Best Graduate programs for med school?

[chemdoctor]

As it says in the title, just wondering which ones y'all would recommend?

I graduate in a year with around a 3.5/3.6ish GPA.

I have the clinical experience, research, etc.

I'm obviously taking a gap year so I'll be applying after I graduate but was wondering what graduate degree y'all would recommend? Thank you!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[candbgirl]

So you are getting g a masters before you apply for Med School? Why?

 

[chemdoctor]

So you are getting g a masters before you apply for Med School? Why?

I just want something to do during my gap year. I'd feel a lot better if I further "educated" myself. I really don't wanna not be in school for a year. I was considering an MS

 

[DokterMom]

None.







Unless you have a really good reason for wanting one, in which case, you wouldn't have to ask us what the best program is.

Edit: Just saw your "just don't want to not be in school" answer. The far better course of action would be to get a 'real' job and live in the real world for a year.

 

[alyxxs]

I love being in school and wanted to do the same but it will honestly be a waste of money and time in the long run if MD is your ultimate goal.

Like above posters suggested, you can get educated with real world experience and learn outside of the books.

 

[coolkul]

I suggest working instead of doing masters. It doesn't really help, unless you have a big gap or are doing it for personal interest.

 

[getdown]

wanting to be in school is a very dumb reason to do an MS which adds nothing to your application but more money to your overall loan burden if you have to take out loans. Just go work and learn how to actually take responsibility for tasks, be on time, interact with superiors and clients. All the soft skills that make you stand out in the wards instead of just sitting at home studying.

 

[pinkowl250]

Worked full-time during my gap year as a scribe and I have no regrets. A master's is pretty worthless in my opinion if your end goal is MD or DO (unless you need GPA repair). Save up some money and get that life experience

 

[DokterMom]

The thing is, just getting some random masters degree is just "more of the same" continuing as a student. You've already done that successfully for >15 years, so another year of the same adds very little of value. (Unless you have a specific need, goal or passionate interest that a masters degree furthers.)

Living life as an independent, productive, financially-responsible, accountable only to yourself in your personal life but to virtually everyone else at work adult is, for most applicants, something new that adds a great deal. One of the chief complaints of residency program directors is that many new residents have never actually held down a real job. One with scut work, lousy schedules, periods of alternating boredom or overwork (and rarely anything in between), responsibilities that no one reminds them about, crappy bosses, nasty clients, difficult co-workers -- you know -- real life.

 

[Goro]

As it says in the title, just wondering which ones y'all would recommend?

I graduate in a year with around a 3.5/3.6ish GPA.

I have the clinical experience, research, etc.

I'm obviously taking a gap year so I'll be applying after I graduate but was wondering what graduate degree y'all would recommend? Thank you!

Don't be a professional student. Get out into the real world, make some money and interact with people, in ways that have nothing to do with Medicine.

 

[chemdoctor]

Don't be a professional student. Get out into the real world, make some money and interact with people, in ways that have nothing to do with Medicine.

Hmmm... not a bad option. You recommend working in something OTHER than medicine?

 

[Goro]

Hmmm... not a bad option. You recommend working in something OTHER than medicine?

Radical concept, huh?

 

[chemdoctor]

Radical concept, huh?

For someone that spends 15+ hours on SDN, very much so!!! HAH!

I thought gaining clinical employment would be preferable.

 

[Goro]

For someone that spends 15+ hours on SDN, very much so!!! HAH!

I thought gaining clinical employment would be preferable.

It's advisable to show that you have a life outside of academics and Medicine. You know, like a real human being?

 

[Dr panda]

There was a guy a week ago on this forum who did exactly the same thing - he ended up with 3.0 masters gpa and ruined his chances of getting into med school, though he had good undergraduate GPA, why to take that risk?

 

[chemdoctor]

There was a guy a week ago on this forum who did exactly the same thing - he ended up with 3.0 masters gpa and ruined his chances of getting into med school, though he had good undergraduate GPA, why to take that risk?

I just want to do something academic in the year. And I'll have around a 3.5/3.6ish GPA for cGPA and sGPA lol

 

[Dr panda]

I just want to do something academic in the year. And I'll have around a 3.5/3.6ish GPA for cGPA and sGPA lol

He had bachelor degree with 3.9 GPA before he attempted SMP. You can do research, self-study, work, etc. Anyway, I just wanted to add my couple cents, if you really want to get master's degree then go for it for sure, just be aware of what could happen.

 

[chemdoctor]

He had bachelor degree with 3.9 GPA before he attempted SMP. You can do research, self-study, work, etc. Anyway, I just wanted to add my couple cents, if you really want to get master's degree then go for it for sure, just be aware of what could happen.

Damn. ATTempted SMP with a 3.9?! Why on earth would he do that?!??!

Thank you for your advice

 

[Dr panda]

Why on earth would he do that?!??!

Apparently, he wanted to do something academic, but nobody knows exactly why

Chances? HELP. Did SMP kill me?

URM (hispanic ethnicity, but white race) 3.6 ugpa, 3.9 science gpa smp gpa (students graded against each other, curve set at a B) --> 3.0 :( *i moved and had a tough first semester due to that and health issues, showed an upward trend tho MCAT 512 will my grad GPA kill me? schools i should...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[candbgirl]

We really have no idea what you have for your application. You’ve shared minimal information. Look hard and realistically at what you have and then decide what holes you need to fill in. Research schools where your stats fit and where you’d like to live for four years. What’s your MCAT score? If you haven’t taken it when do you plan to take it? Your GPAs are okay but they are a bit below average for admitted students so depending on your whole application you might want to spend time looking into DO schools. In other words there is lots you can do to get your application in top shape, along with working.