Not in my experience.
However, there's something to be said for a broader liberal-arts education. Indefinable, surely, but perhaps of value.
OTOH, did taking courses in geography, philosophy, economics, German make me a better doc? Nope.
Looks like Northwestern shut down their program.
Interesting post here.
I am a parent, and a physician. I would say that most students, at the age of 17 ( when they make the decision to accept , most are not 18 ) do not really know why they want to become a physician ( don't forget, going to these schools imply that you have chosen the career path PERMANENTLY ). Most students are motivated by the prestige of being a physician,and the parental ( stress parental ) pride that comes from going to medical school. This country's medical system needs good,self-motivated physicians.
I am also voluntary faculty at a med school, one with a 6 yr program ( but I don't sit on the admissions committee ).
I went through 4 years of premed at a top US News and WR university, and consider it to have been a major galvanizing experience . There are learning opportunities there( not necessarily academic ) there for any capable student, one not available when you go to a 6 yr program. Although in the 6 yrs, you're into that med school on day 1, you have to still complete undergrad at THAT institution.
Consider this, firstly, the 6 yr med students are usually in a glass cage when they go to that school, the undergrads don't know how to relate to them, and the regular med students too, because they are always part time on each campus, and have a different curriculum , and different advisors. Thus , their friends are limited to those in the program, maybe, 10 per year. Compare that to an undergrad class of 1000-2000. I know, because that's the way we saw those students when our school used to have a 7 yr program ( they got rid of it, much to their credit ). I took a class with these 6-7yr students, along with some undergrad friends of mine, the professor was a distinguished professor emeritus of the med school. Guess what, all the undergrads got As, and the 6 yrs got Bs. Shows motivation, and learning, I feel. Those 6yr med students were not pressured to get the grades, because they were already IN ! They squandered the opportunity to learn. Actually, they were robbed of the opportunity.Competition is a GOod thing.
Some premeds didn't make it, the college experience helped them decide that. That is necessary, in our system of education. I consider not getting into med school a learning experience, (albeit a sometimes difficult one ), one that should not be short circuited.
Look at the list of 6 yr programs. None are prestigious medical schools ( yes,Brown and Northwestern are NOT prestigious MED schools, look em up ), and all but 2 are at prestigious colleges. Worse,at Sophie Davis' 6 yr, you go to the CUNY campus , Stonybrook, you go to a SUNY campus (along with 40,000 other students).
Most of these schools added a 6 yr program in order to get students that normally wouldn't have gone there. Would you go to Meharry or CUNY over HYP, Penn, Wash U? I hope not.
If the student is talented enough to get into a top USNWR undergrad college, as most of them are, on this thread, then they are talented enough to successfully navigate the premed curriculum, and get into med school the usual way.
I am counseling my daughter to not apply to these programs. She wants a career in biology, possibly medicine, has SATS 1 & 2 in the 760s, and is in the top 2-3% of her class at a well known HS. I want her to learn ( academically, intellectually, and interpersonally) for the benefit of HER future, not mine.
