Hi. I want to pursue a career in medicine and have two top choices thus far: a 7 year BS/DO program at NYIT or do pre-med as a biochem at UCSD. I live in NY. Obviously the 7 year program is the obvious choice, given how hard med school admissions are, even for DO programs. While I do know this, I want to go to UCSD for premed so I can get a MD degree instead of a DO, though the path would be a lot harder and require a lot more luck. The reason for this is because the specialty I would like to pursue is surgery, and given the relative “newness” of the DO degree, I feel I’d be more successful with a MD, assuming I get one. What should I do? I’m really conflicted on this. Thanks.
Here are some other choices:
-NYU. I don’t know tuition off the top of my head, but it’s definitely high.
-Pepperdine with 10K scholarhsip/yr. Tuition: 63K/yr w/ scholarship
-Northeastern, but accepted NUin. Tuition: ~58K/yr
-UMiami w/ 20K scholarship/yr. Tuition: ~40K/yr w/ scholarship
-Stony Brook wi/ 3K scholarship/yr. Instate tuition: 5K/yr.
Also, I don’t think I would mind having to apply more than once to med school if I don’t get in the first time from UCSD. And I won’t need to take loans for any of these paths, so no need to bring up the financial arguments.
Stony Brook but how much per year is UCSD?
My opinion from another thread you created is the same, take the obvious choice (aka Stony Brook), the one you indicated was a “no risk option”. Putting aside the +60K OOS COA, if you don’t mind sharing what’s so special to you about UCSD’s biochem that is not available in NY? If your only choices are above, why not take a gap year, apply to some lower cost instate schools (I think NY has several) and then start on your MD journey next year. There’s a saying that getting into med school is a marathon, not a sprint. Increasing numbers of students are opting for 1 or 2 gaps years to solidify their med school apps.
UCSD is a terrible choice for OOS pre-meds. First, because UC’s are the toughest environment out there for pre-meds because that’s where the tens of thousands of talented young Californians go. Second, because as an OOS applicant you won’t qualify for med schools in California. Third, because despite all the spin they tried to put on it, their med school results are so bad they are investigating what goes wrong for their thousands of talented pre-meds.
So, UCSD is a terrific university if you’re instate but not for pre-meds.
Take the BS/DO at NYIT or Stony Brook acceptance.
Bumping for some more suggestions. Thanks to those who already answered.
Hi, I’m a dad from So Cal. First, I may be wrong, but a DO does not do surgery - you need an MD for that. That is the primary difference (I thought). Second, if you want to get out of NY and enjoy the perfect SoCal climate, UCSD and Pepperdine are two beautiful places (esp Pepperdine). Third, if you are pre-med, think about the cost: you have many, many years of school ahead of you. Despite the naysayers, a premed degree from anywhere with decent grades is valuable. What gets you into med school is a good MCAT. My son is at Northeastern (NUin program - that’s how I found your thread) and he will not admit it, but the weather sucks. The weather here is great, all the time. UCSD may be competitive, but it is a highly regarded school. Don’t know about the other schools’ reputations. Sounds like you have great options. Good luck to you!
Do’s can do anything MD’s can do now.
The choice really comes down to the wealth at your disposal.
Many families would have to take Stony Brook for undergraduate in order to afford med school after.
Add up your costs and resources, then add up your total loans and put them in a loan payments calculator.
Go to Miami if the 40k works. It’s got great weather. Great sports and certainly the cachet to get you into any too med school with the right stats. Also you may be a star there but not assuredly (lots of super talented kids there too) versus banging it out head to head with all of the UC competitors. Just a thought
Absolutely agree that trying to go to UCSD for premed and competing for grades, in a saturated major, puts you at a disadvantage. There are SO many premed students in all of the UC’s, you would be competing for grades.