Hey! So I just got into UMich off their waitlist at LSA. I am currently enrolled in NOVA Southeastern’s BS/DO program, and I am not sure which one to choose.
On one hand, it is nice to have that guaranteed med, knowing how hard it is to get into med school. In addition, the program lets me apply out, so I can apply to an MD or a better medical college if I want to. Also, it has great medical opportunities in the area, and I can most likely rank higher at NSU than I would at UMich grades-wise. However, the social environment is not very great. In addition, I won’t be able to challenge myself as I would at UMich.
However, UMich will provide me with challenges to allow me to grow intelectly. Being surrounded by dedicated students will 100% motivate me to work hard. In addition, UMich is a T20 which may add weight during Med School applications if I am able to succeed, and the social environment is great, so I know I will have fun. Plus, going to UMich is an opportunity of a lifetime. Obviously, UMich has great internship and medical opportunities, but I would not have the security of knowing I will 100% go to medical school. In addition, it maybe harder for me to maintain my grades and compete with the other premeds at UMich.
I am STRUGGLING to decide, and I have until the 29th to decide, so PLEASE give me your insight on what you think I should choose.
Oh and another thing I forgot to mention is that I would rather be an MD than a DO, bc typically DO’s match into IM or family medicine, but I am not sure what type of doctor I want to be yet. I don’t want to choose NSU if it means limiting myself to IM or family medicine.
You are right. There is not a single MD out there (that I know) who wish they are DO. The same can’t be said the other way around.
But DOs can and do match into literally all the specialties. It may take some creative path, but it is possible.
I guess the problem you really have is do you take the sure thing and settle? Or do you gamble at UM for a potentially bigger reward? But risk not getting in at all.
Not gonna lie, I have never heard of NSU and had to look it up. But assuming you go there, graduate and match into whatever field you desire, no one will ever go and look up NSU. People do not usually look for doctors from Harvard or care where their PCP went to school.
If your end goal is to be a doctor and help people, I would say just take the sure thing and make the best of it. I have met lousy MDs from Harvard/Yale/Stanford as well as met wonderful people from regional DO schools names I can’t even remember. After learning the basics, most good doctors keep gaining knowledge and experience on their own – after a certain point, you don’t need people teaching you anymore.
But the main advantage of going to UM is the freedom to explore and develop other interests you may not know you have. Risk is then be distracted or risk poor performance that hinders future med school acceptance.
Note that NSUs BSDO requirements are pretty stringent and only about half students actually make it. So you’d be giving up 50% odds of DO, not 100%, for UMich.
A MA that works in our office just got accepted into a regional DO program since Northwestern said no. He wants to go into Cardiology. He wants to be a doctor. If your end game is to be a doctor then do that.
Michigan is all that and lots more. I am a regular on the thread. Many Many students that want to be doctors don’t make it past the first semester. One of things I tell students and families applying to Michigan is “It’s a really tough school”. It doesn’t get said enough. I am in Detroit for a family function and 3 cousins got in. I just told them last night the exact same thing. Congratulations but be careful what you wish for… Lol. Yes, you will absolutely be pushed by your peers. One of the main reasons my son went here.
It is a tough decision. Research more the chances of getting into a subspecialty you would enjoy being a DO. Because just because you go to Michigan and get in is still no guarantee you will end up doing what you want to either.
I think another biggy is cost. UMich is most likely more expensive than NSU.
Dd was accepted to NSU BSDO and LECOM Partner BS/DO. She choose totally sure thing LECOM (not MCAT), goes to Rhodes College, and cheaper medical school (LECOM) no option to apply out.
But she does not care about prestige and she wants to do Family medicine and help people.
Another thing to consider. If your are ORM take the sure thing.
Getting good grades is possible at Michigan. While it’s harder in STEM and weed out classes, it’s not unusual for LSA students to have great grades. Here are a couple of data points that might be interesting to you:
The second one from the LSA advising center explains the 2023 metrics for graduating with distinction. A full 25% of students have a 3.875 or higher. The GPA will be even higher once calculated for this year’s graduates.
If you were in a sure thing LECOM situation, this would be a harder decision, but if Michigan is affordable I would go that route.
The student doesn’t have that at NSU, either. He would still need to maintain a certain GPA, get a minimum MCAT score, apply, interview, etc. The skids are greased as the standards are lower than he might need otherwise, but NSU is not a guaranteed pathway. He would be rolling the dice in some other ways.
Understood - but they have a guaranteed pathway - or a path with guardrails vs. no path at Michigan…a path they had to newly create - is what I’m trying to say.
The bigger thing to me is the student is assuming they won’t be challenged at NSU.
Too many make assumptions based on school pedigree - and that’s not necessarily the case.
I would ask yourself how badly you want to be a doctor.
If you are 100% sure (although that could absolutely change) and do not want to risk it at all, then I would attend NSU. You can always transfer if you decide medicine is not for you and you do not like the school.
If you are not 100% sure or if you are willing to risk not getting into medical school…then choose Michigan. Keep in mind that if your grades are good, you can take a 1 or more gap years to continue strengthening your application before applying.
Are you an instate resident for Michigan? If so, I believe your costs will be far less there than at Nova.
I’m really not sure that most 18 year olds are 100% sure about this. But of course, some are. In my opinion, Michigan offers better opportunities for that Plan B in case the poster decides medical school isn’t what they want after all. But that is my opinion.
@confusedfuturepremed where would you prefer to spend your next four to possibly 8 years (Nova would be that 8 years)? Do you want to be in Florida for the next 8 years possibly, or would you be happier being at Michigan. Happy students do better than unhappy ones.
There are posters on this forum who have kids who were accepted at BS/MD programs but opted not to do them. Perhaps @srk2017 could comment or suggest another poster who can.
I agree that Michigan offers better opportunities for a Plan B in the event you change your mind…and you might. This is the reason why my kid did not apply to these programs.
Some, of course, know and never change their mind.
Would you be happy in Florida for 4-8 years?
I don’t think you will feel unchallenged at NSU. Rather, the bigger issue…to me…is where you prefer living, which school would be better for you if you change your mind, and how sure you are about being a physician.
NSU has become popular among many kids in my area that don’t make it into top schools. My understanding is that it’s guaranteed as long as they get a certain score in MCAT (and it’s lower than what’s by the top tier med schools). There is no secondary application or interview as far as I know. Yes, there’s a GPA requirement as well but none of the student’s I know had any difficulty meeting that requirement. Students complete the BS portion in the first 3 years and move on to the DO portion of their program.
In terms of location, I prefer florida. The weather is amazing, beaches are so close, and there are so many restaurants and shops to keep me busy when I’m bored. However, in terms of people, I think I would prefer michigan. Ofc I haven’t actually talked to most people on campus, but based what the upperclassmen I have talked to have said, I think I would like prefer spending time with people at UMich.
What would you do if you changed your mind about medical school? Which school would you prefer if that happened? College opens your eyes to opportunities and careers that you never thought about.
And- how would you feel if you attended Michigan for premed but did not get the grades you hoped for?
If you would enjoy living in Florida and believe (at least right now) that you 100% want to be a doctor, then maybe consider NSU. Won’t you have peers who were also accepted to the BS/DO program?