No Bachelor Medical School

<p>I'm not sure about this information, but I've heard that a bachelor's degree is not necessarily a prerequisite for medical school in the U.S. I've heard of all the countries who have different styles of medical school where they enroll after high school, and I also know about the many combined degree programs. I understand the importance of an undergraduate education, but I'm wondering if this is true that medical schools don't require a bachelor degree. If this is true, how few people actually enter medical school without a four year degree?</p>

<p>I flipped through the MSAR. The only med schools I found with fewer than 98% of the matriculating class holding bachelor's degrees were:</p>

<p>Albany-94%
UNC-96%
Texas A&M-52%
University of Texas-Galveston-68%
University of Texas-San Antonio-68%
University of Texas-Southwestern-80%
West Virginia-97%
UMKC-N/A</p>

<p>The remainder still need their premed prereqs. It's not like they're coming in straight form high school.</p>

<p>There are several medical schools, including my own and Harvard (last I checked) that required only 3 years of college course work for entrance.</p>

<p>However, just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should.</p>

<p>Schools wish to retain flexibility in their policies, so that they can still admit, say, a Nobel-prize winning undergrad. You can see for yourself that very few schools admit more than one or two a year.</p>

<p>The one guy in my class who got in after three years was pretty ordinary, nothing spectacular...he does regret giving up his last year of undergrad and wishes he had just waited a year.</p>

<p>Alright. I was never interested in doing that, I was just curious about the whole thing. Thanks.</p>