A question regarding the MSAR

[racerx]

I just received my copy of the 2002-2003 MSAR. I was reading the
section for State University of New York at Buffalo Medical School,
and read that the minimum number of Credits for admission was 60.
However, Upon reading the numbers for University at Buffalo AND about
10 others, I discovered that they claim all of the entering students
have their Baccalaureate degree.

I understand that they 'prefer' that applicants will complete their
baccalaureate before matriculation, but for some of us that don't
have time on our side, completing the BS or BA isn't an option. Are
the Universities that claim 60 or 90 credits as a requirement just
blowing smoke in order to get the secondary application fees, when in
reality you aren't even getting a look?

I have 82 credits, but not in anything that I would even consider
completing for a BS degree; and I have been told the vast majority of
credits wouldn't transfer into a curriculum in which I am interested.
Therefore, I would be starting from square one. If a BS or BA is
truely required, then I have some reevaluating to do.

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[altaskier]

To be honest, it's really hard to get in with a bachelors (or I should say having completed the bachelors upon the day you matriculate). They want it these days. I've never heard of anyone getting into med school without having a bachelors on the first day they walk into med school. Sorry for the bummer!

 

[racerx]

I don't know what I was thinking. I need to get my BS anyhow. If nothing else, it provides a fall back.

 

[racerx]

Sorry, incomplete thought.

I should say, a BS in something I am actually interested in.

 

[gower]

From the way you write about your situation, racer, it appears to me that your are an older student who had some college in the past and returned to college to complete the premedical requirements. By time running out, I hope you don't mean that you will be 21 soon! Medical schools have no age limit for accepting students, although it becomes rather impractical if you are already 50.
I do not know which, if any, of the following "ifs" apply to you; I am presenting possible scenarios. If you are matriculated and studying in a bachelor's degree granting institution, the completion of a major is almost always a requirement for the degree. Surely you must know that. The name of the major is irrelevant. While medical schools can, and do, take students without a bachelor's degree, even with as few as 60 credits (very rare) it is uncommon and almost always under special circumstances. They are not after your money; they assume you have done your homework; if you haven't, they certainly wouldn't consider you medical student material. If you are a non-matriculated student, that is a major mistake: you pay higher tuition, have no registration priority, cannot earn a degree and commonly have no access to services and advising of any kind; "matriculated" means enrolled in a degree-granting program with all the benefits. You can opt out anytime if you so chose.

At what college are you taking your courses? Is there a premedical advisor? If yes, have you spoken with the advisor?

You might arrange a COUNSELING interview at SUNY-Buffalo medical school to discuss your situation.
Dr. Thomas Guttuso, Assistant Dean, Admissions; 716/829-3466
e-mail: [email protected]
web site: <a href="http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/ome" target="_blank">www.smbs.buffalo.edu/ome</a>

The August 2001 entering class:
1,609 in-state applicants, 453 interviewed, 136 in the first year class. More, how many unknown, would have been offered places but chose to attend elsewhere.
Mean GPA of 2001 entering class, 3.60; mean MCAT 9.6; 58% female, 10% minority

 

[nochaser]

Yikes! This may apply to me as well. I just found out that a class I need to meet all of my degree req's that I planned to take over summer is NOT going to be offered summer 2002! I tried to add it to my Spring 2002 schedule, but could not, as doing such would exceed the load limit. I tried juggling my spring schedule to try and move some classes down for spring to summer, but that does not work, either, due to load limits. My only chances of finishing now is to take one class next fall which, I guess, knocks me outta the app process for 2002.

 

[nochaser]

Oh, another thing, my school's catalog says that it does grant the degree in Bio Sci after completion of the first year of med school, provided that the courses taken are not repeated. At this point, the class in question is either biochem or molecular bio, either of which I could take to finish my req's for BS, and both of which are offered in med school. Do you think med schools might consider this? Anyway, I am going to talk to my adviser about this next week.