一个“保证”进入布朗大学医学院的道路

A short analysis of the only Ivy League bachelors direct to medical school program. The  PLME program at Brown, which includes matriculation into Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, is a highly selective eight year program which fosters learning through comprehensive, holistic academic studies.

Of course, many students aspire to being a physician, often thinking that this is the one path to helping others (it is not and we all know there are many, many careers for students who want to help people).  Certainly a noble profession, becoming a doctor takes many years — undergraduate degree, medical school, residency, specializations and continued work to maintain licensure.  And thus, one would hope to shorten the time spent in the classroom so that they can actually practice.  Though the Brown Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is not shorter than eight years (equal to the time spent in undergraduate and medical school studies), being assured of matriculation into a medical school does relieve some of the uncertainty about medical school (along with avoiding the time and money spent on the Medical College Admission Test, additional applications to medical school, and interview prep).  This is the only program of its kind in the Ivy League.  Thus, if you are an incredibly high achieving student with stellar academic credentials and know with certainty that medicine is the path for you, the Brown PLME program may be one to look at in depth.  

Admissions:

First and more importantly, yes, they do accept international students into the program.  The student applies in the senior year of high school, using a single application to Brown and PLME.  As an undergraduate applicant, students can apply both early decision and regular decision (deadlines around November 1 and January 5, respectively). Students to this program are required to complete the Common Application forms, and the  Brown Supplement which includes three required essays for PLME applicants.  A unique addition to this application is the video portfolio that students are encouraged, but not required to, submit.  As I have written before, if you have the opportunity to submit something optional, do it.  It always means giving admissions another piece of information about you.  

Academics

Brown is the Ivy known for its flexibility and fosters individuality and exploration in academics.  This is no different when a student is in the PLME program.  As an undergraduate student, you can pursue any major you would like, including the humanities and social sciences while also concentrating in areas like public policy.    The first four years in PLME, you would develop writing skills while meeting the requirements for the undergraduate degree (completing the bachelor’s degree in at least one concentration–what Brown calls the major).  Moving onto the ‘post graduate/medical’ portion of the studies in years five through eight, these years are focused on developing clinical reasoning and technical skills.

Admissions statistics

For the class of 2019, PLME had 2641 applicants, and accepted 94 students (3.6% admission rate), 61 of which matriculated into the program.  Applicant SAT and ACT scores were near perfect for all applicants.  

Summery

An excellent small and selective program, the PLME would offer students academic support through specialized advisors and a small cohort of peers. While this program does not shorten the time in college and medical school, having the assurance they will be in medical school after completing their senior year is certainly an appealing factor of this program. It is important to note that although students apply to both programs at the same time, if they are denied admission to PLME, they will still be considered for admission to the undergraduate program.   If Brown is your top choice because you are interested in both programs, do not apply early decision.  Since an application to PLME includes the application to the undergraduate college, if you are accepted early decision to the undergraduate college (but rejected to the PLME program), you are still bound by the early decision application.  To see specific entrance requirements for high school coursework, please visit their website.