The Truth About Combined Undergrad and Medical School Programs

Despite being 5 months into my first year of pediatric residency, I still get tons of questions about my experience as a BSMD student. So I guess it’s time to blow the cobwebs off of this blog to answer the most frequently asked questions in depth.

What is a BS/MD (Bachelor’s of Science/ Doctor of Medicine) program?

The BS/MD program is a combined undergraduate and medical school program that accelerates the process of becoming a doctor for students who are pretty confident early on that they want to pursue a career in medicine. To become a doctor, students traditionally would complete a four year bachelor’s degree followed by a four year medical degree. This doesn’t take into account that most students often take a gap year or more between undergrad and medical school to study for the MCAT (medical school entrance exam) or gain real world experience working or traveling. This means that becoming a doctor can take anywhere from 8 to 10+ years!

BS/MD programs accelerate this process, guaranteeing that students can become doctors in 6 to 8 years max.

I participated in the program at Howard University, one of two institutions nationally that offers a six year program. Howard’s program consists of 2 years and one summer of undergrad followed by 4 years of medical school. I completed all of my med school pre-requisites and took the MCAT by the end of my sophomore year of undergrad. I started medical school when I was 20 years old in what would have been my junior year of undergrad. The rest was history.

How did you hear about the program?

I heard about the BS/MD program through family friends who had already completed the program at Howard. I also read up on the program online and followed the instructions to apply during my senior year of high school. The application for the BS/MD program is totally separate from the application to apply for undergrad admission. Before being accepted into the BS/MD program, you have to also be accepted to Howard for undergrad.

What scores did you make in high school? How did you get in?

I made decent scores on my standardized tests in high school. I made a 2030 on the SAT and a 29 on ACT. I was also a National Achievement Scholar with a 4.38 GPA. With these scores, however, I didn’t receive an offer to interview for the program. I was still offered admission to Howard University for undergrad on a full ride scholarship. I enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and selected Biology as my major, still committed to the pre-med track.

That summer before starting my freshman year, I was invited to participate in an academic enrichment program on campus for students interested in healthcare. I went, and long story short, ended up meeting the program director for the BSMD program. I did pretty well in the program and was offered another interview. At Howard half of BS/MD students are selected before freshman year begins and the other half are accepted after their first semester of undergrad. I was accepted with the second batch of students.

What was your experience like? Was it stressful?

My experience in the BS/MD program had its fair share of ups and downs. As expected, it was pretty challenging at times. In order to fit in all my premed pre-requisites in two years, my course load was much heavier than a that of a traditional biology major. I took at least 18 credits each semester, including 15 credits the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. By my last semester of sophomore year, I was taking 24 credits AND studying for the MCAT. The work was challenging, but doable. The biggest challenge was just in balancing so many classes at one time. Thankfully most of my non science classes were interesting and pretty straight forward. I enjoyed them for the most part like the true nerd I am.

One of the most challenging classes I took was organic chemistry. I was required to take both orgo I and orgo II in 8 weeks over the summer. We learned a new chapter every day and had an exam and quiz every week. By the end of that summer my brain was fried (I was also taking Orgo lab and Spanish I/II). There was just way too much info to process. I got grades so low I didn’t even know what letter they corresponded to. I probably cried every other day. I ended up pulling off an A in the class thanks to the curve (turns out a lot of people were struggling more than I was). Ask me a question about orgo today, and in the words of KeKe Palmer, “I wouldn’t know a thing.”

I tried my best to balance life and school in undergrad. I still took every opportunity to hang out with my friends and be “normal”. I slept well for the most part and worked out regularly. I made it out to parties, on campus events, and pep rallies. I was a member of a few clubs, even president of an org at one point. I never missed homecoming. I played flag football for a semester. I went on trips. I made it to concerts and movie nights. Not all the time, but I took advantage of any free time I had.

Was it worth it? Do you have any regrets?

Overall, the BS/MD program was worth it in that it allowed me to achieve one of my biggest goals (at the time): becoming a doctor. It came with tons of sacrifices. Sometimes I just wanted to do hood rat things with my friends, not study for biochemistry. I wanted to study abroad for a semester or apply for a cool non medical internship. This list goes on.

I enjoyed biology, but I was also interested in writing, business, and even fashion. Before coming to Howard, I couldn’t conceptualize how to make a career out of any of those interests and by the time I saw other students doing it in undergrad, it was too late. I’d already committed to this program and career. I felt a responsibility to complete the journey that my family and friends had been supporting me through. At the end of the day, I made the decision to finish what I’d started.

In the end, medical school was an amazing adventure of its own. I met cool people, traveled a lot (4 countries and 20+ states), partied more than I did in undergrad. Sure, I spent most of my time studying, but I still had A LOT of fun (I mean come on y'all it's Howard).

My advice to anyone considering applying for a BSMD program is to make sure you’re fully committed to medicine. Getting locked into these programs is a huge commitment and can be really demanding. For focused and dedicated students, these programs are perfect! But for students like me who had other interests, these programs can become stressful and frustrating when you don’t have the time to explore other interests.

If you’re passionate about anything more than you’re passionate about medicine then purse that passion. Don’t apply for this program to impress others or to please your parents. This program will require a lot from you and you have to decide if it’s worth the sacrifice. You only get one life to live, and you owe it to yourself to find what makes you happy.

If you’re sure about medicine, then by all means apply for the BS/MD program!

If not, then take your time and think about the future you truly want for yourself. Use undergrad as an opportunity to learn about what you’re good at and what you’re passionate about. If it’s medicine, then you can always apply to medical school. There’s no need to rush the process if you aren’t completely sure.

With all this being said, I’m still so grateful for my experience. I know a lot of people wish they’d had a similar opportunity, so I don’t take it for granted at all.