Anyone doing a five year plan at a medical school?

[Fizz]

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Hi,

I know that some schools offer the option of a five year plan where the first two years of science are covered in three years. Is there anyone considering this option or know anyone who has done it? Any info would be great!

Thanks : )

 

[Fizz]

BUMP!!!

 

[pathdr2b]

Originally posted by Fizz
Hi,

I know that some schools offer the option of a five year plan where the first two years of science are covered in three years. Is there anyone considering this option or know anyone who has done it? Any info would be great!

Thanks : )

I'm definitely considering it because I have a family. I know an MD/PhD student ( at GWU) that did it so she could do research in the first 2 years of med school.

 

[xaelia]

Ohio State has an Independent Study pathway that can be done at one's own pace, two years or three...and the third year is tuition-free.

Just as a side note, taking more than four years to complete medical school is a red flag in the residency application process....

 

[LUBDUBB]

At gwu, you don't apply to the program, you just apply to the med school normally. If they feel that you should be allowed a slot in medical school, but your undergrad record suggests that the first year of med school may be to intense - then they stagger the first year over two years.

P.S. I'm not a med student at GWU, but one of my buddies (who was in the 5 yr program) just finished up this year.

~Lubdubb

 

[lattimer13]

Originally posted by xaelia

Just as a side note, taking more than four years to complete medical school is a red flag in the residency application process....

really? how do you know this? have you talked to a number of residency program directors? why then does stanford med encourage their students to take 5 years instead of the traditional 4 yrs to graduate med school? every year their match list is pretty impressive.

 

[alphabeta53]

Originally posted by lattimer13
really? how do you know this? have you talked to a number of residency program directors? why then does stanford med encourage their students to take 5 years instead of the traditional 4 yrs to graduate med school? every year their match list is pretty impressive.

.
Because its Stanford! GW couldn't get away with that

 

[SunnyS81]

Stanford's kids take a year off to do research.....hence they are accomplishing the same as everyone else does in 4 years plus doing a research fellowship........anyone at any school can do it if they want to..........just like when people get mph's and mba's

 

[Maple]

I'm not sure if taking more then 4 yrs for med school completion raises a red flag. At MCW you can spread out your basic sciences over a 3yr period instead of two. If this was known to "hurt" students, why would schools offer it? There are so many reasons why someone would choose to go this way...family/other obligations or just a desire to take med school a bit easy. Afterall, some people(specially those with kids) have other things to worry about then just passing exams and planning the next binge-drinking session!I think its kinda like being a trad/nontrad when applying to med school. There are some people who seem to think that being a non-trad (or older then 21-22) hurts your chances of admission!🙄 Seems to be the same school of thought! Its really not true. 🙄 Once you're in and make it through 4 yrs with decent grades and test schores, you'll get to be a doctor and that's all there is to it.

 

[Entei]

According to Iserson's, taking more than 4 years to graduate med school does raise a red flag, unless you're using the time to get an additional degree or do research. I'm not sure what the situation is in regards to students with families, but I would guess that, since most of these students are interested in less competitive primary care specialties, this red flag is less of an issue.

I think schools offer these programs because it's obviously better to graduate in 5 years than not at all. If you have the capability to use your time efficiently and graduate in 4 years, then you should do so.

 

[Fizz]

Thanks for the info everyone. : )

 

[jtheater]

Originally posted by SunnyS81
Stanford's kids take a year off to do research.....hence they are accomplishing the same as everyone else does in 4 years plus doing a research fellowship........anyone at any school can do it if they want to..........just like when people get mph's and mba's

This is not completely accurate as Stanford students can do a traditional 4 year curriculum with a year off for research or another degree, but they also have the option to spread their preclinical curriculum over 3 years instead of two. This allows them to do research, teaching, and other activities over the three year period, rather than compacting the extra work into one year. I don't know of another school that allows this. Although this may all change with the implementation of a new curriculum.