@orm2020 If I am reading same thread correctly, @GoldenRock advocated for good BS/MD programs, not all for any cost, if medicine is indeed passion. Medicine passion is very difficult to judge at that tender age unless kid has experienced it firsthand as grew up in that environment, because most likely at least one of parents is a MD. This brings up the subject of risk averse. Whether it is a good trait to have for medical professional is up to debate.
You are only half correct. The definitions of ORM and URM are not dependent on race/ethnicity alone; first-gen-to-go-to-college and family income are also part of the equation that categorizes one as ORM and URM
just to humor.
O…h, man you
R…eally need a better
M…cat because of your race
Credit SDN. Here is true explanation…
The AAMC technically states that URM = “https://www.aamc.org/what-we-do/mission-areas/diversity-inclusion/underrepresented-in-medicine” (and logically, then, ORM = “over-represented in medicine”). This is based on the percentage of docs of a certain race/population in relation to their percentage in the general population. Apparently it used to mean “underrepresented minority” but they decided that basing the term on a fixed race as opposed to a fluid proportion made less sense.
ORM is kind of a made-up term in reaction to URM, though, so there’s probably no set definition.
@PPofEngrDr : Thanks for elaborating your view. As neither parent is MD, my son would be competing with tens of thousands of top students whose parents are specialist / med school professors with tangible resources on shadowing and research opportunities.
I have no doubt on my son’s abilities on any science course . But to accomplish this LONG lists of requirements with no support , chance to end up in TOP med is slim.
Only high SAT and GPA is not enough for BSMD, same reasoning apply to traditional path.
@GoldenRock #143 http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/1989563-bsmd-applicants-college-experience-report-p8.html
That is the reason that I would be blessed with a bird landed on my net . Provided few birds out there and thousands of hunters with better weapons 
thanks 
Thanks so much
No need to engage in any debates with others or get anyone’s nods or judgment for one’s own decision.
In the end it all boils down to what is best for one’s own personal situation. Nothing will stop one from becoming a good physician, not the path taken, not the med school attended or the residency one gets into, as long as one is driven. Medicine is a life long journey and I know highly regarded physicians who never had most of these ingredients being floated around during their journeys and yet made it big.
@orm2020 No offense intended to @GoldenRock but that bird find much better another nest. 
It was indeed right decision at that point of time by @GoldentRock child and later decision is equally right. It doesn’t mean to say everyone is capable/lucky/whatever or vice a versa.
In terms of opportunities, I agreed that disadvantage kids find it difficult to tangible resources to achieve all necessary ECs besides academia. Believe that is where top UGs can make a huge difference. To relate to that, we are also a non-medical family, you may have read our experience, only 4 BS/MD programs applied (none from E/NE programs that we most hear on this thread, hence don’t comments on their procedural aspects being unfamiliar to them), 1 post-interview BS/MD rejection (UMKC), my S let go BioE at state flagship UofI, BME at GATECH, had narrowed down to UMich and NU UG precisely for opportunities he may have, and decided to stay on this side of pond (NU has little upper hand due to proximity to Chicago, exposure to 4-5 medical schools, plus closure to home was a cherry on the cake). so far so good, no regrets in his decision. Did a research entire 1st academic year and was acknowledge on paper (for whatever worth it may be). Did a service/study abroad during summer (not a medical trip). Continuing research with different lab current year. Did he picked another UG, unsure he may have same amount of opportunities. So it is important for any UG leaning parents, ofc after every decision are out by early April, to explore in-depth what kind of pre-med support environment exist at that school. UMich was kind enough to provide details by email and over phone few times. If you want to be a top dog, do not want to have a GAP year, up your ECs game right from git-go, while maintaining GPA. Who succeeds/fails in that who knows, all we can do is take calculated risk or no risk at all.
…or pay to consultants depending how desperate one is and can afford their charges. There are enough Rick Singers out there in the world. 
@rk2017 : Thanks for encouragement. Though some parents are negative towards non-top BSMD , I have a much better picture than a month ago and capable to stand behind my reasoning 
So it is positive experience gained through multiple debates.
can anyone advice on the AMC interview. will it be MMI style or traditional. thanks.
@PPofEngrDr : NU is definitely a magnificent choice for UG , but far from my home . If Princeton pops up in my radar, that would be a huge magnet.
Your thoughts will help parents who decide to walk the traditional path in April
@Totototp According to the AMC site, it’s MMI
https://www.amc.edu/academic/Undergraduate_Admissions/faqs.cfm
Also you have to ask yourself, who decides what is a top and what is a non top med school/ BS/MD? US news? Some dude here with some conceptions, right or wrong? By the location of the school? Appearance of campus?
Take the examples of NJMS and Penn State/Jeff. Both are very good medical institutions that have been producing top physicians consistently.
Folks
Sharing one data point on Harvard Medical School (HMS) that I found interesting:
- 74 colleges and 33 states were represented their incoming batch of 165 med students
- In another blog, I had read, HMS takes about 25-30 from their own undergrad (about 250 of Harvard undergrad apply to HMS)
- This means about 135-140 students are taken from 73 colleges - average of less than 2.
- my GUESS - repeat GUESS - is that they probably take 2-5 from other Ivys and 1-2 from other colleges.
Harvard is known for grade inflation. So, being able to take ~20% of their own students with top GPA is understandable. I wonder if grade inflation contributes to H being able to absorb such high % of their UG students. Would grade deflation cause other top schools not being able to matriculation as many of their own UG students?
Like @rk2017 has indicated, take all rankings with a pinch of salt.
My personal approach has been to look at the trends in their residency matches.
They provide, in many cases, way different picture than rankings by newspapers.
@rk2017 - I thought you love to engage in debates and invented the bird in hand theory to support BSMD is the best option. Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed today? 
Unlike others I heard HMS also takes international students. Out of 74 colleges how many are non US colleges ?
Not all colleges have these details
https://medicine.umich.edu/medschool/sites/medicine.umich.edu.medschool/files
Not every student who got in BSMD has a physician parent. I do agree that connections help. My spouse was able to get him shadowing opportunities but her work place has age restrictions (he graduated at 17) and couldn’t get volunteering. She is not in academics so no research connections. He pursued on his own (with some tips from me) and contacted several professors and 2 of them interviewed him (and one made him do a powerpoint presentation on a topic). The reason he got interviews was he has state level SciOly medals at that point and he targeted the labs that do research in that topic. So self driven students (with some guidance) can succeed.