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None yet....
Rosalind BMS Program
- Thread starter WannaBaDoc
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How's it going everyone? Have you guys heard anything yet?
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I called today because I haven't applied yet (sending in my application materials now since school just ended) but they said there is plenty of room left for people that are applying late...my guess is they will do their final rounds of acceptances once these applications come in?
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Thats a good sign. I have a feeling that they know they have the potential to be underfilled (is that a word?) so they are holding off on the meeting to send out more offers.
Heston, hopefully you and I won't need the SMP
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Thats a good sign. I have a feeling that they know they have the potential to be underfilled (is that a word?) so they are holding off on the meeting to send out more offers.
Heston, hopefully you and I won't need the SMP
I can see that this program will be underfilled this coming year; rfu had trouble filling my class and the future classes will be even less filled. I think the school messed up this program in many aspects (more difficult to get into med school this year than past years). I would not recommend this program to anyone. I like the idea of SMPs and I certainly learned lot this year about science, school, the medical field, and myself. I was lured to the RFU program by the potential of skipping a glide year; this program is not worth it. I would probably recommend the georgetown, tufts, BU, and loyola programs (due to location, cost, school reputations, and potential to get you into med school).
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Yikes, and that's coming from experience too.....what should I do? Is there time to apply to the others? Ahhhhh!
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All i can say is that rfu is a low ranking and unpopular school for a reason..its one of the only med schools i ve been to or met people from that most of the people just hate being at.
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Really.....location? I know it's no wonder why there's so much movement on the schools waitlist, but...a medical school is a medical school, right? Are you in the medical school now, graduated, what?
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I just finished the BMS program. A medical school is not a medical school in all aspects. Yes RFU (assuming you get into CMS from the BMS) will get you a fairly good residency, but that is 5 years later. This BMS year seriously felt like 3 to 4 years in length (most people I spoke with said the same). So 4 to 5 years of school doesnt sound like a lot of time, but it feels like an eternity (soo boring here; 1 hr from downtown).
I m 24 now and I felt the same way a lot of you guys maybe feeling. I didnt want to spend another year reapplying or go into a program where I could potentialy have a glide year. I wanted to start med school immediately, but having gone through the application and SMP process, having another year off is not a big deal. You want to end up in a med school you will be happy to be at, bc the four years you are there will not be 4 easy years (you can not hope to understand this untill you actually start med school).
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Good call, dude. So I take it there's not much to do in North Chicago.....what the hell were they thinking when they bought the land for the school??
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The key to a good SMP (wish someone told me this) is that if you dont get into the med school it is linked with directy, it will help you to get into a good school the next year when you reapply. RFU does not give you this.
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For everyone that applied to the BMS after applying to the M.D. program this year...all we had to do was send in the application and (reduced) fee, right? So long as we checked the box saying that they could use our M.D. application materials for the BMS program?
I asked for a status update to make sure that my application was complete, and I received a response saying, "because of the number of applicants, telling you that information is impossible. We will tell you if we need supporting materials from you when we process your application." I sent in the application 2-3 weeks ago.
By the way, I know that everyone's experiences are different, but when I interviewed at CMS, I met and talked with several BMS students. They really loved the program, and already had acceptances under their belt. So, it seems to be good for some, at least.
I asked for a status update to make sure that my application was complete, and I received a response saying, "because of the number of applicants, telling you that information is impossible. We will tell you if we need supporting materials from you when we process your application." I sent in the application 2-3 weeks ago.
By the way, I know that everyone's experiences are different, but when I interviewed at CMS, I met and talked with several BMS students. They really loved the program, and already had acceptances under their belt. So, it seems to be good for some, at least.
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For everyone that applied to the BMS after applying to the M.D. program this year...all we had to do was send in the application and (reduced) fee, right? So long as we checked the box saying that they could use our M.D. application materials for the BMS program?
I asked for a status update to make sure that my application was complete, and I received a response saying, "because of the number of applicants, telling you that information is impossible. We will tell you if we need supporting materials from you when we process your application." I sent in the application 2-3 weeks ago.
By the way, I know that everyone's experiences are different, but when I interviewed at CMS, I met and talked with several BMS students. They really loved the program, and already had acceptances under their belt. So, it seems to be good for some, at least.
There were some people accepted by mid school year; but even those people (I feel like I know most of them bc it was only like 20 to 30 people accepted by then) didnt/dont like it here that much. Many people with even decent grades werent sure if they wanted to even interview here. YOu also have to think reasonably, why would that person tell you a random interviewer the truth on your interview day? So you can turn them in if they say something bad? No one will ever do that.
Take my advice for what it is. There are still people getting into CMS from BMS. It is much fewer people than were accepted in past years, and those people who are left without an acceptance are actually HURT when reapplying. During the BMS year you take 5 med school courses, where most SMP programs you take only 2 or 3. I believe there is major grade deflation here and if you are planning to reapply after this program you will be hurt. To me this BMS program is not worth it and the changes made when transitioning from AP to BMS were bad decisions.
Make your own decision, check out to school, talk to other people. I dont know how many people will immediately open up to you and say they dont like the school. But ask the people who go there if they actually like the school and you ll get ur answer "...well its ok."
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I just finished my M1 (technically M1A) year here a Rosalind. I completed the AP program and was accepted into the medical school. I asked around on campus about the BMS program and was told that over 35 of the BMS students have been accepted and that ultimately more than 50% of the class will be accepted to the medical school. The faculty and course work are top notch here. You will be well prepared for boards. We continually score in the upper 25% of the medical schools on boards which leads to a good residency. We had 7 or so match in Optho and many in Ortho, and other fields like Neuro Sugery, Plastic Surgery and the list goes on this past year. If you look at past years match lists they are amazing. At the end of the day Medical School ranking does not really matter if you are not concerned with pursuing a career in academics. The top 10 ranked medical schools will help you obtain a better residency but after that all the schools sort of melt into the same category. Another reason that ranking is a non-issue for the most part is a surgeon who went to a medical school ranked number 1 on average makes no more money than a surgeon who went to a medical school ranked 100th. Medical School is not like law school or MBA programs where you make more money depending on where you went to school. Again unless you really want to go into research or academics the rank does not matter. What specialty the graduates get placed for residency is what counts. I would estimate that CMS is in the upper 1/3 of medical schools for placing graduates into highly competitive fields. I do not have hard data but when I was applying I looked at 50 different school's match lists and CMS had more competitive placements than most of the schools. Also when I have compared CMS's match list with friends at other medical schools, CMS almost always has a higher % of students placing in the competitive specialties. North Chicago is a little out there location wise, but the social scene is fine and everyone heads into the City (Chicago) on the weekends which is an amazing city and the rest of the time they are studying anyways. The 3rd and 4th year students mostly live in downtown Chicago so location is not that big of a deal. You want to go to a medical school that places graduates in competitive residencies. That is what matters. I loved the AP program. From what I know about the BMS program, it also is a great program. There is not a guarantee but with 50%+ getting accepted you have a near guarantee. Georgetown takes the top 10% only, regardless of how well the students performed. (ie is everyone had grades above a 3.6 only the top 10% would get accepted) I would highly recommend the BMS program and the medical school. However the program may not be the best for everyone and every circumstance, I am simply sharing my experience / thoughts which are obviously bias and subjective. You have to research it out and find the best program for you.
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Very interesting thread... also, I think its a misnomer to say RF is in north Chicago, its not anywhere near Chicago. Its in suburb called Gurnee near the Great Lakes Naval Base. I know it says North Chicago on Wikipedia, but really its north of chicago, very north.
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First off, great User name.
Secondly, I would like to add in. Yes, Rosalind Franklin is North of Chicago, but the township is actually called NORTH CHICAGO. Gurnee, is about 10-12 minuntes north of Rosalind. If you were to more accurately place RFU, it would be directly North of Lake Bluff, literally right on the border, and directly south of Waukegan, again right on the Border.
For people wondering, RFU is in a cozy type of area--well that is if you go south, you are in a really posh area, lake bluff, lake forest, etc...BUT if you go north, you are in the straight up ghetto lol, but with that said, Waukegan is not that bad if you stick to the main streets...So going up and down Green Bay and going E/W on Belvidere to get food, not that bad, gets a little wild at night though.
As for RFU, I have plenty of friends at RFU and in which all of them LOVE it. The former AP students that I know as well, LOVE it. You will find people at every school who hate to be there. Espciallly when a majority of the class is from California, they will hate the bitter cold of north eastern Illinois.
From the family members and friends who graduated from CMS and friends who are currently there. All of them have loved there experience and highly recommend the school. The Match list is great every year and they prepare you well.
As for the BMS program, I have very little information on it since it is new. But from what people tell me, they said it was a decent program, not as great as the AP program was, but it still does the job.
Good luck to everyone attending the program.
-Hope to see you there next year (if I get off the damn WL!!)
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Oh snap, I stand corrected. I didn't know there were 5 medical school classes, that is kind of crazy in the BMS. I hear its the Kiss of Death to do badly in an SMP... I going to be a super senior next year at UIC, and I am deciding between RF and Loyola for my SMP (in Illinois) I've taken a lot of upper level bio classes, I hope they would help at RF. Can anyone shed any light on this: I've taken Dev Bio (320) Biology of the Brain (286) Neuro I (489) Human Physio (443) and Biochem (445). Next year I'll be in neuro lab, neruo II, and biochem II...
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I want to clairify a few things...CMS as a medical school isnt bad, definitely not great either. It gives you a solid education, the students are really nice for the most part as are the professors. Outside the academic aspects of school there isnt much to do. The school doesnt really involve itself too much with this either. Lake Forest has nice scenary (spelling?) but who really cares about scenary, waukegan is really ghetto. The school does have a great matchlist every year, and it seems that is all people talk about. But again CMS as a medical school ranges from decent to slightly below average overall.
I was specifically speaking of the BMS program when I made many of my comments earlier. I dont believe it to be a good program (though CMS in itself is decent). Everyone of the 95ish people that started the program thought they where gonna get As; sadly that doesnt happen. CMS is very hard. This year they accepted 35 people out of 95ish that started and 65ish that finished the program. Thats about 1/3 of those that started and 1/2 of those that finished the program. The main negative (and a very large negative) coming out of this is that if you arent in the 35 or so that make it, you are very screwed next year when you reapply. No school wants to see Cs and Bs when you are reapplying, without knowing that even getting Bs is pretty dam tuff at CMS. The thing about other SMPs (like georgetown, BU, loyola, tufts, ...etc all who only take 2 to 3 med courses) is that they set up those people who didnt make it in directly for reapplying the next year. Plus a few of those schools have unofficial linkages with other schools also. I spoken to a few Georgetown smpers that are now at CMS and they all said that getting Bs was much easier at GT than it was at CMS. There are a lot of smart people that ended up getting straight Bs and got 1 C and were rejected bc of this. If you re not one of the people that make it in directly, you re pretty much guaranteed to be heading out to the carribean or a lower ranking DO school.
People do not go downtown every weekend as one poster said. I would go like everyother weekendish and people thought I was nuts.
I was specifically speaking of the BMS program when I made many of my comments earlier. I dont believe it to be a good program (though CMS in itself is decent). Everyone of the 95ish people that started the program thought they where gonna get As; sadly that doesnt happen. CMS is very hard. This year they accepted 35 people out of 95ish that started and 65ish that finished the program. Thats about 1/3 of those that started and 1/2 of those that finished the program. The main negative (and a very large negative) coming out of this is that if you arent in the 35 or so that make it, you are very screwed next year when you reapply. No school wants to see Cs and Bs when you are reapplying, without knowing that even getting Bs is pretty dam tuff at CMS. The thing about other SMPs (like georgetown, BU, loyola, tufts, ...etc all who only take 2 to 3 med courses) is that they set up those people who didnt make it in directly for reapplying the next year. Plus a few of those schools have unofficial linkages with other schools also. I spoken to a few Georgetown smpers that are now at CMS and they all said that getting Bs was much easier at GT than it was at CMS. There are a lot of smart people that ended up getting straight Bs and got 1 C and were rejected bc of this. If you re not one of the people that make it in directly, you re pretty much guaranteed to be heading out to the carribean or a lower ranking DO school.
People do not go downtown every weekend as one poster said. I would go like everyother weekendish and people thought I was nuts.
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I'm going to do both a 5th year at UIC and a masters. It is expensive, and I will have a glide year if I do Loyola, so I will be 25 when I start! I'm 22 now, but I only want to apply once and get in somewhere...
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Just got an email accepting me today. Now I have to chose from EVMS, BU or RFU. I still most likely attend EVMS. Anyone have an opinion? Can we get some program statistics to compare?
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EVMS by far man, a majority get into EVMS after. With BMS, your odds are significantly decreased. That is just my opinion. I am waiting for EVMS (top 1/3). I think they might be the best program, still not sure though.
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Congrats on all the acceptances. I unfortunately am still waiting....
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I have several questions, maybe some of you might be able to answer them:
1). How much does BMS cost?
2). Can you get a loan for this program?
3). Do the classes you take carry over into medical school if you get in (this one I'm not sure anyone is 100% sure about)?
4). Is there any benefit doing the BMS program if you don't get into a medical school? Could you use to get a PhD?
1). How much does BMS cost?
2). Can you get a loan for this program?
3). Do the classes you take carry over into medical school if you get in (this one I'm not sure anyone is 100% sure about)?
4). Is there any benefit doing the BMS program if you don't get into a medical school? Could you use to get a PhD?
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i got the email too, but didnt see anything about a deposit/confirmation. i'm leaning away from the program.
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You dont have to repeat the courses if you marticulate into the med school.
Tuition is being raised by $2,000 next year, so it will be $37,000ish.
I ve never heard of anyone using the courses to continue on to a PhD.
You can get loans.
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So....what's the point of this program then? Do you end up with a masters degree or just a certificate??
I mean, let's say I don't get into the medical school? Would I have to go about getting a masters all over again?
What is the benefit of these SMP's except to get into medical school? I'm trying really hard to understand the purpose of them....
I mean, let's say I don't get into the medical school? Would I have to go about getting a masters all over again?
What is the benefit of these SMP's except to get into medical school? I'm trying really hard to understand the purpose of them....
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these smps only purpose is to get you into medical school. if u are not 100% sure u want to go to medical school, dont go to a smp. unlike a traditional masters, u dont do any bench work. therefore, u get no lab experience for jobs in biotechs. with smps, its medical school or bust.
smp= special masters program so u do get a masters. some "smp-like" programs such as drexel IMS gives u only a certificate unless u stay on for a second year. as for the real smps -ie gtown, rfu, loyola, tulane- u do get a masters. some of the degrees sound nicer than others: ie at georgetown we get an MS in physiology and biophysics. other places gives u a MA in biomedical science. doesnt matter too much, cuz the degrees are really useless in the job market... unless u already have lab experiene, then u can spin how ur time at an smp involved lab work that u have previously done.
take home message- unless u have 40k lying around, dont go to an smp unless u are 100% certain u can hack it and that u want to go to med school
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Hi. I was recently accepted into the RFU BMS program and just sent in my Declaration of Intent. I was wondering if you had any tips for doing well in the program? From what I have read on these forums, it sounds really TOUGH, and now I am really worried. Any advice you could give me would be great
Thanks so much!
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Hi. I was recently accepted into the RFU BMS program and just sent in my Declaration of Intent. I was wondering if you had any tips for doing well in the program? From what I have read on these forums, it sounds really TOUGH, and now I am really worried. Any advice you could give me would be great
Thanks so much!
Where are you from Simran???
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Wadup peeps. I've just decided I'm not going to do this BMS thing. It's far too much money for what it really offers. Too many negatives. Hope you guys do well in it!!! Good luck!!!
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I've decided that I'm not even going to consider the RFU prgram and I will be sending in the letter saying I'm not going. Good luck to everyone else who really wants in...
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Blind, are you going to EVMS? If so, I would have definitely picked EVMS over RFU. I think I am going to drop from the EVMS wl and just head to ohio.
Heston, you definitely know what is best for you. Are you retaking the MCAT this fall?
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Yah I'm pretty much 100% dedicated to EVMS now. I'm going to check out BU because I wouldnt mind going to med school there but I'm not going to do their program for sure. 5% after the 1st year is no good for me. I'd stay on the EVMS waitlist and just keep letting them know you're interested in the program. In terms of numbers after the 1st year, EVMS is the best by far.
I didnt know about this program at the University of Toledo. It seems borderline with 65% accepted. In terms of lifesytle, I dont know how good of a city Toledo is. Is the interview guaranteed when you're in the program or is it after successful completion of it? My main concern is I dont want a lag year and to waste another 4k applying again.
Good luck to everyone...
I didnt know about this program at the University of Toledo. It seems borderline with 65% accepted. In terms of lifesytle, I dont know how good of a city Toledo is. Is the interview guaranteed when you're in the program or is it after successful completion of it? My main concern is I dont want a lag year and to waste another 4k applying again.
Good luck to everyone...
