Complete List of BS/MD & Direct Medical Programs

Direct medical programs, also called BS/MD or BA/MD programs, let you apply to undergrad and med school at the same time. Get in at 17, secure a conditional seat in med school, skip the future application circus, and move straight through, as long as you hit the GPA and testing benchmarks.

Why are they sexy? Certainty. Traditional premed is a gladiator arena: weed-out chem classes, MCAT obsession, 50,000 kids clawing for a seat. Direct med removes the biggest gamble. You get to build, research, breathe, without wondering if you’ll survive the bloodbath at 21.

Why are they brutal to get into? Because med schools are buying down risk. They want the kid who already looks inevitable. Acceptance rates often sit around 3 to 5 percent. You are up against valedictorians with real research, clinical hours, leadership, and testing that makes guidance counselors weep.

Now the fine print. You are committing at 17 to a decade-plus grind. Some programs box in your major, give you zero GPA wiggle room, or still make you crush the MCAT. Meanwhile, your friends are pivoting from econ to film to marine biology while you are locked in.

Powerful? Yes. Magical? No. This is a strategic move for students who are academically elite, emotionally steady, and absolutely sure medicine is not just impressive, but personal.

Here’s the list, and our breakdown.

The "Big Three" (Nationally Renowned)

• Brown University (PLME): 8 years. The most flexible. No MCAT, no GPA requirement to stay in (must just "pass"), and you can major in anything.
  • Requirements: Near-perfect GPA, 1500+ SAT/34+ ACT.
• Case Western Reserve (PPSP): 8 years. Very academic.
  • Requirements: Top 5% of HS class, 1500+ SAT/34+ ACT. Must maintain a 3.63 college GPA.
• Rice University / Baylor College of Medicine: 8 years. Only 6 seats available.
  • Requirements: Extreme focus on research and community leadership.

Accelerated & Regional Powerhouses

• Penn State / Sidney Kimmel (Jefferson): 7 years. You spend only 3 years in undergrad.
  • Requirements: 1470+ SAT, 3.5 college GPA maintenance, and an MCAT score usually around the 80th percentile.
• University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC): 6 years. One of the fastest paths.
  • Requirements: Stronger focus on regional students (MO, KS, IL), but open to all. No MCAT required.
• RPI / Albany Medical College: 7 years. A "Physician-Scientist" program.
  • Requirements: Strong science background, 1400+ SAT. No MCAT required for the medical school transition.
• University of Pittsburgh (GAP): 8 years.
  • Requirements: Top 2% of HS class, 1500+ SAT/34+ ACT. Must maintain a 3.75 GPA in college.

Northeast & Mid-Atlantic Programs

Temple University (Health Scholars): 8 years. You spend 4 years in undergrad, with an option to accelerate to 7 years after the first semester. Requirements: 1350+ SAT or 32+ ACT, 3.8+ unweighted GPA. Must maintain a 3.5 college GPA and earn an MCAT score around the 80th percentile (approx. 509+).

Hofstra University (4+4 Program): 8 years. A direct path to the Zucker School of Medicine. Requirements: 1410+ SAT or 32+ ACT, 3.7+ GPA and Top 10% of class. Must maintain a 3.6 college GPA; MCAT is required but used as a threshold (score must be at or above the 80th percentile).

Stony Brook University (Scholars for Medicine): 8 years. Integrated with the University Scholars or Honors College. Requirements: 1450+ SAT, near-perfect GPA. You must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 and a science GPA of 3.2 in college. The MCAT is generally not required for transition if GPA benchmarks are met.

Seton Hall University (Joint MD): 7 years. A partnership with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Requirements: 1400+ SAT or 30+ ACT, 3.6+ unweighted GPA. Must maintain a 3.7 college GPA and score in the top 20th percentile on the MCAT (approx. 510+).

Midwest & Southern Programs

University of Toledo (Bacc2MD): 7 or 8 years. An incredibly flexible program with no limit on the number of students accepted into the "pathway." Requirements: 1410+ SAT or 30+ ACT, 3.8+ unweighted GPA. To transition, you must maintain a 3.7 college GPA and score a minimum of 506 on the MCAT.

Saint Louis University (Medical Scholars): 8 years. Students apply as high school seniors to enter the "Scholars" track. Requirements: 1330+ SAT or 30+ ACT, 3.65+ GPA. Must maintain a 3.65 college GPA. You apply to the med school in your junior year with a "highly favored" status, provided you meet the MCAT threshold (usually around 511+).

University of South Alabama (Early Acceptance): 8 years. Focuses heavily on residents of the region and state. Requirements: 1260+ SAT (In-state) / 1360+ SAT (Out-of-state), 3.5+ GPA. Must maintain a 3.5 college GPA and score a minimum of 504 on the MCAT.

Augusta University (Professional Scholars): 7 or 8 years. A direct pipeline to the Medical College of Georgia. Requirements: 1450+ SAT or 32+ ACT, 3.7+ GPA. Strong preference for Georgia residents. Must maintain a 3.5 college GPA and hit the national mean score on the MCAT.

"The Catch" for Smaller Programs

• MCAT Thresholds: Unlike the "Top-Tier" programs (like Brown) that waive the MCAT, these regional programs almost always require it. However, they usually set a "minimum" score that is lower than what you would need for general admission.
• State Preference: Schools like Augusta, UMKC, and South Alabama have heavy "geographic" quotas. If you are an out-of-state applicant, your stats generally need to be well above the listed minimums.