<p>"If your goal is to just be a doctor, sure anything will do."</p>
<p>Wow I think you totally missed my point.
I need a "time out" from CC from a while. </p>
<p>Good luck at life you guys.</p>
<p>I think you are missing my point too. Its awesome to be a doctor, but for people who want to keep their options open it does matter where you go.</p>
<p>props to melodious--u will be a great doctor, no doubt.....</p>
<p>slipper: why do you want to be a doctor again?....prestige should definately be at the bottom of ur list of reasons.....being a physician has both science and humanitarian aspects, and you seem to be leaning heavily towards the science end, whereas melodious seems to be more people-oriented (haha.....ur name coincides with ur interests!).....personally, i think that having a people-oriented mentality is what makes a great physician...</p>
<p>Prestige isnt the highest priority, and it was only one point I was trying to make, that "objectively" top candidates will do better using the traditional route.</p>
<p>My real issue for the med programs is actually based on humanitarian aspects. These programs only focus on science and essentially rush life, when life at this stage is not a rush. College is one of the best times of life, and missing the opportunity to study literature, history, whatever just because of trying to skip one year of college is a waste of an opportunity. Also, part of the reason to go to a top school is to surround yourself with a community of scholars. Its truly amazing to be surrounded by interesting students of all types, and these programs are at schools without these aspects. My point is you can do better 'objectively' and have a much better overall experience by not going this route.</p>
<p>............</p>
<p>I am surrounded by plenty of people from around the world, who are intelligent, and diverse in every aspect. Peope from (actually native born!) China, Africa, Russia, Albania, Brazil... the list goes on and on. This semester some people are taking acting classes. I took a poly sci class, and next semester I am taking Art and Spanish (and I could take a class like Russian or Chinese if I wanted). In no way does my life totally center around science and "rushing" through life. I would really like to know what your definition of a "scholar" is. So if you don't go to a top 25 school you are surrounded by boring, sub-par people? </p>
<p><em>gasp</em> Well if you put it like that why am I here?</p>
<p>I decided not to be premed for the very same reasons that you want to be it seems. While people are running around scrambling to compete for a spot in med school and stressing out about the MCATs, I'll be around patients learning in a way that pleases me.</p>
<p>Honestly slipper, if you have so much disdain for combined programs,why do you insist on criticizing the choices that people make on this(BS/MD) forum? People read this thread to get info about programs, to decide if they are a good fit. Obviously you have your mind made up (and have... dare I say... misinformed ideas about the purpose and curriculum of BS/MDs in general). </p>
<p>College is what you make of it. You can go to a top college and still get out with a sparkly degree and none of what you mentioned... If it will make you more happy to go to a top medical school, then by all means go for it! I respect your decision to not pursue a BS/MD, but do consider that some people... yes even "non-borderline" people... may have a different take on life than you do and do not deserve any less academic or clinical respect in medicine. No one can "objectively" determine the means to success. Success is subjective in every way and that's what makes the ride worth it. </p>
<p>(You know you are addicted to CC when you check for post during every study break!) I really need to stop reading this stuff you guys. :)</p>
<p>that was very well put melodious</p>
<p>^ second that</p>
<p>i third it......great docs exist at all schools...great deeds of unselfishness....great minds.....it's a great profession.</p>
<p>my brother did a 6 year program from albany med school, and they backed him up so much that he got interviews at yale, georgetown, columbia, harvard and more residency programs...he didn't do that well on boards or in the school, but he played the system right...he wanted to go to southern california though cause he kinda has a business thing here so he placed usc at the top of his match and got in without hesitation</p>
<p>Dr. Sedrish: Not only do great docs exist at all schools but they come from all over the world. As a freshman, my son had the privilege to spend time in Kenya with Operation Smile volunteers from several countries. One of the most important things that he learned is that the US is not the only country that trains talented and dedicated physicians.</p>
<p>Quoted from another posting. This pretty much sums up what I am trying to say. I very much honor what Doctors do, I am just saying that a traditional track open the mind while enabling better residencies for those who care to go after those jobs.</p>
<p>From: Advantages/Disadvantages to 7/8 year med programs </p>
<hr>
<p>I am a faculty member of one of the top-ranked medical schools and have served on the admissions committee at another top-ranked school. </p>
<p>I think the major advantage for going to a combined program would be to short-track (6 or 7 yr programs), and thus save 1-2 years of your education and tuition. I think a very highly motivated and mature student could take advantage of the time saved, particularly if they were interested in a specialty of medicine that required very long training (e.g.,cardiac surgery). I don't see any advantage to an 8 year program other than than having the security of knowing you are in medical school. </p>
<p>I agree with Slipper1234 that going to college for four years has its advantages, whether it be at an Ivy/top LAC or an honors program at a state university. You have the opportunity to explore other areas and may even find that medicine is not what you really want to do (Over the years, several of my classmates have left medicine to pursue other activities). You also can pursue some academic area in depth of your own choosing rather than take a prepackaged curriculum. To me, the freedom to develop one's intellectual interests is very special and should not be given up easily. Additionally, doing well in college enables you to get into one of the better medical schools, which in turn, enables you to get into more competitive residency programs. Many of the schools in the combined programs are not highly regarded and their graduates would not be highly-ranked by residency directors of the top programs unless they were the among the very top of their class. On the other hand, students from top medical schools (even below average students) get into excellent programs. </p>
<p>I think my foregoing comments apply mostly if you are interested in competitive specialties and subspecialties. On the other hand, if your major goal is just to practice good medicine (particularly in primary care) then the prestige of the degree or residency training is not that critical. Most patients never ask where you went to med school or residency-they just want a competent, caring physician. </p>
<p>Last, med schools look favorably upon applicants who may worked for 1-2 years after college or longer. They feel these students may be more mature and have real life experiences that give them a better perspective on medicine. Medical school/residency is a conveyor belt. Once you step on board, you will keep moving ahead and it is difficult to step off. It does not allow a lot of time for personal exploration or reflection, even though you will grow and be challenged during your training."</p>
<p>Wait, so a 6 or 7 year program would be good for people like cardiac surgeons, but bad for people in competitive specialties? Something about that doesn't seem to make sense. And isn't this:</p>
<hr>
<p>if your major goal is just to practice good medicine (particularly in primary care) then the prestige of the degree or residency training is not that critical. Most patients never ask where you went to med school or residency-they just want a competent, caring physician.</p>
<hr>
<p>exactly what melodious04 was saying? I mean, I can understand that you don't like 6 year programs, but you have made the same arguments against them for pretty much the entire thread... I think we understand your reasoning by this point as well. And as your own quote points out, there is more than one viewpoint on the whole matter.</p>
<p>Oh, and by the way... don't you think that someone who has been both a faculty member and an admissions officer at a "top-ranked school" might have some sort of bias towards, oh, I don't know, top-ranked schools? Just something else to think about.</p>
<p>He is saying that the time saved might be helpful for longer programs as you will get out sooner. Although, it makes it harder to get into these specialties, so make sure you are at the top of your class. Also, be aware that you are sacrificing a potentially amazing college experience in the process.</p>
<p>A program allows you to get there faster, sometimes cheaper--depending on where you go. Whoever said you can't have a great social life and enjoy your time and other such nonsense, don't believe it. If you know what you're doing, you can manage your time wisely enough to be able to party three or four nights a week, go to the gym for two hours everyday, go to football games, chill with friends, play on a club sports team, and still end up with perfect grades--I'm speaking from personal experience. I'm at Penn State, having the best time of my life. Your college experience is what you make it.</p>
<p>Going the regular route allows you to spend more time doing whatever it is you end up doing and possibly go to a "better" med school than you might through a program. But, if the college application process is already making you crazy, wait till you apply to med schools. You could have perfect grades and lots of extracurriculars and still not get into med school. The majority of people who aspire to go to med school don't get in. If you do a program, you're guaranteed to get into med school, unless you screw it up.</p>
<p>If you're so concerned about the name of the school you're going to, then apply to the top programs. There are a ton out there. But don't let that fool you. You can match at your top choice residency without going to Harvard med. And, you can match at your last choice residency--or none at all--even if you do go to Harvard.</p>
<p>So, moral of the story: know it before you knock it.</p>
<p>PS: No one really cares where you went to med school, except maybe you, and maybe your parents if they're that narrow-minded. Get over it.</p>