Overview
BS/MD (and BS/DO) programs guarantee admission to medical school at the time of undergraduate admission. Students skip the MCAT and the med school application cycle for undergrad years, though most still require the MCAT before entering med school. Programs range from 6 years (accelerated) to 8 years (traditional length).
Who Should Consider These
- Students absolutely certain they want to be physicians
- Students with strong STEM aptitude (top 1-2% of class, 1500+ SAT / 34+ ACT, multiple science APs with 5s)
- Students willing to commit at age 17 to an 8-year path
Famous Programs
- Brown PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education): 8 years, no MCAT required
- Northwestern HPME (Honors Program in Medical Education): 7 or 8 years
- Rice/Baylor Medical Scholars: 8 years, highly selective (<5% admit rate)
- Penn State/Jefferson Premedical-Medical: 7 years
- Boston University 7-Year Liberal Arts/Medical: 7 years
- Case Western Reserve Pre-Professional Scholars: 8 years
- University of Rochester REMS: 8 years
- USC Baccalaureate/MD: 8 years
- UC San Diego/Salk Medical Scholars: 8 years (California residents preferred)
- Hofstra/Northwell: 8 years
- RPI/Albany Medical: 7 years
Application Components (Beyond Regular Undergrad)
- Additional essays (often 2-4 extra) about medicine commitment
- Medical shadowing or clinical experience (usually 100+ hours minimum)
- Research experience (strongly preferred)
- Medical-focused extracurriculars
- Interviews at both undergrad and medical school levels
Deadlines
Most BS/MD applications are due November 1, aligned with early action/ED deadlines. You cannot apply late; the medical school component closes first.
Financial
Most BS/MD programs do not offer separate scholarships; you pay undergrad tuition at the undergrad rate. The value is in the guaranteed med school seat (and saving 1-2 years at accelerated programs).
Backup Plan
Acceptance rates are 1-5%. You should apply to at least 8 regular undergrad schools with pre-med programs as a backup. Students who don't get into BS/MD programs can still apply to medical school the traditional way and often get in with strong undergrad records.
Strategic Considerations
- Many students who don't get BS/MD offers benefit from the accelerated preparation anyway
- If you're not 100% sure about medicine at 17, these programs are probably not for you - they usually require staying on the med path (GPA minimums, MCAT requirements)
- Some programs allow students to drop out of the med school guarantee if they change majors - check each program's policy
Research Now
Start a spreadsheet with: program name, length, deadline, GPA/test minimums, required essays, required clinical hours, campus visit requirements, interview format.