Importance of obtaining degree.

[TheMagicCookie]

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When a med school "recommends" that you obtain a bachelor's degree prior to applying, how necessary is it? I realize that the majority of the competition will have their's, but is there any hope in gaining an acceptance without one? I know Pharmacy schools didn't require one previously, but are beginning to.

I'm just curious about a person's chance of acceptance if they have the pre-reqs complete, but not the entire degree.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Extremely slim, at best. The vast majority of schools now require an undergraduate degree before you go to med school. Yes, a few remain with the "90 credits" requirement, but accepted applicants in this category are VERY, VERY rare - like only 1 or 2 every few years for these schools. Do yourself a favor and complete college (and enjoy it, college is supposed to be a good time!!!!) - there is no going back after jumping down the rabbit hole of medical school. Plus, you'll give yourself a fighting chance this way.

If you're really serious about doing this, then either check out an MSAR or call up a few medical schools to find out their policies. Good luck!

 

[TheMagicCookie]

Thanks, I figured it was a very slim chance. I'm enjoying the "college experience", I just haven't had a traditional 4 year journey. I took time off following HS and then was forced to take last year off following an inury and a lengthy recovery. I should be graduating this May, but still have some elective credits to get and was browsing one of the website this morning and was curious.

 

[TheMagicCookie]

I emailed the school and got a very quick response. I was told that they've had 3 students in the last 12 years accepted without a bachelor's...I think I'll just suck it up and do another year

 

[AdmiralChz]

I emailed the school and got a very quick response. I was told that they've had 3 students in the last 12 years accepted without a bachelor's...I think I'll just suck it up and do another year

Yeah that's what I'd expect! Unless your some Einstein genius child crossed with Jack Bauer and cured cancer at 5 years old... then you MIGHT have a shot!!🙂

 

[megamega]

You can apply to medical school while you haven't completed your Bachelors degree and still be accepted, as long as you will complete your degree before the start of medical school. I'm still an undergraduate and will get my degree in June, but I've still been accepted to medical school for this fall.

 

[NotAndrew]

Yeah that's what I'd expect! Unless your some Einstein genius child crossed with Jack Bauer and cured cancer at 5 years old... then you MIGHT have a shot!!🙂

Here I am.


Also

You can apply to medical school while you haven't completed your Bachelors degree and still be accepted, as long as you will complete your degree before the start of medical school. I'm still an undergraduate and will get my degree in June, but I've still been accepted to medical school for this fall.

Did they give you a conditional acceptance? or are you just in?

 

[medaholic]

Some schools will still accept you without a degree, though you better be pretty special.

In Canada, quite a number of schools will accept students in after completing 3 years of undergrad. A few will accept applicants after two years.

But that number is small. The majority (and that's almost everyone, 95%+) will have a degree.

 

[DOquestions]

When a med school "recommends" that you obtain a bachelor's degree prior to applying, how necessary is it? I realize that the majority of the competition will have their's, but is there any hope in gaining an acceptance without one? I know Pharmacy schools didn't require one previously, but are beginning to.

I'm just curious about a person's chance of acceptance if they have the pre-reqs complete, but not the entire degree.

Why did you even bother asking them for? Even if you got into medical school without a degree, what would you do if you failed out of medical school with no degree? Simple logic, my dear. Finish what you started.

I know of a person that went to medical school with no degree (had a 4.0, but I don't know his MCAT) but ended up going back to school after his first two years to finish the last semester of his degree. It was dumb of this person to even go to medical school before finishing his degree.

 

[Sylar Petrelli]

There are Carribean Medical Schools that offer 5 and 6 yr undergraduate and Medical school combined. I think some of them are from US recognized schools.

Here is one in fact: http://www.martinus.edu/

 

[TheMagicCookie]

Why did you even bother asking them for? Even if you got into medical school without a degree, what would you do if you failed out of medical school with no degree? Simple logic, my dear. Finish what you started.

I know of a person that went to medical school with no degree (had a 4.0, but I don't know his MCAT) but ended up going back to school after his first two years to finish the last semester of his degree. It was dumb of this person to even go to medical school before finishing his degree.

I asked them because I was curious. I'm not trying to get out of finishing my degree...was just curious about the percentage that actually was accepted without one. There are plenty of pharmacy students that go into school without a degree, my old roommate is one of them.

 

[DOquestions]

I asked them because I was curious. I'm not trying to get out of finishing my degree...was just curious about the percentage that actually was accepted without one. There are plenty of pharmacy students that go into school without a degree, my old roommate is one of them.

From my understanding, they still complete a B.S. degree? That is how it works at the local Big Ten school.

 

[TheMagicCookie]

From my understanding, they still complete a B.S. degree? That is how it works at the local Big Ten school.

I'm not sure about the Big Ten school's, but my roommate was/is a Jr. undergrad and got accepted to the pharmD school through early decision. She hasn't mentioned anything about completing the B.S...but I don't know much about PharmD schools.

 

[Tin Man]

It would likely be a red flag to me if an applicant to medical school couldn't/didn't want to finish even a BA...

It could be perfectly justified in a real context, but it would be hard to overcome that initial impression. Who's ready to finish medical school who wasn't ready to finish college?

 

[NonTradMed]

The thing about the 90 credit requirements is that it is a "loophole" some of these med schools have a 7 year program that allows their undergrads to go directly to their med school if they do well in their undergrad's premed program. Also, it's to prevent the med school from writing themselves into a corner if an EXCEPTIONAL student really does come along and for whatever reason, did not finish college.

As for pharm school, the one we have here have a six year one where students do their prereqs for the first two years and then can apply and enter pharmacy school after that. They don't get a BS, only a pharmD.