90 Hours?

[Kingwoodlax1]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I found online that a pre med student can enter medical school with only 90 minimum hours. How does a pre med student get the experience that looks good on medical school application if he/she doesn't have a bachelor of science (by taking 90 hrs)?

 

[Catalystik]

About 98% of MD med schools require a bachelors degree to matriculate (usually 120 credit hours), but you only need 90 at the time you apply, as you can continue taking coursework during the application year to complete the remainder of the graduation requirement.

 

[AestheticMed]

Volunteer, find a internship, do extracurriculars etc.

 

[LifeTake2]

I found online that a pre med student can enter medical school with only 90 minimum hours. How does a pre med student get the experience that looks good on medical school application if he/she doesn't have a bachelor of science (by taking 90 hrs)?

You can also find online stories of people shot in the head at close range that live to tell the story.

I wouldn't count on either that or your story happening

 

[FrkyBgStok]

You can also find online stories of people shot in the head at close range that live to tell the story.

I wouldn't count on either that or your story happening

haha. excellent analogy.

 

[mvenus929]

I found online that a pre med student can enter medical school with only 90 minimum hours. How does a pre med student get the experience that looks good on medical school application if he/she doesn't have a bachelor of science (by taking 90 hrs)?

1) You don't need a bachelor of science to enter med school. Any bachelor degree will do. Just to clarify that.

2) I imagine most of the people who qualify under this specific rule are those who have degrees from other countries. In some cases, schools don't accept AP credits, but may take a student who has 30+ AP credits who also have a degree.

Bottom line: don't count on it happen to you.

 

[BigRedBeta]

There are a number of schools that will "allow" this - it's been over 7 years since I was going through the admissions game, but I know Harvard Medical School was among this small number of schools (maybe not now). But it should never cross your mind that this is even a remotely "common" occurrence. If you go through the MSAR, look at the schools that allow matriculation after completion of 90 hours, you'll see that they rarely admit students without bachelor's degrees.

The reasons for this have nothing to do with individuals from other countries (it's exceedingly difficult to get into US Med schools as a foreign national other than Canadians) or AP credits.

The real reasons it's a rare circumstance is that 1) very few people know it's possible so very few people would even think of it, 2) it's an option that's offered by only a small number of schools - so the incentive to go down that path is limited and 3) as the OP correctly ascertained it's VERY hard to accrue a sufficient number of accomplishments in essentially 2 years to make one's self a competitive applicant. In essence, anyone applying prior to their senior year as a 50% time advantage over the applicant trying to matriculate after 90 hours. It's simply hard/nearly impossible to overcome from behind like that.