Need Guidance BS/MD Program

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
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Thanks to all of you for your contribution and sharing information. Appreciate all your help and thanks in advance to guide me.

  1. What are the chances for BS/MD program and which BS/MD should apply?
  2. What are the chances for BS in Upenn, Cornell, Duke, JH, and UNC? (Since it is so hard to get in to BS/MD, especially with no shadow/lab experience or science awards)
  3. Which UC are realistic chances?
  4. How to get physicians shadow experience? When contacted few docs, they said in CA, no longer can do because of local law and without malpractice insurance it is not possible.
    Background: Asian Female
    State: California
    School: Large highly competitive public school
    Class Rank: School doesn’t rank
    Un-weighted GPA: 3.92 out of 4.00 (9, 10, 11th)
    UC Un-Weighted GPA: 3.875 (only 10 & 11th)
    UC Weighted: 4.20 (Only 10, 11th & 4 courses cap for weight)
    PSAT: 236 CR – 76 M – 80 W - 80
    SAT (1 sitting): 2300 CR – 740 M – 760 W - 800
    SAT II: Math 2 / Chemistry / Biology - 800 each; Spanish 750
    ACT (1 sitting): Composite 36 Writing 9

AP classes: (School allows AP courses only from 11th)
AP Chemistry 5
AP Stats 5
AP Spanish 5
AP Psychology 5

AP Computer Science 4

Senior Year AP courses:
AP Biology
AP English Literature
AP Physics 1
AP Calculus AB

Extracurricular Activities:
Speech club 4 years – incoming President and Officer previous 2 years
History club 4 years – Co-Founder and President and Officer for all 4 years
Cross country team – 3 years
Reporter for school magazine coming year - Journalism class
Piano 5+ years and completed CA high school certificate
Participated at state meet for 4 consecutive years and represented CA in National for 1 year in NHD

Community Service:
Total 600+ hours
Service oriented 150+ hours
Tutoring 350+ hours
Hospital Volunteer 100+ hours

Current Summer Experience:
Research Assistant in UCB from June and the research program involves investigating developmental mechanisms underlying ADHD.
Doing UCB course and lab for Introduction to Human Physiology

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If all else fails, Berkeley.

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@GoldenRock,

The problem is while your academic stats in terms of grades and standardized test scores are fantastic, your healthcare volunteer activities or anything healthcare related are severely lacking – shadowing at a private practice, volunteering at an inpatient hospital, EMT certification, working at a blood bank, etc. (so many examples in this category), although you do have some research experience. How did you get the 100 hours of experience as a hospital volunteer and why didn’t you continue it?

It will make it that much harder to prove to BS/MDs that you’ve actually taken the time to make sure that medicine is right for you, in terms of becoming a physician.

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@Roentgen Only last fall decided to go for Medicine. Since then trying and doing the best. Only child and no siblings/relatives who have gone thru college admission process, leave alone BS/MD. Primarily learning from this CC forum and big kudos to you. Here is the summary of healthcare related.

  1. Currently volunteering at an inpatient hospital in maternity ward and will be continuing all thru senior year. So far 75 hours and at the time of application, it may be 100-120 hours.
  2. Last summer spent few days at a private clinic in India
  3. Last summer spent few days at a private lab which does all kinds of test
  4. Will continue the RA position all my senior year. Among the 6 RAs in the long running research and clinical program at UCB Hinshaw lab, I am the only high school student and all others are UCB undergrads.
  5. Hoping to gain some experience in the Lab @UCB related to "Intro to Human Physiology’

Help me how to get EMT certification or physician shadow experience or any other suggestions to improve healthcare related exposure? Because when I looked at CA web site for EMT, it clearly says, need to be 18 years old to get certificate. Private docs when reached said no. Big institutional hospital, allowing but the work does not allow shadow and it is more volunteer work in discharge, maternity ward or gift shop etc.

What are the chances for the BS programs in the above list? Medicine along with humanity/history interest most and that is what plan to do. If don’t get BS/MD, will pursue the normal MD route either in UC or the above BS programs.

Will be very happy if UCD or UCSD accepts but not sure because it has become extremely competitive and low admit rate in UC system. Thanks again.

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@GoldenRock

I think there are some healthcare volunteering things you can do - working at a blood drive or cancer drive, doing scribing for a physician, volunteering at a nursing home, working with the disabled or mentally challenged children, etc. There are many possibilities in terms of healthcare exposure. Even though you said, “Big institutional hospital, allowing but the work does not allow shadow and it is more volunteer work in discharge, maternity ward or gift shop etc.” – those are fine to have on your CV. You can’t be picky as a high school student. These are things you should buff up on in the summer and early fall, before you have to apply in the fall this year.

I don’t see where you’ve listed any BS/MD programs above, however, here is a starting list: http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■/BA_MD_programs.html

The truth is no one can tell you which BS/MD programs you are a a “shoo-in” for, as there are many parts that are evaluated. I think with your scores you can at least get interview into places like Brown, UCSD, Northwestern, Baylor, Pitt, Penn State/Jefferson, etc.

You should apply to as many BS/MDs as you are comfortable with and would be comfortable making a commitment to based on the reputation of the medical school. You do very well on standardized testing , so I don’t think even doing the normal traditional 4+4 route would be much of a problem for you, in terms of the MCAT. So apply to the normal undergrads that you’d be happy with attending and that you think you’ll get a good education, not just for purposes of applying for med school.

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Hi!

I’m new to College Confidential and I was wondering if you could provide some feedback on my stats. I am going to be a senior come fall and live in New Jersey. I am very much interested in medicine and would especially like to attend a BS/MD (accelerated) program. My fascination for the field comes from my parents, both of whom are in the healthcare field, and I’ve reached out to several physicians and healthcare professionals for further advice.

Background: Indian female
School: Large quite competitive public school
Class Rank: School doesn’t rank (though I’m positive I’m atleast top five percent)
Un-weighted GPA: 3.804 out of 4.00 (9, 10, 11th)
SAT (1st sitting): 2190 CR- 610/ M- 780/ W- 800
SAT (2nd sitting): 2260 CR- 740/ M- 760/ W- 760
SAT Super Score: 2320
SAT II: Math 2- 760 (Taking again in October hopefully to get an 800) / Chemistry- 750 / Biology- Taking in October
ACT (1 sitting): Composite 35; Essay 10

Sophomore Year AP classes:
AP US History I (My school splits the AP curriculum into two years)

Junior Year AP classes:
AP Chemistry 4
AP US History II 5
AP English Language and Composition 5

Senior Year AP courses:
AP Biology
AP Calculus AB
AP Economics
AP Statistics
AP English Literature and Composition
AP Government and Politics

Other classes:
3 years of Spanish in High school
Science Research Program- a highly competitive 3-year program that only selected 15 students from my grade. We are to become experts in a chosen field of research, reach out to professionals, present at research competitions/symposiums, and read scholarly journal articles on our own time.
Gilder Lehrman Scholar (Program that only selected 30 students from my grade. History/Humanities- related program)

Extracurricular Activities:
Science Olympiad (3 yrs.) - Have gained numerous medals (Regional champion; State silver and bronze medalist) at the regional and state

level in the Senior Division Anatomy and Physiology category; incoming Captain
National Speech and Debate (3 yrs.) - Extemporaneous speaking; advanced at national tournaments
History Club (3 yrs.) - 3rd place at NHD states (alternate to nats); PR Director for 3 years
International Concerns Club (2 yrs.) - Incoming President
Spanish Honor Society - member
National Honor Society - Incoming President

Bharatanatyam (Classical Indian Dance) for 13 yrs. and completed graduation recital during Summer 2013
Carnatic Music (Classical Indian Music) for 9 yrs.
Girl Scout for 12 yrs.

Community Service:
Nursing Home (patient care)- 60 hours
Geriatric and Primary Care Center (billing work, clerical work, filing, assisting/shadowing doctors)- 350+ hours
First Aid Squad- 100+ hours (Doing a lot more hours this summer)
Temple/ Temple Dance School- 550+ hours
*Currently working towards Girl Scout Gold Award
*I am also planning to shadow a doctor in early August and going to India to work in a rural clinic in late August.

Summer Experience:
Summer 2014- Research intern at Rutgers School of Pharmacy, involving government funded studies on chemical terror weapons and dermatology/immunology; was selected to present my research at JSHS regional symposium
Summer 2015- Currently going back as a research intern to continue my research from last year.

I would love to hear feedback from you all regarding my chances at a combined BS/MD program, especially in-state through New Jersey Medical School. What else do you think I need to do/work on to improve my CV? Thanks so much (in advance) for your advice, and I can’t wait to hear back!

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@Roentgen What is the difference in applying BA/MD vs BS/MD in what extracurriculars you do? Do you need to take a stronger humanities focus ex. in writing or music for BA/MD?

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@tunetheday,

In terms of actual application at the high school level, there is no difference between a BA/MD or a BS/MD program. In general, a BA has less required hours than a BS degree, hence many 6/7 year programs only have room for you to get the BA undergraduate degre. Whether you get the BA degree or BS degree on completion of the combined program is more of an institutional degree-granting decision by the university, which is usually approved by the specific college (Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Business, etc.) giving that undergraduate degree or they have an agreement with the med school that combined Bachelor/MD students will have certain undergraduate requirements waived as part of their program.

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@emtgirl777 You have a very good chance since have good stats and ECs. New Jersey has many programs (unlike CA) in NJIT, Rutgers schools. Also almost all schools have the early assurance programs (apply during second year in BS) besides BS/MD in Rutgers colleges.

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@GoldenRock

What kind of qualifications do they look at for early assurance programs? Also, do you think I have a shot at a couple of other med programs, like Northwestern, Brown, Penn/Jefferson, etc?

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@emtgirl777

  1. I did not explore early assurance program. But I presume it should have similar expectations. But since student will be in the college as a UG freshman, student can reach out to the premed/counselling office to understand and follow the process.
  2. Based on all the blog posts in CC, every one has a good chance if they are with in certain boundary in terms of GPA, test scores, EC and essays/prompts and interviews performance. Your profile is good.
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@emtgirl777

Your SAT of 2260 is not too far from the average SAT for 2014-15 Penn State/Jefferson program (2324).

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@Roentgen
Thanks a lot for your feedback and suggestions.

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@GoldenRock Hi! I came over here from your post on the 2016 BS/MD applicants thread. Your grades and scores are fine, but you are lacking in medicine-related activities for BS/MD programs. The most competitive programs like UCSD Med Scholars, Brown PLME and Northwestern HPME especially care about seeing that commitment to medicine to determine whether or not you’re a good fit for a BS/MD program.

You seem very smart and talented. Good luck!

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@atthejewel Thanks a lot for your prompt response and feedback.

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You’re from LHS, aren’t you?