Drexel DPMS 2014-15

[iamshedoctor]

Hey all...

This program is super awesome... (at least from what I hear). There wasn't an updated thread so I figure I'd start one.

https://www.drexelmed.edu/Home/Acad...calPrograms/DrexelPathwaytoMedicalSchool.aspx

This is your typical Post-Bacc Program. Take a few course, boost your GPA/stamina in the hard sciences. The program has gotten super competitive, and is geared MAINLY towards URMs. Apps are due in April.

Anyone else applying?

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[FutureDoctor008]

Hey!

Glad you started this new thread for the upcoming 2014-2015 application. I learned about this post-bacc not too long ago and I know that I am definitely applying!!

 

[drexel.chla.usc]

Hi,

I am an applicant to Drexel DPMS program and I am extremely excited for any possible chance of getting into this program more so than any other program that I am expecting because I believe this program fits exactly my current situation and how I want to matriculate into medical school. Although I am unsure about my chances due to the fact that I came out with a low MCAT score last year. Can someone please break it to me whether I have any chance or no chance of being considered into the program. Here are my stats:

I calculated my math/science GPA based on the BCPM calculations and it came out to be 3.22
When I took my MCAT 2 years ago, I had Verbal 7; Biology 8; and Physics 7. Total of 22.
When I took my MCAT last year in August, I got Verbal 6; Biology 7; and Physics 3. Total of 16.

I know Drexel mentioned they look at the most recent MCAT scores of nothing lower than a 6 but I believe my low score was due to the fact that I suffered emotionally due to the death of my father July of last year. I made sure I mentioned this situation as a disadvantage in my application but I don't know if this can possibly change any chance of consideration for my acceptance or interview.

Aside from numbers. I am someone who studied abroad in Japan for a year during my junior year and worked in a clinic in Japan operated by one of my relative (I am not Japanese by the way, so it was a brand new cultural experience for me). I had one year and 200+ hours of volunteering in an emergency department at USC Los Angeles County Hospital and also worked 3 months in a dental clinic. During my senior year of undergraduate, I was accepted into CIRM (California Institute for Regenerative Medicine) internship program for stem cell research and worked at City of Hope Hospital as a research intern investigating a disease called sickle cell anemia for 6 months. After my internship experience, I was hired by Children's Hospital Los Angeles as a research specialists to further advance my research based on stem cells on a cancer called retinoblastoma. I continued to work there ever since and 3 short years flew by. I really want to refocus my original goal of becoming a medical practitioner but I became so involved in research and lacked the time to carefully prepare for MCAT and application, I am now in a position where I am ready to fully dedicate all my academic efforts and want to take the next step of my career. And I believe Drexel DPMS program is the place to start.

Long story short. Due to that 3 in my Physics. Did I lose all my chance of expecting any consideration for me into this program? I guess I just want to know the answer so that I can decide if I can continue to put my hopes up for Drexel DPMS or simply just refocus to get that MCAT score up again.

I appreciate if anyone can give me any advice or insight on what I can expect with what I have to offer.

Thank you.

 

[kaygeebee]

Hi,

I am an applicant to Drexel DPMS program and I am extremely excited for any possible chance of getting into this program more so than any other program that I am expecting because I believe this program fits exactly my current situation and how I want to matriculate into medical school. Although I am unsure about my chances due to the fact that I came out with a low MCAT score last year. Can someone please break it to me whether I have any chance or no chance of being considered into the program. Here are my stats:

I calculated my math/science GPA based on the BCPM calculations and it came out to be 3.22
When I took my MCAT 2 years ago, I had Verbal 7; Biology 8; and Physics 7. Total of 22.
When I took my MCAT last year in August, I got Verbal 6; Biology 7; and Physics 3. Total of 16.

I know Drexel mentioned they look at the most recent MCAT scores of nothing lower than a 6 but I believe my low score was due to the fact that I suffered emotionally due to the death of my father July of last year. I made sure I mentioned this situation as a disadvantage in my application but I don't know if this can possibly change any chance of consideration for my acceptance or interview.

Aside from numbers. I am someone who studied abroad in Japan for a year during my junior year and worked in a clinic in Japan operated by one of my relative (I am not Japanese by the way, so it was a brand new cultural experience for me). I had one year and 200+ hours of volunteering in an emergency department at USC Los Angeles County Hospital and also worked 3 months in a dental clinic. During my senior year of undergraduate, I was accepted into CIRM (California Institute for Regenerative Medicine) internship program for stem cell research and worked at City of Hope Hospital as a research intern investigating a disease called sickle cell anemia for 6 months. After my internship experience, I was hired by Children's Hospital Los Angeles as a research specialists to further advance my research based on stem cells on a cancer called retinoblastoma. I continued to work there ever since and 3 short years flew by. I really want to refocus my original goal of becoming a medical practitioner but I became so involved in research and lacked the time to carefully prepare for MCAT and application, I am now in a position where I am ready to fully dedicate all my academic efforts and want to take the next step of my career. And I believe Drexel DPMS program is the place to start.

Long story short. Due to that 3 in my Physics. Did I lose all my chance of expecting any consideration for me into this program? I guess I just want to know the answer so that I can decide if I can continue to put my hopes up for Drexel DPMS or simply just refocus to get that MCAT score up again.

I appreciate if anyone can give me any advice or insight on what I can expect with what I have to offer.

Thank you.

Hello..i'm kinda in the same boat. when i spoke to someone in the office, she said the committee looks through the entire application before making a final decision. hopefully it all works out!

 

[DragonDoc2018]

Hey all!

I'm glad to see you are interested in DPMS. I'm a current DPMS student and am almost set to matriculate to the school next year-- if I can pull Bs in Anatomy and Physiology this semester (fingers crossed)! For your reference, my stats were 2.9 cum and 2.9 sci, V 6 PS 8 B 8. I know some people in the program who had lower gpa and MCAT than is stated in the application so it's true they really do look at the whole picture so don't hesitate to apply. If anyone is unclear, this program is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to get into to medical school. It is geared toward providing an opportunity for URMs OR Economically/Socially disadvantaged students to prove that they can handle a medical curriculum. But we have students from all different backgrounds, all different stories, and all different races (black, white, hispanic, asian etc.) Depending on what track you end up in, you need to get a 3.0 overal gpa in the following classes:

Fall Semester-
Medical Biochemistry
Medical Physiology I
Graduate Pharmacology

Spring Semester-
Medical Physiology II
Anatomy
Medicine and Society

And then for Track 1 students you must get an MCAT of:
Verbal 7
Physical Sciences 8
Biology 8

For track 2 students you must take Medical Immunology in the Fall and Spring and PASS the class, or attain a 70%. Immuno doesn't count toward gpa, it's a pass fail for DPMS.

You do those things and you are in medical school! It's a doable program but it's much more difficult than it sounds. Put in the work and you're good to go.

To answer a couple questions so far:

@ Drexel.chla

Yes go ahead and apply. It's really all about how you tell your story on the application and how you present yourself in the interview.

If you have any questions especially during interview time, don't hesitate to PM me or post questions on this forum and I'll answer them when I can!

Good Luck

 

[whyorwhynot]

Hi DragonDoc!

I am also interested in applying to Drexel DPMS this year (and I'm actually taking my MCAT tomorrow for the first time...frightening!). I am extremely nervous that I may not be qualified or may not get into the program, so I wanted to ask some (a lot >< of) questions:

1) When did you apply, and when did you find out that you got in?
2) Is there a GPA/MCAT maximum?
3) How do you pay for the program? Do you know if FAFSA or other student loan options can be used to finance the program?
4) How did you deal with housing?
5) How was the summer portion of the program?
6) Where else did you apply? (I apologize if this conveys lack of interest; Drexel DPMS is by a landslide my #1 choice but my other options are very limited, and I wanted to know if you investigated into other programs as well.)

 

[DragonDoc2018]

@whyorwhynot

Hello,

Good luck on that MCAT! Hopefully this reply can serve as good information for other applicants as well.

1) I am kind of a procrastinator-- I didn't find out about the program until mid April when I knew I wasn't going to get into any schools I started looking into postbacs. I discovered that there were postbacs that granted direct admission to a med school upon completion and then went all out trying to find those. I somehow stumbled upon DPMS and saw it was by far the best opportunity. I know some other programs are similar at Georgetown and The Ohio State. I applied on the last day available to apply late April and, got the interview invite the first week of May and then interviewed at the end of May, then heard back in mid June.
2) There is no gpa or MCAT maximum. However if you have scores competitive enough for med school acceptance like a 3.5+ and a 30+ you would probably not get accepted because you already have a strong chance getting in the traditional route. Generally DPMS students either had below average stats or a high gpa and low MCAT or vice versa. At the same time, every story is different and they do review the whole application so I encourage you to still apply if you think you're a good fit for the program.
3) The program is something like$25,000 or more with living expenses its around $50,000. There is no FAFSA or Pell grants for graduate school so you'll be paying for it either out of pocket, or with Grad Plus loans. Grad Plus loans for Drexel will give you enough for tuition, and $21,000/year for ALL living expenses-- food, rent, transportation. That's something I didn't know before coming into school-- I thought I could take out however much I needed, but you can only take up to whatever the med school deems "the cost of living."
4) Housing was kind of a pain, especially for me because I was definitely part of the economically disadvantaged bunch-- but if you start looking early and get good roommates and find the good deals you can end up with a nice location and nice price. If you plan on having a roommate plan on spending $600-$800 for rent if you live by Queen Lane (where the medical school is) or $900-$1500 in Center City where you take all of you classes for the DPMS year. If you want to live alone in Queen Lane plan to spend $700-$1000, and if you're alone in the City probably like $900-$1800. There are good deals out there for sure, some people are only paying like $500, you just have to research a lot. But trust me, they'll tell you not to worry about looking for places till the end of summer-- start looking the first week! Seriously! If you live by Queen Lane it's cheaper, but pretty isolated from grocery stores, restaurants, or anything fun. There is a shuttle that runs from Queen Lane to Center City like every 15 minutes or so, but I'd recommend having a car if you live in Queen Lane. The school has a website that helps you find apartments/houses in the area. I used Craigslist to finally find a place... as I said I'm a procrastinator.
5) The summer portion is really what you make it. It's a fantastic opportunity to get a head start and learn the material for the first 2 exams in the Fall for Biochem and Physio. Biochem is an 8 credit class and can easily make or break you so if you can get a head start on it and do well on the first few exams it will make your life a WHOLE LOT EASIER. But it's very hard to take the Summer portion seriously, because you'll be in the city with a lot of fun stuff to do and it'll be very nice outside. At the same time it's very important to get to know your fellow DPMSers and have a little fun before life hits you hard in August. It's very possible to do both, go to the required lectures in the mornings, maybe study for a couple hours in the afternoon and then just hang out and go do stuff with the other DPMSers for the rest of the day. Essentially the summer portion is the first semester's material crammed into 6 weeks. You see all the same material you will see in the semester, so it's an opportunity to try to develop study habits, study groups, and get a sense of how the semester will go. You are provided with dorms, all the guys will live on a floor and the ladies on another. THERE IS NO MEAL PLAN OR FOOD OF ANY KIND PROVIDED. I found that out the hard way. So be sure to bring stuff to cook with and any sort of kitchen essentials. I liked the summer for sure, it was super fun. It was great to relive the Freshmen days and have a good time in the dorms, except this time there are pretty much no rules (but remember always be responsible and professional).
6) I applied to many med and DO schools and didn't get interviews to anywhere. My stats were just too low. DPMS is actually the only postbac I applied to, it was kind of a thing where I was like-- "ok well, I've already been rejected by the whole world, what's one more rejection?" so I sent in the app basically the day it was due and somehow got in! But there are definitely other programs similar to this as I mentioned in #1. But if you look for other programs find the ones that have a direct linkage to the school and you're good to go.

But I love the people in my program so much, and this whole process is probably the most fun I've ever had. I still have to pass the MCAT and get the grades for this semester, but things are looking up. Hopefully I answered some of your questions. Feel free to ask whatever you need to.

 

[whyorwhynot]

@whyorwhynot

Hello,

Good luck on that MCAT! Hopefully this reply can serve as good information for other applicants as well.

1) I am kind of a procrastinator-- I didn't find out about the program until mid April when I knew I wasn't going to get into any schools I started looking into postbacs. I discovered that there were postbacs that granted direct admission to a med school upon completion and then went all out trying to find those. I somehow stumbled upon DPMS and saw it was by far the best opportunity. I know some other programs are similar at Georgetown and The Ohio State. I applied on the last day available to apply late April and, got the interview invite the first week of May and then interviewed at the end of May, then heard back in mid June.
2) There is no gpa or MCAT maximum. However if you have scores competitive enough for med school acceptance like a 3.5+ and a 30+ you would probably not get accepted because you already have a strong chance getting in the traditional route. Generally DPMS students either had below average stats or a high gpa and low MCAT or vice versa. At the same time, every story is different and they do review the whole application so I encourage you to still apply if you think you're a good fit for the program.
3) The program is something like$25,000 or more with living expenses its around $50,000. There is no FAFSA or Pell grants for graduate school so you'll be paying for it either out of pocket, or with Grad Plus loans. Grad Plus loans for Drexel will give you enough for tuition, and $21,000/year for ALL living expenses-- food, rent, transportation. That's something I didn't know before coming into school-- I thought I could take out however much I needed, but you can only take up to whatever the med school deems "the cost of living."
4) Housing was kind of a pain, especially for me because I was definitely part of the economically disadvantaged bunch-- but if you start looking early and get good roommates and find the good deals you can end up with a nice location and nice price. If you plan on having a roommate plan on spending $600-$800 for rent if you live by Queen Lane (where the medical school is) or $900-$1500 in Center City where you take all of you classes for the DPMS year. If you want to live alone in Queen Lane plan to spend $700-$1000, and if you're alone in the City probably like $900-$1800. There are good deals out there for sure, some people are only paying like $500, you just have to research a lot. But trust me, they'll tell you not to worry about looking for places till the end of summer-- start looking the first week! Seriously! If you live by Queen Lane it's cheaper, but pretty isolated from grocery stores, restaurants, or anything fun. There is a shuttle that runs from Queen Lane to Center City like every 15 minutes or so, but I'd recommend having a car if you live in Queen Lane. The school has a website that helps you find apartments/houses in the area. I used Craigslist to finally find a place... as I said I'm a procrastinator.
5) The summer portion is really what you make it. It's a fantastic opportunity to get a head start and learn the material for the first 2 exams in the Fall for Biochem and Physio. Biochem is an 8 credit class and can easily make or break you so if you can get a head start on it and do well on the first few exams it will make your life a WHOLE LOT EASIER. But it's very hard to take the Summer portion seriously, because you'll be in the city with a lot of fun stuff to do and it'll be very nice outside. At the same time it's very important to get to know your fellow DPMSers and have a little fun before life hits you hard in August. It's very possible to do both, go to the required lectures in the mornings, maybe study for a couple hours in the afternoon and then just hang out and go do stuff with the other DPMSers for the rest of the day. Essentially the summer portion is the first semester's material crammed into 6 weeks. You see all the same material you will see in the semester, so it's an opportunity to try to develop study habits, study groups, and get a sense of how the semester will go. You are provided with dorms, all the guys will live on a floor and the ladies on another. THERE IS NO MEAL PLAN OR FOOD OF ANY KIND PROVIDED. I found that out the hard way. So be sure to bring stuff to cook with and any sort of kitchen essentials. I liked the summer for sure, it was super fun. It was great to relive the Freshmen days and have a good time in the dorms, except this time there are pretty much no rules (but remember always be responsible and professional).
6) I applied to many med and DO schools and didn't get interviews to anywhere. My stats were just too low. DPMS is actually the only postbac I applied to, it was kind of a thing where I was like-- "ok well, I've already been rejected by the whole world, what's one more rejection?" so I sent in the app basically the day it was due and somehow got in! But there are definitely other programs similar to this as I mentioned in #1. But if you look for other programs find the ones that have a direct linkage to the school and you're good to go.

But I love the people in my program so much, and this whole process is probably the most fun I've ever had. I still have to pass the MCAT and get the grades for this semester, but things are looking up. Hopefully I answered some of your questions. Feel free to ask whatever you need to.

This was exceptionally helpful, thank you! I'm 3 days out of MCAT mode, and hopefully my score is high enough to apply (goodness if it's not I may just cry...)!
Hopefully this time next year I'll be at DPMS!

 

[DragonDoc2018]

This was exceptionally helpful, thank you! I'm 3 days out of MCAT mode, and hopefully my score is high enough to apply (goodness if it's not I may just cry...)!
Hopefully this time next year I'll be at DPMS!

Well congrats! I hope you had a little fun and relaxation. Don't stress too much about the score, as I said the "requirements" on the application are not set in stone. For example, there are people who haven't taken the MCAT that got in, and someone got in with a 16 and is doing great in the program. There are plenty who had gpas lower than the "minimum" too. So it really mainly comes down to how you present yourself in the application and on interview day. The directors know that life happens, and if you show that you really want to be in medical school and that you need DPMS to be successful, then the numbers will carry very little weight in the final decision.

 

[FutureDoctor008]

@DragonDoc2018

Is there a limit to how many track 1 and track 2 students are admitted? I know that the website says a "small cohort of 25 to 45 students" are admitted but how do they choose how many of each type of student they admit? Is it like half track 1 and half track 2 or does it not matter and people are admitted based on their overall application regardless of track?

 

[DragonDoc2018]

@FutureDoctor008

As far as I know there's not really a limit or a quota for each track. We had 43 total this year, there are a few more Track 1 than 2. It's more based on overall application.

 

[YourMD]

Great information on this thread. I will also be applying to this program. Although I have completed 130 credits of my bachelor's in Biology I still don't have a degree. I also don't plan on taking the MCAT until April. Will this be an issue?

Stats with grade forgiveness:
cGPA 3.15 sGPA 3.0
Stats with grades averaged:
cGPA 2.9 sGPA 2.8

I'm currently retaking a few courses I failed my first semester of college so these stats will increase slightly

SMDEP Summer internship (2010)
100 hrs physician shadowing (2010-2014)
180 hrs pharmacy volunteer (2013)
50 hours hospice volunteer (2011)
Worked as a patient care technician 2 years (2007-2009)
pharmacy technician 6 months
Volunteer world health initiative - present

What do you guys think regarding my chance of acceptance?

 

[gard2013]

Well congrats! I hope you had a little fun and relaxation. Don't stress too much about the score, as I said the "requirements" on the application are not set in stone. For example, there are people who haven't taken the MCAT that got in, and someone got in with a 16 and is doing great in the program. There are plenty who had gpas lower than the "minimum" too. So it really mainly comes down to how you present yourself in the application and on interview day. The directors know that life happens, and if you show that you really want to be in medical school and that you need DPMS to be successful, then the numbers will carry very little weight in the final decision.

@DragonDoc2018 Hello! Could you explain a little bit more about the circumstances surrounding individuals who haven't taken the MCAT that got in? Are they still eligible to matriculate to the med school if they take the MCAT before finishing the program? When I sent an email to the program director stating my intention to take an April 2014 MCAT exam, she said it would be too late for me to apply. Any advice or suggestion? I am very interested in applying this cycle...

 

[DragonDoc2018]

Hey guys,

I will inquire more about the case of the people with no MCAT. I don't know the exact details, but I do know there are a couple who didn't take it. I know it's definitely not a common thing, and that special circumstances were probably involved. But I will see what sort of info I can get. It also varies year to year. My point was that those requirements listed on the application aren't completely set in stone and that if you think you're a good fit for the program-- if you are a URM, or you feel like you feel like you were economically/socially disadvantaged throughout childhood, or college, or have something about you that's preventing you from getting into school the traditional route, then go ahead and apply because I know that exceptions are made for people depending on their story.
I'm pretty sure the app ends late April so if you take it early April it might work out. If you really want to go for this program and aren't concerned with getting a great score (30+) then you can take it sooner, get whatever score you get and apply to DPMS. If you get in, you can always retake it again before the start of the school year in August and try to get that 7 8 8 score, and then switch to track 2 if you want so you'll never have to worry about it again. I understand if you want to apply to other schools too, you may not want to rush it and focus on getting the best score possible. If you're going for DPMS honestly an 18-23 should be pretty attainable! Something to think about. Pretty sure there were some special circumstances with this person I'm talking about, but I'll get back to you on that.

 

[p12034]

Hi DragonDoc!

my stats are 2.7 sGPA (my gpa freshmen and sophmore yr was 2.5 and below, after my junior yr it increased and I have been on deans list for the past 1.5 yr)
cummulative is 3.1 cGPA

im planning on taking mcat august 2014 [i want to give it my all and am trying to score 35+]

volunteer expeirence (2 yrs) more than 200+ hours
research expeirence in lab (6 months)
internship for 6 months in a chemical laboratory
part of 4 diff programs
-AAMC
-MAPS
-GB
-HM
also did volunteering at a clinic and shadowed an MD (+300hours)
also worked at clinic for free (basically volunteering and learned alot from the doc)

im goin out of country this june for 9 days for a great opportunity abroad for medicine experience

im very determined i want to do med school

1. What are my chances?
2. do you only do applications in april, none in the fall????
(meaning, I can only apply in april for the program and no other time? bc I really want to do great on my mcat once and
for all and never have to take them since score is valid for three yrs)

Hey all!

I'm glad to see you are interested in DPMS. I'm a current DPMS student and am almost set to matriculate to the school next year-- if I can pull Bs in Anatomy and Physiology this semester (fingers crossed)! For your reference, my stats were 2.9 cum and 2.9 sci, V 6 PS 8 B 8. I know some people in the program who had lower gpa and MCAT than is stated in the application so it's true they really do look at the whole picture so don't hesitate to apply. If anyone is unclear, this program is a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to get into to medical school. It is geared toward providing an opportunity for URMs OR Economically/Socially disadvantaged students to prove that they can handle a medical curriculum. But we have students from all different backgrounds, all different stories, and all different races (black, white, hispanic, asian etc.) Depending on what track you end up in, you need to get a 3.0 overal gpa in the following classes:

Fall Semester-
Medical Biochemistry
Medical Physiology I
Graduate Pharmacology

Spring Semester-
Medical Physiology II
Anatomy
Medicine and Society

And then for Track 1 students you must get an MCAT of:
Verbal 7
Physical Sciences 8
Biology 8

For track 2 students you must take Medical Immunology in the Fall and Spring and PASS the class, or attain a 70%. Immuno doesn't count toward gpa, it's a pass fail for DPMS.

You do those things and you are in medical school! It's a doable program but it's much more difficult than it sounds. Put in the work and you're good to go.

To answer a couple questions so far:

@ Drexel.chla

Yes go ahead and apply. It's really all about how you tell your story on the application and how you present yourself in the interview.

If you have any questions especially during interview time, don't hesitate to PM me or post questions on this forum and I'll answer them when I can!

Good Luck

 

[Tech2MD]

I'm planning to apply to this program too. My MCAT score expired so I took it again in Jan. I'm waiting for the scores. Has anyone submitted their app yet?

 

[DragonDoc2018]

@p12034

Hi,

Your numbers and experience are definitely good enough to get into DPMS. As I mentioned though, it's more about your story than your numbers. Are you a URM? Were you disadvantaged growing up? What is it that made your situation less than ideal that is keeping you out of medical school, and stopped you from applying the traditional way? If you can tell your story effectively, then you will be successful. I'm pretty sure the application opens in Fall or Winter then goes through April of the next year. All the details of that stuff are up on the website. But if you planned on applying for the 2014-2015 cycle, you would need to apply this year by April.

That would be incredible if you get a 35+ and you would then have a TON of options. However you would most likely not be considered for DPMS because you'd have an excellent chance getting in to schools the traditional way. While the scores among us do vary, the average person is a 3.0 student with a 20-25 MCAT. But we've all proven in some way that those numbers are not reflections of our intelligence or work ethic, but rather consequences of circumstances/life events that were out of our control. It's basically a program designed to give an opportunity for people who can't really get one, a chance to prove themselves. So for the most part if you're a 'strong applicant' for med school, you don't need DPMS!

 

[sillybiogirl38]

I'm going to apply to this program as well. I hope I have a chance. I haven't had a interview at any DO or MD school this cycle. Do you think I have a chance at this program?

STATS:
URM
Loads of EC's, research, medical experience
S GPA 3.4ish
Cum 3.4ish
MPH 3.7ish
MCAT 22

 

[sillybiogirl38]

Plus is the application already open?

 

[QnnaQ]

did you guys write up a different personal statement or just use your AMCAS one? I just copied/paste the one I used AMCAS.

 

[Worker Bee]

I'm using the same personal statement for the most part but I might add a few things but not much.

 

[jmc1992]

Hi everyone! I just applied to this program. Hopefully we all get in!

 

[ajv1213]

Hey guys, this sounds like a great program! I'm probably going to be applying next year for it. But I had a couple questions, like do you guys know when the application opened (like date) and is it based on rolling admissions? Do you have to interview for it? Thanks guys and good luck everyone, hopefully you all get in. Just read that Drexel gave 1st year med students this past year iPads, hopefully they keep that up when you guys get in

 

[Dracosrg]

RE: Personal Statement

Just advice on the personal statement. The school will get your AMCAS statement that they can review....afterall, when you apply you're really applying to the medical school. It's the medical school at drexel that determines whether or not you get an interview for the dpms program. That said, they look at you as they would a 'normal' medical school applicant. As mentioned, life happens, but it's not the determination of wanting to be a doctor or wanting to get into medical school that makes it true...it's do you have the skills, qualities, and absolute potential for success? If there are indications that you don't, despite life's hurdles, then it will be difficult for you to obtain that interview and the dpms seat that's a golden ticket. Off that somber note, my advice on your personal statement is that you address those points. Your weaknesses and how you have improved is really key, what you have that will make you successful in the program and in medical school, how can you contribute to the profession/peers/colleagues, and how aware are you of that future that you are going to get yourself into?

Being able to talk about live experiences between someone that shadowed a doctor for a few hours vs. someone that spent an entire shift on multiple occasions with a doctor is night and day. You should be aware of the pros and cons of the medical field, the realities of what you're getting into. If you can touch upon a portion of that in your statement that stands out.

Anyone that wants help/direction/advice feel free to message me. I've done interviews w/ students, been on the committee that decides in the past so I have a decent understanding of what they look for.

Good luck to you all!

(ipads were given to cut back on paper printing costs, and yes--that tradition will be continuing...technically you're paying for it as part of your tuition though )

 

[naijacardriodoc]

@Dracosrg Why would they look at us as a normal med school applicant if the average for the program is a 2.9 gpa and 20 mcat? Those are not "normal" med school applicant stats. Isn't the point of the program to prove that we are capable of handling med school despite coming in with average to below average scores, gpas or both? Just asking...want to make sure I understand how they evaluate applicants.

 

[DragonDoc2018]

@naijacardriodoc

What he means is that since you will matriculate into DUCOM upon completion of DPMS, then this is essentially your medical school interview. They're looking for all the qualities of the rest of the class of medical students they'll have, but the select DPMS group just has lower stats presumably because of their particular life story. So yes, this is basically your medical school interview and you really will need to treat it as such, they will hold you to the same standards and selection processes that the rest of the med students get but basically ignoring the stats.

 

[Dracosrg]

@naijacardriodoc

What he means is that since you will matriculate into DUCOM upon completion of DPMS, then this is essentially your medical school interview. They're looking for all the qualities of the rest of the class of medical students they'll have, but the select DPMS group just has lower stats presumably because of their particular life story. So yes, this is basically your medical school interview and you really will need to treat it as such, they will hold you to the same standards and selection processes that the rest of the med students get but basically ignoring the stats.

EXACTLY. This IS your medical school interview. You will not be interviewed again after this interview once you're in the dpms program. As I said before, you don't interview w/ the DPMS program. It's the medical school itself that conducts the interviews, it's the medical school who selects the applicants, it's the medical school that decides who will be in the DPMS program. They make that decision on the premise that you WILL succeed. Remember...these are all GUARANTEED spots so long as you meet the criteria set forth. That's a golden opportunity in my book and those seats are very precious for that reason. You will literally be beating out thousands of other applicants to medical school at drexel (more than 10,000 people apply to med school at drexel fyi). So, the people interviewing you for this program are the same people faculty/physicians/personnel that teach and interact with the medical students. That means they are very very very adept at picking out the qualities they see will make a successful candidate. They can see through fluff responses, they can see through generic or rehearsed answers. They are quick to ascertain and sum up applicants....which is why they view DPMS applicants w/ the same eye they would 'regular' medical school applicants w/ the added caveat that you had additional circumstances play into your life.

Example- they would expect you to be ethical and have sound judgement, they would expect you to be able to formulate and articulate yourself well because communication is key in the medical field (can you give a succinct and accurate response), they would expect you to be professional, they would expect you to have knowledge of current issues affecting the medical field, they would expect you to know the pros and cons of the medical field and to be able to give personal examples that you were exposed to for example. All these (and many more) are the same expectations they would expect to have in a 'regular' applicant as they would in you.

Regarding stats, yes, the program gives you the opportunity to prove you're capable of succeeding. You have a reduced course load vs the med students, you have a lot of time to study, and you should have no distractions. Prime setup to succeed. If there is struggle or change in commitment then you have the opportunity to go another direction.

Hope this shed some light on the issue. Keep asking questions, better to be more informed than less. Here to help and give you straight advice on what I can. No questions too big or small.

 

[Dracosrg]

Re Interview Questions:
http://dept.lamar.edu/biology/preprofessional/medical school interview 71404.htm

The link above is an overview of a medical school interview. I looked through it and it's pretty good and suggest you look at it or prepare in a similar manner before you feel the crunch of the interview. Interviews at DUCOM are more laid back and conversational. For the most part it's like talking to someone you just met and you're each trying to get to know each other. Drexel is very big into open-ended questions (questions that can't be answered with a simple yes/no/short answer). Purpose of it is to get to know who you are and to make you feel comfortable as well. Still, you may get one or 2 questions you're not expecting (stress questions, ethical points, or hypothetical scenarios) so the guide above has a decent overview. You're goal in the majority of questions is to highlight your qualities, your attributes and experiences that would make you a successful candidate. Eg... Tell me about yourself, why are you here, what brings you in today, how did you get here...are all similar and ways of them saying 'Tell me about your situation and what your plan is and tell me some qualities/experiences/volunteering/fill in the blank that make you stand out." It's your opportunity and purpose to guide the interview into your favor...and your chance to shine.

Anyone that wants to discuss the questions above, or their own, or as time approaches have a mock interview with me say the word and contact me.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

Thanks @DragonDoc2018 and @Dracosrg !!

 

[FutureMD827]

I just read this forum and by far the information that @DragonDoc2018 and @Dracosrg was really helpful and I just applied. I hope I get in *fingers crossed*

 

[calbearsfan1990]

@p12034

Hi,

Your numbers and experience are definitely good enough to get into DPMS. As I mentioned though, it's more about your story than your numbers. Are you a URM? Were you disadvantaged growing up? What is it that made your situation less than ideal that is keeping you out of medical school, and stopped you from applying the traditional way? If you can tell your story effectively, then you will be successful. I'm pretty sure the application opens in Fall or Winter then goes through April of the next year. All the details of that stuff are up on the website. But if you planned on applying for the 2014-2015 cycle, you would need to apply this year by April.

That would be incredible if you get a 35+ and you would then have a TON of options. However you would most likely not be considered for DPMS because you'd have an excellent chance getting in to schools the traditional way. While the scores among us do vary, the average person is a 3.0 student with a 20-25 MCAT. But we've all proven in some way that those numbers are not reflections of our intelligence or work ethic, but rather consequences of circumstances/life events that were out of our control. It's basically a program designed to give an opportunity for people who can't really get one, a chance to prove themselves. So for the most part if you're a 'strong applicant' for med school, you don't need DPMS!

Hello,

Just curious if you or anyone has received confirmation they their application was complete? Also, how long does it usually take to hear back from the school?

Any info would help!

Thanks.

 

[ObaaHemaa]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know how to send the MCAT scores? Do I print out a score report and mail it ?

 

[FutureMD827]

Hey guys,
Does anyone know how to send the MCAT scores? Do I print out a score report and mail it ?

You go to the website where you viewed your score and just have it sent to DPMS listed under other programs

 

[ObaaHemaa]

You go to the website where you viewed your score and just have it sent to DPMS listed under other programs

Is it the one labelled Drexel Medical Science Program? I don't see DPMS on the programs listed. The only Drexel program there is Drexel Medical Science Program

 

[FutureMD827]

Is it the one labelled Drexel Medical Science Program? I don't see DPMS on the programs listed. The only Drexel program there is Drexel Medical Science Program

Yes I just abbreviated lol

 

[ObaaHemaa]

Yes I just abbreviated lol

lol okay thanks. I was just confused because there is another program called Drexel Medical Science Preparatory Certificate Program and I didn't want to send my scores to the wrong program. But thanks all the same

 

[FutureMD827]

lol okay thanks. I was just confused because there is another program called Drexel Medical Science Preparatory Certificate Program and I didn't want to send my scores to the wrong program. But thanks all the same

No problem

 

[whyorwhynot]

Back again all, with an MCAT score...above 23!

I am retaking the test after I apply and send my first score in order to aim for above 30 (just in case I decide to apply directly to medical school). And although I intend to do better than my current score, I got PS-7 which I know the website states that in order to maintain your conditional acceptance into the medical school you need an PS-8. If I do not increase my PS score the second time around, will I be required to take the test a third time despite surpassing the overall required score? I'm assuming yes, but I was just wondering.

Also (and I apologize if this has been answered previously, please let me know if it has), what determines whether an admitted student is placed in track 1 or track 2?

Oh and ALSO is anyone having trouble with the online application? It is asking me to fill in required fields that do not apply to me, and I cannot bypass those fields. Should I fill them in with N/A or something? I am completely fine with sending a physical copy, but I was just curious.

Sorry for all the nagging questions

 

[DragonDoc2018]

Back again all, with an MCAT score...above 23!

I am retaking the test after I apply and send my first score in order to aim for above 30 (just in case I decide to apply directly to medical school). And although I intend to do better than my current score, I got PS-7 which I know the website states that in order to maintain your conditional acceptance into the medical school you need an PS-8. If I do not increase my PS score the second time around, will I be required to take the test a third time despite surpassing the overall required score? I'm assuming yes, but I was just wondering.

Also (and I apologize if this has been answered previously, please let me know if it has), what determines whether an admitted student is placed in track 1 or track 2?

Hi there,

Well at least you see what it's like and you weren't far off. At least physics is fairly easy to improve on- at least you're not brought down by verbal. That score is fine to get into Track 1 of DPMS. For track 2 you need: V-7 PS-8 BS-8. Any section less will put you in track 1. You will have an MCAT prep course for the whole year then be required to take the MCAT and get that score by the end of April 2015. If you get accepted into track 1, then take the test over the summer or something and beat the score, then you can switch to track 2.

 

[Dracosrg]

Hello,

Just curious if you or anyone has received confirmation they their application was complete? Also, how long does it usually take to hear back from the school?

Any info would help!

Thanks.

At this point the school is primarily busy w/ 2 things: interviewing the regular cycle of applicants and dealing w/ the upcoming 4th year match (which predominates the majority of the office time at this point). Your interviews will be conducted at the tail end of the regular medical school applicants time frame/guaranteed interviews for the 2013-2014 drexel post-bacc students (IMS or MMS). So, end of April-beginning May is when some of you that are complete will hear about getting the interview.

 

[teddybearkilla]

Someone actually called me today and told me I didn't meet the requirements for DPMS. They said however I was accepted into IMS (even though I didn't apply or interview). I received an e-mail shortly afterwards giving me three weeks to submit a deposit.

Did anyone else already get rejected? It's only February.

Also, would anyone recommend IMS?

 

[DragonDoc2018]

@teddybearkilla

Hello,

In a way it's not a bad thing that you got into IMS. That means you are a good applicant for med school but you just need a little extra edge to make your app shine. IMS is a nice program for a few reasons: 1. You get an automatic interview if you meet the requirements and seems like they view you quite favorably (I know quite a few IMSers of last year who are now first year med students) 2. It is a postbac with the actual med school classes. A lot of postbacs that I saw when I was looking were basically grad level science classes, while those can be pretty tough, it's no where near the workload of the med school classes. Thus if you do well in IMS, you will have indisputable evidence that you can succeed in medical school and you have an extremely high chance of getting into a school afterward. Along those lines, IMS is pretty tough. You take: Biochem, Physio, Microanatomy, Nutrition, and Immunology the first semester; Physio 2, Nutrition 2, Immuno, Microanatomy, and Neuroscience the second semester. All of these are the exact classes the medical school takes (in addition to these classes, medical school also has Gross anatomy, genetics, and a stats class, and a couple non-hard-science courses as well as numerous other activities and requirements) so IMS is almost a full med school course load... You do well and you're now a STRONG applicant for just about any school, but it is tough.

So to answer your question, I would recommend IMS-- but just think really hard about it. It's really hard, and if the worst happens and you do poorly, it will be hard to overcome because that would show that you can't handle med school course work. When looking for post bacs, try to find the ones like IMS that offer medical school classes if you want to strengthen your applications the most.

 

[Dracosrg]

Someone actually called me today and told me I didn't meet the requirements for DPMS. They said however I was accepted into IMS (even though I didn't apply or interview). I received an e-mail shortly afterwards giving me three weeks to submit a deposit.

Did anyone else already get rejected? It's only February.

Also, would anyone recommend IMS?

Well said by dragondoc2018. Also, the good thing about IMS is that you're not limited to drexel. You can apply to other medical schools during the program and keep your status updated as you progress. The postbac office makes it clear in your letter of standing that you are taking MEDICAL school courses-- so this really makes you stand out and shine. Essentially you can end up an a higher tier school of your choice (Duke, washington, and also in an ivy school- yale or harvard has accepted students from the program to name a few). On the downside, it doesn't have the conditional acceptance that dpms does, but few programs do have that. If that's what you want (& who doesn't) you should look into temple univ: http://www.temple.edu/medicine/ppp/ Not sure what your stats are on the mcat but check it out if you qualify and if you do I'd apply for this b/c it grants conditional acceptance as well. There's additional programs throughout the US that is similar to dpms & temple as well...just gotta dig for it but be quick b/c most deadlines are fast approaching.
On the bright side- you've just been told you're seen as strong on your academics.

 

[teddybearkilla]

@DragonDoc2018 @Dracosrg
Thank you for the advice and for the program link. Unfortunately, I was already rejected from Temple.

And Dracosrg, my stats are not that good unfortunately. I graduated May 2013 and my cgpa: 3.2, sgpa: 2.9 (static grades, no trends. Lot's of C's, with 2 even coming in my last semester). My MCAT is a 29Q. I may need to retake not just to raise my score (for applying to other programs besides Drexel) but it was taken in 09/2012. So, might be too old. In my year off thus far, I've only shadowed podiatry (to see if I was interested) Nov-Dec 2013. Rest of the time thus far has been traveling around and finding family members. I am going to Cambodia soon for a religious ceremony. So, lot's of family things. That won't look good. In the past, I've only shadowed a summer's worth with a family doctor and general surgeon, both at Temple. Also, for other people still awaiting DPMS, I am Asian and considered myself to be economically disadvantaged. Good luck to everyone else still waiting.

My main concern is if the IMS program can really help me, given my stats. By the time I get back from Cambodia, I'll have approximately 3 months to add for more E.C.s I guess but my GPA in undergrad was so low.

 

[Dracosrg]

@DragonDoc2018 @Dracosrg
Thank you for the advice and for the program link. Unfortunately, I was already rejected from Temple.

And Dracosrg, my stats are not that good unfortunately. I graduated May 2013 and my cgpa: 3.2, sgpa: 2.9 (static grades, no trends. Lot's of C's, with 2 even coming in my last semester). My MCAT is a 29Q. I may need to retake not just to raise my score (for applying to other programs besides Drexel) but it was taken in 09/2012. So, might be too old. In my year off thus far, I've only shadowed podiatry (to see if I was interested) Nov-Dec 2013. Rest of the time thus far has been traveling around and finding family members. I am going to Cambodia soon for a religious ceremony. So, lot's of family things. That won't look good. In the past, I've only shadowed a summer's worth with a family doctor and general surgeon, both at Temple. Also, for other people still awaiting DPMS, I am Asian and considered myself to be economically disadvantaged. Good luck to everyone else still waiting.

My main concern is if the IMS program can really help me, given my stats. By the time I get back from Cambodia, I'll have approximately 3 months to add for more E.C.s I guess but my GPA in undergrad was so low.

It's the downside of these programs--they can be very selective in who they pick for interviews because there's quite a few numbers to pick from. Yup- your mcat is reaching it's life expectancy. But it seems you must test well for getting a 29Q. What would be important in you situation is that you can show a substantial bump in your academic classes. Whatever post-bac program you choose it will be essential that you show an upward trend of mostly As, maybe a couple Bs and definitely nothing below that.

The upshot of IMS is you are taking medical school courses. If you shell out As in those courses you have given the schools you apply to an easy message-- you can succeed and what happened in the past is just that--the past. You should also think about applying broadly-- ie in areas that are less metropolitan and more suburban/small town feel (think on the size of creighton or regions like kansas university som). Just saying-- more options gives you more opportunities. You have you're plate full w/ family- so it's important to come to terms w/ how much time you will actually have to dedicate to the program. It's intense for most people if you're shooting for the top. It's not a time for socializing to be your priority or for there to be distractions occurring in your life. Just a heads up.

Alternatively, and this is for anyone coming across this forum.... if you're in the mood to help people out, desire the patient contact and working w/ physicians and you have an interest in surgery/anesthesiology I'd also strongly suggest you look into Anesthesiology Assistant programs. It's a 2 year program, you do essentially the core work of an anesthesiologist minus handling big emergencies in the OR/outpatient/can't write scripts/can't initiate anesthesia unsupervised in the beginning of the procedure and a few other things. However, you're pretty much left to your own once the surgery starts and you're in control of the patient's life (no joke). And the compensation is really good for the time you put in at $>100K and it still feels rewarding and you don't have to deal with 8 years of training to get there.

To get a good idea of what you're getting into...follow an attending or the residents for the full duration they are at the hospital/clinic. That's what you'll be invested in and put in the effort to try and keep up w/ the level of information they have to know--that's what will be expected of you despite you being at the hospital all the time and life happening around you. It'll show the difference if you're able to relate those experiences on paper or on your interviews.

Good luck and keep on w/ the questions.

 

[teddybearkilla]

@Dracosrg I will definitely look into the Anesthesiology program. Thanks for the heads up.

Also, after calling the office of professional studies and consulting the director, they recommended I do the Masters program after completion of IMS and apply to medical schools in between the two programs (so two years total off). You are right about the MCAT life expectancy. I will have to retake it (also recommended in between IMS and masters). I think completing the IMS (more importantly, getting A's) would be a big help on the MCAT for me. Regarding the family thing, it should really clear up after returning from Cambodia. So, all efforts will be towards IMS.

Do you think IMS and the Masters would be a good idea? Also, is the timing of applications appropriate? The office said to do this so I would have a full year of post bacc work under my belt before applying.

 

[Dracosrg]

@Dracosrg I will definitely look into the Anesthesiology program. Thanks for the heads up.

Also, after calling the office of professional studies and consulting the director, they recommended I do the Masters program after completion of IMS and apply to medical schools in between the two programs (so two years total off). You are right about the MCAT life expectancy. I will have to retake it (also recommended in between IMS and masters). I think completing the IMS (more importantly, getting A's) would be a big help on the MCAT for me. Regarding the family thing, it should really clear up after returning from Cambodia. So, all efforts will be towards IMS.

Do you think IMS and the Masters would be a good idea? Also, is the timing of applications appropriate? The office said to do this so I would have a full year of post bacc work under my belt before applying.

If medical school is your end goal the IMS program (and other programs that give you medical school course exposure) will provide you with more than enough exposure to the medical curriculum. What's left is that you show consistent progress (As would be best of course and B+ at the lower end) that you're capable of dealing with the rigors of med school, that you've overcame your past distractions, know how to compartmentalize when issues do come about, and that you are constantly reassessing yourself for different ways to improve. It's taken you a bit longer to get to where you want but it only rings true how committed you are to the profession and you've realized what qualities and attributes you have that will contribute to the profession/medical education of your peers. You could do the masters program of IMS (the 2 years), but if you retake your MCAT during this year and score 30+ coupled with the grades of IMS you could gain interviews to medical schools and be accepted for the entrance class of 2015. It'll be a lot of work on your part but people have done it. I also don't want you to think that just because you do the masters drexel will take you...sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't but most of them get accepted into some med school (be it md or do and really neither is really that different now). Keep your options open and apply to some DO schools as well- they tend to be more forgiven on undergraduate grades if you demonstrate success in MCAT and med school course equivalents.

It's a tremendous investment for the program if you do both years...coupled with 4 years of med school if you take out loans you'll easily be approaching and surpassing $250K in loans.
Weigh what you desire (for anyone reading this post) and why because there are other pathways into being involved with patients and making a difference besides being a doctor without the headaches and hurdles.

Assess your specific situation and what you desire-- 6 years of school (w/ masters) and minimum 3 years of residency.

 

[teddybearkilla]

@Dracosrg
That's exactly what I was thinking. I was going to follow your exact plan to possibly enter the class of 2015. But I guess after looking at my GPA and MCAT, the IMS office said I wouldn't be able to get into medical school if I applied before IMS was complete. The lady said I would get automatically rejected because they wouldn't see the complete IMS grades. I'm wondering if they just wanted me to also do the Masters program. I'm not sure.
I do have Temple Podiatry school in wait, but this is what I want to do. But I do understand, the debt and other headaches are going to be incredible. Thank you for taking the time out to give me advice. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[Dracosrg]

@Dracosrg
That's exactly what I was thinking. I was going to follow your exact plan to possibly enter the class of 2015. But I guess after looking at my GPA and MCAT, the IMS office said I wouldn't be able to get into medical school if I applied before IMS was complete. The lady said I would get automatically rejected because they wouldn't see the complete IMS grades. I'm wondering if they just wanted me to also do the Masters program. I'm not sure.
I do have Temple Podiatry school in wait, but this is what I want to do. But I do understand, the debt and other headaches are going to be incredible. Thank you for taking the time out to give me advice. I greatly appreciate it.

Yup---really seems like they want to rope you into the 2 year. I know firsthand people that were accepted while they were in IMS. She may have been refering specifically to drexel since they are more aware of the stats that get accepted into drexel. Honestly though, the majority of the weight falls on the first half the semester in terms of credits. IF you do decide to do the masters you'll be more than prepared to tackle on med school wherever you go if you're successful in the program. And you can start making connections in the fields of interest you're considering early on.

 

[rayovac]

For those of you who have applied, can they use your LOR that you submitted for AMCAS? Thanks in advance.