What do you guys think of BS/MD programs?

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Sam212

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As a pre-med applying in upcoming application cycle, I don't like BS/MD programs. The main reason is obviously that they lower the amount of spots for traditional pre-meds. However, attrition (sp?) rate is pretty high in those programs as well. Here's a link from NEOUCOM for transfer students and they have 18-20 spots, which we all know are released by those who dropped out:
http://www.neoucom.edu/Students/ADMI/AdminTransferFrameset.htm

This tells me that many of those students accepted to BS/MD programs don't really know what they want to do (don't blame them since they are 17 or 18 at the time.) Therefore, BS/MD programs should not exist or at the very least they should minimize the number of spots offered to high school students.
p.s NEOUCOM is probably the only school in the nation whose incoming class includes 80% BS/MD students and only 20% traditional students, thus, almost all of the dropouts have to be from BS/MD program. Now only 20% traditionals is absurd. But this is just my opinion so let me know what do you guys think.

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u prolly dont have a response b/c there is another post about this in the forum....just do a search.
 
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I would generally agree that these programs are not a good idea. However, I have a number of friends in the bs/md program here. From the perspective of the student, these programs are great, as you can have a very low stress college career, no MCAT, much more time to do what you want.
 
Sam212 said:
As a pre-med applying in upcoming application cycle, I don't like BS/MD programs. The main reason is obviously that they lower the amount of spots for traditional pre-meds. However, attrition (sp?) rate is pretty high in those programs as well. Here's a link from NEOUCOM for transfer students and they have 18-20 spots, which we all know are released by those who dropped out:
http://www.neoucom.edu/Students/ADMI/AdminTransferFrameset.htm

This tells me that many of those students accepted to BS/MD programs don't really know what they want to do (don't blame them since they are 17 or 18 at the time.) Therefore, BS/MD programs should not exist or at the very least they should minimize the number of spots offered to high school students.
p.s NEOUCOM is probably the only school in the nation whose incoming class includes 80% BS/MD students and only 20% traditional students, thus, almost all of the dropouts have to be from BS/MD program. Now only 20% traditionals is absurd. But this is just my opinion so let me know what do you guys think.

As a student who was accepted into this program but chose to attend another BS/MD program, please let me clarify some misconceptions you have about NEUCOM specifically:
NEUCOM's medical school was created specifically as a BS/MD medical school. Hence, 100% of all students are in the BS/MD program (either from Youngstown, Kent State or one more that I can't remember) and the seats that are opened thru students leaving the program are then open to traditional students. The dropout rate is very high because NEUCOMs program is very...um...unique. Additionally, residency placements from NEUCOM are almost exclusively in Ohio and many students do not want to be pigeonholed into staying in Ohio for 10+ years (even tho it very clearly states on the mission of NEUCOM that their purpose is to train and retain doctors from Ohio in Ohio).

Additionally, I can't speak for other programs retention rates but as for the program I am in, 20 students are accepted each year, but only about 10 accept. In the last 8 years only 2 students have left the program...I believe 2 out of 80 is a very low dropout rate, is it not?
 
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