I concur with the idea of choosing Rutgers as an undergraduate program to pursue your dream of becoming a physician. Even though you are undergoing a difficult time now, you will become a stronger person by having a positive outlook and move FORWARD.
In order for you get those A’s, I have a few recommendations:
preview your lecture material
review your notes and do question sets
USE ANKI system (google and you tube it)… even useful in MCAT and USMLE preparation
stay positive
reach out for help when needed
Do well on your MCAT- one of my patients scored 99 % on his MCAT even though he scored 2180/2400 on his SAT, whereas another kid scored 80 % with previous SAT score of 2400.
So, do NOT worry about your 1430.
Good luck!
For those who need to choose various programs, here’s my thoughts on BS/MD programs.
Our son is finishing up his medical school, and he just went through a residency match process.
He has been attending Albany medical college through seven year accelerated program with RPI, where he participated in a varsity sport. He did well, graduating with 3.93 GPA.
Any regrets?
To our son, he has no regrets. He has become close to most of his program buddies, who have been very supportive of each other through this arduous journey.
He got into a very good radiology residency, where both BU and Brown medical school graduates are attending. His choice of specialty changed so many times from pathology to oncology to cardiology to GI then to radiology. His exposure to radiology as a possible career path came when he was third year med student after talking to his intern, who is doing prelim year at AMC prior to moving onto a radiology residency in California. During his third year, he joined radiology school interest group and shadowed a few radiologists in his school, who became his mentors, helping him with case studies and allowing him to write and go over actual films. He has received excellent letter of recommendations from them and also from his pathology research mentor as well.
I guess, what if and what if questions come to our minds. Main concern should be one’s happiness!
There’s no one right answer. Our son chose not to take MCAT even with stats because he has made a pack with his friends. And they matched well. One got into AMC neurosurgery program, which only selects two candidates per year and another kid got into AMC vascular surgery program, where only one resident is selected per year
I am beyond stumped that you both know the details of MCAT at this level - hats off to you both!! I just knew that my DD was going to take MCAT from New York and she called us to help with directions so she won’t be late. I didn’t even realize it was a full day test and I was so worried she was not answering her phone. Then she called back in my evening and said she did fine, and then said she couldn’t take my calls cos she had put it in a locker for the test. Looks like you both participated in your DC’s BS (in a healthy way)!! Kudos!!
Thank you! I applied as a Neuroscience/Music major for most schools. I also applied to the Columbia/Juilliard Exchange and the Yale College/Yale School of Music BA/MM program for violin.
At least for 2021 match list, AMC students did pretty well.
6 matched into orthopedics, 8 matched into general surgery, 5 matched into neurosurgery(U of NC), 3 matched into urology, 1 to dermatology, 1 to ophthalmology, 9 to anesthesiology (MGH, UCLAx 2, Columbia, BID…), 2 to interventional radiology (Columbia and Maryland), 2 to diagnostic radiology, 1 radiation oncology (MSK), 4 to ENT (U of Virginia x 2), 8 to OB/Gyn (Mount Sinai), 24 to IM(BWH, U Mich, Mount Sinai, few to Rochester, Georgetown), 12 to Peds (MGH and Yale), 1 to plastic surgery, 1 neurology (Mount Sinai), 3 to Pathology, 7 to FM, 1 to vascular Surgergy, 5 to PMR (Northwestern, Mount Sinai), 6 to psychology (NYU), 3 to Med-Peds, 8 to EM and 3 others.
@harvester50 - if going through BSMD program, AMC grads do quite well in the match. The requirements they go through in undergrad (RPI, Siena, Union) to matriculate to AMC, whether it be basic science research, community/volunteer service, and/or leadership activities, help serve them well as they seek residency placement. My wife was in the RPI-AMC program and several of her friends in her batch matched in ophthalmology x 2, urology, dermatology. So I believe AMC via the BSMD program may be a legitimate option for many.
So glad to see you here after a long time. You used to be a frequent contributor 2-3 cycles ago from your own physician background and frequent interactions with many young aspirants to medicine (in fact myself will be disappearing from the radar soon).
Very happy to learn about your son doing so great. In fact know of a colleague’s son who is also RPI/AMC alumnus like your son and is finishing up 7th year residency in neuro surgery with a fellowship in spine surgery lined up somewhere else since a year back.
And so true about students in these programs making strong bonds with one another as you have recalled about your son. C is in another program and a bunch of them within the program hang around closely even after matriculating into med school. All of them did great GPA, ECs and MCAT wise (program requirement) and yet no one even gave a thought on applying out. That is how much they valued each other’s company (and also were happy with both the undergrad experience there and the med school they will be matriculating into)
Now that the Step 1 etc are becoming virtually non entities, a lot of hue and cry being raised here about how students without fancy brand name med schools to hide behind will do badly in residency placements etc, etc. If you don’t mind will be great if you can share your take on that for the benefit of folks making their decisions shortly on BS/MD vs regular route.
Any feedack on other NY medical schools- Upstate, Downstate, SBU - except SBU, their corresponding feeder schools are not as good as RPI and not sure if matters.
I didn’t know the word Anki till my daughter was going to complete first semester of medical school. Now I’m trying to read up a step ahead for my younger one.
There are success stories in every BSMD program and also success in stories in traditional path also. People match into all kinds of programs and specialties. Without mentioning where exactly they matched you obsessively plug in BU! No one is crying about Anything except debating!
@upstream you are a role model parent, thanks for providing updates about your son’s progress last seven years here and experience thread but at the same time with facts only and no fear mongering and no fluff. I still remember you reaching out to me privately to talk about RPI but at the same time respecting our decision to take traditional path.
Drove through my son’s only BSMD accept college during his spring break. The campus is a large, public campus. Student body, at large, is mediocre.
He is not too inspired by what he sees. Yet I know, once he get through this long 4 years, medical school part of this program is new, modern, and top notch, as shown by this year’s match result.
But I can’t seem to inspire him to go to a campus he deem uninspiring.
He still want to go for upper tier school.
Need some wisdom that HE can see. Don’t preach to me in the choir. I need HIM to convert.
