A BS/MD program is a direct medical program enabling students to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science (the BS portion) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) within 6-8 years, directly out of high school. This omits the need to endure the medical school admission process, which is a grueling process encompassing the MCAT, numerous medical school applications and interviews, and most probably, rejection. The undergraduate and medical school may be from the same institution or from different institutions collaborating to provide medical education to students.
Pros of a BS/MD program
No rigorous Medical School application process or MCAT
The medical school application process is one abounding in primary and secondary applications, interviews, and the MCAT. Unsurprisingly, students do not want to bear the transition from an undergraduate university to medical school; the BS/MD program enables them to “skip” the time-intensive process and save money used for applications. The MCAT or Medical College Admissions Test takes 3-6 months to study for and a large amount of money, just for an average score that might be lower than the general matriculant. It is crucial to remember that BS/MD programs are selective and have a difficult admission process, but this will only be done once compared to the medical school application process.
An accelerated timeline
The typical route to obtain an M.D encompasses four years of
undergraduate school is to earn a bachelor’s degree and four years of medical school to earn a ‘Doctor of Medicine'. While a select amount of BS/MD programs involve eight years of coursework, several programs have lowered this number to seven or six years. These programs might involve summer courses to decrease the time allotted to undergraduate education, but comprehensively, this is less time-intensive relative to separate undergraduate and medical schools.
Flexible undergraduate course selection paired with decreased stress
An individual who goes to a separate undergraduate program with aspirations to pursue a career in medicine will tailor their resume and course selection to highlight an interest in the sciences and research, and they often struggle to take a humanities course. While no student should be doing that, BS/MD programs allow students to take classes from diverse backgrounds (social sciences, humanities, science, etc..) as long as they complete the required courses and meet the GPA standards (approximately 3.5). This results in a decreased amount of stress, and some would describe it as “weight off your shoulders,”.
Cons of a BS/MD program
Decreased exposure to medicine
Undergraduate and medical school programs are extensive; they demand large amounts of work and commitment, making them extremely selective. When an applicant is accepted into a BS/MD program, they will have a decreased amount of exposure to medicine during undergraduate and will have little to no exposure in high school. Essentially, students do not know if medicine is fit for them or if they are fit for medicine until they are substantially exposed to it. Yes, students can drop out of a BS/MD program, but it is heavily frowned upon as students should not apply until they are 100% sure this is the career path they wish to embark on.
Compromised skillset and limited options
Working hard in undergraduate programs assists in building character, helps develop strengths, and obtain goals (in this case, medical school). High School students are not fully developed or matured, and they have a limited perspective on life and do not know if they made the right decision until half a decade later. BS/MD program students will not endure the same pressure as undergraduate students, won’t study endlessly for the MCAT, and are not influenced to work hard in their classes.
Admission Selectivity with lower-tier programs
There is a lack of BS/MD programs across the nation relative to the 100 medical schools students have the opportunity to attend. This attributes to only 4-5% of BS/MD applications being admitted to the program. Furthermore, if a student does gain admission to a BS/MD program, they need to ensure that they are comfortable with the undergrad and medical school setting, and are fine staying in the same location for eight extensive years.
What BS/MD programs are available?
The list below provides an elaborate list of the BS/MD programs, how long they are, and what they entail. Remember that 4 out of 100 BS/MD program applicants will gain admission; it is okay to take the traditional route if you are rejected.
Overall, BS/MD programs exhibit advantages and disadvantages, and it is crucial to choose a medical school plan that would bring you the most satisfaction and enjoyment.
Sources
Jubbal, Kevin. "Are BS/MD Programs Worth It? Pros and Cons." Med School Insiders. 08 Feb.
2021. Web. 18 Apr. 2021.
<https://medschoolinsiders.com/pre-med/pros-and-cons-bs-md-programs/>.
Sundquist, Kate. "A Complete List of All BS/MD Programs." CollegeVine. 05 Mar. 2020. Web.
18 Apr. 2021.
<https://blog.collegevine.com/a-complete-list-of-all-bs-md-programs/>.
Sundquist, Kate. "Pros and Cons of a Bs/md Program." 09 Mar. 2020. Web. 18 Apr. 2021.
<https://blog.collegevine.com/pros-and-cons-of-a-bsmd-program/>.
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