Decision Time

[Prozach]

Hello all,

I need help with making a decision. For some time now I have been essentially settled on going to a school in Florida named Rollins College. Being from New York, I was looking forward to getting some distance from all of my old friends and having a chance for to sunbathe more often 😛 . As I've mentioned in previous threads, I've always wanted to go to medical school. As a result, I applied (with no real thoughts of getting in) to several B.S-M.D. or B.S.-D.O. programs. Today I received acceptance letters to a B.S.-M.D. program run through SUNY Cobleskill/Cornell University (2 years undergraduate at both insitutions) with a guarenteed acceptance to SUNY Upstate College of Medicine as long as I maintain a 3.5 GPA and pass an interview. No MCAT is required. I also go accepted to a B.S.-D.O. program with NYCOM and SUNY Geneseo, such that if I enroll I have to maintain a 3.3 GPA and get a 25 MCAT to enroll at NYCOM with guarenteed admissions. For the record, Geneseo is much more of a prominent school than Cobleskill, and further away from home (a *good* thing) though a D.O. is not quite as prestigious a degree as an M.D. from Upstate (no offense to any D.O.'s). However, I would also have to take Calculus II this summer if I was to do the Geneseo program, whereas I could skip Calc II (I HATE MATH) for the Cobleskill Program. So, what I'm asking is, what would you do?

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[gujuDoc]

Prozach,

I voted for the third option, the B.S. MD option. I am going to explain why to you:


First off, the Rollins college option is not even an option.


Let me explain something to you as a Florida resident. If you are going to apply to a Florida school, apply to University of Florida, University of South Florida, FSU, or University of Miami, or even Nova Southeastern.


These are the schools that have medical schools affiliated with them. Nova is a D.O school. All the others are MD schools.

UF and UM are even in the US news rankings at 43 and 56 respectively..

Miami actually has a good 6 and 7 year program similar to the one you were accepted at.

So Rollins does not have as many medical opportunities as the other Florida schools that I mentioned would have.

Now why not the BS/DO route????????? You said it yourself, if a DO degree is not what is in your heart and you are dead set on an M.D. for your medical degree, then it is better for you to become an M.D.


I'm sure taking Calculus II in the summer is nothing in comparison to having to stress about taking the MCAT ever if you chose not to do a joint program.


Obviously for you to have been accepted to 7 yr programs, you are smart enough to pull off any requirements they have you do as long as you work hard.

 

[mison]

Like the above poster writes you are most likely a pretty good student to have been accepted to these programs. Therefore why do you want to limit yourself with a pre-packaged route to medical school? You'll always wonder what could have been if you choose the combined programs. Now if your goal is to go to one of these medical schools anyway than I would say do the BS-MD or BS-DO. Go to college away from home do well but have fun also. When the time comes to take the MCAT study hard and do well. Then you can find a school that you really love. I wish I had your dedication and direction when I was your age. Good luck.

 

[mison]

Like the above poster writes you are most likely a pretty good student to have been accepted to these programs. Therefore why do you want to limit yourself with a pre-packaged route to medical school? You'll always wonder what could have been if you choose the combined programs. Now if your goal is to go to one of these medical schools anyway than I would say do the BS-MD or BS-DO. Go to college away from home do well but have fun also. When the time comes to take the MCAT study hard and do well. Then you can find a school that you really love. I wish I had your dedication and direction when I was your age. Good luck.

 

[Nvr Ending Jrny]

these guaranteed programs don't mean that u HAVE to go to that medical school I know here at MCV/VCU if you are in G-MED that when it comes time to matriculate you can take the MCAT and apply wherever u want (while still keeping your G-MED spot).

 

[Prozach]

Thanks for the kind words guys,

I dunno what to do though. All this makes my head hurt when I think about it. Could be worse I suppose, for now I'm just gonna be happy that I got in!!!