Varun Srinivasan July 23, 2024 12 Pre-Med,Seven Year Medical Programs

A Complete List of All BS/MD Programs in 2024

What’s Covered:

• What Are BS/MD Programs?
• Is A BS/MD Program Right for You?
• How Hard Is It to Get Into BS/MD Programs?
• List of All BS/MD Programs
• Top 10 BS/MD Programs

Do you want to be a doctor? We have compiled a complete list of all BS/MD degree programs in the U.S., at private universities, state universities, and liberal arts colleges. If you’re already ready to commit to medical school, the following institutions will allow you to do exactly that!

What Are BS/MD Programs?

BS/MD programs allow students to simultaneously apply for 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 these joint programs are small, with exceptionally low acceptance rates–somewhere between 1-5%. No matter how strong a candidate you are, there’s a good chance you won’t be accepted, and don’t panic if you aren’t! The vast majority of medical professionals follow the more traditional path to medical school, by applying to an undergraduate institution first, then medical school separately.

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, for the guaranteed acceptance to medical school and, in some cases, the accelerated timeline. However, there are some pros and cons of this kind of program that you should consider before applying.

Pros

Guaranteed Acceptance: Applying to medical school is stressful–both the process itself, and the pressure throughout undergrad to earn as high a GPA as possible and polish your resume with prestigious research positions. 

Eliminating that stress can make your undergrad years more enjoyable, and give you the freedom to take advantage of opportunities like joining a student group that you otherwise might worry won’t boost your med school apps.

Efficiency: Many students take a gap year or two between undergrad and med school, to study for the MCAT and prepare their applications, which means with the traditional route, you could be looking at 10 years between starting undergrad and finishing med school. And that’s before factoring in additional training, through residency and fellowship. 

Streamlining this process, even by just eliminating the gap between undergrad and med school, will save you time, and allow you to start your career–and earning money–earlier.

Experience in Medicine: Medical school is extremely difficult, so the earlier you get real-world experience, the better. Through one of these programs, you’ll work with patients, doctors, and nurses, to gain valuable skills and knowledge that cannot be taught within the classroom alone.

Cons

Less Freedom During Undergraduate Studies: If you think you want to be a doctor, but also have interests unrelated to medicine, enrolling in a BS/MD program doesn’t make much sense, since your college experience will be structured around preparing you for medical school. You can always drop out of the program, but if you spend, say, a year in the BS/MD program, you’ll then have only 3 years to explore other paths, instead of 4. 

You’ll also be committing to one institution, and one city, for 6-8 years. Many students feel ready for a change after undergrad, or you might realize there’s another city that has especially good opportunities in your area of medical interest, but you won’t be able to explore other options.

Greater Time Commitment: The specifics of each BS/MD program can vary, but in some of them, you’ll be taking more courses than the average student. Many BS/MD programs, especially accelerated ones, require an extra course or two each semester, which can make it difficult to find the balance between work and play.

High Cost: Another reason many students take a gap year or two between undergrad and med school is to save up some money for living expenses during grad school, which typically doesn’t have the same financial aid opportunities. Even if you’re in an accelerated program, paying tuition for 6-8 years straight can be quite the burden to shoulder.

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 are very low, often below 5%.

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 low. If that’s you, you would likely be a stronger candidate for medical school after four years of college and on-the-job experience.

Even if your profile is highly polished, there’s no guarantee of acceptance. That doesn’t mean you won’t get into medical school, and going the traditional route could even end up being a better choice for you, for the reasons listed above. 

Finally, most joint programs require interviews for students who make it to the semi-finalist stage of the process. If you’re considering BS/MD programs, be sure you are ready to explain your readiness for medical school as a 17-year-old high school student.

BS/MD programs aren’t an all-or-nothing proposition, so if you don’t get in, just take a breath and focus on taking full advantage of the pre-med opportunities at your undergraduate institution.

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 actually guarantee admission to med school, but do give you a significant boost during the application process to the paired med school through exclusive opportunities for early application privileges.

Beyond the specifics of the BS/MD program itself, you should be comfortable with the institution as a whole. Remember, you’re committing to this place for 6-8 years, and the path to becoming a doctor is an intense one. Pay attention to factors like dedicated advising, student/faculty ratio, and overall campus culture, and honestly evaluate where you can see yourself thriving.

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–getting in doesn’t mean you can slack off in undergrad! Some may also require specific high school GPAs and standardized test scores for you to even apply from high school.

Top 10 BS/MD Programs

If you’re looking for the very best BS/MD programs out there, here are our top 10 picks. This list was created based on:

• Prestige and rank of the undergraduate school
• Prestige and rank of the medical school
• Program selectivity
• Caliber of accepted students
• Length of the program

To see more rankings, see our list of the top 22 BS/MD programs.

1. Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)

Undergraduate School: Brown University

Medical School: The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Length: 8 years

Brown as a whole is perhaps best known for its Open Curriculum, which allows students at the undergraduate institution to only enroll in courses that appeal to them–there are no general education requirements. PLME does not force its students to take the MCAT, so that they can have at least roughly the same academic freedom as their peers. The only academic criterion is that a minimum 3.0 GPA be maintained in biology courses.

The Alpert Medical School of Brown University, one of the most selective medical schools in the United States, offers the Scholarly Concentrations Program, which allows medical students to pursue a subject outside of the regular curriculum. Aging, bioinformatics, integrative medicine, and medical ethics are some of the available disciplines. Alpert also offers multiple M.D. dual-degree programs, including M.D./Ph.D., M.D./M.P.H., M.D./M.P.P., and M.D./M.P.A. programs.

Learn more about Brown University and see your chances of acceptance.

2. Pre-Professional Scholars Program (PPSP) in Medicine

Undergraduate School: Case Western Reserve University

Medical School: Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Length: 8 years

CWRU is a private institution located in Cleveland, OH. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.65—both overall and in math and science specifically—throughout their undergraduate career to graduate. The MCAT is not necessary, and no summer coursework is required since PPSP is not accelerated.

Students may choose from three different medical degree paths at the CWRU School of Medicine—the University Program (conventional four-year training), the College Program (which integrates research and clinical work), and the Medical Scientist Program (which combines an MD with a PhD).

Learn more about Case Western University and see your chances of acceptance.

3. Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP)

Undergraduate School: University of Pittsburgh

Medical School: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Length: 8 years

The Guaranteed Admissions Program (GAP) allows students to be promoted directly to the Pitt School of Medicine. Applicants must apply by November 1st of their senior year and must have a 1490 composite SAT or 34 ACT to be considered. Undergraduates in the GAP must maintain a 3.75 GPA in their undergraduate coursework and must seek out medically related experiences throughout their undergraduate years to remain eligible.

Learn more about the University of Pittsburgh and see your chances of acceptance.

4. Baylor2Baylor Medical Program

Undergraduate School: Baylor University

Medical School: Baylor College of Medicine

Length: 8 years

This program is only open to six high school students a year, and all of them are eligible for scholarships. Applicants must have superb academic credentials and a passion for learning; however, there are no required scores to apply. Once enrolled as undergraduates, students must maintain a high level of academic performance.

Learn more about Baylor University and see your chances of acceptance.

5. Rochester Early Medical Scholars (REMS)

Undergraduate School: University of Rochester

Medical School: University of Rochester School of Medicine

Length: 8 years

The University of Rochester has four other combined admissions programs, in education, engineering, epidemiology, and music, so you’ll likely find an environment that’s supportive of your intense, pre-professional path through undergrad. REMS students do not have to spend their summer studying and can instead concentrate on research, clinical experience, seminars, and social gatherings. Additionally, because there are no required courses, students may study a wide range of subjects and even double- or triple-major in the REMS program.

Learn more about the University of Rochester and see your chances of acceptance.

6. Connections Dual Admissions (BS/MD) Program

Undergraduate School: University of Cincinnati

Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Length: 8 years

The Connections Dual Admissions Program is dedicated to enrolling underrepresented students and is not an accelerated program. To qualify for admission, applicants must achieve a minimum score of 1270 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT in a single sitting. After being accepted into the Connections Program, undergraduate students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, and must take the MCAT.

Learn more about the University of Cincinnati and see your chances of acceptance.

7. Penn State Premedical-Medical (PMM) Program

Undergraduate School: Penn State University

Medical School: Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Length: 7 years

The PMM program is a seven-year joint program between Penn State University and Thomas Jefferson University’s Kimmel Medical College. The MCAT is a requirement for all PMM students—they must achieve at least a 508 composite on the MCAT (no lower than 127 on each component)—and they must also maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.

Most other colleges don’t have a pre-medicine major, but rather a separate pre-med track that includes the required coursework for medical school. Penn State, however, offers a Premedicine major that is designed to give prospective medical school students both a deep understanding of the sciences and an interdisciplinary perspective on medicine.

Learn more about Penn State University and see your chances of acceptance.

8. Seven-Year Dual BA/MD Program with GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (George Washington University)

Undergraduate School: George Washington University 

Medical School: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences 

Length: 7 years

The seven-year combined medical program at George Washington University offers students a Bachelor of Arts, rather than a Bachelor of Science like most other programs. While the distinction may seem insignificant, a BA generally gives you a more well-rounded perspective on a field, whereas a BS is more technical. If you have interests outside of medicine, this program could be a good fit for you.

Admission into the MD program is provisional rather than guaranteed. To be accepted to the MD program, students must maintain a minimum 3.60 overall GPA, have no grades of C or below in any science courses, provide an MCAT practice exam score from an online MCAT review, and participate in medically related service experiences during their time as an undergraduate at GW.

Learn more about George Washington University and see your chances of acceptance.

9. Temple University Pre-Med Health Scholar Program

Undergraduate School: Temple University

Medical School: Temple University School of Medicine

Length: 8 years, possibly 7 years (see website for more info)

Temple University’s Pre-Med Health Scholar Program can be completed in either 7 or 8 years, depending on your preferences and performance. Accepted Health Scholars can request consideration for the 3+4 accelerated track during their first undergraduate semester.

To be accepted to the Pre-Med Health Scholar Program, high school students must have four years of math and science classes, have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.8, and have demonstrated commitment to service/volunteer activities, as well as volunteered in health care settings.

Undergrads in the program must maintain a GPA of 3.6—both overall and in science courses—and earn a score of at least 509 (with no section less than 126) on the MCAT to confirm their provisional acceptance to the Temple University School of Medicine.

Learn more about Temple University and see your chances of acceptance.

10. Guaranteed Admission Program at Virginia Commonwealth University

Undergraduate School: Virginia Commonwealth University

Medical School: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

Length: 8 years

High school applicants must have a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA and an SAT score of 1330 or an ACT score of 29. In the past, successful applicants have also had an average of 450 hours of experience in medically related fields. While in undergrad, Guaranteed Admissions Program students must maintain a 3.5 GPA and earn a score of 508 on the MCAT. VCU is also committed to making sure students in the program gain experience relevant to medicine–every semester, there are requirements for community service and “healthcare related experiences.”

Learn more about VCU and see your chances of acceptance.

Do You Have a Balanced College List?

It’s important to have a balanced college list to maximize your chances of getting into a school which is a good fit for you. We recommend that students apply to 8-12 schools, with 25% being safety schools, 40% being target schools, and 35% being reach schools.

CollegeVine’s free chancing calculator is a useful tool for gauging your chances of acceptance at over 1,500 schools. Using factors like GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities, our chancing engine can not only help you assess your odds of acceptance but also provide tips on how to improve your profile.

While we can’t yet estimate your chances of getting into BS/MD programs specifically, we can help you understand your chances of getting in as a regular undergrad, which can help you build a balanced school list.