Bachelors for Residency?

swoosh364 · May 21, 2006

Hello, I need some advice, I just got into a good Med school Program without a 4 year degree. My family wants me to put off med school for a year to finish. But at this point I just want to get started with med school and dont care about an undergraduate degree. Do you guys know anyone who recieved a great residency or was denied one without an undergrad degree. Any insight would be great! thanks in advance

flighterdoc · May 21, 2006

swoosh364 said:
Hello, I need some advice, I just got into a good Med school Program without a 4 year degree. My family wants me to put off med school for a year to finish. But at this point I just want to get started with med school and dont care about an undergraduate degree. Do you guys know anyone who recieved a great residency or was denied one without an undergrad degree. Any insight would be great! thanks in advance

A US school without an undergrad? If it's a Carib school you can usually get a BS as part of the MD degree so it's not a big deal. If it's a US school, go for it - who the hell cares what sort of BS you know 🙂

FlindersGrad · May 21, 2006

Only one year left? I would finish the degree...your parents are wise! You will probably regret not finishing it later in life. Plus need something to fall back on if medicine does not work out.

Idiopathic · May 21, 2006

Think about how much $$$ an extra year costs you. Potentially >200K as that year is lost to earning. Just go to med school.

swoosh364 · May 21, 2006

Yes, its a MD program in Texas. Do you guys think that residency programs would care though. I dont want to spend another year in undergrad, the thought of it scrares me. Not that it was difficult, Its just seems so pointless to me. I just hope that residency programs accept students without them.
Oh, I actually know a carrib grad residency who just got a 2 year degree from a community college. But his residency is not competitve at all. FP in a rural area. Well atleast he matched I guess.

mysophobe · May 21, 2006

As long as you can get licensed in the state you want to practice without a BS, go to med school. Check your state's website.

wook · May 21, 2006

swoosh364 said:
Yes, its a MD program in Texas. Do you guys think that residency programs would care though. I dont want to spend another year in undergrad, the thought of it scrares me. Not that it was difficult, Its just seems so pointless to me. I just hope that residency programs accept students without them.
Oh, I actually know a carrib grad residency who just got a 2 year degree from a community college. But his residency is not competitve at all. FP in a rural area. Well atleast he matched I guess.

I didn't think that entry into med school was possible without a Bachelor's. I read up on the requirements for different schools in Texas and was rather surprised at the number that only required a certain number of credit hours.

I agree with a poster's comment about financial cost if you did the remaining year to get your bachelor's (ie don't bother getting the Bachelors as its financial cost would be silly). However, your concern about residency seems reasonable, and I can't answer whether it would affect your chances or not. A program director (how about BKN?), or a resident who has been involved in the resident selection process could give the most accurate answer to this.

Wook

DOctorJay · May 21, 2006

I know an orthopedic surgery resident who I think went to Wisconsin for a program like this. He didn't even have to take the MCAT! So if you can go through a program like this and get into ortho I think you are set. Good luck.

J

SoCuteMD · May 21, 2006

A guy from my undergrad applied his junior year and was accepted to medical school. My undergrad agreed to grant his B.S. when he received his MD. You might ask your school if they will do the same.

jennyboo · May 21, 2006

If the medical school is an LCME accredited MD-awarding school, you will be at no disadvantage when applying for residency.

Most combined programs actually do grant a bachelor's degree even if the undergraduate requirements are shortened. Some count the first year MD classes as credit toward the bachelor's as well as the MD in order to ensure you fulfill your "undergrad" requirements.

tRmedic21 · May 21, 2006

BS means nothing. People would be really amazed how many schools do not require a BS to apply. I know a doc who got in with his 90 hours to a good US school, went on to Urology residency and is now making absolutely phat bank working in private practice.

If you've been accepted, then there's NO reason whatsoever to put it off for a year to finish your BS. Heck, the school might not hold your spot for you, even... why would you apply yet if you're not serious about going? That would be what I would think next year when you re-applied. Just me, though.

I am in my last year of Caribbean med school, have no BS, no degree whatsoever, actually. MD will be my first degree. 😀

As for the people who say you'll regret it later... why? It's not like you can't finish it later if you wanted to, right? I mean, if you're only 2-3 classes short (like me) then it would take no time. If it's a whole year, who cares? I really don't see why you couldn't do it later if medicine didn't work out.

Good luck, and congrats!

Blade28 · May 21, 2006

It's really up to you - won't matter in the long run. The conventional wisdom I've heard is that a BA/BS is only useful if there's a chance you won't finish med school - then it's nice to have a college degree to fall back on.

mysophobe · May 21, 2006

Exactly. If you're serious about medicine and will be practicing, I don't see why having or not having a BS would matter at all. The only thing I can think of is licensing problems not having it may cause, but I don't really have any idea about that.

L8DYV · May 22, 2006

swoosh364 said:
Hello, I need some advice, I just got into a good Med school Program without a 4 year degree. My family wants me to put off med school for a year to finish. But at this point I just want to get started with med school and dont care about an undergraduate degree. Do you guys know anyone who recieved a great residency or was denied one without an undergrad degree. Any insight would be great! thanks in advance

Med school!! that's a year you can save.
you'll have a doctorate!!

swoosh364 · May 22, 2006

thanks alot guys, i think im just going to go ahead and start med school.

Hercules · May 22, 2006

Sounds like you've already decided but let me just add one dissenting view...

I would not have given up my senior year of college to start up med school early. I had a blast and its a level of irresponsibility that you won't get again until you're a fourth year med student. I say finish up your degree and take some cool classes to indulge interests that you may never have the chance to indulge again. The extra year of maturity probably doesn't hurt going into med school either.

Blade28 · May 22, 2006

That's a good point. Fourth year of college (and med school, for that matter) was awesome.

Sugar72 · May 22, 2006

There is a guy in my class that doesn't have a bachelors either - He did match. I agree it is no big deal to not have a bachelors. If you are worried about it at all then why don't you find out if you can finish correspondence style (depending on your credit deficit). The husband of a classmate finished his bachelor's online from their undergrad institution. It was Indiana U.

StudentDoc327 · May 22, 2006

swoosh364 said:
Hello, I need some advice, I just got into a good Med school Program without a 4 year degree. My family wants me to put off med school for a year to finish. But at this point I just want to get started with med school and dont care about an undergraduate degree. Do you guys know anyone who recieved a great residency or was denied one without an undergrad degree. Any insight would be great! thanks in advance

You are really lucky. If you see no point in sticking around in college (I wouldnt either if I was in your place), then by all means go to med school it wont hurt you one bit. In fact people might think your ultra smart for getting accepted w/o a degree (it rarely happens now). I think you will appreciate getting done a year earlier and the fun you have that year will make up for the fun in the last year of college. You are really lucky!!

ORBITAL BEBOP · May 24, 2006

FlindersGrad said:
Only one year left? I would finish the degree...your parents are wise! You will probably regret not finishing it later in life. Plus need something to fall back on if medicine does not work out.

I agree with above. This is not a race. You can take alot of cool courses sr year and some to help with med school (Micro, etc) and have some fun: fun that is NOT present in medical school and residency.

You will never get that year back and may regret it during the grind of med school.

Bachelors for Residency?

swoosh364

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flighterdoc

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FlindersGrad

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Idiopathic

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swoosh364

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mysophobe

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wook

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tRmedic21

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