Rosalind Franklin BMS 2013-2014

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The application for the BMS is up on the RFU website right now: http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/Degreeprograms/BiomedicalSciences/apply.aspx

This is for people who would like to discuss Rosalind Franklin's BMS program. From previous years, it appears that it has a very high linkage to the medical school and everyone in the program is guaranteed an interview to the program of their choice. I am interested to hear from previous RFU BMS students, so that prospective students can gauge their competitiveness and if it would be a good fit for them.

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I was a former BMS student and am now in the medical school. The BMS program was amazing and such an amazing opportunity for premeds. If anyone has questions, you can ask on here or send me a PM.
 
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Hi! I'm also planning on submitting my BMS app this month! Do you know if we can use the same personal statement that we used for our AMCAS apps? Or do they want us to write a completely different one stating our "academic goals and objectives?"
 
Do you have an estimate of how many students from your BMS class were admitted to the Medical school? Also, how long are the class days? Which is the most difficult class? Any other info you think is important would be nice. I really appreciate it!

1. I think my class had about a 65-75% success rate. Nearly everyone who didn't get in got at least one C in a med course.
2. The days vary. It averages out to between 2 and 3 lectures per day typically. There will be days where you will have up to 5 classes and others where you won't have any classes. As such, there are exam blocks that are more dense than others.
3. Neuro.
4. Work hard. There is a seat available in the CMS class for every BMS student (proven by past years' overwhelming success rates). You just have to convince the adcom not to give your seat to someone else. At the end of the day, you're only competing against yourself.

Hi! I'm also planning on submitting my BMS app this month! Do you know if we can use the same personal statement that we used for our AMCAS apps? Or do they want us to write a completely different one stating our "academic goals and objectives?"

I don't remember if I used the same personal statement for BMS as I did for med school, but it was definitely similar. I'd have to see this year's BMS application in order to answer this question better.
 
Hello Unzbuzzled,

I see the following in the application. "All students in the Biomedical Sciences program are required to take the series of core courses. In addition, at the
time of application, students are required to select one of the following four certificate concentrations in which to take courses." I could not find useful information on these track requirements or how to rank them. Little bit confusing also as all these programs are distance learning programs. Following are the tracks to be chosen.
Health Administration, Health Administration – Public Health Emphasis, Health Professions Education, Nutrition and Women's Health.
 
Hello Unzbuzzled,

I see the following in the application. "All students in the Biomedical Sciences program are required to take the series of core courses. In addition, at the
time of application, students are required to select one of the following four certificate concentrations in which to take courses." I could not find useful information on these track requirements or how to rank them. Little bit confusing also as all these programs are distance learning programs. Following are the tracks to be chosen.
Health Administration, Health Administration – Public Health Emphasis, Health Professions Education, Nutrition and Women's Health.

All BMS students take four medical classes: Biochem, Medical Cell Bio, Physiology, and Med Neuro. Aside from the medical classes, BMS students also have to take a class called Topics in Physiology and four distance courses in the tracks you listed above. The point of these classes is basically so that each BMS student completes enough credit hours to warrant a Master's degree. Almost everyone in my class did Health Administration- it's the most popular, its structured in a really straightforward way, and in my opinion has the most useful information. All the tracks are easy As if you put in a reasonable amount of work. You will get plenty of information on these classes during orientation.
 
Hi everyone! I am new to the forum and currently applying to the BMS program at RFUMS. Just for a little background, I will graduate in the spring with a BA in music. Overall GPA is 3.6, science GPA is around 3.47. My overall GPA and science GPA aren't a huge concern to me based on the average of incoming students, but I have pretty much no volunteer experience and no "relevant work experience" and I'm wondering if this will be a barricade to admission or if I can perhaps redeem myself with my personal statement. For the record, I have gone through volunteer orientation at a nearby children's hospital, but my schedule has just been so hectic this semester that I have not yet been able to train and begin volunteering. It doesn't help that the volunteer coordinator is difficult to get ahold of...now I'm just making excuses. :p

Anyway, any input is appreciated!
 
I really want to go to RFUBMS as well! I have heard amazing things about the school and I have been to their open houses... I love it. It also has a great success rate for linkage from BMS to RFU's Chicago Medical School. Not all of the other master programs have such a reliable linkage- you just can't get any C's while in BMS.

Your stats are not too far off from their class profile. Take a look at this:
http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/Degreeprograms/BiomedicalSciences/Class.aspx

Your MCAT score is also a bit higher than their average! Try to stay hopeful. I'm not sure exactly how difficult it is to get into the BMS program but I would think that you have a good shot.

For LORs: If you were a teaching assistant, I'm sure that the professor you worked under believes in you and your abilities. He/she would most likely be able to write you a letter. Also, do you have a premedical committee at your school? Could you ask them to write you a committee letter?
Maybe call BMS office of admissions and ask them if you could substitute one educational letter for a letter from one of the MDs or PTs that you work with.
 
Hey guys, I'm applying for the BMS program for 2013 cycle and I would like to know what my chances are. My current gpa is 3.6 and 33 Q MCAT. However, I had 2 pre-requesite classes that I got C so I was wondering how badly this will affect on my applcation. I did pretty bad in my first year and that's how I got C's but I have an upward GPA (~3.9 in my 4th year) and I have some ECs volunteering on few different hospitals, shadowing a doctor, etc. How seriously do they look at the prerequisite if my science gpa is 3.6? I really want to get into this program. Thanks a lot!
 
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As a BMS student I see that you take classes with the CMS students....if you are accepted to CMS for the following year, are you required to retake those same classes?? How does taking those classes affect the medical school timeline?
 
the classes you take with CMS students will count towards your first year if you get accepted into the medical school, so you take less classes as a first year medical student. You don't graduate faster than anyone else though.

Oh wow that's a cool deal.

Is it common for people to apply their SMP year or the year after?
 
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Most people want to get into medical school ASAP, so they apply to the medical school the same year they are in the SMP. And then around January, CMS admissions will interview BMS students with acceptable grades for the medical school. Next, students hear if they are accepted into the medical school around April. Its nice that they don't have to take an extra gap year afterwards before getting into the med school. Also, as Unbuzzled mentioned earlier, around 70% of BMS students get accepted into the medical school.

Yeah I know I meant is it common for people in this particular program to apply their SMP year. Some schools like BU encourage students to apply post-SMP. Thanks for the answer though!
 
Hi! I'm also planning on submitting my BMS app this month! Do you know if we can use the same personal statement that we used for our AMCAS apps? Or do they want us to write a completely different one stating our "academic goals and objectives?"

Go ahead and use your personal statement from amcas. That what i pretty much did except I tailored it towards RFUMS a bit. Also don't forget to include the paragraph about the online component. Basically jus show you have had experience taking online courses or at least that you can work independently and manage your time.

Also, I recommend choosing HCAM or HCAM public health. Don't do women's health.
 
Go ahead and use your personal statement from amcas. That what i pretty much did except I tailored it towards RFUMS a bit. Also don't forget to include the paragraph about the online component. Basically jus show you have had experience taking online courses or at least that you can work independently and manage your time.

Also, I recommend choosing HCAM or HCAM public health. Don't do women's health.

How is applying to med schools while in the BMS program? Have schools been asking you for updates on your grades or do you just send them in? When does CMS usually interview and send out acceptances for BMS students?
 
How is applying to med schools while in the BMS program? Have schools been asking you for updates on your grades or do you just send them in? When does CMS usually interview and send out acceptances for BMS students?

I suggest finish your application in the summer and get your secondaries before the start of the BMS year. Some schools ask for updates, or I just sent in my unofficial transcripts from the first quarter. CMs usually interviews in Jan., and as far as acceptances, it has change in years past. I don't know how they will do it this year, but usually most people find out at the end of the year. You can PM if you have other questions.
 
Go ahead and use your personal statement from amcas. That what i pretty much did except I tailored it towards RFUMS a bit. Also don't forget to include the paragraph about the online component. Basically jus show you have had experience taking online courses or at least that you can work independently and manage your time.

Also, I recommend choosing HCAM or HCAM public health. Don't do women's health.
Have you heard anything about the nutrition track?
 
Have you heard anything about the nutrition track?

I read some posts in earlier threads that nutrition is the most demanding track, so they recommended HCAM because you'd have more time to study for the med school courses
 
Does anyone know if the program still has classes integrated and exams every two weeks?
 
What are my chances? and why is there no online application?

University of Washington 2012 grad, 3.1 science, 3.36 cumulative
Lots of meaningful ECs with leadership experience and a focus on primary care in underserved populations. Lots of clinical experience through a full time paid medical scribe job as well as over 150 hours of shadowing in rural areas. Research for a year at Seattle Children's Research Institute with a competitive research award scholarship and following presentation at our school's annual symposium (no publication though).
MCAT Date: 1/26/2013 practice scores over 10 tests: 33-35
I applied to Tufts, EVSU, UCinci, RFU, Georgetown; think I'll get in here or anywhere?
 
The integrated exams are now every three weeks.

What about midterms and finals? Did they add those back in? I think a couple of years ago it was just exams every two weeks and no midterm and final...at least from what I understood on previous threads..
 
What about midterms and finals? Did they add those back in? I think a couple of years ago it was just exams every two weeks and no midterm and final...at least from what I understood on previous threads..

No, it has been every three weeks for an integrated exam. They changed the academic schedule around this year, and I feel like it pretty favorable in terms of the BMS year. they could always make adjustments next year.
 
So I am filling out the application and it looks like the font just keeps getting smaller and smaller. Did you guys just write it out or just send it in with various font sizes throughout the application??
 
So I am filling out the application and it looks like the font just keeps getting smaller and smaller. Did you guys just write it out or just send it in with various font sizes throughout the application??

I wrote my essay questions in a separate word doc. For the actual application questions w blank lines I just used adobe acrobat and inserted text boxes. I'm not sure why you have various font sizes?
 
Yeah I just meant the fill in the blank questions. It doesn't let me add a text box or do any editing to the format...
 
Yeah I just meant the fill in the blank questions. It doesn't let me add a text box or do any editing to the format...

hmm okay I guess your browser is letting you fill it in, mine didn't. I was using google chrome on a mac. You could just write it in or use the different font sizes if it's not too hard to read. I was a little ridiculous, I decided to download a free 30 day trial of adobe acrobat so I could type the answers in.
 
Yeah I just meant the fill in the blank questions. It doesn't let me add a text box or do any editing to the format...

The changing text in the application is normal.
 
I was just thinking that it may look unprofessional because certain parts of the app will have larger font sizes than others...But there is no way that I can write small enough to fit in certain things (i.e. activities list). So I was just wondering if other people were having the same issues. Thanks.
 
so is that how you filled it out? with different text sizes throughout?
 
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so is that how you filled it out? with different text sizes throughout?

yeah, I did. I used Adobe Acrobat, too, and had the same issues with font sizing. Couldn't change the font size so left it as is. I figured everyone's would be like that
 
so is that how you filled it out? with different text sizes throughout?

It not really a big deal about the fonts sizes. They designed it that way, I don't know why though lol. Even their secondary for CMS is something similar to that.
 
Long time lurker, first-time poster. I am submitting my app this week. It seems from old forums that the earliest admissions decisions come out on March 1st. Have any of you heard of anything earlier than that? (like February?)
 
Long time lurker, first-time poster. I am submitting my app this week. It seems from old forums that the earliest admissions decisions come out on March 1st. Have any of you heard of anything earlier than that? (like February?)

I looked in old threads before and I think your timeline is right. The admissions counselors told me they wouldn't look at applications until sometime in February
 
I'm wondering if the letters of recommendation that we use for BMS can be used again for the AMCAS, especially for CMS program? I don't want to ask my professors again for another letter every 3 month cycle so it would be good if we can somehow recyle the letters. Anyone know about this? Thanks!
 
I'm wondering if the letters of recommendation that we use for BMS can be used again for the AMCAS, especially for CMS program? I don't want to ask my professors again for another letter every 3 month cycle so it would be good if we can somehow recyle the letters. Anyone know about this? Thanks!

Yeah you can reuse them. Def don't want to keep bugging your professors to write letters for each school you apply to. You should invest in interfolio where you can have your letters stored so you can send them out from interfolio to whichever school whenever you want. The letters don't need to say specifically for BMS or CMS, but just medical school in general
 
What if I already got my letters that are specific to BMS? Because BMS had its own format and the profs used it to write it. There was one extra page that they could further talk about the applicant's ability but I don't know if you can just use that page.
 
How do we check the status of our application and if documents (LOR, transcripts,MCAT score) have been received? Better question: why is this not all online...?
 
I just sent in all my application materials today!!! Really really want to attend this program! Hopefully an early app is good!

And thanks to Unzbuzzled for all your inside information (from previous thread years and this one!).
 
I got my acceptance today! Very excited! I submitted at the end of October/early November. I have sGPA 3.32, cGPA 3.32, MCAT 30, lots of community service experience and other extracurriculars and 1 yr ER scribe experience.

Good luck to everyone!
 
Got my acceptance letter in the mail today!! :)
 
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