Can med school be COMPLETED in less than four years?

[inkysphinx]

I mean, I know one can enter medical school with advanced standing (this will NOT me by the way) but can someone be advanced because they are doing really well, or they've taken comparable classes in college/grad school (i.e. histology, pharmacology, patho, etc)?

I know the whole shebang (med school, internship, residency, fellowship) is such a long process, that I'm wondering if there are any shortcuts. . .

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[m2006]

It would depend on the school, but in most cases, undergrad classes are not specifically geared to the practice of medicine and thus would be unlikely to count for advanced standing. I know it's a long haul, but I'd encourage you to think of your education from the perspective of your future patients-- learn all you can so that you'll be a more well-informed physician. It's not worth skipping a class where you know 75% of the material because the other 25% may be the most critical one day. So, unless you've taken a comparable class at a medical school, I'd "retake" the classes and spend 4 years learning to be a physician. You can find plenty of things outside of the classroom to learn in those 4 years or spend additional time on other subjects if 1 or 2 are easier for you.

 

[apocalypse3678]

i know that you can do med school in 3 years if you have previously done dental school. a friend of mine is doing that becauese he's a scrub...i know that you are looking to save time not add a new career into but it answers your question that med school can be done in 3 years...amen...lord helps us understand these paths established by the white man which continually oppress us and impede us from achieving our dreams...QUE VIVA EL CHE...love you all,
me

 

[Resident Alien]

Short answer, yes you can. Some schools provide you with pathways to accomplish this with independent study (OSU comes to mind). Typically, students who complete this have PhD's, DDS's, or other advanced degrees that help them breeze through some courses.

 

[doepug]

At my school (Hopkins), most of us finish in 3 1/2 years. This comes from the scheduling of our clinical clerkships, and not by placing out of preclinical coursework. Most fourth year students are done between December and February, which allows for a well-deserved vacation until graduation in May.

Cheers,
doepug

 

[Dr. Parker]

Why the rush? You need all the time you can get for experience. I have heard many doctors critizing the 6 year BS/MD programs such as Miami, because you need a whole 8 years to mature enough to take on the kind of challenges a young doctor will encounter.
(However, if I could get in to a medical school right out of highschool I'd do it!)
Just a thought!

 

[rajneel1]

at stanford, you can pass out of classes. means more time but not necessariliy less time in med school.

 

[paean]

Two ways to graduate in 3 years or less:

1. Have an advanced degree in a related field or a foreign medical degree. Many schools will let you challenge the classes in the first two years. If you can successfully test out of them, you go straight to the classes you didn't challenge, i.e. the clinical years.

2. Go to Ohio State, and do their ISP track that covers the first two years in one year. About 70 students do ISP every year, and every few years someone completes the track in one year.

 

[Forensic Chick]

If you're working on your PhD, Duke will allow you to skip the 3rd year, thus graduating in 3 years.

 

[McEntrye]

McMaster University, in Hamilton Ontario has a three year program, with no summers.

<a href="http://www-fhs.mcmaster.ca/education/" target="_blank">McMaster</a>

 

[saimabean5]

Yes, you can...one of my prof's did it personally, I would'nt want to rush it, just like undergrad im glad im doing four, instead of three.

 

[Forensic Chick]

I completed my undergrad in 3 years and there's no way in hell I'd even consider doing that for medical school!!!