Chances for Masters before Med School?

[mish12]

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Hi-

I am a student in New Jersey.
cGPA: 3.3
sGPA: 3.2
MCAT: 504 127/124/126/127

Biomedical Engineering major (worst decision to tag this with pre-med). Leadership and volunteer experience in clinical and engineering settings. I am graduating this semester and applying to masters in biomedical science programs that are affiliated with med schools for the Spring semester. I dont know if I have time to take the GRE. Will my credentials be enough to get in? Is it a good idea to strengthen my application through this one year graduate program?

I would appreciate any and all advice!

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Probably doing a Post-bacc would be better, that way you actually improve your undergrad GPA. If you do a Masters that does nothing for your undegrad GPA and that is more important. You should also look to retake the MCAT if you have time.

 

[USERX]

I was a biomedical engineering major as well and had my GPA drop by like .25 points after switching majors from Biology. Had issues with my MCAT but did relatively well on my GRE (I think it was 323) even though I studied for only like a day or two. Try the GRE, it is honestly nothing like the MCAT and is way easier, especially if the thing you struggle with is reading on the MCAT. Most people here would tell you to go with a Post-bacc to improve your GPA. I hate that advice because why would you go through something you don't like for 1 or 2 years. While my GPA did drop substantially, I learned so much in BMEN which I think will apply to being a physician. If you enjoyed it too, do it again. Bottom line, sign up for the GRE to take it ASAP and apply to programs you will enjoy. Med schools like personality too. If that happens to be one that will raise your GPA then great.

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

it depends on what type of schools you are aiming for. If you are looking to get into DO schools then yes Masters GPA will help you out there. If you want MD you need a higher GPA or you need to be amazing in every other category. Your undergrad GPA as of now is near the 10th percentile for many schools. Your numbers (GPA + MCAT) is what will get you to interviews your personality and everything else is what will get you the acceptance. If you are really dead set on Masters then it should be a Special Masters Program. And the reason you do something you don't like for 1-2 years is for a greater reward later on. There are plenty of things that as a physician you are going to do that you don't want to do but hey you still have to. Why? because the reward is worth it in the end.

 

[mish12]

I was a biomedical engineering major as well and had my GPA drop by like .25 points after switching majors from Biology. Had issues with my MCAT but did relatively well on my GRE (I think it was 323) even though I studied for only like a day or two. Try the GRE, it is honestly nothing like the MCAT and is way easier, especially if the thing you struggle with is reading on the MCAT. Most people here would tell you to go with a Post-bacc to improve your GPA. I hate that advice because why would you go through something you don't like for 1 or 2 years. While my GPA did drop substantially, I learned so much in BMEN which I think will apply to being a physician. If you enjoyed it too, do it again. Bottom line, sign up for the GRE to take it ASAP and apply to programs you will enjoy. Med schools like personality too. If that happens to be one that will raise your GPA then great.

Hi thank you so much! out of curiousity, what program did you do exactly after undergrad? not sure what BMEN is

 

[mish12]

it depends on what type of schools you are aiming for. If you are looking to get into DO schools then yes Masters GPA will help you out there. If you want MD you need a higher GPA or you need to be amazing in every other category. Your undergrad GPA as of now is near the 10th percentile for many schools. Your numbers (GPA + MCAT) is what will get you to interviews your personality and everything else is what will get you the acceptance. If you are really dead set on Masters then it should be a Special Masters Program. And the reason you do something you don't like for 1-2 years is for a greater reward later on. There are plenty of things that as a physician you are going to do that you don't want to do but hey you still have to. Why? because the reward is worth it in the end.

Hi thank you! but wouldnt med schools care that you are doing well in higher level science classes with a one year masters program affiliated with medschools? one dean told me that post bacc isnt that exciting for med schools because youre essentially just taking the course a second time and so the A isnt as exciting

 

[Dr. Meliodas]

Hi thank you! but wouldnt med schools care that you are doing well in higher level science classes with a one year masters program affiliated with medschools? one dean told me that post bacc isnt that exciting for med schools because youre essentially just taking the course a second time and so the A isnt as exciting

From what I have been told most medical schools see graduate school grades as inflated. But it might be better to get the advice of @Goro and @Faha

 

[USERX]

it depends on what type of schools you are aiming for. If you are looking to get into DO schools then yes Masters GPA will help you out there. If you want MD you need a higher GPA or you need to be amazing in every other category. Your undergrad GPA as of now is near the 10th percentile for many schools. Your numbers (GPA + MCAT) is what will get you to interviews your personality and everything else is what will get you the acceptance. If you are really dead set on Masters then it should be a Special Masters Program. And the reason you do something you don't like for 1-2 years is for a greater reward later on. There are plenty of things that as a physician you are going to do that you don't want to do but hey you still have to. Why? because the reward is worth it in the end.

I think it's getting to the point where medical schools are starting to see this as just a move to raise GPA. If you like the subject, you will want to learn it and if you cant, what makes you think you will succeed at learning medicine? Yes, raising GPA is important, but you are at that point where .1 or .2 points will be enough to get some interviews (assuming you retake the MCAT), so you don't need a drastic increase. You can do a two-year program with a low course load and get a good GPA doing something you like and can talk about more than just "ohh yah that". If you really really just want to be a physician, do the DO route. You will most likely get in somewhere as you are now. I just don't understand some peoples reasoning to just haunt for GPA for two years.

Hi thank you so much! out of curiousity, what program did you do exactly after undergrad? not sure what BMEN is

Biomedical Engineering (BMEN) Bachelors and Bioengineering Masters; basically BMEN.

 

[Goro]

Hi-

I am a student in New Jersey.
cGPA: 3.3
sGPA: 3.2
MCAT: 504 127/124/126/127

Biomedical Engineering major (worst decision to tag this with pre-med). Leadership and volunteer experience in clinical and engineering settings. I am graduating this semester and applying to masters in biomedical science programs that are affiliated with med schools for the Spring semester. I dont know if I have time to take the GRE. Will my credentials be enough to get in? Is it a good idea to strengthen my application through this one year graduate program?

I would appreciate any and all advice!

Your stats are fine right now for DO schools, if you apply broadly.

If you're boning for the MD, then go for the SMP. Your stats are fine for them.

 

[Faha]

Your current stats are fine for many DO schools. If you are willing to go to a DO schools then apply broadly to at least 12 schools and you should receive several interviews. Where is your state of residence?

 

[mish12]

Your stats are fine right now for DO schools, if you apply broadly.

If you're boning for the MD, then go for the SMP. Your stats are fine for them.

thank you! whats the difference between SMP and one of those one year masters of biomedical sciences programs?

i am trying to go for the MD /:

 

[mish12]

Your current stats are fine for many DO schools. If you are willing to go to a DO schools then apply broadly to at least 12 schools and you should receive several interviews. Where is your state of residence?

thank you! state of residence is NJ. aiming for MD but im trying to figure out if I can apply to the masters of biomedical programs (which accept MCAT and/or GRE) with my current MCAT score. I feel like my subscores arent too bad, just a screw up mainly in CARS.

I dont think I have time to study for the GRE so im hoping my MCAT score is good enough!

 

[Goro]

thank you! whats the difference between SMP and one of those one year masters of biomedical sciences programs?

i am trying to go for the MD /:

Same thing

 

[Goro]

Answer is yes

 

[blueberry4104]

Answer is yes

Thanks for replying. If I get in, I'd be starting the program this summer while in the middle of my first application cycle. I realize I won't have the first semester grades to put on my application until December, does that make it hold little to no weight, or will schools wait for grade updates? Is it a thing for schools to put you on a waitlist / some sort of pending acceptance until they see you finish the entire SMP?

 

[Goro]

Thanks for replying. If I get in, I'd be starting the program this summer while in the middle of my first application cycle. I realize I won't have the first semester grades to put on my application until December, does that make it hold little to no weight, or will schools wait for grade updates? Is it a thing for schools to put you on a waitlist / some sort of pending acceptance until they see you finish the entire SMP?

Finish the program, and then apply. Most med schools will want to see a years worth of grades and performance.

 

[Goro]

1. Would you still recommend that course of action, even if my current application may be enough reinvention to try this cycle with the SMP instead of waiting another year? That way I could use the interview guarantee as insurance?

- I have a 3.45 sGPA/cGPA with a big upward trend (3.24 -> 2.91 -> 3.58 -> 3.93).
- 509 MCAT that I am currently going to retake, and my practice scores are averaging a solid 516+
- Strong, well-rounded ECs that I can passionately talk about(~580 clinical hours, ~275 non clinical)
- CA resident ORM
- first time applicant

2. I am just trying to make sure that doing the SMP while simultaneously applying won't HURT my MD chances by causing my app to be put on hold for first semester grades and not get looked at until December/January vs. not doing the SMP and getting looked at in July.

3. Also -- the 3.58 from junior year is only because of one C in a year full of basically straight As, but the C was in a plant science class, which I imagine med schools won't scrutinize me for too much because its not related to med school curriculum....right?

1) Yes. You have a moderately good JR year and a stellar SRE year. If you had two solid years of 3.8+, then I'd advise applying as if you had a cGPA of 3.8.

2) Applying while in an SMP will not help. You will be judged upon yoru app as is. No school will think "let's see how Blueberry does at the end of the semester". After all, they have a surplus of applicants who didn't need reinvention.

3) You are dead wrong. The fact that the subject was plant science is irrelevant. It was an upper level BIOLOGY course, and your getting a C in it telegraphs than you still couldn't handle a rigorous curriculum. And a C grade in a sea of As stand out, like a black mark on a white canvas. So, you're not ready for MD prime time.

 

[blueberry4104]

1) Yes. You have a moderately good JR year and a stellar SRE year. If you had two solid years of 3.8+, then I'd advise applying as if you had a cGPA of 3.8.

2) Applying while in an SMP will not help. You will be judged upon yoru app as is. No school will think "let's see how Blueberry does at the end of the semester". After all, they have a surplus of applicants who didn't need reinvention.

3) You are dead wrong. The fact that the subject was plant science is irrelevant. It was an upper level BIOLOGY course, and your getting a C in it telegraphs than you still couldn't handle a rigorous curriculum. And a C grade in a sea of As stand out, like a black mark on a white canvas. So, you're not ready for MD prime time.

So you're telling me despite my As in several upper division courses relevant to medicine (cell biology, microbiology, neurobiology, developmental biology, immunology, human biology, physiology + labs) along with simultaneous 16 hours/week of research, my ability to handle a rigorous curriculum is still going to be doubted because of........plant science

Jesus that's incredibly discouraging. So if I'm "not ready for MD prime time", you're saying that based on my current application, I have not achieved reinvention? What about if my MCAT retake turns out as high as my practice scores have been?

 

[Goro]

So you're telling me despite my As in several upper division courses relevant to medicine (cell biology, microbiology, neurobiology, developmental biology, immunology, human biology, physiology + labs) along with simultaneous 16 hours/week of research, my ability to handle a rigorous curriculum is still going to be doubted because of........plant science

Jesus that's incredibly discouraging. So if I'm "not ready for MD prime time", you're saying that based on my current application, I have not achieved reinvention? What about if my MCAT retake turns out as high as my practice scores have been?

Yes, exact. It's also interesting that you aren't getting my point. At this time in your path, you shouldn't be getting Cs in anything. Your attempts to downplay it by having a mindset that "it's only plant science" is also problematic.

It has nothing to do with courses relating to Medicine, it's your ability to handle a rigorous course load. Medical school will be far more difficult. As of right now, you will simply get crowded out by applicants with stronger academic records.

I don't deal with hypotheticals. Come back with a real MCAT score and then we'll discuss chances.

 

[blueberry4104]

Yes, exact. It's also interesting that you aren't getting my point. At this time in your path, you shouldn't be getting Cs in anything. Your attempts to downplay it by having a mindset that "it's only plant science" is also problematic.

It has nothing to do with courses relating to Medicine, it's your ability to handle a rigorous course load. Medical school will be far more difficult. As of right now, you will simply get crowded out by applicants with stronger academic records.

I don't deal with hypotheticals. Come back with a real MCAT score and then we'll discuss chances.

I get your point. My intention wasn't so much to downplay the C as it was to defend my success in the other, more difficult courses. Being a month away from apps, it's just frustrating to hear this despite knowing my own abilities and how hard I have worked to try and remediate those mistakes. But I still appreciate the advice.

I'm gonna go all in with the SMP and apply at the same time, prove that I can handle med school, and hope that the linkage interview goes well. And apply DO. And if I end up with no acceptances, I'll be a reapplicant next year with the SMP grades under my belt.