***Official Thread for BSMD Applicants 2018***

Ok, so I think I’ll commit to EMT and receptionist and pass on the research
Weaving a storyline is a really good point - thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Thank you so much for helping me with this - I really appreciate it!

From what I understand, different BS/MD programs have different focuses (i.e. PLME = liberal arts, RPI/AMC = research). What does HPME look for?

HPME needs research

I agree with what @mouse2 is saying in regards to trying to show commitment, but my personal experience has been that research is pretty important for most BSMD programs. When I was applying, I got two interviews and from talking to other applicants at these interviews it seemed that about 80 percent of the applicants had at least done some form of research. In the program I am in right now most of us did some form of research in high school and have continued to do research in college.

Hi everyone,

I’m a junior in high school and am very interested in applying for bsmd. Is it worth it to hire a private counselor that specializes in bsmds, and what has your experience been with private counselors in general?

Thanks

@Undecided3494 I definitely agree that research will be an important part of college and medical school, and that programs want to see that you have experience with it. But what I was trying to say was that since @Hakhan already has some form of research (also helps a lot that it’s a publication) it would be a better use of his time to reinforce his commitment to EMT and patient care experiences.

@Undecided3494
Yeah, I also was unsure about this: I’ve read like VCU GAP likes volunteering, UPITT GAP likes shadowing, etc. So this is kind of the heart of the reason why I was/am conflicted about passing up a research opportunity. However, @mouse2 does make a very good point about the whole storyline thing. Also, this research is unlikely to give me a publication/get my name on a paper if that means anything (it’s on a strictly volunteer basis and is basically just helping out in the lab with random things - BUT I did email a pretty large amount of profs to get this opportunity so I’m a bit apprehensive about passing it up).

Follow up question:
How would BSMDs know how much time I put into a given activity - how would they know if I just worked for like 1 shift or 100, or if I volunteered for like 100 hrs vs one shift (because if they don’t it kind of changes the framework/basis of this argument, right)?

argument → discussion*

Well aside from the “honor code” expectation that you won’t completely fabricate your extracurricular experiences, you should have something to show from it whether that be a poster, a publication, pictures of lab stuff or with patients, or a letter of recommendation/proof from your professor/supervisor saying how many hours you did

@mouse2
Yeah, I was thinking LOR


[QUOTE=""]
Yeah, my chem needs to go up, HPME avg is 769 (BTW, I can't take AP Chem until Sr. year, so this is just from reg. chem - which means a lot of self-studying

[/QUOTE]

@Hakhan,

Don’t take these figures literally. They haven’t updated them in few years. Also don’t fixate on one or two programs and apply broadly.

D had 800 in SAT subject chemistry and 790 on Math2, both taken in sophomore year. Also had 5s in AP Chem, Bio and Calc BC besides few other. She was not called for HPME interview. So one can’t infer anything, all depends on a number of factors in a given application cycle.

For the BS/MD programs except I understand that research and volunteering experiences are important, is it any helpful to win Olympiad competition and study camp? If the research is not medical related, does this matter?

@rjqz18 @Hakhan No one in these forums knows for sure what is in one’s application for BS/MD (GPA, ACT/SAT score, SAT II scores, Shadowing, Volunteering, Research, Community Service, LOR etc) that will trigger an invitation for an interview. There are a lot of self-proclaimed experts on these forums. Be an intelligent consumer of the posts on these forums.

@grtd2010
Yeah, that’s definitely something I should take heed of - thanks for the reminder!

ANy movement in waiting lists for UCinn.

Hi all, I am going to WashU for their Celebration Weekend this week and will meet other students in their direct medical program. Do you guys have ideas on what questions I should definitely ask them?

Any movement on the UMKC OOS waitlist

Anyone here is accepting Washington Jefferson/Temple Med Scholars Program?.

Looking for advice from the forum to choose one between the two. Cost wise it is a wash. Here are some pros & cons I came up with. Appreciate any words of wisdom.

Texas Tech UMSI 4+4 Program
– No MCAT required (if you write MCAT, you will forego your seat I think)
– Can finish the undergrad in 3 years and masters (MBA) in the final year
– Need to live in Lubbock for 8 years
– 3.7 overall & 3.6 science
– Residency matches are decent but appear to be not as great as UT Houston Medical center or UTMedical Brach Galveston
– Average step1 score - 226
– Somewhat farther from home

UofH 3+4 Program:
– MCAT is required and score in 80th percentile (510 last year). Non-binding
– Need to follow the set curriculum (Honors Bio Med Sci)
– 3.8 overall & 3.7 science (got mixed input on difficulty to maintain GPA from current students).

– Probably a lot better or plenty of research & shadowing opportunities
– Residency matches appear to be better at UT houston/UTMB compared to Texas Tech
– Average step1 score - 237
– closer to home than Texas Tech