The Insider's Guide to Direct Admit Medical Programs

At seventeen years old, I received my first medical school acceptance. 

I grew up with an inkling that I wanted to be a doctor. As I navigated my science courses, laboratory work, and extracurricular experiences in the medical field, this inkling grew to a conviction, and I decided to apply to medical school during my senior year of high school through direct admit medical programs. Now a student in Northwestern University’s Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME), I know that applying to direct admit medical programs was the best choice for me. 

For highly motivated students committed to a career in medicine, direct admit medical programs are a great option. With over fifty colleges offering such programs, hundreds of high school seniors each year choose to forgo a traditional pre-medical experience for a combined BS/MD program, granting them a conditional seat at a medical school. Though all programs follow the general idea of early admission to medical school, each program’s requirements, values, and structures vary greatly.

Here’s some things to consider while choosing to apply to direct med programs: 

What is direct med? 

Combined BS/MD or BA/MD programs grant students a conditional acceptance to medical school. Students apply during the fall of their senior year of high school and receive their decisions during the late spring of their senior year. In many ways, students in direct admit medical programs enjoy a typical undergraduate experience, with similar coursework to their pre-medical peers. The only difference: they are committed to a medical school associated with the undergraduate college. Upon completion of degree requirements (often set by the medical school), students matriculate directly to the medical school. Some programs are accelerated, requiring students to complete their undergraduate studies in three years, while others are not.

Depending on the program, students may need to adhere to specific requirements (upholding a certain GPA, taking the MCAT, majoring in a natural science). While class sizes also vary by program, most programs host 10-20 students, fostering a close-knit sense of community and a high degree of mentoring. 

Why go the direct med route? 

For me, the choice to apply to direct med programs was fairly simple, given all the benefits of joining a program. The added comfort of a medical school acceptance, the freedom to explore interdisciplinary academic interests, the mentorship from medical schools that follows an early admission, and the sense of community that accompanies being in a small cohort for seven years made the decision to join a direct med program an easy one. 

Is direct med a good fit? 

While the promise of a seat in a medical school sounds enticing to all students interested in a career in medicine, the reality of direct admit medical programs may not appeal to all. Direct med programs are highly competitive, with the average program’s acceptance rate hovering below 5%. From supplemental applications to on-campus interviews, the application process is tricky and, at times, exhausting. 

Students should only apply to direct admit medical programs if they’re certain that medicine is right for them. Sure, it’s tough to be certain of anything when you’re eighteen years old, but there are ways to investigate whether or not medicine is the right fit. 

Exposure is the key to not only deciding whether or not medicine is right for you, but also to creating a successful direct med application. Shadowing, volunteering, and researching in the medical field allows you to learn about medical careers first-hand, giving you a look of the day-to-day in medicine. If you decide to pursue medicine after learning about the field through experience, then looking into direct med applications may be a good idea. 

Even if a student is fully committed to a career in medicine, there are additional factors to consider. Students in direct medical programs commit not only to their undergraduate school, but also their medical school when they choose to enter a program. While this consistency may comfort some students, others may value choosing their medical school after they complete their undergrad years. Direct med is also a major financial commitment. As students commit to one medical school, they forgo the opportunity to evaluate costs between different medical schools that do not offer such programs. If your home state does not offer any public direct admit medical programs, you lose the opportunity to pay in-state medical school tuition by committing to an out-of-state or private medical school. 

The bottom line: the decision to apply to direct admit medical programs is more complicated than the decision to pursue medicine. 

How do I choose programs?

When I applied to direct med programs, I was shocked by the great degree of variability of programs. Each program has a unique personality and attracts a unique cohort of students. Boston University’s seven year med program, for example, highly values an interdisciplinary, liberal arts education. Accordingly, students complete humanities and liberal arts coursework and are required to pursue a minor outside of the sciences. At my interview, I met so many students with unique academic interests outside of medicine. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s physician scientist program, however, emphasizes the importance of scientific research in medicine. Accordingly, they value students with research experience and require students to perform research in their undergraduate years. A student who would thrive in one program may not even receive an interview invitation to the other. It’s important to take note of how each program caters to niche interests, allowing you to find programs that fit your specific needs and goals in medicine. 

Not only does each program have a personality, but they also have unique and varying structures. Some restrict your major, while others don’t. Some require the MCAT, while others don’t. Some require you to finish in seven years, while others are completed in eight. Take note of these structural elements, as they’ll highly influence your experience in the program. One of the programs I was accepted to required both the MCAT and an interview with the medical school prior to matriculation. I opted for a program with a higher GPA requirement, but no MCAT or interview requirements. Other applicants I knew only applied to seven-year programs, while others filtered their search to eight-year programs. It all depends on personal preference, but be sure to do your research and evaluate your preferences. 

What does the application process look like?

Like structures, each program also has its own set of application requirements. Generally speaking, programs require a supplemental application and an interview, but the contents of the supplemental application and interview structures vary by school. Pay close attention to each program’s specific requirements; I recommend keeping track of them with a spreadsheet.

During my senior year, I applied to around 15 programs. Between supplemental applications for medical schools and my regular undergraduate applications, I wrote over a hundred essays. I also submitted my applications in the early fall, as many programs have fall deadlines as to allow time for interview selections. After submitting supplemental applications, I received seven interview invitations and decided to attend five. Interview season was hectic, to say the least. From the end of January to the beginning of March, I traveled to a different city almost every weekend. Though the process was exhausting, I made so many incredible memories and met so many interesting people on my travels. 

The application process seems intimidating, but with careful planning and organization, it’s manageable. 

Reflections from my time in a direct med program

After spending a year in Northwestern’s HPME, I can confidently say that direct med was the perfect choice for me. I experienced a lot of self-doubt during the application process; with programs being highly competitive, I was rejected. A lot. As decision after decision came out, I learned to embrace rejection and trust that things would work out. 

Fast forward one year, and I’m a student in the program I always dreamed of getting into. Without the added pressure of medical school admissions, I’m able to explore my interdisciplinary academic interests, from writing to gender studies. I don’t worry about jumping through the hoops of traditional pre-medical extracurriculars, allowing me to pursue activities outside of medicine that I’m passionate about. Though I’m required to maintain a high GPA, which isn’t always easy on the quarter system, I simply enjoy spending free time with friends, family, or on self-care without the added worry of medical school applications. Knowing where I’ll be for medical school while in my undergraduate years provides a certain ease that I know I wouldn’t experience as a typical pre-medical student. 

That being said, direct med is only one of many routes to medical school. If you decide that direct med isn’t a good fit for you, that’s okay. You can still pursue medicine. If you apply to direct med programs and don’t receive a single interview invite, that’s okay. You can still pursue medicine. I firmly believe that anyone who wants to pursue medicine for the right reasons will find their way into medical school, a journey that may look different for everyone. 

If you’ve decided to apply to direct med programs, good luck with upcoming application deadlines! You’ve got this. 

[by: Preeta Kamat]