Columbia IHN M.S. in Nutrition

[bigloley]

Hi,

So I recently got accepted into this program and was trying to find more info about it. They said in their acceptance letter/brochures that they were very successful in getting people into medical school and sent a list of all the schools that graduates went to in the past 4 years (which is kind of misleading).

I haven't been able to find too much other info about the program than a couple reviews that were years old so if anyone knows any more info or if they have attended this program please respond about your experience with the program.

I found on the AAMC website about postbacc programs that i has relatively good statistics, thought I don't know how accurate they are:

Columbia IHN
Enrollment 51-100
Applied to Medical School Previous Year 51+
Accepted to Medical School Previous Year 51+

This is much better than compared with the UMDNJ Newark SMP which has:

Enrollment 101+
Applied to Medical School Previous Year 26-50
Accepted to Medical School Previous Year 26-50

I have also gotten into BU MAMS and I am leaning towards that right now because of the plethora of information and success I've read about it, but if the Columbia program is just as good I would like to attend it because I live in New York.

Thanks in advance

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[bludev505]

can you post the list of schools they sent you? or PM them to me

thanks

 

[deleted248403]

The nutrition program isn't a true SMP, as in an SMP you take core graduate level science classes, whereas from what i've read/heard that in the Columbia Nutrition program - you are taking nutrition courses (obv) as well as other fringe science subjects

A true SMP courseload will be more aligned with medical school curriculum or MS in biology/biochemistry than it would be with nutrition...

 

[Juneilow]

I just got admitted to this program too and am over the moon about it. But the price tag is pretty hefty, so I was wondering if anyone had any more information so I can make an informed decision about whether it was worth it. New York is an expensive place to live in too, but . . . I so want to be able to do this as a precursor to med school.

 

[cj8]

Hey All,

I'm actually in the program now as a part-time student. I work full time doing research upstairs from where we actually have classes. I've only had a chance to take 13 credits so far but I do enjoy the program. Compared to other post-bacc. or preparatory graduate programs (I also did one at Drexel) I'd say that this one is well organized but most lecturers will try to focus on nutrition and end up with vague, general recommendations that every other lecturer talks about. Despite this vague recommendation, they do spend a lot of time discussing diseases, diseases caused by deficiencies of nutrients, and how a nutritionist would fit into their medical team.

One nice feature is that you are able to do a thesis and thus research within some of the doctors and researchers in NY Presbyterian. A ton of my classmates didn't have research experience and jumped at the idea of getting to know how lab science is done and presenting their findings to the class. Some of them are even staying on next year to do more research (and finally get paid for it.).

In terms of using this as a stepping stone to get into medical school, I would say that it's a fair stepping stone. The curriculum is rigorous to say the least and the professors that run the classes are good but not excellent. About one-third to a little less than half my classmates got into medical school and are going for next year if that helps any.

 

[Juneilow]

About one-third to a little less than half my classmates got into medical school and are going for next year if that helps any.

I really liked your post until this part; that's less than the national average! But then, are you talking about students who applied in summer 2010 (along with applying to the Columbia program) and didn't get into med school for fall 2011? That would mean that they applied before entering the Master's program, so there's no way of knowing how they're going to do for this year's cycle.

 

[cookiemonster12]

.

 

[bigloley]

I don't think I will be attending the program but I am attaching the list of schools that alumni have gotten into from 2006-2010

This is what they sent in the acceptance letter and I hope it is helpful for any prospective students of the program

 

[deleted248403]

The "low" statistic is because many students aren't pre-med, or are taking more time to apply (a few gap years).

Even more reason why this shouldn't be considered a low-GPA compensating SMP style program.

 

[cookiemonster12]

.

 

[deleted248403]

I don't think this is where people go to raise their GPAs.

Unfortunately some less informed posters here consider it GPA repairing

 

[bigloley]

I hope so! My GPA and MCAT are where I want them to be. I'm going to the IHN because I'm passionate about it, and I hope my classmates will feel the same way. I don't think this is where people go to raise their GPAs. After all the undergraduate years of weeder classes and intense pre-med, I'm really looking forward to next year.

I wish I could attend but I need a GPA-repairing program. Good luck, it seems like a great program and will give you a good boost if you are already competitive for medical school.

 

[jl13]

I have just finished the Columbia Nutrition program. I personally used the program as an opportunity to take a year and pursue a side interest before medicine.

This is a great program for those of you who are generally interested in Nutrition and will provide you with quality research experiences and coursework that is very applicable to many fields.

However, it is not a SMP nor a post-bacc and should not be used to raise GPA, etc. for medical school. It is a program to learn about nutrition and its relation to disease and to be immersed in the research atmosphere of a large east coast medical center.

 

[luka85]

I am entering the IHN program next year as well and am super excited about it. It is true that it is not a 100% GPA repairing program (realize too, though, that any SMP program will never erase your undergrad grades), and is not as core-science based than BU or Tuft's SMP programs, but from the plethora of alumni and students I've spoken to, you should definitely NOT underestimate the rigorousness of the program as a graduate level science-based course of study nor how important nutrition is as a medical professional.

The fact is though, it is a competitive program and acceptance does mean that your portfolio is competitive - this specific program offers a lot of internal support from all admin throughout you application process and they pride themselves on doing whatever they can to get you where you want to go after grad. Which, in my opinion, is what you want from a school that has one of the top Nutrition programs in the country and for the $$ you're paying for it!

 

[CDPSKI]

I have also been accepted into the Nutrition Program at Columbia. I am very excited about the program and the opportunities it presents. I think this program will be extremely helpful and complimentary to an eventual career in medicine. I think nutrition is often overlooked in health care environments or not given the importance it deserves. I am hoping to attend medical school upon completion of this program as well. I look forward to meeting my future classmates this fall!

 

[Sayrah]

Hey everyone,
I am interested in applying to this program next fall and wanted to get some more info on it. I just graduated from a small private Jesuit college with a BS in bio along with bio honors and honors. I am currently enrolled in Columbia in the biotech certificate program to strengthen my background in science. Can I get an idea of what the typical gpa and mcat for anyone who has taken it? I have checked the website but I wanted to get an enrolled student's perspective.
Thanks~

 

[BlackbeltDoctor]

I have just finished the Columbia Nutrition program. I personally used the program as an opportunity to take a year and pursue a side interest before medicine.

This is a great program for those of you who are generally interested in Nutrition and will provide you with quality research experiences and coursework that is very applicable to many fields.

However, it is not a SMP nor a post-bacc and should not be used to raise GPA, etc. for medical school. It is a program to learn about nutrition and its relation to disease and to be immersed in the research atmosphere of a large east coast medical center.

I don't understand why this doesn't help boost your GPA....

 

[deleted870424]

Hi, prospective applicant for Columbia IHN's ms in nutrition program here. Just wondering more about the chances I will get into the program next year if I choose to apply. My cGPA is 3.57 and sGPA 3.4. MCAT to be determined but after some practice tests its looking I'll land in the 508-510 region. I also have 2 years of experience at a nutrition lab that I'm very passionate about.

If someone could let me know if I could get in with this bare minimum information, that'd be great.

I did the program, I think you'd get in fine. If you have any more questions feel free to message me privately or email Dr. Akabas of the program directly.

 

[Doctorishere12345]

I did the program, I think you'd get in fine. If you have any more questions feel free to message me privately or email Dr. Akabas of the program directly.

hi, can u share your experience about this program (pro/con) and job market of this field. Try to pm you but it wouldn't let me

 

[deleted870424]

Try again I think I opened my profile.

 

[deleted762196]

is this program good for high mcat low gpa types

 

[moonrocket23]

Do not get into this program. They test different things than what they teach, and the professors at IHN don't teach well. Some lecturers come and talk about irrelevant and useless stuff. Avoid at all cost.

Are you speaking from personal experience? This opinion is pretty different than other things I have heard about the program... makes me nervous to apply in December lol

 

[lycheelover]

I did the program, I think you'd get in fine. If you have any more questions feel free to message me privately or email Dr. Akabas of the program directly.

Hey! Did you apply to medical after completing this program? If so, did you find it being beneficial to your application?

 

[Admirable-Party-9813]

Hi! I know this was posted a while ago but this if for anyone who wants to know more about Columbia IHN since ik there's not a ton of info out there---

I'm a current student (class of 2022). My sGPA from undergrad is a 3.57 and cgpa is 3.7 and my mcat is between 510 and 515 and I do plan on applying to medical school this cycle. So while I can't tell you if this program helped me get into medical school yet, I can say that it's completely worth it. This Masters has taught me so much about nutrition and how it can be applied to the medical field. Nutrition is honestly so important and often overlooked in the medical field and I think it's something that doctors should have at least some knowledge on. I'm very happy with the program. The professors genuinely care so much about the students, they're always available for questions, advice, anything really and the classes are all fascinating. There's also a thesis requirement so you will get research experience (basic science, clinical or public health) and there are so many opportunities you can find in NYC when it comes to volunteering, shadowing, clinical stuff, etc. If you know how to manage your time wisely, it's very doable!

I don't know to what extent it will help me get into medical school, but I'm happy with the program, I love it here and personally I think it's made me even more passionate and determined to pursue a medical career. I do think that everything I've been doing here in Columbia will help me in my application.

My advice is that if you are genuinely interested in nutrition or at least curious about it, definitely apply. This is not an SMP and getting straight As may help but I'm not sure it'll make as much of a difference compared to a postbac or an official SMP. It's definitely a good way to spend your gap year, though!

Update (April 2023): I did end up getting into medical school and I do believe my experiences in this program have helped me significantly in the process. Feel free to DM me for further info., questions or advice.