BS/MD program offers an alternative route to med school

By Puja Punukollu | Staff writer

For most people, the path to becoming a physician follows a fairly predictable timeline. Students complete four years of undergraduate education, prepare for and take the MCAT, potentially take one or two gap years, apply to medical school and then begin another four years of training.

By the time many students start medical school, the average entering age is around 24, and by the time they graduate they are often approaching their late twenties.

At Augusta University, though, a select cohort of students take a different route.

Through AU’s BS/MD program, students move through undergraduate education and medical school on an accelerated pathway that shortens the traditional timeline. Instead of navigating a long and uncertain application cycle, students transition directly from their undergraduate studies into the Medical College of Georgia. The structure of the program creates a clear path forward and removes much of the stress that typically surrounds medical school admissions.

For many of us, that means entering medical school earlier than the national average and graduating sooner. It also makes the journey financially smarter. Spending fewer years in school and avoiding multiple application cycles can reduce the overall financial burden that often comes with pursuing medicine.

But what surprised me the most was something I did not initially expect. Because of the way MCG’s accelerated curriculum is structured, I felt like I still had the chance to pursue many of the experiences people usually take a gap year to explore.

Many students who follow the traditional route spend a year or two traveling, doing research, working in healthcare or exploring other interests before medical school. I always thought choosing an accelerated pathway might mean missing out on those kinds of experiences.

In reality, it often felt like the opposite. The flexibility within the curriculum gave me opportunities to travel, take on new projects, and pursue what I like to call a few “side quests” along the way. Whether it was exploring new professional opportunities, getting involved in unique projects, or simply stepping outside the classroom to experience something different, the structure of the program made those things possible.

The accelerated path did not mean sacrificing opportunity. In many ways, it meant reaching those opportunities earlier.

Another strength of Augusta University’s approach is that these accelerated programs are not limited to medicine alone. AU also offers a BS/DMD pathway for students interested in dentistry, allowing them to transition efficiently into the Dental College of Georgia. Like the BS/MD program, it provides motivated students with a direct and focused route toward their professional training.

At the same time, students are not limited to just one academic track. Many medical students at MCG choose to pursue additional degrees alongside their MD, such as a dual MBA or MPH, which I was able to do. These programs allow students to gain experience in areas like healthcare leadership, management, and public health while continuing their clinical education. For those interested in shaping healthcare systems or policy, these opportunities can be just as impactful as the clinical training itself.

Programs like the BS/MD and BD/DMD pathways reflect a broader shift in how universities are thinking about professional education. By identifying motivated students early and giving them a structured path forward, Augusta University helps reduce some of the uncertainty, inefficiencies, and inequities that often come with traditional admissions cycles.

For those of us who have been part of these programs, the experience has been both practical and meaningful. Many of my peers and I have been able to move through medical school at a pace that is both academically rigorous and financially sensible, while still finding time to pursue the experiences that shape us outside the classroom.

While the average medical student may begin their training at 24, students in Augusta University’s accelerated programs are already deep into the journey a few years earlier. And, along the way, we have still managed to explore, grow and take on the kinds of opportunities that make the path to medicine uniquely our own.

Contact Puja Punukollu at MPUNUKOLLU@augusta.edu.

(Puja Punukollu is Graduate SGA president and the reigning Miss Augusta University. She is an MD/MBA student.)

Programs like the BS/MD and BD/DMD pathways reflect a broader shift in how universities are thinking about professional education. (photo by Alexandr Podvalny/Unsplash)