BS/MD or AS/MD or BS/DO Programs?

[DrMickhead]

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Hiya folks.

Has anyone, as a non-traditional student, looked into, or found any joint degree programs for non-trads?

I've decided to recommit to my dream of medicine after a long hiatus. So, advice on how to proceed would be great. I've got "decent" undergrad grades for two years (3.11 at Columbia) but that was some time ago (I'm 32.)

What I'm really looking for is a combined program that is sensitive to non-traditional students. I could definitely go back to a 4-year school and get a premed degree, but honestly, I just need the basic sciences and math.

SO......

Anyone who has heard of 6-year or 7-year Bachelor/MD programs for non-trads, let me know! (I know AUASOM has a 6-year I could always go to, but I'll never get a pediatric oncology res match from a Caribbean school.)

(PS - I'm in NYC, if anyone else wants to talk shop. I attended Columbia's School of General Studies, for non-traditional students, open to questions about that as well.)

MDL

 

[ChairmanMao]

I'm curious, did you graduate from Columbia or any 4-year institution or did you simply take classes for 2 years there? Do you have a bachelor's or undergrad degree? If not, you'll have to go back and enroll again at Columbia or transfer to another 4 year college and graduate first.

As for your question - whether or not there is a combined BS/MD program for nontrads. Usually, those programs are set up for high school students who go straight into the program and want to take accelerated courses and get their MDs in 6 years. Those programs are very competitive (when I was looking through them in high school, they said that you needed at least a 3.8 GPA and 1450 on the SAT and 700 in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology on the SAT II in order to be even considered). Unless you already took the SAT and SAT II and just graduated from high school, their admissions office simply won't consider your application.

To be honest, if you're a nontrad and you graduated from high school 15 years ago, you're much better served going back to college and getting your bachelor's first and then applying to a 4 year medical school. Since you already did 2 years as a GS student, you probably only need to do two or three more years. Starting over with a 6 year BS/MD program will take a longer time and most of the combined BS/MD programs are more competitive than the medical school themselves and are only open to high school students. I suggest getting in touch with your GS academic adviser either at Columbia or at CUNY, Hunter, one of the other NYC schools and outlining your plan and getting their suggestion.

 

[sarahg]

I know the University of Alabama, Birmingham has a program where entering college students are promised med school admissions as long as they keep their GPAs up to a certain level. I'm not sure how many years it takes though.

 

[njbmd]

Current BS/MD and BS/DO programs are not for people who hold previous bachelors degrees. They are for high achieving high school students (GPA/SAT/ACT) who are attending college for the first time.

The OP would be better served in a post bacc with or without linkage where he/she can get the pre-med coursework and gain acceptance into medical school. He/She should look into Hopkins (has a 100% acceptance rate), UVa (has a 100% acceptance rate) since all he/she needs are the pre-med courses.

 

[marypickles]

While at Columbia did you find the science department lacking in some way, or where you studying something unrelated to medicine at the time?

I might apply to GS next year and I am trying to put things in perspective. I am obviouslsy a nontraditional student looking for academic demand, but I am aware that medical schools want a strong performance in one's university program not just a strong name. I have other reasons for wanting to enroll in GS and, I guess, I am looking for a conversational encounter to gather my thoughts and simply make the right decisions. Would you recommend the GS, or would you tell others to shy away from it. All this, of course, is your own opinion based on your experiences and I am excited to hear what you have to say on the subject.

I am at a standstill as to whether or not I will apply based on the fact that I can indeed acclimate to my preesnt institution (third tier) and live happily after gaining acceptance to the professional program of my choice, but I still have a fervor for Columbia and its peers that I cannto let go of. This has been the quandary that I have been faced with for some time now. What are your thoughts?