Yash Kamani, a current student at Northwestern's combined undergraduate and medical school program, hosts today’s episode to give a quick intro to what a BS/MD direct program is. For anyone considering this path, he provides guidance on what questions to ask yourself in order to move through the process smoothly.

[1:03] What a direct program is.

At the crux of all direct programs is the idea of a conditional acceptance to medical school right out of high school. This means that once you are accepted into an undergraduate college, you’ll also have a conditional acceptance to a medical school sometime in the future. This allows for the skipping of the formal medical school application process.

[3:11] Requirements.

The conditions differ from program to program, but the two main ways are MCAT and GPA requirements. Some programs don’t require you to take the MCAT at all. Almost every program requires a certain GPA.

[6:27] What to think about regarding direct programs.

1. “Why do I really want this?”
2. “What would I do with more free time in college?”
3. “Do I understand and feel prepared to take on the challenges of being a pre-medical student?”

[8:47] More specific things to think about.

1. “How long do I want my undergraduate career to last?”
2. “What interests am I planning to pursue in college?”
3. “Am I willing to stay in the same college or place for a long time?”
4. “How important is the prestige of the undergraduate institution to me?”

Next time, we’ll do a deeper dive into all of the questions brought forth including how you should feel about certain answers. We’ll also hear more about the BS/MD pros and cons.