BS/MD or Typical Undergrad

[rizetotheoccasion]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

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[KnightDoc]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

It really is impossible to say, but I GUARANTEE you whatever the attrition rate is, it is lower than the attrition rate of the people who enter UGA as premeds who ultimately enroll in med school. @Kracin asked a great question -- will this school allow you to apply out while still retaining the guarantee? If so, this a no-brainer.

If not, you can always take a shot and give up the guarantee if you don't meet their minimum stats or just don't want to go to their med school. For the record, while their stat requirements are no bargain, if you look around SDN you will find MANY people with GPAs above 3.7 and MCATs above 512 who are unsuccessful every year. So, it is impossible to say whether you would be successful without the guarantee -- it is very possible, but far from a guarantee.

Bottom line -- if you are okay going to med school there, you have nothing to lose. If you don't like it or don't make the cut, you lose nothing by trying. If you change your mind, you can leave the program. But, having a guaranteed admission with a 3.7/512 is nothing to take for granted, although, of course, it would be more valuable with lower requirements.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

Could you take the BS/MD & then if you don't meet the requirements, apply to other programs?

I get that you'd be left to "salvage" your application and apply out of MCG if you don't make the cutoff, but how is that different than if you did the typical college experience? Say you get a 3.80 + 510. You then get kicked out of the BS/MD and are set to apply to other schools with decent stats.

Yes, I can apply to other medical schools if I don't meet the requirements. The thing that's been nagging me, will my undergrad institution make a huge difference because I feel like a UGA 3.7 is worth more than an Augusta University 3.7. So what mainly is my concern is if kicked out, I'll be applying from an undergrad institution that is less respected.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

It really is impossible to say, but I GUARANTEE you whatever the attrition rate it is lower than the attrition rate of the people who enter UGA as premeds who ultimately enroll in med school. @Kracin asked a great question -- will this school allow you to apply out while still retaining the guarantee? If so, this a no-brainer.

If not, you can always take a shot and give up the guarantee is you don't meet their minimum stats or just don't want to go to their med school. For the record, while their stat requirements are no bargain, if you look around SDN you will find MANY people with GPAs above 3.7 and MCATs above 512 who are unsuccessful every year. So, it is impossible to say whether you would be successful without the guarantee -- it is very possible, but far from a guarantee.

Bottom line -- if you are okay going to med school there, you have nothing to lose. If you don't like it or don't make the cut, you lose nothing by trying. If you change your mind, you can leave the program. But, having a guaranteed admission with a 3.7/512 is nothing to take for granted, although, of course, it would be more valuable with lower requirements.

I'd love going to MCG, but if eventually removed from the program, will the prestige (or lack thereof) of Augusta University hurt me in the med school application process?

 

[KnightDoc]

I'd love going to MCG, but if eventually removed from the program, will the prestige (or lack thereof) of Augusta University hurt me in the med school application process?

There have been many spirited discussions on SDN regarding this issue. When I was in your shoes, I was told that UG didn't matter at all. That's turning out not to be exactly true, as people from the Ivies, T20, etc. appear to receive some boost, to greater or lesser degrees. In a year and a half here, however, I have never heard UGA mentioned in the same breath as "prestigious school." 😎

I do understand that T50 is different from T300 to those who care about such things, but at that level you are not going to receive any prestige boost at all from either school. For the record, plenty of people who start out at a community college end up being successful, so while Augusta won't give you a boost like Princeton will, it won't hurt you. Sure UGA is a little more impressive, but, in my opinion, not nearly enough to compensate for foregoing a guaranteed med school admission with the ability to apply out.

By the way, the question is not whether you could apply out if you don't meet the requirements of the program (of course you would be able to do that!). The question is, if you meet the requirements, will they allow you to apply out while retaining your guaranteed admission? If so, that would give you the best of both worlds, and would be unbeatable, since you'd have a safety net along with total freedom to try to do better.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

Ah sorry misread the question 😳 , but no I cannot apply out and still retain my admission.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

I understand the concern, but in practice the UGA 3.7 = Augusta 3.7. I know many med students from "weak" colleges who have gotten in. It really does come down to GPA, MCAT, and experiences. The only place it would really sting you is the top schools, but to be competitive for those you'd have already made the cut-off for MCG. I'd take the BS/MD from what I'm understanding.

Also as an aside, what @KnightDoc said - there are so many premeds who drop before even reaching the application process. There's no guarantee going to UGA would get you to med school, but there is a guaranteed way with MCG.

I see, thank you for the input! Gonna have to sit down, list out my pro's & con's and decide haha.

 

[KnightDoc]

Ah sorry misread the question 😳 , but no I cannot apply out and still retain my admission.

TBH, this would change things for me. Given how less than thrilled you are with Augusta, and how high the requirements are, the decision for you will come down to how confident you are that you could do well and stay on track at UGA.

The odds are decent that you will be able to do better than MCG if you do well at UGA, plus, if you don't end up with a 3.7/512, you won't have a guarantee anyway. The combination of the relatively high requirements, inability to retain the guarantee and apply out, and the fact that you are not otherwise in love with Augusta makes this much less attractive than the no-brainer I thought it was at first.

The good news is that this is far from a life or death decision. There are multiple ways to get where you want to go, so you don't need to feel pressured to do this if it doesn't feel right, and you'd just rather go to UGA. You only get to be an undergrad once. Good luck!!!

 

[stickgirl390]

Current MS3 at MCG: id advise the guaranteed BS/MD route in a heart beat.

1) MCG is an amazing school, you will have a great education and every door open to you for residency (assuming your grades are good)
2) MCG classes are 70%+ UGA students, the applicants are a dime a dozen. Don’t assume Uga will help you stand out more than AU: it will actually make you blend in
3) where you go to undergrad does NOT matter
4) If you struggle getting a 3.7/512 at all, you’ll struggle getting accepted anywhere. I’d take the BS/MD knowing their cut off requirements are actually on the lower end of average matriculation stats

 

[Damson]

Didn't read the thread, but my instinctive response is to take the BS/MD chance. Even if applying to other medical schools, a safety net to a MD program is once-in-a-lifetime. As long as your undergrad is accredited and been around for decades, you can get into any medical school given decent stats, ECs, and LORs. Oh and interview/social skills.

 

[LunaOri]

The key question for me is this—if you end up deciding on a career other than medicine, will you regret your college choice?

 

[deleted1063986]

Is one option significantly cheaper?

I ended up saving a LOT of money by turning down a BS/MD acceptance and going to an undergrad where I got a great financial aid package and then a different medical school where I also got a great financial aid package.

Your results may vary, but it may be something to consider.

 

[Deltasidearm]

Something else to consider is whatever BS you end up with. One of the contributing reasons premed attrition is so high is many discover something else and choose not to pursue medicine, despite the capability (and no one thinks this is them so skip on saying this won't be you--people change).

Whatever you do, make sure you are studying what interests you as an undergrad (and may potentially have a career in) and are not constrained from that in a special program that may not interest you in 3-4 years. You do not need a BS/MD program to become a doctor so I wouldn't be in a rush to join one myself.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

Is one option significantly cheaper?

I ended up saving a LOT of money by turning down a BS/MD acceptance and going to an undergrad where I got a great financial aid package and then a different medical school where I also got a great financial aid package.

Your results may vary, but it may be something to consider.

Yes, UGA I would be paid after scholarships, whereas the BS/MD I would be paying around 8k/semester.

 

[Deltasidearm]

Yes, UGA I would be paid after scholarships, whereas the BS/MD I would be paying around 8k/semester.

Assuming the 7 years is broken into 3/4 with 2 attended semesters/year, then you're talking about paying $48,000 for a program that still does not guarantee your future and locks you into a particular medical school years before you would normally be applying (and using matured wisdom to make some distinctions about what you really want).

Again, I cannot stress enough how likely you are to change over the next few years. You would be living life wrong if you didn't change during that time and would become a horribly immature doctor, too (I am assuming, by the way, that you are currently a high schooler or otherwise very young--not even in your 20's yet). For example, when I was in high school, I thought for sure that my dream medical school was Johns Hopkins but, after gaining more experience, perspective, and knowledge throughout my undergrad, that couldn't be further from the truth when it came time to apply. You may or may not want to be a doctor in 3-4 years. You may or may not feel ready to attend medical school in 3-4 years and would prefer to take time off. Your priorities and values will likely evolve within 3-4 years.

Life decisions are difficult and no one can make them but yourself; however, when considering long term and potentially life altering decisions, you not only need to consider your current desires and objectives but also who you may be in the future. Do not underestimate how important the flexibility to pursue opportunities you may have in the future is, especially when you are young and still discovering the world.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

Assuming the 7 years is broken into 3/4 with 2 attended semesters/year, then you're talking about paying $48,000 for a program that still does not guarantee your future and locks you into a particular medical school years before you would normally be applying (and using matured wisdom to make some distinctions about what you really want).

Again, I cannot stress enough how likely you are to change over the next few years. You would be living life wrong if you didn't change during that time and would become a horribly immature doctor, too (I am assuming, by the way, that you are currently a high schooler or otherwise very young--not even in your 20's yet). For example, when I was in high school, I thought for sure that my dream medical school was Johns Hopkins but, after gaining more experience, perspective, and knowledge throughout my undergrad, that couldn't be further from the truth when it came time to apply. You may or may not want to be a doctor in 3-4 years. You may or may not feel ready to attend medical school in 3-4 years and would prefer to take time off. Your priorities and values will likely evolve within 3-4 years.

Life decisions are difficult and no one can make them but yourself; however, when considering long term and potentially life altering decisions, you not only need to consider your current desires and objectives but also who you may be in the future. Do not underestimate how important the flexibility to pursue opportunities you may have in the future is, especially when you are young and still discovering the world.

That's what I was thinking. I'm 99% sure I want to pursue medicine after my shadowing and research experiences, but also applying to MCG is difficult and their acceptance rates are still incredibly low. I was thinking, I'm pretty confident in my ability to achieve a 3.85+/515+ at UGA because standardized testing has always been my forte and I do truly enjoy studying biology.

That being said, I don't want to regret not enjoying my college years for the rest of my life. I feel like my life at Augusta, at least for undergrad, would be less than optimal and not something that I would enjoy doing. UGA would be a different story altogether, however.

Here's my dilemma, being 17; I can commit to a school that I won't enjoy for the first 3 years, but has everything I'm looking for in a medical school.
Or go to UGA, gun for the highest stats possible, and hopefully matriculate into the same state school (MCG).

I'm leaning towards UGA but the guarantee of BS/MD is something that keeps dragging me back because MCG is where I would like to end up, but I feel if I work hard at UGA, I will be able to gain admission to MCG regardless.

 

[KnightDoc]

That's what I was thinking. I'm 99% sure I want to pursue medicine after my shadowing and research experiences, but also applying to MCG is difficult and their acceptance rates are still incredibly low. I was thinking, I'm pretty confident in my ability to achieve a 3.85+/515+ at UGA because standardized testing has always been my forte and I do truly enjoy studying biology.

That being said, I don't want to regret not enjoying my college years for the rest of my life. I feel like my life at Augusta, at least for undergrad, would be less than optimal and not something that I would enjoy doing. UGA would be a different story altogether, however.

Here's my dilemma, being 17; I can commit to a school that I won't enjoy for the first 3 years, but has everything I'm looking for in a medical school.
Or go to UGA, gun for the highest stats possible, and hopefully matriculate into the same state school (MCG).

I'm leaning towards UGA but the guarantee of BS/MD is something that keeps dragging me back because MCG is where I would like to end up, but I feel if I work hard at UGA, I will be able to gain admission to MCG regardless.

You have perfectly captured your dilemma. You can pay $48,000 for an insurance policy AND have a suboptimal first three years, or save the money, enjoy your four years at UGA, and bet on yourself. ORM parents won't even believe that you are not factoring in the $600,000+ (their math, not mine! 🙂) of lost income (for some reason they count the last year of your earnings before you retire or die, and don't account for 30+ years of inflation 🙂) due to your not becoming a resident for 8 years instead of 7.

If you don't care about the extra year, given the tuition money you are saving, the fact that you REALLY seem to prefer UGA, the fact that there actually is a pretty high bar for you to clear to be able to cash in the guarantee, I'd forgo to BS/MD if I were in your position. Just realize that while you will probably be able to go MD if you do as well as you think you will, there is no guarantee it will be at MCG. If MCG is that important to you, then you are back to having decide whether it is more important than $48,000 plus three years at Augusta. Good luck!!!

 

[mdaspirant22]

We were in this dilemma couple years back. My daughter decided not to attend BS/MD after attending the interview day. It is just being among a small group at an undergrad school which she would not have attended normally. Felt social life would be restricting, without finding much in common with rest of the UG class. Yes, there is a guarantee and parents would love that. In the end, we felt having a happy college life is important too. If she meant to be a doctor, hopefully it will happen. If you fear writing the MCAT probably better going the BS/MD route. With the traditional route, sometimes with gap years and all, it is more stressful and loss of time. Also as parents need to be mentally prepared if the med school route doesn't work out and you have to take alternate career path for whatever reasons. It does help from getting too stressed about the process. We also stayed away from some conditional bs/md thinking about worst case scenario.
One other thing, medicine is a life style choice too. I know few kids who switched end of their UG freshman year or sophomore year. A 17 year old may not have the ability to make the right career choice so early. That is the most important thing about bs/md. You will be always mediocre if you later realize it is not something that you are passionate about or don't like the amount of hard work it needs.

 

[Cheezin]

Any advice?

I'm going to start this off by saying I haven't read any of the responses but I am in a 7 year program myself and am applying this cycle. I believe I have put forth a great deal of effort in having a strong application and am getting interviews to ~low-mid tier state schools thus far. If you are shooting to go higher than that then you should defer from the bsmd program and tackle it as a traditional undergrad. However, there is a extreme benefit to applying with a gaurantee in your back pocket. You have the freedom to only apply to schools that are generally interesting to you and can go for more reach schools. It is up to you to consider how crucial that security is to you because it does feel like being at a disadvantage being a younger applicant.

edit: a little ~~ but just read the comment above and it may depend on the school but for me the program has not restricted my social life at all. Everything outside of your courseload is what you make of it and you can still have lots of fun and travel ( I have had multiple trips to different states for long weekends) and a multitude of parties and great friendships and club activites -- whatever interests you. My social life was not restricted by the program but instead I did meet one of my best friends in it.

 

[KnightDoc]

I'm going to start this off by saying I haven't read any of the responses but I am in a 7 year program myself and am applying this cycle. I believe I have put forth a great deal of effort in having a strong application and am getting interviews to ~low-mid tier state schools thus far. If you are shooting to go higher than that then you should defer from the bsmd program and tackle it as a traditional undergrad. However, there is a extreme benefit to applying with a gaurantee in your back pocket. You have the freedom to only apply to schools that are generally interesting to you and can go for more reach schools. It is up to you to consider how crucial that security is to you because it does feel like being at a disadvantage being a younger applicant.

edit: a little ~~ but just read the comment above and it may depend on the school but for me the program has not restricted my social life at all. Everything outside of your courseload is what you make of it and you can still have lots of fun and travel ( I have had multiple trips to different states for long weekends) and a multitude of parties and great friendships and club activites -- whatever interests you. My social life was not restricted by the program but instead I did meet one of my best friends in it.

I totally agree with everything you said, but it really would help if you read the thread! 😎

Would your advice be different if you couldn't apply out without losing your guarantee, because that's OP's situation!!!

 

[Cheezin]

I totally agree with everything you said, but it really would help if you read the thread! 😎

Would your advice be different if you couldn't apply out without losing your guarantee, because that's OP's situation!!!

You're right! As I attempted to convey, I was a little ~~ last night so my apologies. If the program is restrictive then that makes it a lot tougher. I have found being in the program has given me priority to many opportunities and opened a lot of doors for me that I am really grateful for, which marginally offsets the loss of a 4th year. I guess my impression is how happy you would be to go to UGA (because applying to med school is a completely different thing from applying to colleges) and the risk you want to take I guess -- you will be working equally hard either in or out of the program.

I may reread this later and add more but gtg for now

 

[jhmmd]

Didn't read the thread, but my instinctive response is to take the BS/MD chance. Even if applying to other medical schools, a safety net to a MD program is once-in-a-lifetime. As long as your undergrad is accredited and been around for decades, you can get into any medical school given decent stats, ECs, and LORs. Oh and interview/social skills.

Yea if your goal is to be a MD, take this opportunity and run with it. In the end no one will care where you went to med school, and your loans will disappear in a few years. 😉

 

[Dr.K124]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

This is a complicated situation, and there is really no correct answer here. Here is what I see as the pros and cons.

UGA
Pros
- You like the school more.
- It's cheaper.
- If you decide against medicine, UGA has excellent programs that are more renowned with a much larger and more notable alumni network to locate employment. Especially if you're staying in Georgia.
- If you decide against medicine, having very little debt from undergrad would be an enormous boon financially.
- UGAs opportunities in general far surpass Augusta University.

Cons
- No guaranteed acceptance to medical school.

BS/MD
Pros
- Guaranteed acceptance to medical school. If you don't change your mind and you pass their threshold, you will receive a great MD education.
- While I'd still highly recommend extracurriculars in case you miss the threshold, you can truly pursue the ones that make you happy without worrying about getting into medical school.
- Having some certainty in life about your future can be very calming. Others will be worrying about their jobs/graduate school apps while you'll have nothing to concern yourself with aside from acing your classes and MCAT.

Cons
- You're locked in. What if you realize you don't want to go to MCG? What if you don't like the culture or wish you had more/different resources regarding a particular specialty?
- If you decide against medicine you now have a less prestigious degree with a much weaker alumni network and a significant loan burden.
- Less opportunities in undergrad in general in comparison to UGA.



No one can make this decision but you.

 

[proudofmykids]

Current MS3 at MCG: id advise the guaranteed BS/MD route in a heart beat.

1) MCG is an amazing school, you will have a great education and every door open to you for residency (assuming your grades are good)
2) MCG classes are 70%+ UGA students, the applicants are a dime a dozen. Don’t assume Uga will help you stand out more than AU: it will actually make you blend in
3) where you go to undergrad does NOT matter
4) If you struggle getting a 3.7/512 at all, you’ll struggle getting accepted anywhere. I’d take the BS/MD knowing their cut off requirements are actually on the lower end of average matriculation stats

#4. << THIS
And, If you think you are likely to exceed the 3.7 / 512 requirements, you can get the best of both worlds by accepting now, and withdrawing from the guarantee program later with better stats. Applying open and to MCG as well and see how you do. They likely would still accept you.

 

[jhmmd]

#4. << THIS
And, If you think you are likely to exceed the 3.7 / 512 requirements, you can get the best of both worlds by accepting now, and withdrawing from the guarantee program later with better stats. Applying open and to MCG as well and see how you do. They likely would still accept you.

BS/MD programs are all about commitment. I don't think that they'll look kindly on this. Tread carefully.

 

[KnightDoc]

#4. << THIS
And, If you think you are likely to exceed the 3.7 / 512 requirements, you can get the best of both worlds by accepting now, and withdrawing from the guarantee program later with better stats. Applying open and to MCG as well and see how you do. They likely would still accept you.

Not really -- it's totally not the best of both worlds. He'd be giving up a full COA scholarship to go to a much lower ranked school. It's an insurance policy with a pretty high bar to actually being able to use it, and, if he withdraws from the program, he'll have a $64K bill for a BS from an inferior school with no guarantee. Not exactly the best of both worlds!! 😎

You'd be right if they allowed him to apply out while keeping his guarantee, but that's not the case here.

 

[KnightDoc]

BS/MD programs are all about commitment. I don't think that they'll look kindly on this. Tread carefully.

THIS^^^^^^. BS/MD programs that do not allow you to keep the guarantee if you apply out will almost certainly not accept you after you withdraw from the program, with the knowledge that you will only attend if you can't do "better." This is the most obvious case of yield protection there is!!

 

[Dr.K124]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

There is something I forgot to consider. UGA Honors. The UGA Honors program is phenomenal and is another pro on the side of UGA if you manage to achieve it. Excellent advising, first pick with classes, etc.

 

[proudofmykids]

Not really -- it's totally not the best of both worlds. He'd be giving up a full COA scholarship to go to a much lower ranked school. It's an insurance policy with a pretty high bar to actually being able to use it, and, if he withdraws from the program, he'll have a $64K bill for a BS from an inferior school with no guarantee. Not exactly the best of both worlds!! 😎

You'd be right if they allowed him to apply out while keeping his guarantee, but that's not the case here.

You are absolutely correct, I responded before seeing the cost difference. In fact, I'd recomend foregoing the bs/md offer and taking thrbUGA scholarship, especially since it's a better school. 3.7 / 512 is not Soo high to expect. If lower, you'd lose guarsntrr anyway, and with those stats willlikely get accepted to MCG. Question would then be Opoortinity cost of one more year vs $64k scholarship and another year of college fun.

 

[wamcp]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

I went to a BS/MD. (6 year program).
Attrition rate was probably half of those who started in my class did not graduate MD straight through; a few of those either took an "extra year" or dropped out and eventually did DO or dental.
I don't think it reflects poorly on the BS/MD program I went to, rather, it's all about the individual. BS/MD programs will make your life 1000% easier than those applying traditionally.
Those who didn't complete the program were primarily those pressured by their parents to 'be a doctor' from childhood onward but they never truly wanted it.
I also know a lot of other BS/MD folks in other programs (7 and 8 year ones) and several of them applied out from their state univ program, and got into ivy league top 10 med schools. Again, it's all about the individual.

Personally - I have zero regrets - financially I'm doing extremely extremely extremely well at 30 yo, which was my chief goal with going into medicine (high income, stable job). I"m near financial independence, planning to retire from medicine in a few years and do something else.

 

[wamcp]

I'm going to start this off by saying I haven't read any of the responses but I am in a 7 year program myself and am applying this cycle. I believe I have put forth a great deal of effort in having a strong application and am getting interviews to ~low-mid tier state schools thus far. If you are shooting to go higher than that then you should defer from the bsmd program and tackle it as a traditional undergrad. However, there is a extreme benefit to applying with a gaurantee in your back pocket. You have the freedom to only apply to schools that are generally interesting to you and can go for more reach schools. It is up to you to consider how crucial that security is to you because it does feel like being at a disadvantage being a younger applicant.

edit: a little ~~ but just read the comment above and it may depend on the school but for me the program has not restricted my social life at all. Everything outside of your courseload is what you make of it and you can still have lots of fun and travel ( I have had multiple trips to different states for long weekends) and a multitude of parties and great friendships and club activites -- whatever interests you. My social life was not restricted by the program but instead I did meet one of my best friends in it.

Similar experience as well when I was in my 6 yr program.
I dont' think there was any negative impact to social life

 

[Cheezin]

I went to a BS/MD. (6 year program).
Attrition rate was probably half of those who started in my class did not graduate MD straight through; a few of those either took an "extra year" or dropped out and eventually did DO or dental.

I would say that 7 year program is pretty close to a 8 year program, you will need atleast 15 credits every semester though with 7. 6 years is a completely different ball game. I don't feel I missed out on much with a 7 year program although I will miss out on staying with my friends for an extra year. I would be hesitant to enter a 6 year personally.

Also not for the program but it seems most people that are premed from the random state school I attend are going DO, not MD. If you go to a "better" school that should be different -- but everywhere there are nice, hardworking people and you will find friends.

 

[rizetotheoccasion]

I would say that 7 year program is pretty close to a 8 year program, you will need atleast 15 credits every semester though with 7. 6 years is a completely different ball game. I don't feel I missed out on much with a 7 year program although I will miss out on staying with my friends for an extra year. I would be hesitant to enter a 6 year personally.

Also not for the program but it seems most people that are premed from the random state school I attend are going DO, not MD. If you go to a "better" school that should be different -- but everywhere there are nice, hardworking people and you will find friends.

I took that into consideration.
From the around 450 premeds that are accepted yearly from UGA, around 400 of them go to MD schools, and 50 to DO schools, most notably PCOM-GA/SGA. ARound 150 of those accepted premeds from UGA to MD are all to MCG.
Augusta on the other hand only sent 3 premeds to MD schools, and 2 of them to MCG.

 

[deleted1075353]

Another vote for UGA. Get paid. Study abroad. Go to football games. Dunk on your friends with your honors program privileges!

 

[Deltasidearm]

You are absolutely correct, I responded before seeing the cost difference. In fact, I'd recommend foregoing the bs/md offer and taking the UGA scholarship, especially since it's a better school. 3.7 / 512 is not Soo high to expect. If lower, you'd lose guarantee anyway, and with those stats will likely get accepted to MCG. Question would then be Opportunity cost of one more year vs $64k scholarship and another year of college fun.

Yes, that is something to potentially consider. However, for me personally, the experiences and maturity you can gain from that additional year prior to MD matriculation or entering the workforce far outweighs any potential revenue loss from it. You would have to manage your finances poorly for it to significantly matter long term as an attending and it is somewhat offset by the cost of the program and interest accrued anyway. You only have one life so you need to make the most of it.

 

[THEBACKANDFORTH]

Go to the college you want.

512/3.7 will make you a doctor somewhere, so just go get it where you want

Many many people now take a gap year between college and med school and you may want that as well

Edit: my school ended their program like this because they thought matriculant werent mature enough, good enough vs what they got in regular admissions. Working considering--I was barely mature enough for med school when i started @ 24

 

[Cheezin]

Many many people now take a gap year between college and med school and you may want that as well

Edit: my school ended their program like this because they thought matriculant werent mature enough, good enough vs what they got in regular admissions. Working considering--I was barely mature enough for med school when i started @ 24

I am looking at many of my peers around me at 19-21 years applying this cycle or the next (n = 10+) and the overwhelming majority have a long ways to go just to reach a college level of maturity imo (although who am I to judge). That is one of the many factors that encouraged me to apply out of my program because this medical school still seems to accept these people. While around that age myself, I will only see if I am ready when I matriculate next year but am having some minor doubts with imposter syndrome etc.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Hey, So I've been contemplating going to a BS/MD school 7-year program in Georgia or attending UGA.

I was originally dead set on the BS/MD program, but after digging deeper it looks like they have a fairly high attrition rate, and the requirements for medical school matriculation are pretty high (3.7 & 512).

So my question is more so regarding medical school admissions, would a 3.7/512 lead to me to acceptances at least one medical school coming out of UGA? Or would it be better to commit to getting those high scores at Augusta and matriculating at MCG (one of my top choices)?

One of my big concerns with going to Augusta is if I were to get a 3.69/512 or a 3.7/511, they still would not allow me to matriculate; so then I'd be left salvaging my application.

Any advice?

I have been following it for last two days but waiting for others to comment. Go to UGA, you get better UG experience and you have more choices for MD. If you read thru my past comments you will find out that my son applied for BSMD 4 years back and got 2 BSMDs but declined them for better UG with merit. He applied for MD this cycle and all the schools he got interviews are better ranked (no other way to say) than those 2 and he didn't even apply to them.

 

[Dr.K124]

I am looking at many of my peers around me at 19-21 years applying this cycle or the next (n = 10+) and the overwhelming majority have a long ways to go just to reach a college level of maturity imo (although who am I to judge). That is one of the many factors that encouraged me to apply out of my program because this medical school still seems to accept these people. While around that age myself, I will only see if I am ready when I matriculate next year but am having some minor doubts with imposter syndrome etc.

^ This. There is no shame in taking a few extra years. If you don't think you're ready, don't rush it.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

each person has to decide on their own, some are ready and some or not. I am against strong push for BSMD by some parents and strong push for gap years by some adcoms.

 

[KnightDoc]

each person has to decide on their own, some are ready and some or not. I am against strong push for BSMD by some parents and strong push for gap years by some adcoms.

Agreed with your comment about parents pushing for BS/MD. Not so much with respect to adcoms and gap years. Adcoms aren't wrong, because the numbers suggest gap years are absolutely necessary for most people to be successful. The n=1 fact that your kid is in the 25% minority does not make the general advice incorrect.

 

[Dr.K124]

Agreed with your comment about parents pushing for BS/MD. Not so much with respect to adcoms and gap years. Adcoms aren't wrong, because the numbers suggest gap years are absolutely necessary for most people to be successful. The n=1 fact that your kid is in the 25% minority does not make the general advice incorrect.

The daughter of a family friend of mine had a 4.0/523 with 600 hours clinical volunteering, 350 hours nonclinical, 600 hours research + mid author publication, and some pretty fantastic unique extracurriculars. She had not taken a gap year. Her premed advisor still told her to take a gap year. For what reason? Now she's received several IIs from T10s without said "necessary" gap year.

The problem is trying to fit different shapes into a square sized hole. A gap year is not for everyone.

 

[KnightDoc]

The daughter of a family friend of mine had a 4.0/523 with 600 hours clinical volunteering, 350 hours nonclinical, 600 hours research + mid author publication, and some pretty fantastic unique extracurriculars. She had not taken a gap year. Her premed advisor still told her to take a gap year. For what reason? Now she's received several IIs from T10s without said "necessary" gap year.

The problem is trying to fit different shapes into a square sized hole. A gap year is not for everyone.

Very true. This person clearly (to anyone who knows what they are doing) checks all the boxes needed by a successful candidate.

What kind of UG does she go to? I'm betting it's not a top school, where the advising seems to be way above average. If I'm correct, that would unfortunately be a sign of lazy, sub par advising (which might be more common than anyone would like to believe) rather than a sign that the gap year advice is not still generally solid advice for the masses. I'm sure you'll agree that the 4.0/523 awesome EC candidate fits the profile of the 25% matriculating straight from UG, which makes her an exception to the general rule, just like @EdgeTrimmer's son.

 

[Dr.K124]

Very true. This person clearly (to anyone who knows what they are doing) checks all the boxes needed by a successful candidate.

What kind of UG does she go to? I'm betting it's not a top school, where the advising seems to be way above average. If I'm correct, that would unfortunately be a sign of lazy, sub par advising (which might be more common than anyone would like to believe) rather than a sign that the gap year advice is not still generally solid advice for the masses. I'm sure you'll agree that the 4.0/523 awesome EC candidate fits the profile of the 25% matriculating straight from UG, which makes her an exception to the general rule, just like @EdgeTrimmer's son.

Ivy League. Funny right? Apparently they just tell everyone to take a gap year no matter what. They still wrote her a committee letter, but they clearly would have preferred she wait a year.

 

[KnightDoc]

Ivy League. Funny right? Apparently they just tell everyone to take a gap year no matter what. They still wrote her a committee letter, but they clearly would have preferred she wait a year.

Shocking, not funny!!! Terribly lazy. Approximately 1/3 of all matriculants go straight through from UG. After accounting for the approximately 5% that come from direct entry programs, that leaves around 25%. Who do these advisors think they are, if not 4.0/523 Ivy grads with 1500 hours of ECs, including some unique ones, and a mid author publication??? Unbelievable!! Happily, she was smart enough to know better!!!

 

[jhmmd]

Shocking, not funny!!! Terribly lazy. Approximately 1/3 or all matriculants go straight through from UG. After accounting for the approximately 5% that come from direct entry programs, that leaves around 25%. Who do these advisors think they are, if not 4.0/523 Ivy grads with 1500 hours of ECs, including some unique ones, and a mid author publication??? Unbelievable!! Happily, she was smart enough to know better!!!

Welcome to reality. This is the majority of the competition.

 

[Dr.K124]

Welcome to reality. This is the majority of the competition.

Considering the average applicant MCAT is around 508 (and average Matriculant in the mid low teens), I'd have to disagree.

 

[jhmmd]

Considering the average applicant MCAT is around 508 (and average Matriculant in the mid low teens), I'd have to disagree.

Mid-low 500s, as I'm sure you know, is very close to a 523, with the way that the new MCAT scoring works

 

[Dr.K124]

Mid-low 500s, as I'm sure you know, is very close to a 523, with the way that the new MCAT scoring works

A 508 is the 76th percentile. 512 is 86th percentile. 523 is 99th percentile.

Those are not even remotely similar in terms of proportions of people.

 

[jhmmd]

A 508 is the 76th percentile. 512 is 86th percentile. 523 is 99th percentile.

Those are not even remotely similar in terms of proportions of people.

Yea I read the percentiles. These are for matriculants. As you can see, even a 510 is at the 80th percentile, which is the lowest percentile at which I'd feel comfortable rolling the dice. YMMV.