BS/MD Programs: How To Get Accepted
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- Опубліковано 13 лип 2024
- If you’re a high school student who has been dreaming of becoming a doctor your whole life, you might be ready to make an early commitment to a medical career. Instead of taking the usual route of getting a bachelor’s degree before applying to medical school, maybe you’re considering a BS/MD program.
BS/MD programs, also known as direct med programs, are highly desired because they offer students a chance to earn a Bachelor’s of Science (or BS) degree then immediately start working on their Doctor of Medicine (or MD) degree without going through the stressful and uncertain med school application process, in which only 40% of students are successful. If this sounds like the perfect option for you, get ready because getting into BS/MD programs is no cakewalk.
In this video, I’ll go over the features of BS/MD programs, help you determine if this is the right choice for you, explain just how hard it is to get accepted, and give you strategies to make yourself a competitive applicant so you can increase your admissions odds and jumpstart your medical career.
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TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] - Introduction
[01:13] - What is a BS/MD Program?
[03:27] - How Do You Know If a BS/MD Program is Right for You?
[04:46] - How Hard Is It to Get into a BS/MD Program?
[05:44] - What Are the Best Strategies to Get into a BS/MD Program?
[09:49] - Ace Your BS/MD Program Interviews
LINKS REFERENCED IN VIDEO:
1. BS/MD Programs: How to Get In
www.shemmassianconsulting.com...
2. Extracurricular Activities for College Admissions: The Ultimate Guide
www.shemmassianconsulting.com...
Who we are:
Shemmassian Academic Consulting (SAC) was founded by Dr. Shirag Shemmassian, an admissions expert with over 15 years of experience helping thousands of students get into top colleges, medical schools, and other graduate programs. SAC has been featured on The Washington Post, US News and World Report, and NBC.
We'd love to hear from you! Drop a question down below in the comment section. We respond daily!
#medicalschool #bsmdprograms #medschooladmissions
Thank you so much for making a video like this! I’m currently studying in us high school as an international student. Do you have any advice?
Hello, thank you so much for making this video. Can an international student apply for BS MD program? If yes, then does your consultancy provides this service?
Rice/Baylor had concluded this program
Hi, I really appreciate your video. Actually I'm still doing my international general certificate of secondary education (IGCSE) and I'm planning on applying to a BS/MD program in the USA but I don't know if I can apply simply with a IGCSE certificate or I should wait and continue with a A-level or International baccalaureate program?
my gpa is a 3.8 and for extra curriculars i’m in 3 clubs (medical club, fccla, back packing club) i play a sport and im in my schools national science honors society. i haven’t taken the sat yet and i’m gonna start tutoring kids next year. this summer i’m also going work a summer job as well as volunteer work and attend a medical camp for a week. would all this make me a competitive applicant is there any way i can improve?
Hi there your video was extremely informative. Im currently interested in applying to a BS/MD program and was wondering how i would stack up. I currently have a 4.59 weighted GPA 4.0 unweighted as well as a 30 act (i plan to take it again to get a better score). I also have shadowing as well as other school extra curriculars.
From a GPA standpoint, things look great! You'll want to improve your ACT, as you pointed out, and continue to beef up your extracurriculars. Pursue research and patient exposure experiences if you're able!
I really appreciate your videos. They really helped me make sure that medicine was the right path for me :)
I’m currently a high school student and I am extremely interested in BS/MD programs. I tried looking into shadowing doctors but I literally couldn’t find any opportunities at all. Even shadowing nurses was extremely scarce. Do you have any recommendations on how to find opportunities? Should I be reaching out to specific doctors?
Hey Pavana, way to get a head start! I encourage you to read our guide on this here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-ask-to-shadow-a-doctor
Hello, there, I understand research experience is important, and many research projects are only for senior high school students. However BS/MD program application starts in the Junior summer. Do you have any suggestions of finding a research program for junior students or sophomore students?
Do you think lab based research project is better than literature review research?
Will the literature review or analysis research be good for BS/MD application?
How much will it help your BS/MD application if your research paper get published? I see someone get research published in the “International Conference on Modern Medical “, I also heard that publishing on those international conference doesn’t mean much, Is that correct?
Thank you reviewing this long message.
Can high school graduate but a non-traditional applicant apply for direct medical program?
hi! due to covid, do you think shadowing/volunteer hours would be less accounted for due to the scarce opportunities? also, i am currently involved in an early college program which would allow me to get my associates degree by the time i finish high school. would it even count for anything with me going into a bs/md program? would it lead to 2 years off of my undergraduate course?
Hello! While admissions committees understand that in-person shadowing and volunteer opportunities are limited due to COVID, there are still many opportunities to make an impact in your community. For example, you could volunteer at a local food bank or tutor disadvantaged students online. To answer your question about the early college program: You may be able to take more advanced courses when you matriculate into the BS/MD program. We recommend contacting the programs you're interested in to learn each school's policy on this.
Love the video, a really important question, I'm a Canadian high school student and my high school doesn't offer AP classes or IB programs. I have a 4.2GPA and I haven't taken the SAT or ACT. Do I have a chance? should I try taking the SAT or ACT during my 12th-grade year?
Make sure to take the ACT or SAT so that you're eligible! Nice work on the GPA.
Where in Canada? And how did you calculate GPA? Canadian schools use percentages for grade average eg. 94% or 98%
Which BS/MD programs are you considering? Let us know in the Comments!
Pennstate Jefferson bc I’m a legacy lmao
Hello, thank you so much for taking your time to make this video. I was wondering if it would be worth repeating a year to obtain a higher in the major prerequisite courses for a BSMD program. I would also have more time to fit in volunteer work. By repeating a grade (sophomore ) do you think it will negatively impact my chances of getting into a BSMD program.
Much appreciated.
Edit: to obtain a higher grade*
@@jefferyman3539 Hi there! Getting a higher grade will never look bad, but the question is, "Is it worth it?" For instance, going from a C to an A is worth it, whereas going from an A- to an A probably isn't.
Thank you so much for your help
Hi! I don’t know if you’ll see this since the vid is a few months old, but i’ll have 6 math credits by the end of high school and do you have any suggestions for which would be the most beneficial? I’m considering between AP calc AB or BC and AP stats for junior and senior year. I know some people who have taken calc AB then BC so they get a better understanding, but I feel like stats would be more relevant for a medical career. Do you think taking calc BC would be worth it even with the possibility of it bringing my GPA down?
Hi there! We recommend taking AP Calc AB, followed by BC. This will prepare you for the college-level Calc courses that are required for med school.
what if i have a high act but an average gpa? all my classes are honors or ap but my gpa is like a 3.4. i’m only a junior though
Hi Gill! Given the competitiveness of the application pool, admission to a BS/MD program would be highly unlikely with a 3.4.
What can I do if my GPA is around a 3.4 with all honors, I haven't taken the ACT yet but I plan to by the end of the year. Is there anything specific that I can do?
Hi Hefar! BS/MD programs tend to have a GPA at or near 4.0, so our recommendation is to focus on achieving high grades. You'll also want to focus on developing a strong extracurricular profile, which we discuss in detail here: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/bs-md-programs
when you talk about gpa requirements are you talking about weighted or unweighted? i have a 4.1 but it is weighted by my honors and aps, how can i figure out what my unweighted gpa is?
there are calculators for high school gpa !!! it measures your weighted and unweighted
In a 4.0 GPA scale, honors provide 0.5 extra credit and AP's provide 1 full extra credit. Do the math but without adding on the 0.5 or 1 extra credit.
For example, weighted your credit point for AP Calculus would be 5 but unweighted your credit point for AP Calculus would be 4. The example used is if you got an A in the class.
To be honest, I have no clue if every state does it this way. This is the way my state does it.
I’m aware of the difficulties getting into Feinberg or Browns direct med program, but having the highest gpa in my class having taken 10 APs so far in my junior year with an SAT of 1560, would that make me a competitive applicant
Of course that would help! FYI Feinberg's direct med program is currently closed. Learn more here: www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/hpme/
Also does the prestige of the college that you graduate from for a BSMD program matter when it comes to getting employment in residency?
It probably impacts your residency odds a touch, which in turn impacts career. But if you do great in school and in residency, you'll be in fine shape no matter where you attends.
what if an act score is low but gpa high? what if the standardized test is the only limiting factor?
Hi Lara! Given the competitiveness of the applicant pool, students who achieve test scores below the 95th percentile will have significantly lower odds of admission to BS/MD programs.
Would it be much harder to get into BSMD programs that accept international applicants, as an international student from Canada?
Yes, it would be way harder
Ppl living here is always taken into account first, so: minorities, first gen students and great applicants will all be reviewed before they even acknowledge your existence
Now, don't be down on that, some schools do choose their applicants at the end and not in the process of reviewing: meaning even if you hand application late or as an international student you still have a good chance.
I wrote a medical article that was published in a peer reviewed journal for which I was the primary author. I also have a couple hundred hours of shadowing multiple specialties. Class rank top 5 of 600 students, and will have taken over 10 aps by graduation. I haven’t taken the sat or act yet, but plan on it this summer and I’m a junior. Is admission into one of these programs likely for me?
From an extracurricular standpoint, it sounds like you're on the right track!
I am a freshman in high school who is determined to be a pathologist and get into one of these programs. In a peri-pandemic world, shadowing has become much harder. My GPA as of now is 4.2 weighted and 4.0 unweighted, as my school does not allow anyone other than juniors and seniors to take APs. I go to a small school, and I am worried about it holding me back. My school does not have any medicine related clubs other than a medical pathway that I can join as a sophomore. I am planning on reinstating my schools Red Cross club as well. I am too young for most volunteer programs and shadowing, but I was wondering if you had any advice on how to get shadowing or internship opportunities at labs and hospitals when I am old enough and how I can begin to prepare for those? What would make me look good to labs and hospitals, what kind of programs I should look out for, what working conditions are the best?
when you apply to a uni, they send your transcript plus statistics about your grade level. They also know how your grading works and they will take into account the fact that you didnt have those clubs accessible to you. U can always talk to your counselor if you have questions
I am a Canadian high school student can I also apply to a bs/md program in the states with no sat or act. Would they only look at my percent average or as you guy call it in the states “GPA”. If so please reference to me any possible institutions I could attend to get into this unique program. Thank you
Hi there! Each BS/MD program has different requirements so you'll want to contact the admissions office to determine whether you're eligible. Also, due to the pandemic, many schools have gone test optional this cycle, but it's unclear whether this policy will also apply to future cycles. Let us know if you have any other questions!
Do BS/MD programs have diversity considerations or strictly only applicant's profile is considered?
While your question is somewhat general, BS/MD programs, like traditional undergrad programs, want recruit a diverse student body
Please help! Do I need to write my personal common app essay based around medicine or no? I think im only applying to bs/md programs.
Not necessarily! Read this: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-write-the-common-app-essay
Hi, I currently a high school sophomore. I am 99.9% sure I want to go into the medical field. I just recently heard about BS/MS programs. I currently go to a medical based high school, I am only taking 1 AP class this year. (My school is smaller, and doesn’t offer many AP classes). I also am in a couple of clubs. I currently have most A’s and a couple B’s. If I decide to do a BS/MD program. How do you suggest I go about the rest of high school?
the base gpa for bsmd is usually higher than 3.8 unweighted. If you can't get it up to that level, you should try to get the highest possible score on standardized testing, but most bsmd programs still won't consider you. Try to make every other aspect of your transcript the best that it can be and look at how other people got into bsmd programs.
I don't think I will get accepted because I am not really Smart I had a low MCAT score 😭
How many research programs are recommended to get into a BSMD programs? I’m in 10th grade and i am doing two research programs. Do I have to do more research programs before application comes around?
Hello! It's fine if you participate in just one or two programs, as long as you achieve at a high level in them. In other words, the depth of your experience is more important than the number of experiences. Hope this helps!
@@Shemmassian thank you
Are there any activities that I should do? I’m not sure I have activated that are suitable for science or medicine.
My activéis:
Math club officer
Model un leadership
Model congress leadership
Women’s period chapter chair
I have leadership but I don’t think it fits into a scientific interest. I’m going into my junior year next year. How do I link these into medicine or should I attend different activities?
try going to hosa or science olympiad. most bsmd will want science oriented clubs. focus on volunteering and research. try publishing a paper in a medical journal
My SAT has been cancelled twice due to COVID-19 . Does not submitting my test score diminish my chances of getting accepted bs/md ?
I’m currently in this same predicament
MysticGamer did you take any other standardized tests ? I didn’t . - also, I read that it depends on the college. Some are truly test optional whereas some aren’t; we may be okay
NYU accepts student without ACT and SAT scores due to the pandemic. I don’t know about other Universities
@@iisamartini3575 is nyu accepting without sat scores for bsmd program
Is it necessary to get clinical experiences and shadowing in order to get through this programme??
Certainly an expectation, though less so during the pandemic.
My gpa is 3.7 and I’m a senior in high school but I couldn’t take the SAT or the ACT because of CV19 I am 💯 sure I want to be a surgeon, should I apply???
Hello Furaha! If you're currently a senior in high school, chances are that the BS/MD deadlines have passed for you. However, you could look into early assurance programs once you're in college.
Not quite accurate. Northwestern does offer - even encourages - gap work.
As you mentioned, BS/MD programs are very selective in terms of accepting people. Your GPA and SAT/ACT scores has to stand out. However, how to the admission officers know that the GPA inflation between each schools? Meaning that obtaining a 3.8 GPA in a harder high school might be harder than obtaining a 3.8 GPA in an easier high school. Do high school prestige matter while applying?
They absolutely do consider this! Top schools have regional admissions reps that know different schools. Also, this is why standardized tests are so important; they help to compare students from school to school. Read this: www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/class-rank
Hi. My question may seem dumb because I am really confused about it. Question: are bs/md programs free. Really would appreciate it.
Not a dumb question! Unfortunately, BS/MD programs are not free but most offer financial aid to qualified matriculants.
@@Shemmassian thank you for your reply
Actually a few are. Such as wayne state university med Express.
Amazing and can you guide my kid 1:1
Can get into a BS for free as a national merit scholar. BS/MD pay full price. Would rather not pay. Subsequently, no BS/MD for me. Money determines it all.😩
Is a 3.9+ gpa enough to demonstrate academic excellence?
We assume that's unweighted and that you've taken challenging classes? If so, yes!
When can you apply to a Bs/MD program?
In Fall of your senior year of high school.
How much money it required
Hi Uzzal! BS/MD tuition varies greatly from school to school. I encourage you to contact the individual programs you're interested in to learn about expected tuition costs.
Are there programe harder for international students?
I'm indian BTW
Typically, yes, it's tougher to get into BS/MD programs as an international applicant
@@Shemmassian how can I significantly increase my chances ?
( more like become a shoo in )
I got into a BS/MD program and never watched this video
Well, congrats!
Jesus loves you all❤️, allow him into your hearts.
Nah allah ftw
“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38 NASB2020
I am happy you find love in Jesus, however this is not the place to promote religion to diverse people of many religious backgrounds looking to take the BS/MD program path ❤️