Do medical schools care how long you take to complete your undergrad?

[SJ_D122]

Basically, do medical schools care how long you take to complete your undergrad degree? Like if I took 5-6 years will it affect me? 5years likely.

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[gyngyn]

Not really.

 

[jih]

I took 4.5 years and was questioned about it at every interview. I was still accepted, however.

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[Crayola227]

I had almost 7.

It just needs to make sense why you're a super super senior.

I came from like dirt poverty, went community college ---> uni, only did 12 credits to max that full time disbursement to live on (so still a full time enrollment at a 4.0 GPA, and still part time work and ECs to boot, but 12 credits will not graduate you on time, but it definitely is a different load than 15-16 credits. anyway, if you have compelling reasons that will not look like you are less busy), and not every major is created equally, some require more credits than others, then if you decide to learn a foreign language as a minor, it can all add up to loooooong time.

Mine is just one example, where the keys are still full time enrollment, still excellent grades, still other boxchecking, the only thing is that you might have gone at a slower pace for financial/family care reasons, and taken additional credits for academically sound reasons. (I needed Math 90, a high school remedial course, however I got all good grades up to advanced calculus, I took on a useful minor).

Taking longer because you had to stop for a medical condition can be OK if it's truly a one and done sort of illness in yourself. There are other examples where it won't hurt you.

There are examples where it will. You can probably imagine what they are.

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

I took 4.5 years and was questioned about it at every interview.

And how many interviews did you have? I find it hard to believe that med schools give a crap if you graduate a semester late unless there was some extenuating circumstance involved like withdrawing an entire semester or something

I would think that if someone is too busy to take 15+ credit hours it would show in other parts of the app. Someone being questioned about it all the time has probably left reason to believe they weren't making the best use of their time.

 

[f4reignbeauty]

Took me 5.5 years to finish my degree, and I was never asked about it on my interview trail.

 

[jih]

And how many interviews did you have? I find it hard to believe that med schools give a crap if you graduate a semester late unless there was some extenuating circumstance involved like withdrawing an entire semester or something

I would think that if someone is too busy to take 15+ credit hours it would show in other parts of the app. Someone being questioned about it all the time has probably left reason to believe they weren't making the best use of their time.

I had only four interviews. However, to graduate in 4 years in my program (BME) requires 17 credit hours per semester, and only about half to two thirds of the class graduate in 4 years. The others take 4.5 or 5 years. Every interviewer seemed to accept this explanation.