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So as of right now, I'm awaiting MCAT Scores. I applied to a bunch of SMP's and heard back from one who offered admission to the school contingent upon a good MCAT @ university of cincinatti, a top tier medical school. Here is the email I wrote, and Dr. Bank's response. Anyone want to comment or make any suggestions?? It's crunch time to make some really hard decisions.
My email:
Hi Dr. Banks,
I've been doing a little bit more research about the UC Masters Program,
and it looks like an excellent program. I have some questions. MCAT Results
should be coming out fairly soon (the AAMC announced June 20th as the
score release date, but many of us at studentdoctor.net predict online scores
to come out as early as this week, if June 20th is assumed to be the snail
mail date). Thus, I'm standing at the edge reviewing over the masters
programs I have applied to. From what I conjecture, I believe this is the first
year of the UC program. From what I gather, this program is very similar to
Georgetown's SMP, and both award the M.S. Degree in one year, a facet of
the program that is extremely attractive (versus certification). I also
understand that although Georgetown's SMP Program has been long
established, UC's program is in the beginning stages, and its accepted MS students are what a studentdoctor.net poster called a tossup, because it is indeed in its first year of running. I also understand that UC medical school is
extremely prestigious, and ranked higher then schools such as Georgetown, and because we take med school classes at UC, adcoms may look at such individuals more favorably, because its med school classes are either better or more rigorous.
Some questions I had about the program are 1) out of the 20 accepted
applicants into the UC Program, would you know of what the minimum
requirements would be to make the candidate attractive to adcoms? 2) Is
there a linkage to UC med, and if so, have there been any type of agreements
with UC Med by the UC SMP for making its applicants a great candidate for its
med school? 3) I have some fears of the UC program being in its first year.
How would the UC Program stack against other similar programs, academically
and admissions-wise, that have had a longer running, and are better known to
adcoms across the country? and lastly, 4) How does the medical school
application cycle work if I were to matriculate into the program? I do
apologize for the long e-mail, but I'm starting to thoroughly evaluate
all my options for the following year.
Thank you once again!
His response
Hi Brandon:
Good to hear from you.
You have asked many insightful and excellent questions.
First of all, we are a new program. On the other hand, it is the
quality, not the age, of a program that is the deciding feature for
admission committees. Along these lines, we have designed our program
so that students will take the traditionally two most demanding and
rigorous courses in the Year I curriculum, namely Medical Physiology and
Medical Biochemistry. In addition, we have included several high level
graduate courses, in particular Receptor Pharmacology, Neurophysiology
and Molecular Physiology that will solidify the intellectual base of our
program.
Although we cannot guarantee acceptance into one of the seven colleges
of medicine in our state, I am confident that our small number of very
qualified students will be most competitive if they do well in our
program; one will not be lost in a graduate pool containing large
numbers of students!
All of our students will also be guaranteed a non-binding interview,
with feedback, at UC. Again, this does not constitute a guaranteed
admission but it does represent a significant added opportunity.
Finally, I cannot imagine how a student with good MCATs (30 or above)
and Honors level or High Pass level performances in Medical Physiology
and Medical Biochemistry with strong letters of support for our faculty
will be anything other than highly competitive at UC as well as at other
colleges of medicine both within- and out-of-state.
Students who apply in this fall for admission into medical school will
have three quarters of their grade in both Medical Physiology and
Medical Biochemistry. You will have a final physiology grade in mid
February and a final grade in biochemistry in mid March; at this time
you will also have a final grade in Receptor Pharmacology. A key course
at Georgetown (Human Physiology) is a second semester course and is not
completed until the end of the year! It is also important to note that
Medical Biochemistry is not part of the Georgetown masters curriculum.
As I have previously stated, we think your application is very strong
and we look forward to receiving your MCAT scores.
R.O.B.
--------------------------------------------------------
Robert O. Banks, Ph.D.
He makes a very convincing argument for the program. I need some feedback. Reminder: UC, like Georgetown, confers the M.S. Degree upon completion, which is in one year.
My email:
Hi Dr. Banks,
I've been doing a little bit more research about the UC Masters Program,
and it looks like an excellent program. I have some questions. MCAT Results
should be coming out fairly soon (the AAMC announced June 20th as the
score release date, but many of us at studentdoctor.net predict online scores
to come out as early as this week, if June 20th is assumed to be the snail
mail date). Thus, I'm standing at the edge reviewing over the masters
programs I have applied to. From what I conjecture, I believe this is the first
year of the UC program. From what I gather, this program is very similar to
Georgetown's SMP, and both award the M.S. Degree in one year, a facet of
the program that is extremely attractive (versus certification). I also
understand that although Georgetown's SMP Program has been long
established, UC's program is in the beginning stages, and its accepted MS students are what a studentdoctor.net poster called a tossup, because it is indeed in its first year of running. I also understand that UC medical school is
extremely prestigious, and ranked higher then schools such as Georgetown, and because we take med school classes at UC, adcoms may look at such individuals more favorably, because its med school classes are either better or more rigorous.
Some questions I had about the program are 1) out of the 20 accepted
applicants into the UC Program, would you know of what the minimum
requirements would be to make the candidate attractive to adcoms? 2) Is
there a linkage to UC med, and if so, have there been any type of agreements
with UC Med by the UC SMP for making its applicants a great candidate for its
med school? 3) I have some fears of the UC program being in its first year.
How would the UC Program stack against other similar programs, academically
and admissions-wise, that have had a longer running, and are better known to
adcoms across the country? and lastly, 4) How does the medical school
application cycle work if I were to matriculate into the program? I do
apologize for the long e-mail, but I'm starting to thoroughly evaluate
all my options for the following year.
Thank you once again!
His response
Hi Brandon:
Good to hear from you.
You have asked many insightful and excellent questions.
First of all, we are a new program. On the other hand, it is the
quality, not the age, of a program that is the deciding feature for
admission committees. Along these lines, we have designed our program
so that students will take the traditionally two most demanding and
rigorous courses in the Year I curriculum, namely Medical Physiology and
Medical Biochemistry. In addition, we have included several high level
graduate courses, in particular Receptor Pharmacology, Neurophysiology
and Molecular Physiology that will solidify the intellectual base of our
program.
Although we cannot guarantee acceptance into one of the seven colleges
of medicine in our state, I am confident that our small number of very
qualified students will be most competitive if they do well in our
program; one will not be lost in a graduate pool containing large
numbers of students!
All of our students will also be guaranteed a non-binding interview,
with feedback, at UC. Again, this does not constitute a guaranteed
admission but it does represent a significant added opportunity.
Finally, I cannot imagine how a student with good MCATs (30 or above)
and Honors level or High Pass level performances in Medical Physiology
and Medical Biochemistry with strong letters of support for our faculty
will be anything other than highly competitive at UC as well as at other
colleges of medicine both within- and out-of-state.
Students who apply in this fall for admission into medical school will
have three quarters of their grade in both Medical Physiology and
Medical Biochemistry. You will have a final physiology grade in mid
February and a final grade in biochemistry in mid March; at this time
you will also have a final grade in Receptor Pharmacology. A key course
at Georgetown (Human Physiology) is a second semester course and is not
completed until the end of the year! It is also important to note that
Medical Biochemistry is not part of the Georgetown masters curriculum.
As I have previously stated, we think your application is very strong
and we look forward to receiving your MCAT scores.
R.O.B.
--------------------------------------------------------
Robert O. Banks, Ph.D.
He makes a very convincing argument for the program. I need some feedback. Reminder: UC, like Georgetown, confers the M.S. Degree upon completion, which is in one year.
