Accept or decline Graduate Program?

[rican18]

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I got accepted into JHU AAP Biotechnology program. However, I want to know if I should accept the program. The reason I even applied was because my undergraduate GPA is not that strong due to medical issues and would like to show medical schools that I now have the ability to get the grades needed for medical school. However, this program is only 10 courses, and will try to fit it into a year to show some sort of rigorous class taking. I will be applying this 2014-2015 cycle for medical school regardless of my choice.

Any opinions?

GPA: 3.4
MCAT: 31

 

[Plecopotamus]

I got accepted into JHU AAP Biotechnology program. However, I want to know if I should accept the program. The reason I even applied was because my undergraduate GPA is not that strong due to medical issues and would like to show medical schools that I now have the ability to get the grades needed for medical school. However, this program is only 10 courses, and will try to fit it into a year to show some sort of rigorous class taking. I will be applying this 2014-2015 cycle for medical school regardless of my choice.

Any opinions?

If you are applying this upcoming cycle, unless I'm misunderstanding something here, most of your grades won't be available for your application.

Also, it's hard to make a recommendation without knowing your GPA and MCAT.

 

[MDforMee]

I was accepted at a handful of medically-related masters programs, and thought about what you're asking us. And, the research I did on the benefits of doing a traditional academic (non-SMP) masters included asking medical schools their opinions of which I should do, speaking with grad school reps, assessing the relevance of coursework toward medical school and practice, and looking at research experience I'd earn, and so on.

What I found is that medical schools want you to pursue something that interests you. In other words, you shouldn't be doing it to impress them. Let me say this again. You don't want to do an academic masters because you think that med schools would want you to repair your GPA; if that is the case, you should do a special master's program.

I looked into the curriculum at JHU, and it includes courses in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, etc., and it sounds like the courses are applicable toward a medical career. But, it doesn't have a thesis. Hmm. I'm on the fence about recommending it without knowing your stats (alma mater, GPA, MCAT, major).

 

[rican18]

I was accepted at a handful of medically-related masters programs, and thought about what you're asking us. And, the research I did on the benefits of doing a traditional academic (non-SMP) masters included asking medical schools their opinions of which I should do, speaking with grad school reps, assessing the relevance of coursework toward medical school and practice, and looking at research experience I'd earn, and so on.

What I found is that medical schools want you to pursue something that interests you. In other words, you shouldn't be doing it to impress them. Let me say this again. You don't want to do an academic masters because you think that med schools would want you to repair your GPA; if that is the case, you should do a special master's program.

I looked into the curriculum at JHU, and it includes courses in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, etc., and it sounds like the courses are applicable toward a medical career. But, it doesn't have a thesis. Hmm. I'm on the fence about recommending it without knowing your stats (alma mater, GPA, MCAT, major).

GPA: 3.4
MCAT: 31
Major: triple major in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and Bioinformatics

Aside from wanting to increase my GPA, I would enjoy taking the classes that are not included in the Core curriculum (Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell)
There is no thesis, but I plan to communicate and find myself a research opportunity as well.

 

[MDforMee]

GPA: 3.4
MCAT: 31
Major: triple major in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and Bioinformatics

Aside from wanting to increase my GPA, I would enjoy taking the classes that are not included in the Core curriculum (Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell)
There is no thesis, but I plan to communicate and find myself a research opportunity as well.

For an allopathic acceptance, you'd probably need to do something. Whether that's this program or not, I can't tell you. What I can say is that you probably don't need an SMP.

Anyhow, this program's core curriculum is in material you've seen before. Graduate courses aren't all that different from upper division courses, with the main difference being in experimental design/testing and applied theory. The lecture formats are a lot alike, except graduate courses typically have fewer students and more participation.

Where else have you applied and/or received acceptances?