albany medical college

[alianwaar4]

hi everyone, im new to the board

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[flighterdoc]

Originally posted by alianwaar4
hi everyone, im new to the board

currently im a high school senior and i was admitted to the union/albany medical college 8 year program and really am excited

a while back i heard from an applicant who went the traditional way that albany was thought of as a backup for most premed applicants and it really seemed quite a shock from what others told me

so i want to ask you all, if you know anything about albany med to give me some input, thanks guys 🙂

Congrats! Go for it, and don't worry about what sort of school it is - at the end of it, you'll still be a doctor, without having to worry about the usual medschool application neurosis.

BTW, there is NOTHING wrong with Albany Medical School.

 

[alianwaar4]

😀

 

[drdoctor]

Albany Med. is great and comparable to other exceptional medical school. Pre-med is a pain and it is definitely worth it to skip all that stress and get into med. school without taking the MCATs and going through the hassle. You are in an awesome position. Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[IlianaSedai]

The above posters are right. 🙂

Read through this forum or just listen to the pre-meds when you get to college. There is a lot of insecurity, a lot of comparing oneself to others, etc so don't be too surprised to hear comments like the "advice" you previously got. A lot of us feel like we're not as good compared to Sally over there, but we sure are glad we're better than Joey. It means very little other than that we're feeding our own insecurity. 😀

Should you decide you'd rather go somewhere else or not go to med school at all, you have the option of changing your mind after you start college. It's not like you're signing your soul to the eight-year program. 😉

 

[TysonCook]

My brother graduated last year from Albany and matched to a competitive residency in Radiology. Prepped him well for the boards, and got him his first choice for residency.

If you study your butt off, it really doesn't matter all that much where you go.

Good luck! I can't tell you how lucky you are to have already been admitted, it is a huge pain to apply and interview across the country.

 

[alianwaar4]

gag

 

[drdoctor]

I am familiar with what you're talking about. You work really hard and your peers in hs don't really appreciate the significance of a bs/md program acceptance. I know a kid in my hs class that was at the top and chose a medical program over an ivy and people thought he was crazy (He chose the RPI/AMC program over Harvard). Most high school students don't look that far into the future. They think that some one who goes to a better college will be better off. That is completely false as is seen in med. school admission. ALL the med. schools have students from a range of undergraduate schools. Alianwaar, take the program, kick butt, and go far instead of going through competition at an ivy. You will do awesome and good luck with your decision.

 

[Mike59]

Originally posted by drdoctor
Most high school students don't look that far into the future. They think that some one who goes to a better college will be better off.

I'm feelin' ya on that one...It's these dumba$$es who make fun of one for choosing a state school, thinking that where you get a BA degree from will make such a huge difference when you hit the real world to try and find a job 🙄

To the original poster: I interviewed at Albany and it's a great place to goto school The administration was friendly, supportive and I felt incredibly guilty when I chose another school over them in the end 🙁

 

[gsx56]

Some of you really think that going to an 8 year BA/MD program highlights those exceptional high school students with great maturity, intelligence, and foresight and believe that this decision is always the right one for people who these characteristics. TO the OP - I think you really need to evaluate your decision to go to Albany for 8 years. This has nothing to do with the school, per se, but the BA/MD experience. You are obviously a very smart person who has gotten into some great 4 year universities. A solid liberal arts college education should not be underestimated or undervalued. I think that the value in the opportunity to attend a great ivy-league school (Such as Dartmouth right?) can not be over emphasized. College is about having fun with friends and learning what you want to learn. Going to an ivy league school has its advantages when it comes to landing a job, etc. Many pre-meds jump down the throats of fellow ivy league grads. However, I think that having a deep and thorough liberal arts education and having a solid knowledge base out of science and medicine is CRUCIAL to maturing as a person (and as a great physician). Do what you want to do. Do what you are interested in. But, just know that you might be sacrificing the life and intellectual experience of a traditional college experience. About 80% of my frineds were pre-med and dropped it to become history, english, and philosophy majors. Some of them turned down 8 year BA/MD programs. you have to be 100% sure because once you turn down schools like Dartmouth, etc. there is no turning back. Believe it or not, there IS demand for and it is necessary to have a wide base of knowledge and the chance to fully explore your science and non-science intellect.

I'm just saying -- THINK ABOUT IT. BE 100%.

Good luck.

 

[alianwaar4]

see below

 

[alianwaar4]

skdf

 

[gsx56]

Okay, I think your reasons are good and you seem to have though this through. Good luck!

ps. i went to an ivy league and i had plenty of time for everything you mentioned.

 

[drdoctor]

An ivy school is not the only place where you can get a full college experience. I know students who went to technical schools like MIT, CMU, RPI, G-tech and took all math/science courses and loved it there. People have different interests so a college experience really depends on the person and is a subjective topic. Some people hate being at an ivy-league school too.

Some students do have time to have fun being pre-med at a tough school, but if you want the sure thing, why risk going to a tough school when you have a laid out red carpet waiting in front of you. The reality is that most pre-meds at ivies and other tough schools can't handle the pressure of pre-med classes and drop the idea of med. schools or get distracted seeing people majoring in arts and drop the idea of med. school. Yes there are people who decide that medicine is not their thing, but for the most part, it's because they don't know if they can make it through and they are scared of trying. Some people take a year or two off to build the resume usually. Med. school and residencies take a couple years and the more you delay, the harder it'll be. You have a track set out for you Alianwaar and you know that it is possible to do amazing after AMC as seen by your sister.

 

[solousy]

To the OP: Go to Albany! This is a no-brainer, you get into med-school, you go. Medicine is the greatest profession. You will have the rest of your life to pursue other intellectual goals. Get the MD in 8. Its taken me 6 years just to get admission (and I went to Cornell... its an ivy isn't it?). As a bonus, Union is a great school with a great hockey rink 😀

To current or former or prospective Albany students: I was wondering if Albany Med had a rugby club? Someone mentioned it at the interview but I was too antsy about trying to get accepted at the time, I didn't pay much attention. Thanks and see you guys next year!

 

[alianwaar4]

df

 

[IlianaSedai]

the worst opinoins ive heard so far that make me thing twice is that people consider albany as a back up and usually go there because they had other choice, not out of really the want to get a medical education there...

Well then, if you decide to attend Union and decide Albany Med isn't what you want, you can... go pre-med and apply!

Your quality of life at Union is something worth considering. I did BA/MD and was very satisfied with my undergraduate college. However, the experience of med school isn't the same-- I don't love my med school. The windfall of perks you get for signing up occurs mostly during undergrad, when you get treated royally in comparison to your pre-med peers. Once you get to med school, you're the same as all the rest and the quality of education is comparable to everyone else's.

I do not, however, regret it in the least. The benefits, in my experience, are reaped in your undergrad experience. If you hate Union, you might indeed be better off going to a college you love and going pre-med there. However, if you like Union, that's a pretty good reason to go. 🙂

 

[drdoctor]

What ba/md program did you do Iliana and what are you doing right now? Also, in what way did you like the program? Thanks.

 

[Bailey's Irish]

I am currently a BA/MD at Case Western (Freshman) and I had to go through the same decision you did. In all honestly going through a program allows you, to a greater extent, enjoy your undergrad. You know what you need to get into med school. That peace of mind is priceless. You can use your AP credit to lighten your course load significantly. You do not have to worry about "looking bad". You can take pre-reqs at community college etc. You are free to major in whatever you want. You can study abroad, graduate early and start med school a year early(@ Case). In addition you have a way out if you decide medicine isn't right for you. Although everyone would like to go HPME, PLME, Rice/Baylor, I personally have met the most interesting, fun, and intelligent people here at case. You may be pleasantly surprised at Union also. On a side note, some of the biggest partiers, myself included (thirsty tuesdays, wet wednesdays, you get the picture) are people in the combined med program or 6 year dental program. These people have learned truly how to study hard and play hard and live by it! Choose Union/Albany

 

[alianwaar4]

fds

 

[drdoctor]

Pre-med competition is like a 100 times high school competition. Why put yourself through that when you have medical school give to you. The idea that Albany Med. is a back-up--I'm not so sure about that. Around 50 of the students in each class come from the RPI 7-yr Physician Scientist Program, the Union 8-yr program, and the Siena Program. So a few thousand students are competing for approximately 75 seats at AMC. Alot of people that live in the area also apply to AMC because it's convenient. Don't worry about what people say. You have solid proof that you can obviously do well there. Screw the ivies and take the bs/md program.