Instead of the traditional eight year route, 22% of the Students of Medicine premed program graduates this year were accepted into a seven year combined program. This rate is exceedingly high said Dr. Jimenez, the program’s founder. Students in these programs are guaranteed acceptance into medical school, not having to worry about “getting accepted” like most students during their last year of college. In addition, students finish the program and become doctors in one year less than the traditional route saving thousands in tuition money, as well as time. In the program’s first year, students took the course after they applied to college and one student was accepted into a combined program. This year the program was implemented the first month of the school year supplemented by several site visits by Dr. Jimenez. Dr. Jimenez stated, “We are extremely proud of these results. Our kids will grow up to be fine doctors one day, who will be caring for us when we get older!” The Bronx High School for Medical Science also saw their first Ivy League college acceptances with one premed program graduate going to the University of Pennsylvania, and another entering Columbia University on a full scholarship.

The premed program is centered on the organization’s new online premed course. The course spans 12 weeks where students receive guidance on the steps needed to get into medical school, either through an accelerated combined program, or through the traditional eight year route. Students also learn about the human body and common diseases like diabetes and cancer through assigned reading, lectures from physicians, and the Virtual ER. The very popular Virtual ER is a simulated Emergency Room developed by Students of Medicine, based on real life clinical scenarios where students reinforce what they learn each week by diagnosing and treating patients. One student said, “I knew I was meant to be a doctor by the way I treated my patients in the Virtual ER”. Students also get an early college experience by completing an online course similar to what is encountered by students at most universities around the country. This summer, Students of Medicine will make the course available to individual students anywhere in the US who wish to benefit from the tremendous guidance and resources it provides.