Best masters?

[wanker]

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i'm a college senior waiting for med school admission, and if i don't get in this year, my pln B is a masters. I'm pretty interested in physiology, but I was wondering how much an MS in this field would apply to most medical specialties. Would something like pathology or immunology/microbiology be more helpful once i got to school and entered residency?
Any firsthand advice from current med students/physicians would be appreciated
thanks

 

[thackl]

It's all important, though for an everyday Dr. (not research oriented), I think phys would be very helpful.

 

[No Fear]

Also be aware that if you start, you will not be able to matriculate into medical school until you finish the masters degree.

 

[wanker]

Also be aware that if you start a masters, you will not be able to matriculate until you finish that degree.

I know this, but I'm hoping I could squeeze out an MS in a year and 2 summers. Does anyone have any info on if this is possible?

 

[No Fear]

I have never heard of doing a "year long" masters, even in a non science area.

 

[wanker]

I have never heard of doing a "year long" masters, even in a non science area.

my room mate last year was able to do an MBA in the summer-fall-spring -summer sequence. I'm not sure if this was because her MBA was obviously a non-research based masters or if this is possible most of the time

 

[No Fear]

That would be great if it's possible for you to do too. As a second year med student, I would say the class I took as an undergrad that helped me the most in med school was Physiology because it gave me a baseline understanding for the "normal". If you can do a masters in that, it would make learning the abnormal sciences (pathology etc) in med school much easier. 👍

 

[Phil Anthropist]

There's lots of hard science 1-year master's programs--these are often discussed in the postbac forum. If you're looking specifically for Physiology, you can complete an MS in Physiology non-thesis program at Maryland. I believe Maryland's program is brand new. Georgetown offers two one-year physiology degrees: the MS in Physiology and Biophysics special masters program and the MS in Physiology (Complementary and Alternative Medicine track). You can also get a one-year MA in Physiology from Ball State. It's one year and a summer. There's also the one-year MS in Applied Physiology at Rosalind Franklin. If you're looking for a way to prove you can handle med school, check out the "special master's programs." RFU and Georgetown's SMP that I mentioned above are two SMPs, but there are a few more. SMPs are VERY expensive, but are at least 32 credits in one year and incorporate med courses. All the real SMPs are one year and are highly effective.

Good luck.

 

[10minutes]

I have never heard of doing a "year long" masters, even in a non science area.

There are. I have a friend finishing his masters in electrical engineering in a year + summer.

 

[saanjana]

hahaha...how did i know i'd see PhilAnthropist on this thread?
anyhoo...the Applied Physiology program at Chicago Medical School seems to be tailor made for you....its a one year Masters program, and if you earn a 3.0 gpa (2.96 to be more predicse....allowing you to get 2 units of C's at the end) you get into Rosalind Franklin, Chicago Medical School. During the program, you take 1st year medical schools courses with chicago med students, and are graded based upon their curve - biochem, neuro, physio, embryo, genetics, mcb. You also take a course in applied physiology, which helps quite a bit with physio also. The next year, the only medical school courses you take are anatomy, histology, and intro to clinical medicine/epidemiology. You don't have to repeat the courses from your masters.

Now...this program isnt really a "real masters" and won't hold much weight in the "real worls"...hehe....but its a great way to get into medical school, and also, because it allows you to transfer all your units....it slows down med schl a bit and allows you to succeed.

look into it...!

 

[wanker]

Hold on here. If I understand this correctly, in this program one is basically going to med school, only with more lax entry requirements. The first year, however, is like a "probationary year", then after that you're in? (obviously to continue you need a B average). Why don't more peole take advantage of programs like this?
I was originally thinking I'd just do a masters and be a TA and/or RA instead of getting a regular job until I started med school, but this sounds very interesting. I'll definitely look into it.
thanks

 

[thackl]

There are. I have a friend finishing his masters in electrical engineering in a year + summer.

I worked on one of these too (in Mircoelectronics), but the 1yr program for engineering is a Masters of Eng with only coursework and no Thesis. The MS would require a thesis and one more yr.

 

[thackl]

hahaha...how did i know i'd see PhilAnthropist on this thread?
anyhoo...the Applied Physiology program at Chicago Medical School seems to be tailor made for you....its a one year Masters program, and if you earn a 3.0 gpa (2.96 to be more predicse....allowing you to get 2 units of C's at the end) you get into Rosalind Franklin, Chicago Medical School. During the program, you take 1st year medical schools courses with chicago med students, and are graded based upon their curve - biochem, neuro, physio, embryo, genetics, mcb. You also take a course in applied physiology, which helps quite a bit with physio also. The next year, the only medical school courses you take are anatomy, histology, and intro to clinical medicine/epidemiology. You don't have to repeat the courses from your masters.

Now...this program isnt really a "real masters" and won't hold much weight in the "real worls"...hehe....but its a great way to get into medical school, and also, because it allows you to transfer all your units....it slows down med schl a bit and allows you to succeed.

look into it...!

TTU has a masters program like this too, but no free ticket to the med side. I know a few who aced all the classes and still didn't get in (waitlisted)

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Hold on here. If I understand this correctly, in this program one is basically going to med school, only with more lax entry requirements. The first year, however, is like a "probationary year", then after that you're in? (obviously to continue you need a B average). Why don't more peole take advantage of programs like this?
I was originally thinking I'd just do a masters and be a TA and/or RA instead of getting a regular job until I started med school, but this sounds very interesting. I'll definitely look into it.
thanks

There are many master's programs that allow you to take classes with 1st year med students (Georgetown, BU, RFU, Marshall, Creighton, Drexel, and UMDNJ-Newark are just a few examples). However, you don't have the full medical school courseload. RFU's program takes the most students from their program.

Why don't more people take advantage? Well it is 48 credits in one year and it's pretty much all or nothing. When I last checked, the estimated cost of the program (including living expenses) was $52k. $50k+ for 5 years can't be too nice on the wallet. Also, Rosalind Franklin isn't exactly most applicants' top choice med school. The thought of spending three consecutive years in North Chicago can't be too exciting...but hey the clinicals are in Chicago and Windy City rocks! If you get accepted for the following year, you're an MS1A (I think that's what it's called). You're an MS1 with advanced standing. You only have to take a few courses (since you took most of them while in the MS program) BUT you still have to pay full tuition (I think this is true for the similar programs at Georgetown and BU too if you matriculate). That said, I still think RFU's program is the most effective program to get into a US allopathic med school ASAP if you're trying to do a graduate program to earn an acceptance. The similar programs at Boston U and Georgetown are much more popular, but much less effective. If I had some exigent need to start med school, I would do the RFU program--it's the sure shot. It would be a privilege to attend, but for personal reasons, I've decided against applying to the program.

TTU has a masters program like this too, but no free ticket to the med side. I know a few who aced all the classes and still didn't get in (waitlisted)

That sucks. Just a stab in the dark here...would this be the MS in Cell and Molecular Biology (education-medical track)?

 

[thackl]

That sucks. Just a stab in the dark here...would this be the MS in Cell and Molecular Biology (education-medical track)?

That sounds right, though I'm not exactly sure. 5 people that I know of (could be more) applied to med track through that program and only one got in. I think they all had A's in the med courses too.

 

[saanjana]

Hold on here. If I understand this correctly, in this program one is basically going to med school, only with more lax entry requirements. The first year, however, is like a "probationary year", then after that you're in? (obviously to continue you need a B average). Why don't more peole take advantage of programs like this?
I was originally thinking I'd just do a masters and be a TA and/or RA instead of getting a regular job until I started med school, but this sounds very interesting. I'll definitely look into it.
thanks

PhilAnthropist's reply a few posts down pretty much answers your question...the program is very expensive, and very difficult. Getting B's in med schl courses is nowhere near getting B's in undergrad. The courseload is heavy, and quite difficult to internalize. You don't get the essential background in anatomy to help you with neuroscience and physiology, like the med students get....its a significant disadvantage, though many students are able to pull through. Students who don't have a solid science background from undergrad have a hard time in these programs. The cost is very high, but many students look over the fact because "if it gets you into med schl....its worth it...."

North Chicago....is nowhere near "northern part of Chicago city" .....its actually on the wisconsin border! haha! so the place is not the greatest for living...

But overall....like PhilAnthropist said, its a realitively quicker way of getting into med schl, and if you have the right approach (ie....can pull of doing INTENSE studying for 6-8 hours a day)...you WILL get into med schl.

I did the program myself but was not successful in gaining admission to chicago med. if you have questions, you can PM me.