondering if anybody here has done it or knows someone who did it, and how the experience was, what it takes to get in etc.</p>

<p>Mount</a> Sinai Humanities and Medicine 07-08 - Page 3 - Student Doctor Network Forums</p>

<p>Doesn't look like a lot of people got interviews.</p>

<p>I go to Sinai, and I live with two HuMeds. :)</p>

<p>What is it exactly that you want to know? If you could focus your questions, I'd be better able to answer them.</p>

<p>norcalguy:</p>

<p>The HuMed program is pretty small. Not a lot of people get interviewed, but I get the sense that not too many people apply - the ratio of interviewed to not-interviewed is nowhere near the one for regular applications to MD. The program has become more popular recently, so MSSM can afford to be more choosy.</p>

<p>I also get the sense that they favor Ivy League students, but that is, of course, my opinion. I know that at least one of my roommates also shares that perception with me.</p>

<p>Shades...by ratio of interviewed, do you mean that the ratio for the Humed program is greater or less than regular applications to medical schools.</p>

<p>Are there any schools in particular that the program likes (not that it really matters much at this point...)?</p>

<p>Also, how intense is the summer program?</p>

<p>"I applied in my sophomore year at Penn (admittedly just to get into med school early...perhaps that reflected somehow) with 3.9 GPA and 1550 SATs and, from what I was told, great LORs and essays. Nevertheless, I was soundly rejected"</p>

<p>This kinda scares me lol</p>

<p>Anyway, MSSM is a great school. I'm making a trip to NYC on Valentine's Day just to interview there.</p>

<p>*** that is just messed up
but from what i read, it could be that you have to be more of a humanities major to get in?</p>

<p>phonyreal98:</p>

<p>Sorry for being incoherent. My laptop fried itself two nights ago, and I'm still lamenting my misfortune.</p>

<p>I get the sense that there are fewer applicants for each available spot in the HuMed program than there are applicants for each available spot during regular MD admission. So, for example, there might be 10 HuMed applicants for every one spot while there might be 30 regular MD applicants for every one spot. Did that make sense?</p>

<p>
[quote]
Are there any schools in particular that the program likes (not that it really matters much at this point...)?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I get the feeling that they really like Ivy League. My roommate took two years off, and the year she was accepted to the HuMed program, she was one of 25 or so students. Only three were Ivy League. Among last year's 25 or so accepted HuMeds, I heard there were 22. Of course, "favoring Icy League students" is not official policy, but that certainly seems to be the result.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Also, how intense is the summer program?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It's science classes, basically, so level of intensity probably depends on your aptitude for science. I've never heard of anyone "failing" out of the HuMed program. Also, right before you matriculate, there's another summer program for HuMeds that basically covers half of Gross Anatomy, a third of molecular biology, and maybe a fifth of Physiology. So you'll definitely be prepared first year. </p>

<p>The in-joke at Sinai is that HuMeds are the dumb ones, the ones who don't deserve to be in medical school, but frankly, they catch up fast. I'd say any disparities are eliminated within the first semester. On average, HuMeds score higher on Step 1 than people who were admitted through regular MD admissions.</p>

<p>norcalguy:</p>

<p>
[quote]
This kinda scares me lol

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Great numbers are great, but what's the rest of the story? The HuMed program is looking at just about everything else. That person might have screwed up the interview.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Anyway, MSSM is a great school. I'm making a trip to NYC on Valentine's Day just to interview there.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Oh, you're interviewing here? Congrats!</p>

<p>madamebovary:</p>

<p>You absolutely must be a humanities major to get in. No chemistry, bio, physics majors allowed - if you are a science major, when you get in you've got to change majors or you'll be kicked out. (Otherwise, it wouldn't be called "Humanities in Medicine.")</p>

<p>hello, I am interested in visiting Mt. Sinai to figure out some more about the school, hospital, and possibly get a chance to talk with a student in the program. are there any info sessions that I may be able to attend in the near future?</p>

<p>Bumping this thread— anybody applied recently? Or anybody has any more info? How many applied these past years?</p>

<p>Better info on that will be available on their webpage or the student doctor network thread.</p>

<p>Thanks!
But I’ve read all that. I can’t believe almost 700 applied last year. It’s going to be a 5% acceptance rate like most medical schools now :S</p>

<p>It’s a popular program among non-trads. There is no “easy” path into medical school, so the low acceptance rate should be expected ;).</p>

<p>No doubt it is extremely competitive. But many of those students who apply are in fact obvious science majors (including years of research in HS), which is NOT what Mt. Sinai is seeking for this program, and those end up practically on the auto-reject list.</p>

<p>I’m really interested in this program, but it seems that they want a humanities major to the extreme. What i mean is, every med school applicant has chem/bio/phys/orgo/maybe other upper-level courses to get through, and this program sort of seems to want you to delay taking these while you apply. it gives me the impression that they want you to put all your eggs in one basket. im a humanities major for sure, but i took chem freshman year and will take bio/phys sophomore year while i apply, just because i refuse, i feel understandably, to postpone these courses on the incredibly small chance i get into this one program…so what will that do to me?</p>

<p>mmmcdowe—when did I say this was an easy way into medical school? I never said that. I was simply remarking on the fact that in 2009 it was over 10% acceptance rate. In 2010 in halved, which makes the % as low as most med schools now. Most people would be surprised any program more than doubled it’s applicant pool in just a year.</p>

<p>axc-- i can understand what you’re saying. i don’t think they’re trying get you to put all your eggs in one basket. it’s just that they want you to fully pursue your humanities, if that is your passion. my guess is most types of people in the category are the kinds of ppl who’d do a post bac and/or apply sometime later if they don’t get in.</p>

<p>if you’ve taken chem and bio, it’s good. that’s what they want. but if you take physics, i think that will count against you. they specifically say physics will be taught to you during summer between junior and senior year. don’t take physics.</p>

<p>^^chester, there was an article in the NYTimes which resulted in the large increase in apps.</p>

<p>axc: yes, they want hume/lit majors, thus the name of the program. In essence, they are trying to recruit those students who only take the bare minimum of premed courses, bcos such students have a passion in other areas, such as literature, or theater or…</p>

<p>Btw, I fail to see how only taking two sciences during a year can hinder your hume major.</p>

<p>blue,</p>

<p>it doesn’t hinder a humanities/social science major at all! all the pre-med requirements do make it, admittedly, a tighter squeeze to get everything done, but certainly possible nonetheless. my concern was that they basically dont want you to take physics, but it seems a bit unreasonable to me to postpone it just for one school, and such postponing could ultimately lead to another summer or few semesters or a post-bacc program…a big opportunity cost.</p>

<p>and this is certainly not just “a way out” of the traditional for me…i have passions outside as well–im really passionate about the art world, and ive been doing a lot of research and curating for some time now. but even with such a passion, i cant put physics aside just for the sake of one program i probably won’t get accepted into</p>

<p>I still don’t get it axc. </p>

<p>Pre-health requires just four years of science courses, and since you are in college for four years…</p>

<p>There is no reason to take physics sophomore year. Many successful premeds take it Junior or even senior year. Heck, even a science major can take physics later – Bio majors can take it any time, for example. </p>

<p>If you want to take physics in your Sophomore year go for it, but don’t diss Mt. Sinai for your personal preference. :)</p>

<p>I’m attempting to follow a track that will allow me to take the MCAT end of junior year, apply end of junior year, and enter med school the fall after senior year…which may not be the norm anymore b/c people take a fair amount of time off, but i’d say it’s a typical path…and in that case, it requires you to double up at some point. i’m in no means dissing the program, i just think it makes things difficult for those following my path, which you can say is typical or atypical</p>

<p>thousands upon thousands of students still apply to med school at the end of their Junior year. College course planning is pretty simple:</p>

<p>Frosh Year:
Chem & Math (Calc/Stats)
Electives</p>

<p>Soph Year:
Bio & Organic Chem (first semester or organic required by Mt. Sinai)
Electives</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Physics
Electives</p>

<p>Alternative:</p>

<p>Note, some colleges require Chem as a prereq to Bio, so Bio becomes a Soph-level course. Other colleges have no such requirement, so Bio could be taken Frosh year as well as Chem. Regardless, Physics is still not needed until Junior Year, at the end of which you will take mcat. </p>

<p>Quite frankly, unless you are a science major/engineer, spacing out your lab courses can be good planning. Labs are a sink-hole of time, relative to the credit received.</p>