Undergraduate Emergency Medicine Program

[holding-the-wall]

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Hi everyone! Long time lurker first time poster. Was told to post here from another site.

Interesting program:
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medicine at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science
University of Pittsburgh
Curriculum and information about the program is on their website
(Can't post link to the program)

Basically it is a B.S. degree where you take classes to become a paramedic and get some interesting clinical experience instead of taking more traditional upper division requirements at the University of Pittsburgh. I feel like it is a good fit for me from my past experiences and interests, but I do not know how medical school admissions would perceive such a program. Where I live, paramedic programs are usually for a certificate or associate's degree.

About me: I am a sophomore who is applying to transfer from a bio major to a larger / less remote school. I have finished 90% of my prerequisites with a cumulative and science gpa around 3.8. I have been working as an EMT for a busy 911 service in LA County since taking a semester off last year. I love EMS and fire, but my dream is to go med with a goal of EM or surgery. Currently I am writing my transfer apps and I don't know if I should pursue this program or complete a more traditional degree.

Any opinions or input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[gyngyn]

Did you close your thread unintentionally?

 

[holding-the-wall]

Did you close your thread unintentionally?

Oops it's open now

 

[DrRiker]

I think that rigorous upper level science would be viewed more favorably than earning credits for practical clinical experience. The bar is set by people who have aced upper level science and did clinical activities on weekends, evenings, and/or gap years in addition to advanced science. That's my two cents, it may or may not be accurate because neither of us are on admissions committees.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker first time poster. Was told to post here from another site.

Interesting program:
Bachelor of Science in Emergency Medicine at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Science
University of Pittsburgh
Curriculum and information about the program is on their website
(Can't post link to the program)

Basically it is a B.S. degree where you take classes to become a paramedic and get some interesting clinical experience instead of taking more traditional upper division requirements at the University of Pittsburgh. I feel like it is a good fit for me from my past experiences and interests, but I do not know how medical school admissions would perceive such a program. Where I live, paramedic programs are usually for a certificate or associate's degree.

About me: I am a sophomore who is applying to transfer from a bio major to a larger / less remote school. I have finished 90% of my prerequisites with a cumulative and science gpa around 3.8. I have been working as an EMT for a busy 911 service in LA County since taking a semester off last year. I love EMS and fire, but my dream is to go med with a goal of EM or surgery. Currently I am writing my transfer apps and I don't know if I should pursue this program or complete a more traditional degree.

Any opinions or input would be greatly appreciated!

A vocational degree such as you describe will be viewed as less rigorous. Best to take the upper division requirements.

 

[deleted862527]

Go for what you like. If this major sounds exciting for you, then do it. There are users on here who have said to me repeatedly, "Do not go for [x] degree because it is 'less rigorous'" but there are still applicants who have vocational degrees who are admitted to medical schools over applicants who have more 'rigorous degrees'. I know many who were admitted with a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science, others went for Radiology and X-Ray, among others. Their clinical experience did help them, just make sure to take the pre-requisite classes and do very well on the MCAT.

 

[EMS0821]

I know someone in Pitt's EM undergrad program. It sounds in theory like a smart choice, and it would definitely be interesting. I can't see why adcoms would look unfavorably at it, just make sure that you hit your pre-reqs and do well in them. A not insignificant percentage of med school matriculants were non BCPM majors. Some might view it as a breath of fresh air from the piles of biology pre-meds. I was a biology/psych undergrad and when my majors were referenced at interviews, they only asked me questions about psych; makes you stand out more IMO.

 

[eaglebaseball4]

Do your pre-reqs, do well on the Mcat, have good ECs. I personally like the idea, as you won’t be just like every other applicant with a biology degree (think diversity), and also if your dreams to become a doctor do not pan out, then you seem to have a viable backup plan/career. I’m currently in a gap year and I have my biology degree and wish I had done some more unusual things to make me stand out as an applicant.

 

[857770]

Go for what you like. If this major sounds exciting for you, then do it. There are users on here who have said to me repeatedly, "Do not go for [x] degree because it is 'less rigorous'" but there are still applicants who have vocational degrees who are admitted to medical schools over applicants who have more 'rigorous degrees'. I know many who were admitted with a B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science, others went for Radiology and X-Ray, among others. Their clinical experience did help them, just make sure to take the pre-requisite classes and do very well on the MCAT.

A Bachelors of Science program in Clinical Laboratory Science (aka Medical Technology) has many required courses that are of rigor. The core requirements of these programs are the same as the premed prerequisites.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

I know someone in Pitt's EM undergrad program. It sounds in theory like a smart choice, and it would definitely be interesting. I can't see why adcoms would look unfavorably at it, just make sure that you hit your pre-reqs and do well in them. A not insignificant percentage of med school matriculants were non BCPM majors. Some might view it as a breath of fresh air from the piles of biology pre-meds. I was a biology/psych undergrad and when my majors were referenced at interviews, they only asked me questions about psych; makes you stand out more IMO.

I’d disagree a little bit here.

While there are tons of non-BCPM major students in med school, they all still took some sort of liberal arts degree. A vocational degree - like what a plumber or electrician has - is far less academically rigorous than a true bachelors.

I don’t think I’m alone in that while IDGAF what specific classes or major someone had in undergrad, I care immensely about if they have the academic chops necessary for medical school.

 

[deleted862527]

A Bachelors of Science program in Clinical Laboratory Science (aka Medical Technology) has many required courses that are of rigor. The core requirements of these programs are the same as the premed prerequisites.

Exactly. I know that. What I am saying is that users on here also claim CLS degrees are not 'rigorous' enough for medical school admissions.

 

[EMS0821]

While it is in some ways a vocational degree, you also have to take a bunch of the liberal studies courses that everyone else applying to medical school takes. That along with needing to take the pre-reqs for medical school, I can't see why getting the emergency medicine degree in undergrad would be a problem as there would be plenty of classes that the individual would have to take to get into medical school that could be used to assess their competency in the hard sciences/humanities. Sure, there may be some GPA inflation, however, that has to be considered in the context of the degree as we are all aware of certain majors which are more likely to have far less rigorous curricula; assuming they exude proficiency in the pre-reqs and on the MCAT, I can't see why it would necessarily be an issue as those are considered to be what equalizes premeds more than the other courses they take which are comparatively apples to oranges even if they are the same classes but different schools.

 

[kjd46]

I know this is extremely late but wanted to post for future people who may look at this thread. I graduated from that EM program at Pitt. It is absolutely an amazing program. You will learn clinical skills, medical reasoning, and actually take care of patients. While everyone else’s clinical experiences mainly consist of shadowing, you will have something that truly sets you apart. Every single interview I went on brought this up. Not only is it interesting, but it shows you actually know what being a healthcare provider entails.
I’m not sure why others are saying the classes aren’t rigorous. You’ll take pathophysiology, pharmacology, cardiology etc. The classes are rigorous and prepared me a lot for the pre-clinical years at Med school. Not to mention you’ll be a pro at EKG interpretation.

For what it’s worth, I had 14 II and 13 acceptances so it certainly didn’t close any doors for me.