Bsmd

Experience in Medicine: Medical school is extremely difficult, so the earlier you can get real-world experience, the better. You work with patients, doctors and nurses while completing your undergraduate training and gain valuable skills and knowledge that cannot be taught within the classroom alone.

A Complete List of All BS/MD Programs in 2023

Are you interested in pursuing a career as a doctor? We have compiled a complete list of all BS/MD degree programs in the U.S. The list includes BS/MD programs offered at private universities, state universities, community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and other four-year degree programs (such as pharmacy or dental programs) where students are able to participate in dual-degree programs. Check out this complete list to kickstart your journey towards becoming a physician!

What Are BS/MD Programs?

BS/MD programs enable students to apply once to earn both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Typically, programs span eight years (4 undergrad + 4 med school), seven years (3 undergrad + 4 med school), or, less frequently, six years (2 undergrad + 4 med school).

Most often, the student gains both degrees at one university, but some programs pair degrees from two different schools. Be aware that the vast majority of the joint programs are small and have a very low acceptance rate, so they are not a guaranteed path for any high school student, no matter how strong a candidate the student is.

To learn more about BS/MD programs, watch one of our popular recorded live streams , led by a student in Boston University’s BS/MD program, or take a look at CollegeVine’s list of Best Colleges for Pre Med .

Is a BS/MD Program Right for You?

Many students are interested in BS/MD programs, which allow students to complete undergraduate and medical degree studies simultaneously. However, there are some pros and cons of this kind of program that you should consider before applying.

Pros

Guaranteed Admittance: Many applicants see themselves as competitive for admission into their school’s MD program. A BS/MD program is an easier path since you are guaranteed to be accepted into the medical school after your undergraduate degree.

Time Efficiency: Medical training can take up to 11 years, starting from four years of undergrad studies and then five years of medical school studies. If you are able to complete both degrees in six or seven years (and get a head start in your medical career), you will save both time and money.

Experience in Medicine: Medical school is extremely difficult, so the earlier you can get real-world experience, the better. You work with patients, doctors and nurses while completing your undergraduate training and gain valuable skills and knowledge that cannot be taught within the classroom alone.

Early Career Position: A BS/MD program offers the possibility to complete medical training one year sooner than students who pursue traditional undergraduate and MD programs. This can open doors for jobs that might otherwise be closed to you, such as working at a pharmaceutical company or becoming an attending physician at a hospital.

Cons

Less Freedom in Undergraduate Studies: You might have a very specific field of study that you enjoy and feel that is the best path for your career. A BS/MD program will require you to take requisite pre-med courses, which may not be relevant to your intended profession.

Greater Time Commitment: Not only are there more years required to obtain an undergraduate degree before medical school, but you will also be taking more courses than the average student at the same time. Many BS/MD programs require an extra course or two each semester, which can make it difficult to find the balance between work and play.

High Cost: Undergraduate studies and medical school are generally expensive on their own, so the six or seven years of a BS/MD program could cost even more. There are some scholarships and financial aid options available to students, but awards are often smaller than those in traditional four-year programs where there is still room for financial flexibility.

How Hard Is It to Get Into BS/MD Programs?

In a word, extremely. The BS/MD is the most sought after dual-degree program. Incoming classes are typically very small and acceptance rates very low, ranging from 1 to 10 percent.

Remember, many students mature and hit their stride in college, not high school. If your high school grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities are not stellar, the chances of you being accepted to a BS/MD program are much lower. If that description sounds like it could apply to you, perhaps you will be a stronger candidate for medical school after four years of college and on-the-job experience.

Also, most joint programs require interviews for students who make it to the semi-finalist stage of the process, so be sure you are ready to make your case for medical school as a 17-year-old high school student.

List of All BS/MD Programs

Study programs carefully. Note that some are targeted at specific demographics, such as students of color, first-generation students, or students from rural areas. Others pair undergraduate education in the U.S. with medical school in the Caribbean. Some programs do not guarantee admission to med school, but acceptance into the program greatly increases the likelihood of matriculation in the paired med school through exclusive opportunities for early application privileges.

Finally, be aware that all programs require undergrads to earn specific GPAs and some also require certain threshold grades on the MCAT to move on to the paired medical school. This is a long-term commitment! Some may also require specific GPAs and test scores from high school applicants.

Program Name

Undergrad State

Length in Years

Minimum GPA

Minimum Test Scores

BS/MD Programs: How to Get In

What is a BS/MD program and how hard is it to get in? Learn the strategies you need to make it happen, plus a complete list of BS/MD programs

Part 1: Introduction to BS/MD programs

Part 2: Is a BS/MD program right for my child?

Part 3: How hard is it to get into BS/MD programs?

Part 4: How to get into BS/MD programs: essays and application strategies

Appendix A: List of BS/MD programs

Appendix B: List of BS/DO programs

Part 1: Introduction to BS/MD programs

Though many aspiring doctors arrive at the decision to apply to medical school during college, some have dreamt of becoming a physician since childhood. Recognizing this, colleges and medical schools created BS/MD programs for high-achieving high school students who are ready to commit to a career in medicine.

BS/MD programs, also known as “direct medical programs,” allow students to earn a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) degree followed immediately by a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree—without having to go through a separate admissions process for medical school. Their benefits include a focused and sometimes expedited course of study free from the stress and uncertainty of the medical school application process.

Though BS/MD programs have notoriously low acceptance rates—typically ranging from 1 to 10 percent—they may be great options for college applicants committed to a career in medicine.

Fortunately, our team has nearly 20 years of experience helping students gain admission to BS/MD programs. In fact, we routinely receive messages like this:

“I have some good news to share—I was accepted into University of Rochester’s REMS program, Boston University’s SMED program, and Temple University’s PPHS program! I would like to thank you for your help with my essays and interviews.”

STUDENT ACCEPTED TO BS/MD PROGRAMS

“Good morning, I got into Penn State/Jefferson SKMC’s 7-year MD program and Boston University SMED. Thank you so much. “

STUDENT ACCEPTED TO BS/MD PROGRAMS

“Thank you for your help. [My son] has the following acceptances: Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Alabama Birmingham EMSAP, Albany Medical College through Union, and New Jersey Medical School (Rutgers, NJIT, TCNJ feeder school options).”
PARENT OF STUDENT ACCEPTED TO BS/MD PROGRAMS

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• The pros and cons of BS/MD programs
• How to determine if they’re right for your child
• Strategies for getting in
• Complete lists of BS/MD and BS/DO programs

What is a BS/MD program?

A BS/MD program is a program in which an undergraduate institution and a medical school partner, allowing students to gain admission to both straight out of high school. BS/MD students typically earn both degrees—a BS (or, occasionally, a BA) and an MD—from the same university, though some programs, such as the Brooklyn College/SUNY Coordinated B.A.-M.D. Program and the Penn State-Jefferson Accelerated Premedical-Medical Program, pair degrees from two different institutions.

Many BS/MD programs take eight years—the same amount of time a student would normally spend getting a BS and MD through separate programs. However, some programs are completed in seven years, meaning students can enter residency programs sooner. There are also a few six-year BS/MD programs in the United States, though they are becoming increasingly rare due to the breakneck pace required to complete them.

During the undergraduate portion of nearly any BS/MD program, students will be required to fulfill standard premed course requirements in the sciences. However, some programs grant undergraduates a great deal of freedom in regard to their majors and class selections while other programs have a well-defined course of study.

For example, students in Brown University’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) are able to choose any major (including humanities degrees), ranging from chemistry to history. On the other end of the spectrum, Drexel University’s BA/BS + MD Early Assurance Program is open only to students who choose specific science and engineering majors such as biomedical engineering or psychology.

Though students who are accepted to BS/MD programs don’t need to worry about applying to medical school at the end of their undergraduate years, that doesn’t mean they can rest on their laurels through college. Nearly all BS/MD programs have GPA requirements that students must meet as a condition of their acceptance into the medical school. Many programs also require their undergraduates to take the MCAT and achieve a certain minimum score.

Students who fail to meet these requirements will typically be allowed to graduate with a BS but won’t be permitted to move on to medical school through their BS/MD program and will instead have to go through the standard medical application process.

Part 2: Is a BS/MD program right for my child?

Pros of BS/MD programs

For the right student, BS/MD programs can offer several advantages over a traditional path to medical school.

First and foremost is the ability to avoid the stressful, competitive medical school application process while simultaneously completing an undergraduate degree. Because BS/MD students are relieved of the pressure and uncertainty that accompany the application cycle, they’re often able to focus more intently on their premed studies. Similarly, in programs that don’t require their students to take the MCAT, such as those at Brown, University of Rochester, Case Western Reserve, and University of Pittsburgh, students are able to bypass the stress of preparing for the exam.

Additionally, because BS/MD students have already been accepted to medical school, they may feel a greater sense of freedom as undergraduates to explore academic interests outside of the scope of science and medicine without worrying about how this will appear to medical school admissions committees. This can give future doctors a more well-rounded education.

Some BS/MD programs also offer their students special opportunities for learning, networking, and service. For instance, Brown’s PLME has enrichment activities which include healthcare-oriented study abroad, research assistantship opportunities, community service, fellowships, and more.

BS/MD programs tend to be quite small, with some accepting as few as 4–7 applicants per year, like the University of Cincinnati Connections Dual Admissions Program. Even BS/MD programs on the larger side typically number under 100 students per incoming class. Because students spend seven or eight years with a relatively small cohort, they have the opportunity to become part of a tight-knit community within a larger institution.

As noted above, some BS/MD programs can be completed in fewer than eight years, which can save time and money spent on tuition and application fees.

However, it’s worth noting that the pace of these accelerated programs often entails taking summer courses in order to cram an undergraduate education into three or fewer years, such as at Rensselaer Polytechnic’s Seven-Year Physician-Scientist Program. Nevertheless, an expedited timeline may be an incentive if your child hopes to begin their professional life as soon as possible.

Cons of BS/MD programs

Despite these many benefits, BS/MD programs are not right for every student interested in medicine. Not only do they require spending seven or eight years studying one topic and living in one place, they also require students to have the maturity and self-knowledge to essentially commit to a lifelong career at age 17 or 18.

For many if not most students, college is a time of valuable academic exploration and self-discovery. If your child is not 100 percent committed to a career in medicine, they would be better off applying to a traditional four-year undergraduate program.

Another potential disadvantage of entering a BS/MD program is the fact that students must commit to one school all the way through their MD, rather than selecting an undergraduate school and medical school separately. This, along with the relatively limited number of BS/MD programs (approximately 70, compared with over 7,000 undergraduate institutions in the United States), means that students can’t be as picky as they might otherwise be in regard to the cultural and academic fit of a school. Plus, in some cases, students may end up having to choose between the long-term assurance of a BS/MD program and a spot at a more prestigious undergraduate institution.

If a student commits to a BS/MD program and decides it’s not a fit, they may be able to “apply out” to other medical schools. Some programs are non-binding, meaning that they don’t prohibit their undergraduates from applying to other medical schools. Other programs explicitly state that students cannot apply to other medical schools while retaining a seat in their program. If your child chooses to enter such a program, they’ll want to be certain that they are committed to completing it.

If your child excels in math and science and loves the idea of helping others, they might want to become a doctor, but they might also want to become a cancer researcher or an engineer who creates lifesaving medical devices. So, how can you child know that a career as a physician is right for them? Shadowing a doctor or volunteering at a hospital can provide your child with great insight.

In general, if your child is considering BS/MD programs, they should talk to their college counselor or admissions advisor to find as many ways as possible to be immersed in clinical environments. This will both help strengthen their application and ensure that medicine is truly a perfect fit. We’ll talk more about extracurriculars shortly.

How much do BS/MD programs cost?

Parents often ask us if a BS/MD program will come with a different price tag than regular undergraduate tuition at the same university. For the vast majority of programs, the answer is no—BS/MD tuition and regular undergraduate tuition at the same school cost the same amount.

That said, the price of tuition can vary significantly between different BS/MD programs depending on factors like whether the institution is public or private. If your child is able to gain acceptance to a BS/MD program at a public university in your state, in-state tuition may save your family tens of thousands of dollars per year compared to a private BS/MD program.

For instance, consider 2022–2023 undergraduate tuition for two BS/MD programs in New York State, one private and one public: the University of Rochester’s Early Medical Scholars Program costs $60,550, whereas in-state tuition at Stony Brook University’s Scholars for Medicine Program is $5,279.90.

As a BS/MD applicant, your child can of course apply for financial aid just like any other college applicant. Plus, some BS/MD programs are even part of honors colleges or other special programs that offer specific scholarships to accepted students.

There is one free BS/MD program that we’re aware of: Wayne State University’s Med-Direct Program provides eight years of paid tuition for the ten lucky students accepted each year.

Part 3: How hard is it to get into BS/MD programs?

The competition to get into BS/MD programs is fierce, with acceptance rates as low as 1 percent at top-tier, small programs such as Case Western Reserve University. Even a top program on the large end of the spectrum like Brown, which accepts 90 students per class, still has a daunting acceptance rate of 3.6 percent.

Generally speaking, you can expect most BS/MD programs—especially those at schools with prestigious names—to accept fewer than 5 percent of applicants.

And while a less selective BS/MD program like the University of Missouri–Kansas City has an acceptance rate around 9 percent, it’s worth noting that this figure is on par with the undergraduate acceptance rate to Cornell and other prestigious colleges like Williams, Swarthmore, and Harvard. All in all, BS/MD programs’ extreme selectivity is due to the fact that they receive hundreds or thousands of applications for relatively few spots.

That’s why competitive applicants need to have exceptional grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Though the majority of programs state that they assess applications holistically, successful BS/MD applicants will typically have a GPA at or near 4.0, rank in the top 5 percent of their graduating class, and achieve a 95th percentile or higher score on the ACT or SAT.

Even if your child meets these high standards, bear in mind that the vast majority of BS/MD applicants will also have excellent test scores and grades. As such, truly exceptional extracurricular activities and glowing letters of recommendation, particularly from science teachers and professionals in the healthcare field, can help give your child’s application a boost.

Standing out through BS/MD extracurricular activities

When it comes to extracurricular activities, your child should commit to one or two instead of dabbling in a variety of areas in order to seem well-rounded. This is especially the case for BS/MD applicants, for whom demonstrating a real commitment to medicine is so important. As such, the extracurricular activities of successful BS/MD applicants will demonstrate their passion for science and helping others.

The very best extracurriculars for BS/MD hopefuls will also show that the applicant has spent time exploring and diving deep into specific interests, resulting in a unique extracurricular profile, rather than signing up for activities in order to check the right boxes.

For instance, if your child loves working with kids and is interested in practicing children’s medicine, they might want to volunteer at a pediatric hospital as well as start an organization that fundraises for kids with cancer. If they are intrigued by the public policy side of medicine, interning at the local public health office would be a great way to explore this subject. Depending on what areas of public health grab their interest, they could then proceed to something even more specific, like volunteering at a vaccination clinic for the homeless.

(Note: While our guide to the best extracurriculars for medical school is geared towards undergraduates applying to med school, BS/MD applicants will also find it useful for learning about the different types of extracurriculars that are relevant to medicine, such as research, clinical experience, community service, and more.)

An added benefit of a focused approach to extracurriculars is that being “the best” at a certain activity becomes less important. Whether your child’s activities take the form of one big project, such as a long-term research assistantship for a science professor, or a variety of different activities that revolve around a central subject, becoming a specialist will show a level of commitment that will both help your child stand out and demonstrate that their passion for medicine is well-founded.

What about BS/DO programs?

Just as DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degrees provide another path towards becoming a physician, students looking into direct medical programs may want to consider BS/DO programs, such as those at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine or Nova Southeastern University, as an alternative to BS/MDs.

BS/DO programs are similar to BS/MD programs in that they also allow students to gain acceptance to an undergraduate school and a medical school at the same time. The major differences between the two types of programs lie in their levels of selectivity and the different philosophies that inform osteopathic vs. allopathic medicines.

Because BS/DO programs are less competitive than BS/MD programs, they may be worth looking into if your child is interested in a direct medical program but does not have the grades and test scores to gain acceptance to a BS/MD program. Nevertheless, being admitted into a BS/DO program will still require an applicant to demonstrate a strong academic performance. Typically, this means a GPA of 3.5 or higher and an SAT score above the 90th percentile.

The other reason to look into BS/DO programs is, of course, if your child has a specific interest in osteopathic medicine, in which patients are treated more holistically and in which doctors receive additional training in osteopathic manipulative treatment. Though DO graduates have slightly more difficulty matching into residencies, particularly in competitive specialties outside of primary care, once graduates are actually practicing medicine, the two degrees are effectively the same.