I posted earlier this year when there was significant debate between the 2024–2025 cohort and previous cohorts about changes in the program’s structure and metrics. At the time, concerns from our cohort were often dismissed, with claims that our academic performance was weaker and that our matriculation rate would ultimately be fine.
Looking at the final numbers, that clearly isn’t the case. Out of 55 students who started the program last summer, only around 32–34 ended up making contract and matriculating at DUCOM. That’s a ~57% matriculation rate which is quite low for a pipeline program specifically designed to support students getting into medical school.
Started DPMS in the summer: 55
Made contract in the spring: 32-34
No successful appeals that I have heard of.
To be fully transparent: I did make contract and will be starting at DUCOM this fall. But even having successfully completed the program, I’m not sure I would recommend it in its current form. With the BBB and federal graduate loan caps now at $200k, the financial calculus of this program has changed significantly. Tuition alone for DPMS is $35k, and once you include housing and living expenses, you’re likely using up more than 25% of your total eligible loan amount before even starting medical school — for which tuition alone is~$70k/year. And after all of that, you have a nearly coin-flip odds of making it to matriculation.
The structure of the program also warrants caution. The summer courses are deceptively easy, which can give a false sense of security. But once tuition is paid and fall begins, the academic and administrative tone of the program changes significantly. Many students I know were caught off guard.
I share this not out of bitterness, I made it through (barely), but out of a genuine desire to help others make an informed decision. If you're a prospective student considering DPMS, or someone currently in the program, I strongly encourage you to reassess before the next tuition bill is due.
