Location aside, any thoughts about Albany Medical vs Drexel?
7 year BS/MD programs
- Thread starter bobd
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One program that is one of the best in the nation is the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Physician-Scientist Program. AMC also has a program with Union College (an 8-yr M.S or MBA program in addition to the M.D.) Lehigh/Drexel is an alright program. But, the AMC programs have more concentrated curriculums and have graduated some fantastic doctors. One example is the president of Brigham and Women's Hospital of HMS who got a MBA from Wharton after completing the program. Another is Amer. Assoc of Neurological Surgeons President. The program used to be a highly competitive 6-yr Biomedical program, but now is a 7-yr program. No MCATs, only need to maintain a 3.4, and you get tons of research exposure, the most out of any other bs/md program. The purpose is to graduate scientific physicians (either M.D. with distinction in research -D.R. or M.D./Ph.D.) Most of the doctors from the program don't necessarily go into research, but they have that knowledge for surgery, or whatever they do. They graduate at the top of AMC and get really good residency placement. The bs/md program students for four classes all come together to also have a dinner every year with speakers, past alumni of the program, awards presearntations, etc. If you like a good math/science/research background, take RPI over any other bs/md program (good schools, low requirements, more fun). If you're more into leadership, business aspect of medicine, take the Union College program.
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BS/MD programs are exceptionally difficult to get in to. If you are a viable candidate for these programs, that means you are also a strong applicant for most undergraduate schools. Consider whether you would be jeopardizing the quality of your undergraduate experience just to get the guaranteed admission to a med school.
I turned down admission to BS/MD programs four years ago in order to go to Rice University (Rice/Baylor had been my top choice, but I did not get in). Now I am going through all the hell of the application process, but I can also say that I really gained a lot from my undergraduate experience. I am not sure I would have had the same opportunities at, say, Case Western or USC undergrad.
Also, as someone coming straight out of high school, it may seem like all med schools are created equal, or perhaps the highest ranked schools are the best. While I thought back then that Baylor was a better med school than USC, now I have decided that USC is a better school for me, even if it is ranked lower.
Going to a program that shortens your education by one-year is certainly appealing on the surface, but honestly, I would not have wanted to give up one year of my undergrad. I definitely could have graduated in three years anyways, but I would have lost one year of extracurricular experiences, partying with my friends, and expanding my horizons by taking courses outside of medicine (I took my first Art course this semester).
Just my two cents.
I turned down admission to BS/MD programs four years ago in order to go to Rice University (Rice/Baylor had been my top choice, but I did not get in). Now I am going through all the hell of the application process, but I can also say that I really gained a lot from my undergraduate experience. I am not sure I would have had the same opportunities at, say, Case Western or USC undergrad.
Also, as someone coming straight out of high school, it may seem like all med schools are created equal, or perhaps the highest ranked schools are the best. While I thought back then that Baylor was a better med school than USC, now I have decided that USC is a better school for me, even if it is ranked lower.
Going to a program that shortens your education by one-year is certainly appealing on the surface, but honestly, I would not have wanted to give up one year of my undergrad. I definitely could have graduated in three years anyways, but I would have lost one year of extracurricular experiences, partying with my friends, and expanding my horizons by taking courses outside of medicine (I took my first Art course this semester).
Just my two cents.
