How to choose between 4 grad schools

[elfinastone]

Hello. I'm new as far as posting to sdn but since I have an account I might as well take advantage of it and seek some advice.
My 2014-2015 med school application cycle didn't turn out so great (1 interview and heard nothing back since January), so I went with my plan B and applied to some masters programs. I studied for the GRE for roughly three weeks not being really sure what I was looking for or doing during this time. I applied to 4 schools ( Case Western, USC, Rush, and Tulane) not knowing whether I'd get in to any of them. After this week I have received acceptances to all of the programs and have been put in a delightful dilemma. Below is a listing of the schools and programs.
Case Western is a 1-2 year master in medical physiology (After getting accepted to the others, I'm not as interested)
USC is a 1-2 year master in Stem Cell biology and Regenerative Medicine ( very unique and interesting program but the cost and distance are concerns)
Rush is a 2 year master (with a thesis) in Anatomy and Cell Biology ( research is closely tied with the ortho department, my main medical motivation, which is ranked 6th in the country; my main draw backs are the distance and weather)
Tulane is a 1 year master in Anatomy (I love the location but the curriculum is similar to Rush's; not much chance of research)
If anyone has any advice on what schools/programs would be most beneficial with guiding me towards my goal of becoming medical doctor, it would be most appreciated.

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[Dro133]

First of all, why do you think it was that your application cycle wasn't successful? Was it GPA/MCAT deficiencies, or did it have to do with applying late/poor letters/lack of EC's? Either way, if med school is your eventual goal, I would strongly suggest against doing a research-based master's degree.
Here's why:

If your GPA is not competitive for med school, a research-based MS won't do you much good; it's assumed that it's easier to get A's in graduate school courses versus undergraduate or medical school courses, so straight A's in a grad program won't do all that much to sway adcoms. I know this from experience -- I completed a research-based MS with a 4.0 gpa and didn't get any love from schools this past cycle. If a lackluster GPA is what's holding you back, your money would be better spent taking a high-volume of upper-level undergraduate science courses at your nearest major university (not CC), or doing an SMP. An SMP ("Special Masters Program") is a program specifically designed for students who want to get into med school but don't have the grades to be competitive. In an SMP, you generally take the same classes and and are graded on the same curve as your school's first year med students; thus, performing well in an SMP is a good indicator to prospective med schools that you can handle the rigors of a medical school curriculum, despite a lackluster showing in undergrad. For more information, go here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/postbaccalaureate-programs.71/ .

If your GPA is competitive but your MCAT is not, then an SMP won't help you much. Your options are to either retake your MCAT and score higher, or apply to DO schools, where the average MCAT for matriculants is slightly lower than for MD.

If your stats aren't the problem and it has more to do with lack of clinical experiences/shadowing/applying late/any combination of these, then you're better off taking the year to improve your overall resume versus spending money (I'm assuming you'd be paying out-of-pocket?) for an MS. If you're really just absolutely dead-set on doing research during your gap-year, then I would recommend volunteering as a research assistant in a lab; this will save you money by not having to pay tuition, and you'll still get research experience. Again, if med school acceptance is your main goal, the regular MS is NOT the best way to go about getting it.

For a much more eloquent and detailed explanation of what I wrote, Dr. Midlife's reapplication dissertation is a must-read: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/drmidlifes-reapplication-dissertation.942893/

 

[elfinastone]

First of all, why do you think it was that your application cycle wasn't successful? Was it GPA/MCAT deficiencies, or did it have to do with applying late/poor letters/lack of EC's? Either way, if med school is your eventual goal, I would strongly suggest against doing a research-based master's degree.
Here's why:

If your GPA is not competitive for med school, a research-based MS won't do you much good; it's assumed that it's easier to get A's in graduate school courses versus undergraduate or medical school courses, so straight A's in a grad program won't do all that much to sway adcoms. I know this from experience -- I completed a research-based MS with a 4.0 gpa and didn't get any love from schools this past cycle. If a lackluster GPA is what's holding you back, your money would be better spent taking a high-volume of upper-level undergraduate science courses at your nearest major university (not CC), or doing an SMP. An SMP ("Special Masters Program") is a program specifically designed for students who want to get into med school but don't have the grades to be competitive. In an SMP, you generally take the same classes and and are graded on the same curve as your school's first year med students; thus, performing well in an SMP is a good indicator to prospective med schools that you can handle the rigors of a medical school curriculum, despite a lackluster showing in undergrad. For more information, go here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/postbaccalaureate-programs.71/ .

If your GPA is competitive but your MCAT is not, then an SMP won't help you much. Your options are to either retake your MCAT and score higher, or apply to DO schools, where the average MCAT for matriculants is slightly lower than for MD.

If your stats aren't the problem and it has more to do with lack of clinical experiences/shadowing/applying late/any combination of these, then you're better off taking the year to improve your overall resume versus spending money (I'm assuming you'd be paying out-of-pocket?) for an MS. If you're really just absolutely dead-set on doing research during your gap-year, then I would recommend volunteering as a research assistant in a lab; this will save you money by not having to pay tuition, and you'll still get research experience. Again, if med school acceptance is your main goal, the regular MS is NOT the best way to go about getting it.

Thanks for the input, Dro133. The main issues with my application, in my opinion, are my MCAT (low-mid 20s) score and research experience (0). During my practice tests I was making low 30s, so I don't know what happened. My undergraduate university is small and does not have the facilities or resources for scientific research, so that put a dent in my record. Besides that my GPA is in the lower 3.9s and I have logged 400-500 hours of shadowing in a variety of medical disciplines, mainly orthopedics. My personal statement was reviewed by several faculty and MDs, and it read well. I am going to try to take a swing at the 2015 MCAT with the hopes of a better percentile. I realize that these programs are expensive, but with my lack of research I wouldn't be able to get any meaningful research (though I guess anything is better than nothing).

 

[DrMidlife]

Find the postbac forum down under Interdisciplinary for commentary from current and former students of all these programs.

 

[Dro133]

You have a terrific GPA; it will give you some leeway on your MCAT score, but you still need a score in the high 20's/low 30's to be competitive. My opinion would be take the next 4 months to study for the new MCAT like it's your job, and get the score you need to get. In the meantime, you can contact professors at large universities (your state must have a large public institution, no?) and work on getting into a lab. If you can muster up a decent MCAT, with your GPA, you don't need multiple years of research with publications to get the attention of medical schools; 6 months of menial lab work will honestly be all you really need. Now, if you want to really learn how to do research and maybe get a publication out of it, then by all means do a Masters. I don't regret doing mine for a second. But if your goal is to get into medical school, it's not the most efficient way to do it.

 

[Evolver]

I actually submitted my application for the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine masters a while ago. Could you tell me around how long it took for them to give you a decision?