Prestige Obsessed

How to Write an Effective BS/MD Personal Statement

2022-12-06T08:06:00.001-08:00

As you begin the process of applying to a BS/MD program, one of the most important things you'll need to do is write a personal statement. This document is your opportunity to showcase your unique qualities and experiences, and it can make a big difference in whether or not you're accepted into the program.

Here are some tips on how to write an effective BS/MD personal statement:

Start early. Don't wait until the last minute to start writing your personal statement. Give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm ideas, write multiple drafts, and get feedback from others.
Be specific. Avoid vague, general statements in your personal statement. Instead, focus on specific experiences and examples that demonstrate why you're a good fit for the BS/MD program.
Be honest. Don't try to impress the admissions committee with false or exaggerated information. Be honest and authentic in your personal statement, and focus on highlighting your unique strengths and qualities.
Be concise. Your personal statement should be clear and concise, so avoid using overly complex language or long-winded sentences. Aim for a personal statement that's around 500-700 words in length.
Proofread. Before you submit your personal statement, make sure you proofread it carefully for spelling and grammar errors. Consider having someone else read it as well, to catch any mistakes you may have missed.

By following these tips, you can create a personal statement that will help you stand out from the crowd and increase your chances of being accepted into a BS/MD program. Good luck with your application!

St. Louis University School of Medicine

2020-11-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Introduction

SLU Med has a 8 program with its undergrad St Louis University called the Medical Scholars Program.

Admission Requirements:

- ACT of 30 or SAT of 1330

- Application deadline is 12/1

Program Requirements:

- Maintain a 3.65 cumulative GPA and 3.65 science GPA at the end of every year.

- Take MCAT and score at least a 500

- Apply again in your sophomore year of college.

Pros

- Easy to get in. Seems like an interview is not even required to get into this program.

Cons

- NO GUARANTEE. This defeats the purpose of a BS/MD program. Seems like the program only mildly boost your chances of admission at SLU's own medical school.

- No accelerated option

Admission Difficulty

1 out of 10

Admission class of 120 people tells you they let just about everyone in here.

Conclusion

This program is an awful excuse for a BS/MD program. No guarantee to SLU's own medical school despite fulfilling all requirements. I would not even consider going here unless they gave me a fat scholarship and I have no other BS/MD acceptances.

Prestige Rating

1 out of 10

See 40+ other programs better than this one.

Reviews from former Med Scholars:

"The program is particularly tough. If I had to rate the difficulty, I would say that the demands are significantly more than your average state school but slightly less than an Ivy league university. As with most pre-med schools, there is a lot of pressure in the freshman science classes – particularly Gen Chem I. I would say that roughly 10% of students drop out of med scholars after first semester, and probably a little less than a quarter after second semester. In addition, a lot of students find the core curriculum (non-science classes) to be somewhat rigorous too. Out of all the non-science classes I’ve taken so far, I would say hardly any were “blow-off” ones. The year which is toughest is sophomore year. This mainly because two of the hardest courses are coupled with each other: Microcellular Biology and Organic Chemistry. If I recall correctly, more than half of our med scholar class was eliminated by summer time (due to 3.5 math science GPA requirement). This is also the year you have your interview and find out if you have been accepted to the School of Medicine. It is definitely a stressful time.

I’m a Junior now and things have eased up significantly this year. I still have a few hard classes (physics), but it is much more manageable. Senior year looks fairly light as well as I had a bunch of credit coming into the university.

If I had to do it all over again, I certainly would. Being in the program definitely alleviates the stress of taking the MCAT and what not. Don’t get me wrong, you still have to have an excellent work ethic and struggle sometimes, but I think that this has helped prepare me for the rigors of med school. The SOM is also excellent and few people seem to realize this. A few years ago, we achieved the highest USLME Step 1 score in the nation. I would seriously consider the program for your son."

"I just finished my sophomore year at SLU as a med scholar. My GPA was a 3.7, with 3.65 in the math/sciences (comfortably above the 3.5 requirement). I had over 300 hours of shadowing experience, as well other a few hundred other hours of non-shadowing clinical experience.
After i finished my med school interview a few months ago, i was confident that i would fall into the the 98% of scholars who make it into SLUMED. My interview was a breeze.

However, a few days ago, i received a letter in the mail. It was a letter of declined. I was outright rejected from med school.

As you can imagine, my family and I are extremely disappointed. I've spoken with the associate dean, Dr. Willmore, two times since then. Both were lengthy conversations about why i didn't get in.

He went on to say that the committee had major concerns about my understanding of the medical field and the lifestyle of a physician. In my essays and interview, i tried to convey my belief that helping others in need, provides a sense of fulfillment and reward. Yet, he abruptly shot this down, telling me that my reasoning was entirely wrong. He stated that "doctors don't feel fulfilled or rewarded, they're tired, over-worked, and depressed."

I was rejected because apparently I don't understand that.

He would not specify what portions of my application caused my rejection (essay, interview, etc).

Anyways, i would advise people to stay away from this program. 5 other students were declined like me, even though they had the GPA.

The 98% stat is far from the truth. It's false advertising at it's finest.
In actuality, only 18-20% of the original pool of medical scholars make it into med school.
Willmore gave me the 18-20% percentage.

Best of luck to you all"

As you can see from the reviews, there are some conflicting views that you need to take into account before going to this program. Do not blindly accept the advertised numbers as is.

Drexel University College of Medicine

2020-11-06T23:11:00.001-08:00

Back in my day, Drexel Med had a gagillion affiliation programs with other undergrads. Seems like that is no longer the case. The only program left standing is the program with their own undergrad- Drexel. One other thing that changed is that this is now a 8 year program, or 4 + 4. The requirements haven't changed much. I'm kinda disappointed that they added an extra year to their undergrad. Last year of college is definitely not necessary. It was the most unproductive year of college. I spent that year being bored out of my mind. In reality, it only takes about 2 years to finish all the premed requirements. My guess is they want to squeeze an extra year of tuition out of these poor students.

Application Requirements:

- 1420 on SAT or 31 or ACT. Average accepted score is 1538 or 34 on ACT

- Application deadline is 11/1

How hard is it to get in?

7 out of 10

65 students are admitted out of 2298 applicants (2.8% acceptance rate). 125 applicants were interviewed.

Matriculation into Med School Requirements:

- Maintain a 3.6 GPA (used to be 3.5 back in my day)

- 513 on MCAT

Pros

- Philadelphia is a great city to be in. Extremely walkable, lots of great food, endless things to explore- you will have never run out of things to do in this city.

Cons

- No accelerated option

- The medical school is in turmoil due to loss of its primary teaching hospital (Hahnemann). It is recurrently in the rebuilding stage, having recently partnered up with Reading Hospital (NOT in Philly but in Reading, the poorest town in Pennsylvania).

DREXEL HISTORY

Drexel undergrad is located in University City, a neighborhood in Philadelphia. It is in close proximity to University of Pennsylvania, that Ivy League school that your Asian parents know about. So right there you have some inferiority complex. Drexel has an interesting history. It had a lot of financial issues in the 1990s and was close to being bought out by its neighbor UPenn. But it managed to turn things around and even bought the med school that bears its name in the next few years. You can read more about this exciting comeback story here and impress your interviewer with your in-depth knowledge of Drexel.

MY EXPERIENCE AT DREXEL UNDERGRAD

I was accepted into the Drexel BS/MD program in April of 2010. It was one of the greatest moments for me at the time. I thought then my life would be much easier from then on. However, little did I know how much work lay still lay ahead of me. My dad helped me move into my dorm in September of 2010. After that, he returned to Taiwan. And just like that, I was on my own for the first time, in an unfamiliar city.

When I moved in back in 2010, the school was undergoing rapid expansion. Walk a few blocks in any direction and you will see construction. There were some very old buildings (>50 year old) and brand new ones. The dorm I moved into, called Millennium Hall, was just built when I first moved in. Some say it looks like a PlayStation.

College life was very different. No longer are your parents around making any decisions for you. You decide for yourself when to eat, study, have fun, and sleep. With that being said, I never felt like I needed to pull an all-nighter. The party scene was not for me, as I have an inherent dislike of loud noises (how do people hear each other talk?). The classes were challenging. I realized the amount of effort needed was much more than I thought when I received an 80% on my first biology test (an A is >93%). Even so, there was much more free time. The structured life that was high school, where one goes to school at 8 then leaves at 3:45- was no longer there. There were some days where I had no classes at all. One could build their schedule to suit their liking.

College was also where I discovered there were much smarter people than me. Some people were so smart that it made me question why the world was so unfair. Tests after tests, they would score much better, despite studying much less. My roommate was an example. It definitely puts into doubt the statement “All people are equal”. Perhaps people should have equal rights. But equal abilities? No. There are vast differences in the capabilities of each individual.

And so I grinded away during my college years, just like during my high school years. This particular BS/MD program had a GPA requirement of 3.50 and a MCAT requirement of 31 (old scoring system). Our program started out with 30 people, then gradually dwindled down as some people either had a change of heart about doing medicine or couldn’t keep up with the grade requirements. Some simply overindulged in the college partying lifestyle and slipped up.

Being allergic to alcohol certainly prevented me from straying too far into the dark side (no alcohol, no party). I kept my head down and checked each requirement one by one. GPA requirement? Check. MCAT requirement? Check. And just like that I was off to medical school.

COST

A quick calculation of how much it will cost to come to Drexel:

Drexel runs on a "term" schedule, which is basically a quarter. There are 4 quarters per year. Normally people are in school for 3 quarters and get the summer quarter off for vacation.

Undergrad tuition (listed price is per term)

18k per term x 3 terms a year = 54k per year

54k x 4 = 216k for 4 years of undergrad

Med school tuition (listed price is per semester)

60k per year x 4 years = 240k for 4 years

Tuition is 456k for 8 years

Granted, you will probably get some scholarships for the undergrad portion to lower that cost, but this price tag is ridiculous. I think when one is applying for colleges as a student without any prior job experience, the value of money doesn't really sink in. So let me just tell you as someone who has gone through it- go to the cheapest US MD school you can get your hands on.

Conclusion

This program gave me a chance at becoming a doctor. And for that, I am eternally grateful. With that being said, Drexel's med school is undergoing a painful change due to the fallout from closure of its primary teaching hospital- Hahnemann University Hospital (where I did my internship). Whether it fully recovers from this setback is yet to be seen.

Prestige Score

6 out of 10

Below is some old info that no longer applies

Drexel Med has quite a few linkage programs. The most popular programs (at least from my perspective) are Drexel, Villanova, and Lehigh because these schools accept the most students. They are 7 year programs, meaning that students spend three years at the undergrad and the traditional four at the med school. Credits taken from first year medical school at Drexel Med are applied toward your baccalaureate degree.

The Scholar programs have less stringent requirements for admission.They are geared towards students who wish to become generalist in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. During their clinical years in medical school, students rotate through the designated hospitals, as indicated in brackets. To be admitted, the applicant needs to complete three interviews: one at the undergraduate, one at Drexel Med, and one at the designated clinical campus. The goal of the scholar programs is to encourage student to complete local residencies, preferably in generalist specialties such as internal medicine, family practice, and pediatrics.

I'm not sure what to think of the early assurance programs. They don't seem to be geared specifically to any type of student. I don't really know much about the early assurance programs.

The requirements for matriculation into Drexel Med are as follows:
While in the undergraduate portion of the program, students must maintain at least a 3.5 GPA in all coursework, including all BCPM classes (all biological sciences, chemistry, physics, and math), without repeating a course and with no grade less than a C. The MCAT is required prior to matriculation into the College of Medicine. Students must receive a minimum MCAT score of 9 or better in the verbal section; 10 or better in the physical and biological science sections; a total minimum score of 31 (with no individual score less than 8); and a letter score of P or higher in the MCAT writing section. Acceptance into the College of Medicine is not guaranteed.

I know. It is very specific. But this isn't to scare you, it is just to make sure you understand that they are not "guaranteeing" you a spot in their med school if you don't meet their minimum requirements.

In Conjunction with:
Fast Track Programs (7 Year)

Admission Requirements:
Drexel University

~~Apply by November 1st~~
~~Be a US citizen or permanent resident~~
~~Graduate from a high school in the US~~
~~Be in the top 10% of graduating class~~
~~Have a minimum 3.50 (unweighted ) GPA on a 4.0 scale~~
~~Have a minimum SAT score of 1360 (Critical Reading and Math sections combined in one sitting) or a ACT score of 31~~
~~Have completed four years of science with one year of each in biology, chemistry, and physics~~

~~Villanova University~~

~~Apply by November 1st~~
~~Be a US citizen or permanent resident~~
~~Graduate from a high school in the US~~
~~Be in the top 5% of graduating class~~
~~Have a minimum 3.80 (unweighted ) GPA on a 4.0 scale~~
~~Have a minimum SAT score of 1360 (Critical Reading and Math sections combined in one sitting) or a ACT score of 31~~
~~Have completed four years of math, four years of English, and three years of science (at least one semester each of biology, chemistry and physics).~~

~~Lehigh University~~

~~Apply by November 15th~~
~~Be a US citizen or permanent resident~~
~~Graduate from a high school in the US~~
~~Be in the top 5% of graduating class~~
~~Have a minimum 3.50-3.80 (unweighted ) GPA on a 4.0 scale (Lehigh website does not specify)~~
~~Have completed four years of math, four years of English, and three years of science (at least one semester each of biology, chemistry and physics).~~

~~Rosemont College~~

~~Apply to Rosemont by December 1st. Once accepted, submit the Drexel Med supplemental form by January 15th.~~
~~Be a US citizen or permanent resident~~
~~Graduate from a high school in the US~~
~~Be in the top 10% of graduating class~~
~~Have a minimum 3.50 (unweighted ) GPA on a 4.0 scale~~
~~Have a minimum SAT score of 1360 (Critical Reading and Math sections combined in one sitting) or a ACT score of 31~~
~~Have completed four years of math, four years of English, and three years of science (at least one semester each of biology, chemistry and physics)~~
~~Personal interview at Rosemont College before interview at Drexel Med~~

Scholar Programs (8 Year)
Admission Requirements:
Kean University (Saint Peter's University Hospital)

~~Apply by December 8th~~
~~Graduation from a U.S. high school and application submitted by high school senior~~
1. ~~Minimum high school GPA (unweighted) of 3.5~~
2. ~~Satisfactorily passed (or in progress) the high school prerequisite courses~~
~~4 years Mathematics~~
~~4 years English~~
~~3 years Science~~
1. ~~At least 1 semester each of biology, chemistry and physics~~
~~Combined minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1270 (or equivalent ACT score of 28)~~
1. ~~Math and critical reading subset scores no less than 560~~
~~Demonstrated interest in science and medicine~~
~~Interviews upon request of the Biomedicine Selection Committee~~

I am guessing that three interviews take place: one at Kean, one at Drexel, and one at Saint Peter's University Hospital).
Muhlenberg College (Lehigh Valley Hospital): The website does not provide all the information needed, but I believe the requirements are the same for all scholar programs.

~~Apply by January 1st~~
~~Graduation from a U.S. high school and application submitted by high school senior~~
1. ~~Minimum high school GPA (unweighted) of 3.5~~
2. ~~Satisfactorily passed (or in progress) the high school prerequisite courses~~
~~4 years Mathematics~~
~~4 years English~~
~~3 years Science~~
1. ~~At least 1 semester each of biology, chemistry and physics~~
~~Combined minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1270 (or equivalent ACT score of 28)~~
1. ~~Math and critical reading subset scores no less than 560~~
~~Demonstrated interest in science and medicine~~
~~Six students are admitted from a pool of 100 applicants~~

~~Robert Morris University (Allegheny General Hospital)~~

~~(I can't find the deadline)~~
~~To be considered, students must have a minimum SAT score of 1270 (critical reading + math only) and a minimum high school GPA of 3.5.~~
~~RMU and AGH officials interview qualified applicants and recommend up to five students for the program each year.~~
~~Applicants then interview with officials from Drexel.~~
Preference is given to students from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (though residents from other states are welcome to apply also), and to those who want to pursue careers in family medicine, general internal medicine or general pediatrics.

~~Wilkes University:~~

~~Additional information (Guthrie Clinic/Robert Packer Hospital and Wyoming Valley Health Care System)~~

~~Apply by November 15th~~
To be considered for selection to the Drexel Premedical Scholars Program, applicants must meet the following conditions:

Be accepted into the entering freshman class at Wilkes University by November 15th of their senior year in high school.

Have a minimum combined SAT score of 1270 (with no subset less than 560) (The new SAT writing sample will be considered, but no official minimum score has yet been determined.)

Have a high GPA

Rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating class

Have satisfactorily passed the following high school prerequisite courses or equivalents: four (4) years of mathematics, four (4) years of English, three (3) years of science (at least one semester each of biology, chemistry and physics)

Have had at least one shadowing experience (preferably with a primary care or general practice physician)
~~Up to six (6) Premedical Scholars may be selected to the program each year.~~
Once students have been accepted to Wilkes University, the Wilkes Health Sciences Office will notify students who meet minimal qualification criteria for selection to this early assurance program. To be selected, students are required to successfully complete interviews at Wilkes, at either the Robert Packer Medical Center of the Guthrie Health System or the General Hospital of the Wyoming Valley Health Care System, and at Drexel University School of Medicine.
Only students from northeastern Pennsylvania and the lower tier of New York (from Binghamton to Corning) for the Guthrie Scholars Program and northeastern Pennsylvania for the WVHCS Scholars Program will be considered.
Successful applicants should expect to be interviewed at Wilkes prior to December 20th of their senior year in high school. Finalists from this interview will be called to subsequent interviews in early January of their senior year in high school.
~~Final selection for this program is at the discretion of the medical school at which a student interviews.~~

~~Monmouth University (Monmouth Medical Center)~~

~~Apply by December 15th~~
Graduation from a U.S. high school and application submitted by high school senior

Minimum high school GPA (unweighted) of 3.5

Satisfactorily passed (or in progress) the high school prerequisite courses

Combined minimum SAT math/critical reading score of 1270 (or equivalent ACT score of 28)

Math and critical reading subset scores no less than 560

Early Assurance (8 Year)
Admission Requirements:
Rosemont College

~~Apply to Rosemont by December 1st. Once accepted, submit the Drexel Med supplemental form by January 15th~~
~~Rank in the top 10% of high school class;~~
~~Full academic high school course load, including three years of foreign language study;~~
~~Minimum high school GPS of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale;~~
~~Personal interview at Rosemont College;~~
~~Recommendation from Rosemont to be interviewed by Drexel University College of Medicine;~~

~~Ursinus College (cannot find the webpage)~~

~~West Chester University~~

~~Apply by November 15th~~
~~Minimum total SAT score (critical reading and math) of 1300 with no subset less than 560~~
~~Top 10% of high school class~~
~~High school GPA of 3.50 or better~~
~~High school course requirements – 4 years of math and english, 3 years of science (including at least 1 semester of biology, chemistry, and physics).~~
~~Documented health care experience~~

~~Drexel Med also has programs for college students. I will not list those since this blog is dedicated to BS/MD programs for high school students.~~

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

2020-11-06T01:00:00.001-08:00

Introduction

The Rochester Early Medical Scholars program is an 8 year BA/BS/MD program. Rochester is a small town in upstate New York. Their medical school has a great reputation. About 10 students are accepted per year.

Application Requirements:

- No score requirement is listed on their website

- Application deadline is 11/15

Pros

- No MCAT required

- Great medical school

Cons

- Expensive. The listed price tag on their website for undergrad is 78k per year. For undergrad it's 80k.

78k x 4 = 312k for 4 years for undergrad

80k x 4 = 320k for 4 years of med school

Total cost of attendance = 632k

I'm glad I'm not your parent footing the bill for this.

- Depressing location

- No accelerated option. Program is 8 years.

How Hard Is It to Get Into REMS Program?

8 out of 10

The small number of applicants accepted (~10) makes this an extraordinarily difficult program to get into. Their website mentions having an 3.95 unweighted GPA as well has being in the top 3% of your high school class. Both of which can be quite difficult if you go to a challenging high school.

Conclusion

I will say that I did interview at Rochester for my radiology residency back in 2017. Their hospital is brand spanking new. The cost of living was cheap. They have a great reputation. But.... Rochester was cold af. The town feels incredibly depressing during those dark, cold winters. Or maybe I'm just getting old. My goal in high school was to get into ANY BS/MD program. Now I just want to be as comfortable as possible. Lol, oh how quickly things change. I'm sure most of you reading this will have the same fire inside you to go where your destiny takes you.

Prestige Rating

8 out of 10

(below was last edited on 9/9/2011)

Rochester Med has a program with its undergraduate school, University of Rochester. The program is called Rochester Early Medical Scholars (R.E.M.S.).

The program is extremely competitive. About 800 apply each year and only 15 are accepted. Research is strongly emphasized. Students without strong research extracurricular activities generally are not accepted.

Here is some opinion from a REMS student (stats included):

The Rochester Early Medical Scholar's Program is an 8 year guaranteed program. MCATs are not necessary, and you can apply out if you so choose. It offers a lot of flexibility, research opportunities, etc. I honestly think that what deters a lot of people from applying to the program is 1) weather (im from the west coast, so I'll be the first to say it's very different, but it's not actually that big of a deal to me) and 2) that they havent heard about it. I didnt think for a second that id be attending rochester until i visited the campus for interviews and had a great experience, so keep an open mind and ask questions!

SAT: 2350
SAT II: Math II [800], Chemistry [800], Biology (M) [800]
ACT: 35
APs: Chemistry, English Language and Composition, Calculus BC 5
(I also took the AP classes for English Literature and Composition, Spanish, Computer Science, and Statistics my senior year, but not the tests)
GPA : 4.47 weighted, 4.00 unweighted

Extracurriculars:
Founded, elected pres 3 years of a humanitarian relief club
founding officer, elected president of National Honor Society
4 years of tennis
drama club member
~600 hours of volunteer work, some at a hospital, some at a health clinic, some totally unrelated to medicine at various parks and rec events and at the local theatre
research for 1 summer and during most of my senior year

Admission Requirements:
University of Rochester

Apply by December 1st
have a 3.95 unweighted GPA in a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum
rank in the top three percent of their graduating class (if applicable)
have significant medical experience (shadowing physicians, volunteering at a hospital, working for an ambulance corps/EMT program, participating in premedical summer programs, etc.)
are also involved in non-medical activities (music, athletics, leadership, debate, etc.)
perform exceptionally well on standardized tests. Most of our finalists score at least 1450 on the SAT Reasoning Test (out of 1600), or 34 composite on the ACT. (Beginning in 2008-2009, SAT Writing scores will also be taken into account. Strongest consideration will likely be given to students with Writing scores of at least 700.)
earn scores of 700 or higher on select SAT Subject Tests. Although these exams are not required, REMS applicants are strongly encouraged to take two Subject Tests - one in science (biology or chemistry) and one in mathematics (Math IC or IIC).
complete coursework at the highest levels available (honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, etc.)
have experience in medical or scientific research

California Northstate University BS-MD

2020-11-05T19:33:00.005-08:00

Introduction

The California Northstate University BS-MD program is the only BS/MD program in California. I'm sure lots of you aspiring doctors are from California and staying close to home would be nice. This program is very new, as its medical was only established in 2015, and its first graduating class matched in 2019. There is a lot of controversy about this program, for which I will list below.

Requirements for Matriculation into Medical School

- Maintain 3.50 GPA in college

- Score 510 on MCAT

Pros

- There is an option to finish the program in 6 years. That is a major win in my opinion. Save 2 years of tuition + feel less old when you graduate med school.

- Location. California is the promised land for many.

- Opportunity to save money on room and board if you live at home.

Cons

- New medical school was established in 2015. It currently has provisional accreditation.

- A for-profit medical school seems rather contradictory to their purpose, which is to serve people.

- Their match list is very unimpressive for a US MD school. A rough measure of a medical school's strength is the ability to place students into competitive specialties such as neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, ENT, urology, and dermatology. I see very few matches here. One could argue that their mission is to place students into primary care. Even so, the primary care matches have thoroughly unimpressive names. You would think that a school in California would be able to place multiple students into UC schools, Stanford, or USC, but I see very few listed.

- They do not have their own hospital yet. Their students rotate at Kaiser and Sutter. Not having your own teaching hospital means students will be forced to drive long distances for rotations.

Conclusion

Similar to the stock market, you must take risks to gain rewards. If you feel like the location and cost savings outweigh the unknowns of a new medical school, then consider this program. I think I would take the chance on this program. I took a similar risk with Drexel, and I came out fine (I think).

Prestige Rating

4 out of 10

Interested in other BS/MD programs? Get the complete list here.

Application: Sample Essay

2020-11-03T16:56:00.001-08:00

Brown University's Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is a highly selective 8-year program for undergraduate at Brown University and medical school at the Warren Alpert Medical School. Here is the link to the website if you're interested in more information about it. Here is an essay I found online. The author of this essay was accepted into PLME in 2008. I thought it would be worth looking at for anyone applying to BS/MD programs.

Most high school seniors are unsure about eventual career choices. What factors led you to decide on a career in medicine? And why did you choose to apply to the PLME in pursuit of this career? When I was growing up, my parents would take me to the hospital where they worked, but all I remember is that it was a fun place for Christmas parties. As a fan of medical television like House, MD, and Scrubs, I decided in high school to explore medicine for myself. Volunteering in a local emergency department, I became privy to a different side of health care, past the science of blood gas measurements and pupil dilations. What fascinated me was the unique language in the hospital delineating a divide from the rest of the world. Turfing inconvenient patients, nurses soothing the most hysterical of people, and skeptical doctors sniffing out drug seekers-all highlighted medical terminology and knowledge not found in any textbooks. Part of this manipulation of language seemed, at times, cold and detached- for example, “practice,” which can mean allowing an intern to try CPR on a person long gone. Referring to the patient in room 11 by the diagnosis of “chest pain” instead of his name protected confidentiality, but it struck me still as lacking the warmth I thought health care was supposed to embody. Then I saw my first dead body. “FULL TRAUMA” sounded overhead, and a few minutes later paramedics hopped off the ambulance and wheeled the patient into the trauma bay, performing CPR the entire time. After they called it, I was left to stare at a nameless, lifeless person who had, an hour ago, been as alive as I. I don’t remember now what he looked like, but I’ll never forget the ER nurses and techs making jokes during the process, seemingly unaffected by the haunting specter of death that so disturbed me. Looking back, their behavior was far from callous, though. I have realized that people in the profession use euphemisms of language, dark humor, anything at all, in order to protect themselves. Even simple things like calling the dead “deceased,” dehumanize the process and let workers do their jobs, day in and day out. The special diction and use of language is a barrier guarding their own humanity. That is the basis of health care, the human relationship between two sides—patients and professionals, giving and taking, both in search of the elusive goodness in everyone. Thus I believe I have found a way of life that I wish to explore. This decision was not instant, but rather a culmination of my experiences in the hospital as a volunteer and intern. The euphoria I feel from helping a patient is an emotion I desire to sustain my entire life. And any opportunity to ensure me the privilege of entering this complex world, where life and death interact daily, is one that I value highly, especially a program such as the PLME. The years in undergraduate spent with a secure position in medical school would not be filled with complacency, however. My confidence in my future would allow for greater pursuits of a variety of activities, research and internships, and in the end, equip me to be a better student, doctor, and person.

Here is another example of a successful PLME essay.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything regarding this essay.

High school to BS/MD

2020-11-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

A bit about me- I grew up in Taiwan and moved to the US when I was 11. While in high school, I made the decision to become a doctor. However, I had heard horror stories about the difficult nature of the medical school application process. Normally, one applies to med school during their college years. With the BA/BS/MD programs, one obtains conditional acceptance into medical school during their senior year of high school. After hearing about the existence of BS/MD programs, I decided to give it a shot.

I was not the first one in the family to go into medicine. My father is a doctor in Taiwan. My 2 cousins were already practicing physicians at the time I was applying. One was valedictorian at the same high school I attended and went on to Harvard for undergrad followed by Columbia for med school. The other had gone to Brown’s PLME program, another well=known BS/MD program. My sister, who is 4 years older than me and a senior in college, was also applying to med school as well. To summarize, the level of achievement in my family was through the roof, and that expectations were high for me and my sister.

I had done well in high school. I wasn’t exceptional , but I had decent grades. There were many people smarter than me in high school, though some may not have worked as hard. I knew I wasn’t the smartest but I had a great work ethic. The whole 4 years felt like a grind where I was constantly calculating what grade I needed to get on the next exam to get an A for the course.

The grind included the SAT’s. I scored initially a 2100, then 2200, then 2270 on the SAT’s (back then when it was out of 2400). I envied those who took the test without studying but still managed to still score higher than me. My score only came after endless practice questions. My grades in school were decent- mostly A’s and I think 2 B’s for the whole 4 years. By the time I got ready to apply, my GPA was 3.95.

I received only 3 interviews- UMKC, Drexel, and Jefferson. Got waitlisted at UMKC, rejected at Jefferson, and accepted at Drexel. The day I got the acceptance was incredible. It was almost as if all those years of hard work had paid off. Looking back now, I feel like I probably paid too much emphasis on this event. Even if I had not gotten in, things would have turned out fine.

Radiology Map

2020-07-13T21:03:00.002-07:00

Hi! It has been many years since I posted. Since my last post, I have graduated from college and med school, and made it into radiology residency. I never forgot this blog and made another website called Radiology Map. Although it is geared more for doctors and medical students, anyone is welcome to take a look. Please check it out!

Questions

2012-03-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

I know I don't post very often, but I still check this blog everyday. If you have any questions, just comment on any of the posts out there. I will answer it ASAP.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

2011-08-27T23:11:00.001-07:00

Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP) hasn't changed much. They have upped their score requirement to 1490 for SAT and 34 for ACT. Have to maintain a GPA of 3.75 (<-- this is no easy feat) in college. MCAT needs to be taken but score is only used for "advising" purposes, whatever that means (sounds shady).

This was one of the schools that gave me a full tuition for their undergrad. Alas, I was not even given a chance for interview at their med school.

Their requirements

Applying for the Guaranteed Admission Program

Applying for the GAP is a multi-step process. To be considered, applicants must submit a completed undergraduate application for admission on or before November 1 (applicants must be a US Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident (not pending or conditional) or have Asylee Status. International students as well as applicants to the regional campuses of the University of Pittsburgh are not eligible for this program). An applicant must indicate an interest in Pre-Medicine or Bioengineering on their undergraduate admissions application. Also, applicants must earn the highest grade point average available at your high school in the context of a curriculum showing the greatest academic rigor possible. In addition, achieve a minimum SAT score of 1490 (combined Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math) or 34 ACT composite score. Due to the University expanding the Fall 2021 test-optional policy, the MCAT will be required prior to matriculation to the medical school only for test-optional candidates entering Pitt as first-year guaranteed admits in 2021. However, the earned score will only be used for advising purposes following matriculation to medical school. The MCAT requirement does not apply to students admitted with SAT/ACT scores.

After the initial review described above, students selected to continue in the process will be notified by the School of Medicine of their eligibility to apply for the Medicine GAP. Those selected will be asked to submit a supplemental application in support of their candidacy. The supplemental application will be reviewed by the School of Medicine’s Admission Committee. Selected students will be invited for an interview in the School of Medicine in March (no one is admitted to the medical school without an interview).

Selection for the interview is based on:

Academic performance
Medically related experiences
Research Experience, if available
Community Service
Two letters of recommendation (1 from either a school counselor or and teacher and the other from a person who knows the applicant through their participation in the activities above)
An essay

Requirements

If accepted into the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Guaranteed Admission Program, students must:

Maintain an overall GPA of 3.75 with a Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics (BCPM) GPA of 3.75 as an undergraduate
Complete the undergraduate degree within four years
Continue to gain medically related experiences* during their undergraduate years
Seek research opportunities in a medically related field
Seek opportunities for community service
Meet with the Director of the Guaranteed Admit program once every semester to discuss their progress in terms of medically related activities, research and community service.
Meet with the University Pre-Medical Advisor at the start of each semester in order to confirm that they are fulfilling the academic pre-requisites for admission to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In addition, students will be given information regarding various research** and volunteering opportunities.
Provide the Office of Admissions with an official transcript at the completion of their junior year

Please keep in mind, students must also meet with the advisor who was assigned to them by the University of Pittsburgh at matriculation.

*Students need to be HIPAA certified before they can be permitted to volunteer in any UPMC-affiliated hospital. The certification can be done online by:

Visiting http://cme.hs.pitt.edu
Clicking on “Internet Based Studies in Education and Research” and then
Clicking on “HIPAA Privacy Awareness for Faculty, Students, Health Professionals and Trainees.”

**For those interested in Neuroscience Research visit the website of The Center for Neuroscience for the University of Pittsburgh.

(below was last edited on 8/28/2011)

UPitt Med has a program with its undergrad, University of Pittsburgh. The program is called Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP). There are many GAP programs, including medicine, dental, nursing, law, engineering, business, just to name a few. Pitt Med is a really great med school according to US News. Therefore its program is tougher to get in compared to others. The undergrad will give you at least a full tuition scholarship if you meet the criteria to apply to this program (actually, I think you need SAT score of around 1500). Therefore this program is one of the best deals out there. To stay in the program, you have to maintain a 3.75 GPA. A 3.75 GPA is higher than most other programs, but I think it's still definitely doable. MCAT is waived. Admission Requirements: University of Pittsburgh

~~Apply by December 15th~~
To compete for the medical school guarantee, applicants must meet the initial eligibility requirements of earning the highest grade point average available in their high school in the context of a curriculum showing the greatest academic rigor possible and earning a minimum SAT I score of 1450 (combined Critical Reading and Math) or 33 ACT.
Students meeting these criteria will be asked by the School of Medicine to submit additional information in support of their candidacy. Students selected on the basis of their submissions will subsequently be invited for an interview in the School of Medicine.
The choice of final candidates is contingent upon this interview in combination with other factors. Historically, an average of 8-13 students from the entering undergraduate class are chosen each year for the School of Medicine guarantee.
Students offered the guarantee must complete an undergraduate degree at Pitt within four years, complete the prerequisite course work, maintain a cumulative science and quality point average of at least 3.75, and engage in undergraduate research and extracurricular activities that provide greater knowledge of the science and practice of medicine.

Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery

2011-08-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

Orthopaedic (or Orthopedic) surgery is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. The most common cases you would probably know associated with what orthopaedic surgeons perform are knee and shoulder arthroscopy, carpel tunnel release, or knee replacements. But the type of surgeries you are likely to perform is dependent on the subspecialty field you go into. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders.

Nature of Work:
An orthopaedic surgeon is educated in the preservation, investigation, and restoration of the form and function of the extremities, spine, and associated structures by medical, surgical and physical means. This specialist is involved with the care of patients whose musculoskeletal problems include congenital deformities, trauma, infections, tumors, metabolic disturbances of the musculoskeletal system, deformities, injuries and degenerative diseases of the spine, hands, feet, knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow in children and adults. An orthopaedic surgeon is also concerned with primary and secondary muscular problems and the effects of the central or peripheral nervous system lesions of the musculoskeletal system.

Subspecialties:
Orthopaedic surgeons can receive training in the following subspecialties (variable for each program):

Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics
Hand Surgery & Upper Extremity
Joint Preservation
Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
Orthopaedic Trauma
Pediatric Orthopaedics

Competitiveness: High

Training and Residency:
Residency in orthopaedic surgery consists of one year of general surgery training followed by four years of orthopaedic surgery training. Following that is a one year subspecialty fellowship. (So in total, including fellowship, is 6 years)

Salary:
The annual salary for orthopaedic surgeons ranges from $397,879 to $600,000.

Orthopaedic surgery is one of the most competitive residency programs. It is right up there with Plastic Surgery and Neurosurgery (In 2011, 79% of U.S. medical school seniors got matched). The competitiveness probably is due to the large salary you'll be realistically earning as an orthopaedic surgeon. In residency, expect to be working somewhere around 80 hours a week (varies on the program), which is typical of surgery specialties. Here is a comment I found by someone who is in an orthopaedic residency program:

"Residency isn't going to be easy no matter where you go, but some are worse than others...Hours are very variable depending on the program, but you should be prepared to work 80 hours or more a week. There are some that will work more and some that will work less (on average) so its a pretty tough question. Trauma has a pretty big impact on hours worked, so heavy trauma programs will keep you busy, and light trauma programs may be more relaxed. I would say that in GENERAL, hours per week goes like this: Neurosurgery > General Surgery = Orthopaedics Surgery > Plastic Surgery > ENT > Urology = Ophthalmology. I'm sure this varies from program to program, but this is just how I perceive the hours worked per specialty. At some places orthopaedics may be the most busy, some places not."

This number will probably drop down to 55-60 hours a week once you're done with your residency and/or fellowship. Here is a comment I found on a orthopaedic surgeon who subspecialized in hand surgery and who outpatients:

"I recently shadowed an orthopaedic surgeon attending (who sub-specialized in hand surgery) and was surprised at his pretty sweet lifestyle: he worked from 8-5 Mon-Fri and took call every six weeks (for one complete week). To shed a little more light on the situation, he worked in a private practice of about 10 orthopaedic doctors and had been part of the practice for about 5 years (so he wasn't terribly high on the seniority ladder). Having said that, I'm sure lifestyles are variable depending on where you're at; however, I just wanted to share the example."

Personally, I find this field attractive because of its intimate nature working with the meat and flesh of the body and the structural integrity of a human being. Orthopaedic surgery is definitely worth looking into if you're someone who likes working with your hands and is not afraid to get a little messy.

For more information visit:

Jefferson Medical College

2011-08-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University is affiliated with Penn State University at University Park.The program is unique in that it's one of the few six year programs in existence. However, they also give students the option to do a seven year route as well (3+4). Students spend at least one summer at Penn State during the two years of their undergrad years.

This program is pretty competitive. It places very high emphasis on SAT scores. I would say the average is close to 2300. About 100 people get interviewed and 50 get in. 25-30 chooses to matriculate. Interview notifications are sent in early January and the actual interview takes place in early February.

Satisfactory performance on MCAT exams also is required for matriculation to Jefferson Medical College. The current MCAT requirement is a minimum composite score of 30 with no less than 9 on any subsection of the exam on a single test date. If students in the accelerated program are not performing at a 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) level, particularly in the sciences, they could be asked to withdraw from the program. Typically, such a student would be eligible to remain at Penn State in another program of study.

Admission Requirements:

Apply by November 30th
Official secondary school record showing grades received for all courses completed since the start of ninth grade;
Rank in class at the end of the junior year (exact rank is preferable);
Schedule of senior courses;
Official SAT or ACT test scores;
A one-page resume listing the applicant’s most meaningful accomplishments and extracurricular activities during the high school years;
One letter of evaluation from the applicant’s high school counselor or high school teacher;
Required application fee;
Required responses to questions from Jefferson Medical College. These questions are available through Penn State’s online application.

Specialty: Pediatrics

2011-08-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Pediatrics is a very common specialty and also the reason why many people want to become a doctor. People out there who love kids, love working with kids, and love simply getting a chance to help them would find this specialty very worth-while and rewarding. While there is the obvious purpose and incentive of working with little ones, what does becoming a pediatrician really mean?

Nature of work:

A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood. Care encompasses a broad spectrum of health services ranging from preventive health care to the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases. The pediatrician deals with biological, social, and environmental influences on the developing child, and with the impact of disease and dysfunction on development.

Subspecialties:

Pediatricians can receive training in the following subspecialties (variable for each program):

Adolescent Medicine
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Medical Toxicology
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
Pediatric Cardiology
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Pediatric Endocrinology
Pediatric Gastroenterology
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Pediatric Nephrology
Pediatric Pulmonology
Pediatric Rheumatology
Pediatric Sports Medicine
Pediatric Transplant Hepatology
Sleep Medicine

Competitiveness: Low

Training and Residency:

Following graduation from medical school, pediatricians complete 3 years of education in a pediatric residency program. The 3-year residency includes mandated rotations in general pediatrics, normal newborn care, and time in selected subspecialty areas. Up to 3 additional years of training are required to be certified in a subspecialty.

Salary:

The annual salary for pediatricians ranges from $160,111 to $228,750.

Becoming a pediatrician isn't too competitive despite its popularity. Finding a good residency program can be tough for this specialty because of regional and social-economic factors, but finding a spot a shouldn't too difficult. The residency length (3 years + subspecialty) is pretty normal, and it does pay a good amount. However, I have to add that the biggest complaint I've heard from this specialty was not having a hard time dealing with the kids, but with the parents. The parents (especially newly weds) will worry about anything and everything, so be prepared for that. Another difficulty, depending largely on the age of the child, might be getting the child to verbalize sufficient information for you to make a proper diagnosis. Children don't exactly have the proper terms and vocabulary necessary to describe specifically what they are feeling. But all-in-all, being patient and diligent makes becoming a pediatrician worth the smile you get back at the end of the day.

For more information visit:

Brown University Alpert Medical School

2011-08-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

The PLME program is one of the most competitive BA/MD programs in the country. This program offers admission to both Brown University and Alpert Medical School. Unlike other programs, PLME does not restrict applications based on standardized test scores or state residency. It also does not require an interview. Admission to the program therefore relies heavily on the essays and extracurriculars of the applicant. Standardized testing scores still matter, but I don't believe they play as much an important as they do in other programs. According to the PLME website, the average SAT score is 2215, a competitive score normally but mediocre among medical programs. Therefore I deduce that students admitted must have done some extraordinary activities or written some heart-wrenching essays.

This program is very popular (and competitive) because there is no GPA or MCAT requirement to stay in the program. Brown Medical School also happens to be highly thought of.

Note: Lots of people get confused by PLME early decision vs PLME regular action. If you apply PLME early decision, you have to make a choice. Do you want to go to Brown regardless of whether or not you get into the PLME program? If you answer yes, then you could be accepted to Brown University but not to PLME. Or you could be accepted to both. Or you could be deferred, then accepted or denied in April. If you answer no, then you could be accepted. Or you could be deferred, then accepted or denied in April. Note that if you are accepted, it is a binding agreement and you cannot apply to other colleges. If you don't want to be in a binding agreement, apply regular action.

Admission Requirements:

Apply by November 1st for early decision or January 1st for regular action
Four years of English, three years of math, three years of foreign language, two years of laboratory science, two years of history, and at least one year of elective academic subjects
SAT or ACT with writing and two SAT subject tests

Also, PLME is now a binding program. This means that you cannot apply to other medical schools without losing your spot in Brown Medical School.

University of California, San Diego School of Medicine

2011-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

UC San Diego School of Medicine (UCSD SOM) has a full eight year BA/BS/MD program in conjunction with UCSD or Caltech, called the Medical Scholars Program. This is a highly selective program. For the UCSD undergraduate, this program is available only to California residents. For the Caltech undergraduate, you just have to be a US citizen or permanent resident. But just as a heads up, don't think that this narrows the pool size down, or changes any probabilities in your favor. This is not an easy program to get into.

For the UCSD undergraduate Medical Scholars Program, annually, there are approximately 300 applicants who apply (that meet the eligibility requirements), and 25 candidates are selected for interviews. From there, a maximum of 12 people are accepted into the program. These numbers are exact and haven't changed from year to year (as far as I know). For the Caltech undergraduate Medical Scholars Program, there are around 200-250 applicants, about 30 get admitted to Caltech, about 15 selected for interview, 8-10 are offered/waitlisted, and 6 are enrolled to the program. Caltech ONLY enrolls 6 students each year in the Medical Scholars Program that goes to UCSD SOM.

So. The numbers don't look good, BUT, keep in mind those spots still need to be filled by somebody (I actually know one of the medical scholars in the class of 2014, we're from the same high school!). So keep your chin up, and remember that it never hurts applying to an extra program, in the event that you get the invitation for the Medical Scholars Program after applying to the undergraduate schools. For UCSD, after completing and submitting the UCSD undergraduate application in November, invitations will be sent to all applicants who meet the primary eligibility requirements of the Medical Scholars Program. Declared undergraduate majors is not considered as a factor in this selection. If you are selected for an interview, they will contact you by phone sometime in mid February. For Caltech, you MUST apply for Early Action to Caltech undergraduate. You will know if you got into Caltech undergraduate by mid December, then (if you had checked that you wanted to be considered for the Medical Scholars Program) you will be notified for an interview around mid February.

Once accepted, to remain in the program you must maintain a 3.5 GPA, finish all the required med school courses, and complete your major. No MCAT required. As first year undergraduates, Medical Scholars are each assigned a medical student and a faculty mentor to follow throughout their academic careers. All other activities are left to the student to "explore their interests" and "broaden their horizons". They even allow you to apply out if you wish. Considering it's such a small pool of students in each school, it sounds like smooth sailing throughout undergraduate.

It's an honest, good program to look into, with a reputable medical school. Getting in is the hard part (when isn't it??). Best of luck to you all!

Admission Requirements:

UC San Diego

Application Deadline: by invitation
California Resident
Minimum high school GPA ≥ 4.0 (weighted)
SAT ≥ 2250 or ACT ≥ 34
Demonstrated strong extracurricular involvement, particularly in community service and leadership

Caltech

Application Deadline: You MUST apply to Caltech undergraduate as Early Action by November 1st. You cannot apply Early to any other schools if you do this.
Accepted into Caltech undergraduate
Any US Citizen or US Permanent Resident is eligible
Getting into Caltech is hard enough as it is

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

2011-08-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

HPME is one of the most competitive programs out there. It's not hard to see why. Feinberg is a great medical school. And so is Northwestern University. The program has no MCAT requirements. It is an accelerated 7 years program. I know you're all peeing your pants and awestruck at the greatness of this program. Well, good luck at getting in.

The application procedure is a bit different from other programs. You send the HPME request card by December 1st. Northwestern decides whether or not to send you the actual HPME application. If you get the HPME application, you send it back by January 1st. Here is advice from a HPME student.

Northwestern has always been at odds with the program because it deflates their status in the medical school community (we told a top 20 med school ranking with almost 25-30% of our classes coming from undeserving HPME students who would not have gotten into Feinberg with their undergraduate grades/if they took the MCATs). Thus recently, they've been much more strict on who gets in and with what criteria. Furthermore, my class initially had a good deal of kids admitted (easily more than 60 kids, seeing how many accepted the admission); classes above me (I know the current M4 class had 60 kids accept admission, meaning at least 80 students were accepted). As such, as the years go on the number of students accepted have slowly decreased, which is exactly what the university wants: Less HPME kids = More quality kids matriculating from deserving colleges with good statistics and study habits, High scores, Better rankings. When people comment on Feinberg's low rank and matching score, I often consider them highly deflated because of the damage HPME has caused.

In terms of admissions, Northwestern looks VERY highly on research and outstanding hooks. My year, nearly 20% of the class were ISEF, Intel Semifinalist, Westinghouse, etc. Majority of us made it into at least Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, etc. I know of one student a few years younger who was admitted into almost a dozen accelerated premed programs (PLME, USE, Miami, REMS, etc) and came to HPME. Therefore, most students who enter have something going for them. Research is not a guarantee, but if you are applying to a heavy-researching university, expect that it wouldn't hurt to have some experience.

For the process, your grades will pretty much only get you an application. How well you did on the SATs, ACTs, SAT 2s will get you from an information card to an application. From there on, people under a certain cut-off for grades/scores are automatically disqualified from admission (their applications are literally thrown away and not even reconsidered. Some exceptions apply-Read below). Those who show passion in their essays and display a maturity needed for a long-term commitment to medicine receive an interview. If you display a lack of passion or any "flags" (anything that will automatically will remove you from the process) appear, you won't get an interview. I know of a lot of well-deserving high school applicants with phenomenal grades (much better than mine standardized) who did not get an interview because of their personality or aloofness to medicine.

Lastly, the most important-by far-part of the process is your interview. Some school don't have them (PLME, for example) and accept people solely based on scores. I personally feel this gives them a one-dimensionality that doesn't really gauge their success as doctors. The quality of students are thus lacking. If you are interested in applying for an accelerated medical school program, do your research and know what each respective school puts forth as a priority.

During the interview, it is important to show maturity, passion, and intellect. Most of the administrators and interviewers will be your advisers, professors, and deans. You will see them repeatedly in your 7 years in HPME. Therefore, if you do not do well with them now, they fully expect you not to do well with them in the future; thus rejecting your application. Moreover, remember to have class, a sign of maturity. There are stories of lore of how applicants are overheard cursing or not helping someone who had dropped papers on the floor, and are automatically told by a dean who witnessed these events to simply go back home without a single interview. Show that you are someone who can handle the stress of college, can motivate yourself to continue medicine in the future, and also was brought up right.

Remember, once again, that for this process you must impress your interviewers. In the end, there are a set number of admitted students based on stellar grades, activities, and interviews (and/or legacy). For the last few spots, interviewers will argue in your behalf to get you in. If you don't "wow" an interviewer, they simply won't back your application. Don't discount your student interviewer--They have a lot greater say than people expect them too. They know kids in their age range, know how they fake interviews and act, and can recognize kids with potential.

Lastly, few students are usually selected each year based on their passion alone. Kids who may not have amazing research and perfect scores across the board. I've heard of students doing 3000+ hours of community service in a hospital and 1000+ hours working in a lab. Students who started their own community ambulatory service to help with minor medical emergencies. Others who have began their own non-profits (and eventually recruiting other HPME students to make a huge international success). So, for those who are fixated on grades alone, please realize that this is not all there is. For those who feel their grades are lacking but truly have a passion for medicine, apply!

And very good advice on the interview process:

First, do not take the "informal" lunch talk too informally. Many medical school programs will have an "informal" portion in order to evaluate the interviewees. This is when the applicants are unaware of how important the situation is and will let their guard down around non-administrative people. For example, at a different school (REMS when I interviewed), they had a "dance" and anyone being overly social and rambunctious was sent home. Likewise, it is the same for HPME. Your interviewers are M2s who have arguably the hardest year in medical school. Moreover, this is the latter half of the year that means we are studying for 4 hours worth of lectures AND the Step 1 examination. We are not wasting our time simply to have a mediocre lunch paid for by the school: We will be evaluating you, determining your maturity, and to see how well you adjust to new environments/situations. We were once exactly in the same shoes as you (there are no interviewers who were not HPME), so we know how kids act and pretend. One of my interviewees, to say the least, was very professional when I first met h**, but by the end of the meal, relaxed way too much. Yes, we will report these in our write-ups; and no, we will not be arguing in your behalf. Finally, on this topic, we all have a vested interest in the interview. Beyond simply the same alma mater, you (the accept applicants) will be the next face of HPME. As our program undergoes more scrutiny and criticism, we expect nothing less than the best academically, emotionally, and personally.

Second, EXPECT CURVEBALL QUESTIONS. It's easy to predict the core type of questions that all interviewers ask you (who are you, why medicine, strength, weakness, hobbies, etc.), but this is medical school NOT simply college. All the information you say prior to the "trick" questions (1 or 2, at most) has been presented numerous times in your essay and resume. If we really wanted to know your hobbies, it's not hard to look in your file (that is photocopied, date-stamped, and within our hands). Tell us something we don't know that you didn't have the opportunity to cram in the first three E.C.s you listed. We want to see you think quickly, on the spot, and show maturity. If the question is, "What was your biggest failure, and what did you do?" PLEASE stop answering that it was some small test in 9th grade you got a (omg) 95 on and you locked yourself in your closet, crying and playing a sad CD repeatedly.

Lastly, come confident but not cocky. Thinking back to my class, majority of the students were already accepted early action to HYS along with other offers lined up (Duke, Princeton, etc). Moreover, many of the students did their rounds at other interviews and received rave reviews (Rice/Baylor, BU, NEUCOM). This shows you the type of students you will be in competition with. Furthermore, they come knowing that if they do not get into HPME they still have a darn good back up. They are there either because 1) medicine is their passion and are willing to give up full-ride to Yale to get a guaranteed spot to Feinberg or 2) why not (they're not sure, but it's a program and might as well interview, get accepted, and turn it down)? So, come like you mean it and it's the only thing in the world that matters. WHY is medicine your passion? WHY do you want to come HPME? WHAT about Northwestern and FSoM is so enticing you're willing to write your life off for 7-years? Do you ACTUALLY know anything about Feinberg, Northwestern, the program; rather than simply applying to all the good programs/schools and reading our website? An interview is not an impromptu speech. It should be a well-choreographed and well-rehearsed play to blow everyone's mind away. And, if you don't, somebody else will.

Some last points of advice: Come dressed well (Boys suits and tie, girls suits or skirts; if you don't know, ask college kids applying to medical school), Bring copies of your resume/notable awards to present or update files (we want to know/record if you easily pulled 150 on AMC or got 1st place at USABO), Relate and empathize with your student interviewer (We're tired and disheartened with medical school. Plus, we're arguing on your behalf so that you can get in, or lack thereof).

Admission Requirements:

Northwestern University

Apply by December 1st (HPME request card)
4 units of Mathematics
1 units of Chemistry, 1 unit of Biology, 1 unit of Physics
4 units of English, 2 units of Foreign Language

BA/MD Reflection

2011-07-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

I find this former student's reflection very insightful. I hope this post is useful for your future endeavors.

"Hello!
It has been several years since I visited this site. I was prompted to do so after a family friend requested some advice regarding BA/MD programs.
So, as you can search and find out, I started the BA/MD program at Rutgers-UMDNJ in 2005. I had a difficult time choosing between HPME and Rutgers. Now, it’s been six years and I hope to reflect upon my decision and its outcomes. I feel this is necessary as many posters here are curious about BA/MD programs, but there is no real authority on this site. Having just graduated medical school (6 years since high school), I hope to offer my experience as a guide to making your decision.

1. Outcome – a neglected topic on this board
So, as said, I just graduated medical school. Now, after med school is residency and this can be followed by employment or further training in the form of a fellowship. I am very pleased with my residency selection. I will be pursuing a residency in dermatology at Harvard. Many would say that this is one of the hardest residency programs in the country to obtain. This reflects on how much (or little) where you went to med school matters in getting a residency position. Others in my program did very well this year, too. Their residencies include: Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson, Internal Medicine at Yale, Anesthesia at Yale, Surgery at Brown, Pediatrics at UPenn. Not a bad list.

2. Prestige – a hotly discussed topic on this board
In becoming a doctor, one would argue it is your residency that matters most. This is true as what you practice is determined by in what you train. Moreover, the prestige of your residency program outweighs that of your medical school and definitely undergrad. I have no idea where my attending physicians went for undergrad and only know where a few went to medical school (mostly because they told me). Yet, where they trained (i.e. residency) is brought up quite a few times. Moreover, if you wish to run a private practice, even your residency doesn’t matter too much. Just ask yourself how well you know the credentials of your doctor. It’s really a moot point. It’s only in academia that it matters where you trained. Other than that, if you don’t want to be a professor/chair of a department, then your pedigree means very little. So, it’s quite interesting when there are arguments on this website about which program is “better.” In all honesty, there are really just a handful of medical schools that can “stand out.” Those would be: Harvard, Hopkins, Stanford and maybe Penn. Aside from those, whether you go to NYU or Northwestern doesn’t seem to matter too much. I guess the only difference is makes is when you go to a certain medical school, you may have a little preference in there residency program. That being said, noHarvard Medical School graduate got selected for their own dermatologyresidency program. So, don’t go around comparing rankings too much. You can do very well coming from a relatively less prestigious school or vise-versa.

3. Money and Time -- Matters of life
These are the true advantages of the BA/MD programs. I saved two years and a couple of hundred thousand dollars by selecting Rutgers-UMDNJ. Two years is huge. The opportunity cost is rather large as well. You can earn ~350,000/year x 2 years or pursue a fellowship. So, with a two year fellowship, I can go from being a regular dermatologist to a Mohs Microsurgeon. With 3 years, an internal medicine doctor becomes a cardiologist. Time is worth a lot. I know it’s difficult to realize that as a high school. But, once you are starting a family, etc., those years start making a difference.

Moreover, the rising cost of education is going to put you or your parents in financial strain. Hopefully, you are from a wealthy background and tuition costs won’t affect you. Yet, $200,000 debt does impact a lot of people. So, say you went to an ivy league for undergrad at 50 grand a year (maybe you got some financial help, so it comes out to 25 or so), you’ve already accrued a lot of debt. But, then there’s medical school. And trust me, hardly anyone gets scholarships in med school. Rather, instead you get federal Stafford loans. So, as most private med schools cost ~60k/year, you will have at least 40k/year in Stafford loans and the rest will come from elsewhere. So, at the end of the day, you may be looking at 250 k in debt at an interest of 6.8%. That is a hefty sum. But, you should be able to pay it off as a doctor (hopefully…). Yet, will this debt influence your life decisions? Would it make you less likely to go into surgery as it requires a longer residency (in which you only get paid 50k/year for 7 years). Also, did it make a huge difference to go to school “a” instead of school “b”?

4. Comparisons – Now and then
I, the valedictorian of my high school, chose to go to a state school. This was against the norms of my school, in which the top students had to go to one of the Ivy League Schools. My guidance councilors tried to convince to not even go to HPME let alone UMDNJ. But, why? What experience did they have in the matter? Three of my friends from high school, who were interested in medicine, went to undergrad at Princeton (2) and Columbia. One was not able to maintain her GPA at Princeton and thus could not even apply to med school (Princeton selects who becomes pre-med); the other two had to take a year off b/w undergrad and med school. One is going to Mount Sinai the other Albert Einstein Medical School. Both are just finishing their first year of medical school, while I just graduated.
Does undergrad make a real difference in your life as a doctor? No. You can party and fool around for a year or so. But, premed is stressful and you will have to work hard. The MCAT is no joke. If your GPA is sub-par, it doesn’t matter if you went to Princeton, you won’t be going to medical school.

5. Final say -- 6 years of experience
Go to a BA/MD program if you are somewhat (even remotely) sure you want to go into medicine. And medicine is very broad -- you will definitely find something you are interested in. If you don’t want to see patients, you can become an administrator, go into pharmaceuticals, become a professors… there are limitless possibilities. Yet, there are no other fields that can guarantee you a six figure salary for the rest of your life. Stability, respect and value are the hallmarks of medicine.

If prestige is biting you, then work really hard in the undergrad part of the BA/MD program. Try to do well on the MCAT. If your GPA is great, MCAT is high and you have solid extra-curriculars, apply out of the program. If not, don’t apply out. Keep the MD part of the BA/MD program as your back up. I had one friend in the program who applied out and got into Harvard Medical School. Another applied out, got in nowhere. If you think it’s hard being an asian and getting into undergrad, just wait until medical school admissions. Indian male is not the desired racial/gender category.

Otherwise, enjoy undergrad as a BA/MDer. Go travel abroad and take courses that your pre-med friends would like to but can’t (b/c GPA matters for them). You don’t lose anything in that year you “skipped” – just fewer exams. The “undergrad experience” is overrated/only applies to non pre-meds in their first two years of schools. Instead, apply that year to doing a NIH research fellowship in med school (which makes your residency application look amazing) or pursue an additional fellowship after residency (eg. Go from becoming general surgeon to a Burn surgeon).

I could keep writing -- I have a lot more to say. Yet, I’m thinking about putting the other info in the form of a paper. If I do so, I’ll post the link at some point.

Best of luck, future doctors!"

Muscle Anatomy of the Mink

2011-07-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share some of the videos I took during class (Vertebrate Biology). This class is excruciatingly painful.....

Application Preparation

2011-07-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

Hello there! I hope that school researching is coming along well for all of you! Spend time this summer to really look into potential schools you have serious considerations about. There are plenty of resources here on this website on earlier posts about specific schools and their respective BA/BS/MD programs. We will probably be digging those out for you soon.

For the mean time, here is a good article on tips for writing applications (it's for a cover letter in the professional world, but it works the same).

Visit www.stevepavlina.com for more articles about personal development. Enjoy!

New Author!

2011-07-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hello there! I am a newly added author to this website. I am currently in the same BA/BS/MD program as Prestige Obsessed and also the same year as him (we are both stuck in summer school right now). I am helping him add more information and keep this site as up to date as possible. I will also post my stats in the "About Me" page. Let me know if you have any questions!

Cheers, and happy school hunting!

- Prestige Pursuit

Break

2011-06-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I finished my last final last week. After that I went back home. Tomorrow I will be flying back to Philly for summer classes. I hope everyone is enjoying his or her break. For me, one week is enough break for me. I don't think I can stand being at home not doing anything productive for three months, which is why I chose to take summer classes.

Evolution and College Admissions

2011-04-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am currently studying for my evolution midterm. This a random post so that I can procrastinate studying.

Anyway, I saw in the news that record numbers of prospective students are being waitlisted. I feel like I see the same news every year. To tie this in with evolution- high school seniors have to evolve to better survive the jungles of college admissions. Natural selection sucks right?

I think Lamarck's theory has some truth to it. Legacies of Ivies usually go to the same college, right?

Lol, I just realized how stupid this sounds. But this is just an update to let you know that I still check this blog regularly. So feel free to post comments or questions.

Update

2011-01-21T17:31:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I last posted. I would post if I have a lot of free time. But I don't Being in a BS/MD program means you are essentially taking all the same premed coursework (which is still very difficult), except that you don't have to apply to med schools again. The biology courses at my school are very difficult because there is so much information to absorb. Be forewarned: Do not take college lightly just because you're in a program.

How are the interviews going?

Attention Texas Residents!

2010-12-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

I just noticed how many Texas medical schools offer programs for high school students. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Students in other states aren't so lucky when it comes to their own public medical schools offering BS/MD programs.

I know when I was applying, I hated how Texas students were getting such a great deal. Their programs are restricted to only Texas residents. And the schools are PUBLIC, meaning probably half the cost of private schools. My state had only two medical schools and did not offer any BS/MD programs.

SAT and ACT Preparation

2010-11-23T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'm sure that all of you have excellent test scores-as seen from the poll. But for those who need just a few extra points, here is my advice:

For SAT, do A LOT of practice tests. At least for me, this strategy worked the most. I'm the kind of person who needs to do practice questions in order to do well on tests. If I simply review stuff, I learn nothing. This is why the Official SAT Guide by CollegeBoard is THE book to get for the SAT. There's no magic behind improving scores. Just takes a lot of practice. If you exhaust the practice test material in the Official Blue Book, go to CollegeBoard's website and purchase the SAT Online Course. This gives you an extra ten tests. If you finished both the book and the online course, then you should do well on the real test.

Also, I feel that practice tests offered by other companies aren't realistic enough. They're not necessarily harder or easier, but just different. Don't buy any books by Kaplan, Princeton Review, Barron's, or any other test companies for SAT or ACT. They simply don't compare to the real thing.

However, I have to make an exception to this rule. There are two other books you should get. They were immensely helpful to me and I believe they would be for you too. The two books are: Direct Hits 1 and Direct Hits 2. Each book contains about 300 vocabulary words that would most likely appear on the SAT. It's not just a boring list either. Each word has a paragraph that helps you remember the word. I actually enjoyed reading this book. because the explanations that follow the vocab are so funny. Could you imagine enjoying memorizing vocab?

NOTE: I did not use any "strategies" during the test. There is no silver bullet for the SAT. Practice, practice, and practice. If you're preparing for a concert, you don't review strategies on how to do the staccato, you simply practice doing it. The same logic applies to these tests as well.