How common are combined programs?

[Gwsmyda]

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It seems like everyone and their mother is interested in the BS/MD combination programs and the like... how common are these at universities across the country? What is wrong with going to college and then applying normally?

Feel free to flame me if im missing something here, but what is the appeal? Is it getting school over with faster, or is there something drastically different with the academics... ?

Please enlighten me; I was sick the day we went over this lesson.

 

[Gwsmyda]

By common i mean how many, or what percentage of students take this route... i realize that a few of the answers are to be found in the FAQ, but th question i want to know is WHY

 

[Narmerguy]

By common i mean how many, or what percentage of students take this route... i realize that a few of the answers are to be found in the FAQ, but th question i want to know is WHY

Why what exactly? Why do people take this route rather than the traditional one?

As far as the specific percentage that take this combined path I can't be sure but I can tell you that it is a small percentage. These programs are not exactly numerous and they often accept very few candidates.

There is nothing wrong with going to college and applying normally. The vast majority of medical students take this route. There's a few reasons why people would want to pursue a combined program. Students may pursue this if they want to:

• Finish school faster if it's an accelerated program
• Be free of stress because they are saved the application process/MCAT and they KNOW they are now in a medical school.
• Feel safe because they have a school guaranteed if they so choose but will still try to apply to other schools.
• Benefit from a more focused undergraduate study that is geared specifically for a career in medicine.
• Satisfy family pressure
• Other stuff I'm probably forgetting

Just to share some insight for you, I was accepted into one of these programs and ultimately decided not to go with it. Why? I don't want the heavy structured environment and I want the freedom to experiment with my undergraduate experience. So don't feel like everyone is getting involved with this process 👍

 

[nonesuchgirl]

There aren't many.

They let you go straight from ug to med school, as long as you meet the requirements. (IE, straight F's gets you kicked out.)

 

[Gwsmyda]

Pitt has a "school of medicine freshman guarantee" where the accepted students are guaranteed admission to the med school after completing an undergrad degree... would that be considered a combined program? or do most combined programs not let you choose your undergrad major, classes, etc?

 

[nonesuchgirl]

Pitt has a "school of medicine freshman guarantee" where the accepted students are guaranteed admission to the med school after completing an undergrad degree... would that be considered a combined program? or do most combined programs not let you choose your undergrad major, classes, etc?

Looks like it's not:

School of Medicine Guarantee

• Indicate Pre-Medicine or Bioengineering on admissions application.
• To compete for the medical school guarantee, applicants must meet the initial eligibility requirements of earning the highest grade point average available in their high school in the context of a curriculum showing the greatest academic rigor possible and earning a minimum SAT I score of 1450 (or 33 ACT).
• Students meeting these criteria will be asked by the School of Medicine to submit additional information in support of their candidacy. Students selected on the basis of their submissions will subsequently be invited for an interview in the School of Medicine.
• The choice of final candidates is contingent upon this interview. Historically, an average of 10-15 students from the entering undergraduate class are chosen each year for the School of Medicine guarantee.
• Students offered the guarantee must complete an undergraduate degree at Pitt within four years, complete the prerequisite course work, maintain a science and quality point average of at least 3.75, and engage in extracurricular activities that provide greater knowledge of the science and practice of medicine.

Combined programmes do usually define a major for you- they get your sciences and some humanities out of the way, then your 1st year of med school takes the place of the sciences you would have taken 4th year of ug.

 

[Gwsmyda]

Combined programmes do usually define a major for you

ahhh ok, makes sense...

yeah i was wondering about pitt because the in the one faq someone posted a list according to the AMA that included Pitt which really confused the heck out of me