You two little monkeys.
Before I respond, I just want to say that I'll be listening to this song while typing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVjITlgqlHo
Anyhow, there's been a lot of good that's come out of this week's worth of research. Since you're both following my progress with all of this, you might want to know that I've been speaking to other Californians having near mirror image stats to mine, who have attended and been successful at the big SMPs back East, and also at USC's MGM, that unsurprisingly, have all been unsuccessful in getting into allopathic schools, let alone allopathic schools in California.
Check this out:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
zoroforever 
That 70-80% includes US MD, DO and Caribbean MD and have confirmed this with multiple people at BU. You're right, there are no SMPs programs out there that guarantee their students get into medical school. However, it's just unfortunate because there are a good amount of us that come out of the program with no good lead on what to do.
I graduated from UCLA (bio). I took the MCAT before the program, and once more after the first year of BU MAMS. My most recent score was 10s across. I volunteered at a hospital all 4 years throughout college, I am published and have plenty of non-clinical experiences. I completed 25 applications. I wouldn't say I was a super early applicant (complete at most schools mid August) but BU is not rolling so it doesn't really matter. I know someone with the same GPA and a 32 MCAT who has also did not interview at BU so it's just a scary situation in my opinion.
There are HUGE rewards if you do extremely well and have that winning MCAT but for those of us on the border who don't want to do DO and are from California, it's a very tough situation. Ultimately, its a personal decision but I just ask you all do your research into every school before making a choice because there are schools out there that have much higher linkage rates than BU.
Heya there zorro, I'm at UCLA now, finishing a biochem degree with a 3.4-3.5 (only at UCLA) by the time I'm done, with a 30R MCAT. A lot like you.
I appreciate your post, but now face a big decision on what to do next. It's disheartening to see someone like you, with a good GPA and MCAT, plus exemplary performance in a tough SMP, not get anywhere with allopathic schools. It seems like the writing is on the wall, to me.
And, I've thought about going to Boston University and doing the MAMS, then, during the second year, getting into the MBS dual degree program. Or, going to Tufts, and doing basically the same thing.
I've thought to myself, "How could any medical school in the country not want someone that has a MA/MBS, a biochem degree from UCLA, and a decent MCAT, tons of ECs and clinical experience, and as handsome as me?" Apparently, not many allopathic medical schools do.
So, I'm considering going to one of the linkage schools, like Rosalind Franklin, or East Virginia Medical School...
... or, sucking it up and becoming a DO. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but we all know that MD residencies are being limited to MDs, due to recent AMA stuff. That's my primary reason for not considering the DO option.
I'm posting this because I'm hoping that some other Californians with stats similar to ours will post, here, and possibly explain why they've been willing to take the gamble that they did with Boston University's MAMS program.
All I know is that attending an SMP without a decent linkage to its affiliated medical school is more of a gamble for Californians without a homestate advantage, and it seems like most SMPs are FULL of Californians like us. IMO, I think that we should create a sticky for Californians showing a risk vs reward chart of some kind, and a listing of best possible choices, to make things easier. There is too much at stake for us to dive into 70 thousand dollars worth of debt and no guarantees of acceptance to gamble on programs like this. I don't want to be 2 years older in basically the same place I'm at now, with a pretty decent shot at getting into a decent DO program at Western, AZCOM, or wherever else, with the baggage of student loans following me around.
This is just one conversation I've had. I've been finding all sorts of California students just like this poor shmoe that went back East from a UC with a 3.4 and a 30 MCAT that didn't get jack. Point being, the East Coast SMP route is a gamble.
As you might suspect, since I'm usually up to something, and trying to make progress with this in my off time, as usual, my plan is to start compiling my research as it relates to Californians and the dismal SMP situation/lack of home state advantage that we have, similar to one of the stickied threads in this forum. I'll turn it into a choose your own adventure type of a post, with success percentages from actual students at each juncture. I think that would help other people, here.
This really doesn't have much to do with Dr. Midlife at all, either. I don't know why people here keep bringing her up, but rest assured, I'm not getting emotional about her. Someone as negative as her probably needs help, and I've tried to help her several times now, by stating that she contributes here, but does it in a very poor interpersonal fashion. I'm not sure what she's expecting as far as friendships and acquaintances go, on here, but she's doing it wrong.
Here's a start at my preference list, in order:
1. SMP with linkage -- 40 grand, 1 year. Rosalind Franklin, EVMS, or maybe U of Cincinnati. No U of Toledo or NYMC thanks, but no thanks.
Pros: I get an MD after my name. Not much else.
Cons: Eastern Virginia. Cincinatti. Bumville. North Chicago might be alright. Might. These programs aren't guaranteed.
2. USC MGM. Apply DO beforehand, and MD at the end of the program. 40 grand, 1-2 years.
Pros: It's California, and "USC" does have a ring to it.
Cons: Global Medicine? Really? That sounds great, and I'd love to help, but I need to get into medical school first, guys. Don't scoff at me for wanting to take all your science electives. No one really knows if this is a real SMP, or not.
3. Tufts University MBS/MBA, or Boston University MAMS/MBA -- 60 grand, 2 years.
Pros: The degree is worth something, and might justify the extra time and money involved. It's Boston. Tufts is a good name, as is Boston University. Known programs.
Cons: It's Boston, and it ain't cheap. There are no guarantees, no linkages, and plenty of failure stories from California students that did well in these programs having 3.4/30's from University of California undergrads that didn't get any allopathic acceptances.
3. Tied for 3rd place is Drexel IMS Sacramento -- 30 grand, 2 years.
Pros: I'm from Sacramento, and it's cheap.
Cons: Some admissions reps think that video casting sucks. Others think the drexel name doesn't carry much weight.
4. Georgetown -- 45 grand, 2 years.
Pros: The name, program history, etc. It can get you into medical school... but who knows which one?
Cons: Just about everything else. It's a gamble, and it's the most expensive of them all. Did I mention that it's a gamble? The degree is worthless.
Anyhow, you might also be surprised that there are new trends in DO schools here in California, with higher then ever MCAT scores, and entrants (20-25%) having master's degrees. If you haven't put it together, yet, these new students causing a rise in average MCAT scores having masters degrees are, guess who? People that went through SMPs that are now at schools like Touro COM, California. I think that Touro has a masters program itself, too, and it's probably feeding into that pool, as well.
Here are the stats from Touro's newest class:
- The Average MCAT score for the Class of 2016 is 29.5, which is the highest average MCAT score in the history of the college.
- 23 students from the Class of 2016 earned a Master's degree or higher prior to matriculation.
I haven't been sitting on my hands, here. I've got other things in the works, too, that I don't want to talk about, just yet. But, let's just say that I'm getting up early tomorrow to talk to someone back East.
