Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Albany Medical College

AMC offers three programs. Each program has a specific focus. The Physician-Scientist Program with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute emphasizes research and is a 7 year program. The Leadership in Medicine Program with Union College focuses on leadership (as the name implies). The Science, Humanities and Medicine Program with Siena College focuses on volunteering.

All three programs don't have MCAT requirements. However, the RPI program requires students to do research the summer before entering AMC. The Union program requires students to spend two to three summers (depending on the degree they wish to obtain- MS or MBA). The Siena program requires students to spend a summer working in developing countries.

Admission Requirements:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Apply by November 1st
Selection for this program takes place during the senior year of high school. On graduating from high school, applicants must have completed four years of English; a year each of biology, chemistry, and physics, and four years of mathematics. SAT I and SAT II scores in mathematics (level IC or IIC) and one of the following three science subtests are required: physics, chemistry, or biology. Alternatively, ACT scores may be submitted. Laboratory research experience is also important.

Union College
  • Apply by December 1st
The most important credential for admission to the Leadership in Medicine Program at Union is academic excellence. The admissions committee considers only those applicants who have taken the toughest courses and received the best grades. Applicants are required to have completed courses in biology, chemistry, and physics in high school. From high schools which rank their students, ranks in the top ten percent are expected.Applicants for the Eight-Year Leadership in Medicine Program are required to complete and submit the scores for SAT and two SAT II Subject Tests. The SAT IIs should include one science and one mathematics test. The ACT can replace the requirements for both the SAT and SAT II. Testing requirements for the Leadership in Medicine Program are a combined 1950 or better on the SAT and a 650 or better on each of the SAT IIs. If a student chooses to submit the ACT, he or she must have a composite of 30 or better.

  • Apply by December 1st
Academics: Students must have a minimum SAT of 1950 (minimum of 1300 in critical reading and math) or an ACT composite of 30+ and rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. Once these threshold values are met the committee focuses on assessing the candidates' strengths in the following areas:
  • Scholarship
  • Leadership
  • Communication Skills
  • Commitment to Service
  • Potential Contributions to the Siena College Community
Volunteer Activities:
Letters of recommendation, personal essays and demonstrated service to the community then become the determining factors. Any student considering medicine should have health related experience. In the past successful candidates have been involved in a variety of human service activities:
  • Worked in soup kitchens
  • Cared for individuals with disabilities
  • Worked with children with special needs
  • Tutored inner city youth
  • Worked in homeless shelters
  • Volunteered in developing nations
  • Initiated a variety of community projects
  • Volunteered with the elderly

12 comments:

  1. My child has been attending Siena for 2 years and truly loves it even over 2 ivies. Everyone in program works together like a sports team even the upper classmen. There is no cut throat competition, no 200-300 hours of MCAT preparation. The program is real however, and if you can not keep a 3.5 gpa you get bounced. They go to social functions together in college and Med School and the Med school students give their apartments to the incoming freshmen. Albany is spending millions upgrading hospital with Apple like operating suites since it is trauma center for Southern most Canada, upstate NY and western New England.

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  2. Do you guys know about the accelerated program at George Washington University in DC? I am planning to apply to one more BS/MD program and wanted one I had a better chance at getting into and am stuck between Union College and GWU... If you guys could offer advice as to which is the "worse" one that'd be great becaues I would want to maximize my chances at getting in. Thanks!

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  3. If you must know, I would say Albany is easier to get into than GWU. However, I would apply to both schools to increase your chances.

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  4. Would you happen to know info of the Penn State 6 year accelerated program? Just as in how hard it is because I've never heard of it before (since Northwestern, Brown and Rice are the famous ones) and wondered if you knew how difficult it might be to get in. Thanks

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  5. I have a page on the PSU/Jefferson program. It is not as hard as HPME, PLME, or RIce/Baylor, but still quite difficult.

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  6. Is the 3.5 requirement evry semester for the amc programs carved in stone? are they a little flexible and give another semester to make up?

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  7. I don't know about Albany, but my program is strict on the GPA requirement. Once you dip below 3.5, you're done.

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  8. Hi, I was recently accepted into the Physician Scientist Program with RPI/Albany Medical College and was wondering if you could give me additional info on the program. It is a highly regarded program? Is it an middle to upper tier bs/md program? Do you know any information on the residency matches of the students in this program? I am having a difficult time deciding between the RPI/AMC program and the Biomedical Engineering Program at Johns Hopkins University. Any advice or comments you have would be appreciated.

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    Replies
    1. I would say RPI/AMC is a middle tier BS/MD program. You can find the residency matches of AMC with the help of Google and decide for yourself whether it looks impressive or not.

      If I were you, I would go with RPI/AMC. Johns Hopkins' program is notoriously difficult for premeds. Keeping up a good GPA at Hopkins is a lot more difficult than at RPI. In addition, the no MCAT at RPI/AMC alleviates even more stress of premed life.

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  9. Pretty good site. Thanks for compiling this info. I am a CA student compiling a list of ranks for my application for fall of 2015. How would you rank these schools?

    1) UMKC
    2) PSU/Jefferson
    3) UPitt
    4) UTB
    5) VCU
    6) SophieDavis
    7) Stonybrook
    8) RPI/AMC
    9) Union/AMC
    10) Siena/AMC
    11) Univ of Rochester
    12) TCNJ/NJMS
    13) BU - 7 yr
    14) NW - 7 yr
    15) Brown - 8 yr
    16) GW/GW
    17) SBU/GW
    18) Rice/Baylor
    19) Baylor/Baylor
    20) Case Western Reserve
    21) Univ of Taledo
    22) Drexler/Drexler
    23) Villanova/Drexler
    24) UMiami

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    Replies
    1. Except for perhaps Brown/NW/Rice/Case/Rochester.... the ranking is meaningless.
      But one should look at the GPA and MCAT requirements for each program.

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  10. You wouldn't be able to apply to Sophie Davis since it is only open to NY residents

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