Is the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists legit?

Answered

In my experience, these "programs" are not legit, to an extent. I'm a junior right now and I've gotten about three of these nominations. I've also done my own research and have found that while these nominations are real, they hold no merit. Let me specify:

First off, yes it is absurd to have to pay $1k for these. The ones that I've gotten are around $3-4k. It is better to take that money and use it for something else.

From my research, if you do so choose to attend one of these conferences then you will get to experience everything that is said in the letter. However, (this is the most important factor) even though you get to go to one of these conferences, it holds no merit when you are applying to colleges. What I mean by this is that the colleges that you are applying to will not see this as anything important and it will not weigh into your admissions chance.

Lastly, these programs say that you will be mentored by physicians but from what I have read, it's more so just you listening to a bunch of people speaking.

In short, yes you get to actually go to a conference, however, they do not help with admission chances. Hope this helped!

TLDR: THESE PROGRAMS DO NOT HELP YOUR ADMISSION CHANCES.

The National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists is a for-profit corporation which, as you suspected yourself, essentially runs pay-to-play mentoring and conferences. None of their programs will give you a boost in the admissions process. It would look much better on your application to shadow physicians or attend medical professional conferences in your area. For advice, feel free to check out CollegeVine's complete guide to getting into medical school. Hope this helps!

NO. Don't waste.

Big Takeaway: No, delegate your money towards a better cause.

Congrats on your achievement! While there is no doubt the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists (website: https://www.futuredocs.com/) is a pay-to-play program, your acceptance is something to take pride in.

That being said, I also received a fanciful letter, and upon further research, this academy is not as selective as it advertises. It boasts once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, but only if you pay a whopping $975 or three installments of $325. A deposit that lofty should only be put towards something you 100% believe in.

If this event seems interesting, and you have the money to spare, I would go for it. However, you should reflect and decide if you are doing this simply to please an admissions officer or beef up your resume.

In the end, time and money are invaluable, so choose wisely. I recommend finding volunteer opportunities, internships, and job shadowing events, either in-person or online. Often, you can create these positions for yourself with a quick email or phone call. Setting up an internship that did not exist before shows initiative, and you take pride in your passions.

If you are still on the fence about the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists, I recommend skimming through this LA Times article about a similar award: https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus-20160129-column.html. (Title: Don’t expect this 'award' to help you enter college)

I think it is a for-profit organization. You won't benefit from any of their growdle programs in terms of getting into the school.

I also got this invite a few days ago, I will be attending. My counselor so it would be a good experience for me. It wouldn't necessary get me scholarships or admissions into college but it can help me with mentorships or any questions through the way. Its mainly for the experience. So if your looking for something to help you get into college, this isn't for you.

I have received the same thing a few days ago I dont know much about it so do lots of research