PCOM 8 year BS-DO vs traditional pre med ?

[supermedicine89]

Hi guys! Im trying to decide between going to either PCOM 8 year bs-do program with usciences, or to go to a regular school ( Penn or Cornell or Dartmouth) as a traditional pre med. For the 8 year bs-do all i need is a 3.5 GPA and a 24 mcat and i get an automatic acceptance to pcom. Whereas for the traditional path i need "much higher stats".
I dont care about prestige (MD vs DO degree behind my name) or how much money ill make. But i do care about what specialty i go into. Im not sure what specialty i like yet, but i want to know that ill have the "opportunity" to go into whatever field i like before i start medical school.
So my problem is i think i would be much happier in the 8 year bs-do program (less stress etc) , but some people are telling me that i shouldn't limit myself to a DO school since i might decide i want to go into a competitive specialty later on and going to a DO school rather than an MD school will hurt me.. is this true?
Let me know what you think.
Thank you so much!

P.S. sorry if i sound stupid or anything im new...

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[DermViser]

Traditional premed route hands down.

I dont care about prestige (MD vs DO degree behind my name) or how much money ill make. But i do care about what specialty i go into.

 

[BrCo]

Flame war commence!

 

[Doctor Strange]

I'm a USciences alum, though I wasn't in the BS/DO program. I do have some insight to the program and the school in general, though. I was a pharmacology & toxicology major who went the traditional route and am now at an MD school. PM me if you have any questions. I'll be happy to answer them.

 

[supermedicine89]

Traditional premed.

Why does that make me a traditional premed? Im not sure what i like yet and i dont want to be limited...
I dont want to do say an ophthalmology rotation and see i love it and then realize i cant go into it because im not in a top school..

 

[Lawpy]

Hi guys! Im trying to decide between going to either PCOM 8 year bs-do program with usciences, or to go to a regular school ( Penn or Cornell or Dartmouth) as a traditional pre med. For the 8 year bs-do all i need is a 3.5 GPA and a 24 mcat and i get an automatic acceptance to pcom. Whereas for the traditional path i need "much higher stats".
I dont care about prestige (MD vs DO degree behind my name) or how much money ill make. But i do care about what specialty i go into. Im not sure what specialty i like yet, but i want to know that ill have the "opportunity" to go into whatever field i like before i start medical school.
So my problem is i think i would be much happier in the 8 year bs-do program (less stress etc) , but some people are telling me that i shouldn't limit myself to a DO school since i might decide i want to go into a competitive specialty later on and going to a DO school rather than an MD school will hurt me.. is this true?
Let me know what you think.
Thank you so much!

P.S. sorry if i sound stupid or anything im new...

Traditional premed hands down. No question.

 

[supermedicine89]

Traditional premed hands down. No question.

Do you mind sharing your reasoning? thank you!

 

[Lawpy]

Do you mind sharing your reasoning? thank you!

I'm assuming you already got accepted to Penn/Cornell/Dartmouth. The opportunities offered there are great and will make you a much stronger applicant in the long-run. Pretty much no reason to go to the BS/DO route if you can earn something a lot better.

 

[DermViser]

Why does that make me a traditional premed? Im not sure what i like yet and i dont want to be limited...
I dont want to do say an ophthalmology rotation and see i love it and then realize i cant go into it because im not in a top school..

I said go the traditional route.

 

[supermedicine89]

I said go the traditional route.

Yeah i realized that after i posted that.. sorry! Thanks for the help!

 

[BrCo]

If I were in your shoes I'd head to Penn/Cornell/Dartmouth and try to bang out the highest possible GPA and MCAT. If you want to be positioned towards the cream of the crop specialty, you should probably drop the "taking the easiest route" attitude and buckle in for the ride.

 

[Flashfan]

I think it is a little early to be accepted to Penn/Cornell/Dartmouth so why don't you apply to several schools and come back in April when you have firm choices.

 

[SN12357]

Go the traditional premed route.

I know people who were reasonably happy with doing combined programs but all of them would have been just as successful, or, mostly likely, more successful going the trad route. I see literally zero advantage to combined programs and know several people who regretted them.

By choosing an 8 year program (even setting aside the DO aspect) you're closing doors that you, in high school, don't even know enough to know they exist. Go to a respected undergraduate school for your undergrad degree and apply to medical school normally.

 

[BrCo]

Wait, wait, wait. OP isn't in these schools yet? Ugh

I think it is a little early to be accepted to Penn/Cornell/Dartmouth so why don't you apply to several schools and come back in April when you have firm choices.

 

[supermedicine89]

I think it is a little early to be accepted to Penn/Cornell/Dartmouth so why don't you apply to several schools and come back in April when you have firm choices.

My guidance counselor is very confident ill get into one of those schools because of my stats and resume plus i have legacy at two of those schools!
Im trying to figure out if i should apply early descion or not. If traditional is the way to (which is what everyone seems to be saying) them im going to apply ED to one of those schools. so im trying to figure out which is the way to go which is why im asking early.

 

[supermedicine89]

Wait, wait, wait. OP isn't in these schools yet? Ugh

Look at my new post and youll see why i ask.

 

[BrCo]

Out of curiosity, have you taken a look at any BS-MD programs?
http://www.ivyplanners.com/documents/BS-MD-IvyPlanners.pdf

 

[Lawpy]

My guidance counselor is very confident ill get into one of those schools because of my stats and resume plus i have legacy at two of those schools!
Im trying to figure out if i should apply early descion or not. If traditional is the way to (which is what everyone seems to be saying) them im going to apply ED to one of those schools. so im trying to figure out which is the way to go which is why im asking early.

As long as you get into a great school with a great student body, great opportunities, great faculty etc. (aka a top tier UG generally), you should choose the traditional route.

 

[deleted407021]

( Penn or Cornell or Dartmouth) .

Sure. You know? Why not?

 

[supermedicine89]

Out of curiosity, have you taken a look at any BS-MD programs?
http://www.ivyplanners.com/documents/BS-MD-IvyPlanners.pdf

I have looked at BS-MD programs and they all either have one of these problems
1- Its too far away (dont want less than an hour drive so i can come home for weekends) (this gets rid of all of them and leaves only a handful left)
2- Have really high requirements to get into the medical school... might as well just go to a better school and with those requirements ill get in somewhere better..
3- Really competitive to get into
4- some other problems...

 

[supermedicine89]

By the way as far as the PCOM 8 year goes i have the ability to apply out if i wish to. so ifi get high stats and think i can get into a top MD school i can apply.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

By the way as far as the PCOM 8 year goes i have the ability to apply out if i wish to. so ifi get high stats and think i can get into a top MD school i can apply.

This is definitely something that a lot of people ignore, you are pretty smart for realizing it. The way you have it with the BS/DO is a dang near guarantee of becoming a physician (assuming you hit the significantly lowered numbers to be accepted). No one is stopping you from taking other courses that interest you, no one is forcing you to become a doctor if you find that other routes would make you happy. You also have the very real option that you do so well in school that you just decide to apply elsewhere for medical school and thus at the very worst case scenario have a guaranteed backup.

I know a lot of people who have gone 2 or 3 cycles with no acceptances. The ability to go a single cycle, take a shot at bigger fish, but if it doesnt work out, still having a good fish to eat is pretty cool...

Just to be the one voice saying go BS/DO.

 

[supermedicine89]

This is definitely something that a lot of people ignore, you are pretty smart for realizing it. The way you have it with the BS/DO is a dang near guarantee of becoming a physician (assuming you hit the significantly lowered numbers to be accepted). No one is stopping you from taking other courses that interest you, no one is forcing you to become a doctor if you find that other routes would make you happy. You also have the very real option that you do so well in school that you just decide to apply elsewhere for medical school and thus at the very worst case scenario have a guaranteed backup.

I know a lot of people who have gone 2 or 3 cycles with no acceptances. The ability to go a single cycle, take a shot at bigger fish, but if it doesnt work out, still having a good fish to eat is pretty cool...

Just to be the one voice saying go BS/DO.

This is what i was thinking. Thank you so much for the help!

 

[Lawpy]

I know a lot of people who have gone 2 or 3 cycles with no acceptances. The ability to go a single cycle, take a shot at bigger fish, but if it doesnt work out, still having a good fish to eat is pretty cool...

Lol, pretty pessimistic eh?

I honestly doubt OP will fall in these situations considering his early planning. If he's serious, he'll get in the first shot (though there are a whole different set of reapplicants which are stronger than the ones you're implying). But it's his call in the end.

 

[Aerus]

If you are competitive enough to get into those schools, assuming that you are using a good work ethic to get through high school and not just being lazy because it's easy, there's a good chance you'll get into a US MD program somewhere.

 

[SN12357]

I know a lot of people who have gone 2 or 3 cycles with no acceptances. The ability to go a single cycle, take a shot at bigger fish, but if it doesnt work out, still having a good fish to eat is pretty cool...

Don't most of these programs require you to drop your acceptance to them if you decide to apply out? They have no interest in just being someone's backup plan. So this scenario you describe is unlikely.

I swear these 8 year programs only exist because risk-averse high school students can be easily enticed to make bad decisions.

 

[supermedicine89]

Don't most of these programs require you to drop your acceptance to them if you decide to apply out? They have no interest in just being someone's backup plan. So this scenario you describe is unlikely.

I swear these 8 year programs only exist because risk-averse high school students can be easily enticed to make bad decisions.

I think this program allows you to apply out without giving up your spot..
But even then you can decide if you realize that all you have is a 3.5 and 24 mcat you can take the PCOM acceptance and run! but if you see you have a 3.8 and 34 you can apply out and youll get in to a better school.

 

[SN12357]

I think this program allows you to apply out without giving up your spot..
But even then you can decide if you realize that all you have is a 3.5 and 24 mcat you can take the PCOM acceptance and run! but if you see you have a 3.8 and 34 you can apply out and youll get in to a better school.

Fact is as much as you think you will work the same amount if you know that you don't have to, you're far more likely to end up with that 3.5 and 24 than the 3.8 and 34. If you know you are 'safe' there's less incentive to get out and accomplish the ECs that really make you an attractive candidate.

I've given my opinion so I'm not going to keep harping on it. But I think this program sounds stupidly limiting.

Edit: I don't know if it matters, but I'm a nontrad student starting med school next year, not an undergrad. So my perspective is based on my experience working for the last few years in addition to my med school application experience.

 

[jjtheairplane]

As an undergrad who did decent on his SAT's (2200), and goes to a decent top tier college (not ivy though), I would say go BS/DO IF you plan on going the traditional route as pre-med anyway (applying jr year of undergrad). Not taking gap years is extremely difficult to do with mcat studying, EC's, and doubling up hardcore science classes. On top of that, if you want to really enjoy college that will become your last priority. The stress will be more than it ever was in high school, and you still have medical school to "prove" yourself and challenge yourself.

As someone mentioned, Apply out if you get the scores and everything seems too easy for you. I would also suggest appying BS/MD, there are some which don't even require mcat - any US medical school is good. Some are prestigious too like Browns PLME

 

[DermViser]

My guidance counselor is very confident ill get into one of those schools because of my stats and resume plus i have legacy at two of those schools!
Im trying to figure out if i should apply early descion or not. If traditional is the way to (which is what everyone seems to be saying) them im going to apply ED to one of those schools. so im trying to figure out which is the way to go which is why im asking early.

 

[supermedicine89]

whats so funny about that? my school sends many kids to those schools and they keep track of what stats the accepted students have and based on that information they can tell you whether you have a good chance or not..

 

[DermViser]

whats so funny about that? my school sends many kids to those schools and they keep track of what stats the accepted students have and based on that information they can tell you whether you have a good chance or not..

Bc she's not clairvoyant that you'll be definitely accepted. There are many with those stats who get turned down.

 

[Time Table]

Check if they rescind your acceptance to PCOM if you apply elsewhere junior year. If they do, then consider going with Cornell/Penn/Dartmouth. No point in going to PCOM if they don't give you more options about your future.