<p>Did anyone else get this? Is it a big deal or anything? I chose Electrical Engineering as my major and nothing medical related, but I still got the e-mail: </p>
<p>"February 16, 2007</p>
<p>Dear UCSD applicant,</p>
<p>The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has been notified that you have applied for fall admission to the UCSD undergraduate campus. We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of our Undergraduate Medical Scholars Program, which is open to all California high school seniors, if they meet our academic requirements (4.00 GPA or higher, and 2250 SAT or 34 ACT or higher). </p>
<p>The attachment document describes the Medical Scholars Program and the application process. Should you be admitted to the UCSD undergraduate campus, and know that you are interested in a career in medicine, we welcome your application.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Carolyn J. Kelly, M.D.
Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs"</p>
<p>I have a 2250 SAT, 33 ACT, and my unweighted GPA is 3.8 (UC GPA is 4.2). Who else got it and what are your stats?</p>
<p>all i can say is, DO IT!! Some of my pre-med friends would give their left nut to get that email. Basiically, if they accept you into the program, I believe all you have to do is maintain their requirements (3.5+ gpa and stuff) throughout all four years and you AUTOMATICALLY get accepted into UCSD Medical School. Nice, eh?</p>
<p>It's really hard to get - I think only like 12 people get it or something. It's pretty intense competition, but definitely try, cause the reward is super worth it. I got the e-mail, but I stupidly didn't even consider it because at the time, I wasn't thinking of doing anything in the medical field, but now I'm strongly considering going to either medical or dental school, so it would have been a huge thing if I got it.</p>
<p>Congrats on getting that letter! If you are completely confident that you don't want to be a doctor, then you probably shouldn't do it. But if you think maybe in the future you want to be a doctor, go for it. This program is once in a lifetime in the comfort/luxury it gives you as a premed.</p>
<p>But another consideration is whether or not you can lie convincingly on the essay asking about your interest in a career in medicine if you really don't want to study medicine, and I'm sure if you're selected to interview they'll ask you similar questions. I think ultimately the 12 or however many people who are chosen are people who truly want to go to med school and stuff.</p>
<p>why are you telling him to try when he doesn't even want to be a doctor? im sure theres enough ppl applying for that between ppl who actually WANT to be doctors lol</p>
<p>
[quote]
But what's the point of doing it if I'm going into the electrical engineering field?
[/quote]
Because you might change your mind as fishomatic stated. Remember that about 40% of engineering majors switch out of engineering. Many many people change their minds about majors/careers while they're in college. If you end up not going to med school then you're out nothing. If you do end up deciding on med school this is a great opportunity.</p>
<p>also...this program is not binding, like most BA/MD programs are. You are not required to attend the UCSD School of Medicine after graduation...you can always apply and choose to go to a different med school or you can choose to not attend med school altogether. obviously if you are not interested in medicine, then you may not want to even keep the program as an option unless you are planning on attending UCSD anyway.<br>
definitely don't be intimidated by the fact that only 12 people are chosen...there's not harm in applying!</p>