Comparison of Tulane Master's Programs?

[kmc3830]

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Hi everyone!

So I have been looking into the Tulane Pharmacology master's, Cell and Molec master's, and Genetics masters. I've been doing some research on sdn and on the tulane website, but can't find a definitive answer as to which is the best program for getting into medical school. The Cell and Molec program seems to boast higher rates, but from sdn it seems the pharmacology program is the best.

If anyone could help me out and shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[cho15]

Hi everyone!

So I have been looking into the Tulane Pharmacology master's, Cell and Molec master's, and Genetics masters. I've been doing some research on sdn and on the tulane website, but can't find a definitive answer as to which is the best program for getting into medical school. The Cell and Molec program seems to boast higher rates, but from sdn it seems the pharmacology program is the best.

If anyone could help me out and shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I'm currently in the cell & molec program but i'll let you know what i've heard or what I know about Tulane's programs.

Cell & Molec: Director is really nice, program is designed to help you boost your resume so to speak, numbers are good HOWEVER if your MCAT score is average or slightly below and your GPA is only ok you will have to have something on your resume that really makes you stand out of the crowd in order to have a chance at getting into med school. Just being in the master's program will not help you that much.

Pharmacology: Is run by Dr. Beckman who sits on the admissions committee. I guess, this might be the best program to help you get into Tulane's medical school, but not necessarily other schools. She does have pull in admissions and favors her "pharmacology" students. Unfair? Yes, but I guess that's just life. I don't know much else about the program besides that.

Genetics: Don't know much about it.

Tulane also has an ACP program that only accepts those who have been waitlisted at a medical school. After completion of the ACP you are pretty much guarenteed an acceptance at Tulane Med.

Hope that helped a little. Keep researching the programs. If you have any questions about Cell & Molec though, i think I can answer them. Just PM me

 

[deleted212936]

Is there a cut-off MCAT to get into the Cell & Molec program?

 

[cho15]

Is there a cut-off MCAT to get into the Cell & Molec program?

There isn't a strict MCAT cut-off per say, however the aim of the program is to help you get into medical school (or other professional schools, but mainly people here are for med) so if you have a very low MCAT and you don't plan on taking it again to boost it, chances are you won't be accepted into the Cell & Molec program. You can always call the program office to see if they have a more clear cut answer for you.

 

[raebear]

I am currently in the Tulane Pharmacology program... It's hard to say exactly how effective this program is going to be at getting people into med school... So far, one person in my class was accepted to Tulane early decision, one to LSU early decision, and 2 DO acceptances. I think the majority of the class will be re-applying (or applying for the first time) next cycle after they have proven themselves in this program.

I'm hardly know a thing about the Cell/Molec Bio program, but in the Pharm program we take Medical Pharmacology with the 2nd year med students, which is great because it proves to med schools that you can handle med school-level work. I have really been enjoying the program, and feel I'm going to get a lot out of it, and have a really strong Pharm background going into med school next year (and it's great background for board exams). In the med school interviews I went to, the schools seemed extremely interested in my program and asked many questions about it. I had 5 interviews and have been accepted to 2 schools and doubt I would have had that many opportunities without this program.

Unfortunately, the Pharmacology Chair, Dr. Agrawal, just passed away last month in a tragic accident. This semester has been a little rough, with everyone scrambling to fill in classes he was supposed to teach, etc. Hopefully everything will turn out alright and they will pull things together, and there should be no major changes to the program, but just something to keep in mind.

If you have any more questions about the Pharm program feel free to PM me!

 

[TyrKinase]

I am currently in the Anatomy Certification Program (ACP) and while it doesn't terminate in a Masters degree, it is one of the options available at Tulane.

cho15 pretty much nailed the major points for ACP: students are integrated into the first year gross anatomy (early August to Thanksgiving) and histology (December through March). ACPers can optionally take medical neuroscience in April/May although my understanding is that it has no bearing on being accepted.

The stated goal for ACP students is to meet or surpass the class average. For gross anatomy this year, that meant getting >87% which is challenging but doable. We're in the middle of histology but the averages look like they'll be similar.

Unlike the other Masters programs at Tulane, ACP is relatively cheap -- $12,500 compared to ~$24,000 for Pharm (if I recall correctly). It's a great deal if you've been waitlisted at an MD or DO school in the last two years and you're interested in attending Tulane SOM. Over the last few years, something like 95% of ACPers have been admitted to Tulane SOM.

The underlying reason that the program exists is two-fold: give waitlisted (i.e. borderline acceptable) candidates a chance to prove themselves and produce teaching assistants for gross anatomy, histology and neuroscience. Students who complete ACP and matriculate at Tulane are expected to be TAs during their T1 year but it ends up being quite doable.

Feel free to PM or reply with any questions.

 

[readdoc]

so your acp is different from the two tulane programs listed on the AAMC listing of postbacc programs. I'm wondering why people pick certain programs. Is it easier to get into certain programs? Are the different programs viewed differently by medical schools? How do med schools view non degree master's programs?

 

[TyrKinase]

There are a few differentiating factors between ACP and the other Masters programs at Tulane. The most important one, in my opinion, is that ACP almost guarantees admittance into Tulane SoM. That's not a bad deal if you're like me and wouldn't otherwise be a strongly competitive applicant to MD schools.

If you're borderline competitive and don't want to attend Tulane SoM and/or you also want a MS, the Masters programs might make more sense, as other schools don't always understand what ACP is about. On the other hand, the Masters programs (Genetics, Cell and Molecular, Pharm) aren't nearly as much of a 'sure thing' as ACP but people are successful coming out of those programs.

The Masters programs at Tulane are easier to get into because they only require an MCAT and GPA, whereas ACP requires that the applicant be waitlisted at an MD or DO school in the last two years. There are also a lot more spots for the Masters program: Pharm has ~30 but ACP accepts between 14 and 16 per year.

 

[sehnsucht77]

Hey all,
I am an applicant to the Tulane Pharm program and i noticed that they changed the reqs for the MCAT avg after I had sent in my application. I prepped my app very early in November 09 (before the revised brochure and stats were released) and submitted in January 2010 during which the competitive MCAT was 24-25. It was recently changed to 28 in the latest issue of the brochure. So I was wondering: How much variation is there in the program stats as far as GPA and MCAT go? I am pretty much on the borderline of these new stats.

 

[caseofthemndays]

Are you asking if you would get into the pharm program with an MCAT bordering 28? There was a decently large range in stats this year, MCAT's in the mid 20's to mid 30's and GPA's all over the place. You will probably be fine for pharm with a 28. The med school, however, will like to see a 30+. Hope this helps.

 

[sehnsucht77]

Are you asking if you would get into the pharm program with an MCAT bordering 28? There was a decently large range in stats this year, MCAT's in the mid 20's to mid 30's and GPA's all over the place. You will probably be fine for pharm with a 28. The med school, however, will like to see a 30+. Hope this helps.

@case: thanks for the info. I just wanted to see the variation of stats for those accepted into the program. what percentage of people apply to medical school while they are in the program? I realize that the prog would suggest that you wait till you finish but I would like to try my chances this application cycle anyway.

 

[caseofthemndays]

I think most of the class applied this year. Stats for the program were really all over the place.

 

[sehnsucht77]

@case: thanks for the info. i hope i get into the program!

 

[readdoc]

So how much coaching to move on to medical school do they offer in this program? Some of theSMPs are now talking about how they're helping students apply for med school, does Tulane program do that?

 

[thomyorke]

Just got my acceptance to Pharm last week and am pretty sure this is my destination (only waiting on Temple's ACMS). I've been excited about this program for a while as I like the smaller class size and unique scope that it offers. And it's New Orleans! As great as SMPs are in general, I REALLY didn't want to take the first year of medical school twice, which made this program very attractive to me. Plus, with solid linkage to Tulane Med how can you go wrong? I'm sure someone will ask so my stats are as follows: cGPA: 3.3, sGPA 3.2, MCAT low 30's. Hoping that a solid performance in Pharm puts me over the edge!

Anyone else pretty set on this program? I was thinking about starting another (Pharm specific) thread but I guess this will do for now...

 

[thomyorke]

Hey all,
I am an applicant to the Tulane Pharm program and i noticed that they changed the reqs for the MCAT avg after I had sent in my application. I prepped my app very early in November 09 (before the revised brochure and stats were released) and submitted in January 2010 during which the competitive MCAT was 24-25. It was recently changed to 28 in the latest issue of the brochure. So I was wondering: How much variation is there in the program stats as far as GPA and MCAT go? I am pretty much on the borderline of these new stats.

I noticed this too! I first heard of this program early last year and the brochure said MCAT of 24. Then I'm pretty sure at some point it moved to 26 and now states 28. I think you'll be all right as long as you have a decent GPA and put some effort into the essay, had good letters, etc. My friend is a T3 at Tulane and he was telling me the new dean is trying to cut down on the back-door routes into Tulane so this increase in MCAT/program requirements likely reflects this fact. It also probably reflects the increasing difficulty of getting into medical schools. As med school admissions get harder, linkage programs will inevitably get harder as well.

Also, this is a bit random but I've heard male vs. female can play a role in the admissions to such programs, especially at Tulane. Due to the negative press often associated with NO it is inevitably a bit harder to attract females to the area. Thus, in order to have proper ratios the admitted males end up needing stats that are a bit higher. This was actually in a previous thread so you can look it up if you'd like. I think it was from a few years ago (2007 maybe?) so not sure how pertinent it is anymore.

Anyways, best of luck to you and hope to see you down there in July!

 

[acates]

here's a question... are they serious about waiting until June 1st - June 15th to release decisions to cell and molec?! that's bananas. I'm from New Orleans, and will fortunately already be moved home for the summer after I graduate next month from GW, but still. I'd rather know where I'm going to be in the Fall sooner rather than later, and I have to start sending responses to other programs!

 

[chillywilly35]

I have been accepted into both Tulane and Georgetown Masters in Pharmacology programs. Not the SMP at Georgetown, but the Masters in Pharmacology. Any current students at either have any recommendations for me? Got to decide in the next two weeks

 

[MDCracker]

Hi, guys. My application to the MS program in Pharmacology was completed last Friday. They sent me an Acceptance Email today (isn't this kinda too fast?). In the email, they told me that I have to let them know whether I will be attending the program in 2 days, and send in a deposit of $500 by May 10. Since I am still waiting for some other programs like Georgetown's SMP and GEMS, so I am wondering what should I do. Is there a way that you can ask for more time to decide? Because 2 days is a little too short.

I would also like to see if anyone knows how good the linkage is in terms of getting into Tulane School of Medicine. Like how many people are in the program and how many people get into Tulane's SOM the same year. Thanks!

 

[TyrKinase]

Since I am still waiting for some other programs like Georgetown's SMP and GEMS, so I am wondering what should I do. Is there a way that you can ask for more time to decide? Because 2 days is a little too short.

Just call and ask. I dealt with the Pharmacology folks last year and they were very accommodating.

I would also like to see if anyone knows how good the linkage is in terms of getting into Tulane School of Medicine. Like how many people are in the program and how many people get into Tulane's SOM the same year.

I know one student from last year's Pharm class got in this year (i.e. there was a 'gap year') and there was a rumor flying around that only three (out of ~30) of this year's Pharm class were interviewed at Tulane SOM. I don't know of any subsequent acceptances from these supposed 3 interviews, but I'm pretty out of the Pharm loop. Please do take this with many large grains of salt.

From what I've heard around campus, the 'backdoors' into Tulane SOM (Pharm, Cell & Molecu Bio, Genetics) are being closed as the Dean wants to increase the statistics for each entering class, and those applying from masters programs generally have below-average numbers. I'm sure there will continue to be a decent number of kids getting in from these pathways, but it wasn't like years ago when just about everyone got an interview.

ACP remains the best option at Tulane for getting into the SOM, but you have to be holding a waitlist letter from an MD or DO school in order to apply.

Good luck!

 

[MDCracker]

Thanks so much for the info TryKinase! Wow, 3 out of 30? That's not very promising. So I guess that would make Georgetown's SMP in Physiology much better then... Besides Tulane's SOM itself, does Tulane's SMP have any other solid linkages with other schools? Because if you can have a higher than 30 MCAT, and a decent GPA, like 3.2-3.5 (which is the average for ppl who getting into the SMP) shouldn't you have a pretty decent chance of getting into a MD/DO program already?

Just call and ask. I dealt with the Pharmacology folks last year and they were very accommodating.


I know one student from last year's Pharm class got in this year (i.e. there was a 'gap year') and there was a rumor flying around that only three (out of ~30) of this year's Pharm class were interviewed at Tulane SOM. I don't know of any subsequent acceptances from these supposed 3 interviews, but I'm pretty out of the Pharm loop. Please do take this with many large grains of salt.

From what I've heard around campus, the 'backdoors' into Tulane SOM (Pharm, Cell & Molecu Bio, Genetics) are being closed as the Dean wants to increase the statistics for each entering class, and those applying from masters programs generally have below-average numbers. I'm sure there will continue to be a decent number of kids getting in from these pathways, but it wasn't like years ago when just about everyone got an interview.

ACP remains the best option at Tulane for getting into the SOM, but you have to be holding a waitlist letter from an MD or DO school in order to apply.

Good luck!

 

[TyrKinase]

Thanks so much for the info TryKinase! Wow, 3 out of 30? That's not very promising. So I guess that would make Georgetown's SMP in Physiology much better then... Besides Tulane's SOM itself, does Tulane's SMP have any other solid linkages with other schools? Because if you can have a higher than 30 MCAT, and a decent GPA, like 3.2-3.5 (which is the average for ppl who getting into the SMP) shouldn't you have a pretty decent chance of getting into a MD/DO program already?

The 3-out-of-30ish figure that I heard isn't from the Admissions office or anyone official, so before you make a decision about Tulane I would recommend that you ask the Pharm office how many were accepted at Tulane SOM. They should provide you with more solid data.

Tulane doesn't technically have any linkages but I know a number of people who got into their state schools after completing one of the masters programs. If you're considering returning to Home State University for medical school, it might be a good idea to get in touch with their admissions people and ask if a masters makes sense given your specific circumstances.

Lastly, having a 3.2-3.5 and a 30+ on the MCAT puts you within striking distance of an acceptance. I think something like 43% of applicants to MD schools were accepted last year, and that other 57% wasn't necessarily unworthy -- there just aren't enough spots to go around for all the qualified applicants. For that reason a lot of SMPs, including Tulane's masters programs, have students who might already seem competitive but haven't had luck in previous application cycles.

 

[thomyorke]

The 3-out-of-30ish figure that I heard isn't from the Admissions office or anyone official, so before you make a decision about Tulane I would recommend that you ask the Pharm office how many were accepted at Tulane SOM. They should provide you with more solid data.

Tulane doesn't technically have any linkages but I know a number of people who got into their state schools after completing one of the masters programs. If you're considering returning to Home State University for medical school, it might be a good idea to get in touch with their admissions people and ask if a masters makes sense given your specific circumstances.

Wow, as someone who is strongly considering this program and hoping for a shot at Tulane med, you're scaring me a bit. Are there any current Pharm students on here who can back up these claims? I know that as many as 2-3 years ago this program used to be a great linkage (I'm guessing this is where most of the 80 percent they are claiming comes from) but this is very disappointing if so few people are getting interviewed, much less accepted. I might have to reconsider my options...

 

[TyrKinase]

Wow, as someone who is strongly considering this program and hoping for a shot at Tulane med, you're scaring me a bit. Are there any current Pharm students on here who can back up these claims? I know that as many as 2-3 years ago this program used to be a great linkage (I'm guessing this is where most of the 80 percent they are claiming comes from) but this is very disappointing if so few people are getting interviewed, much less accepted. I might have to reconsider my options...

Please take what I've said with caution; I'm an ACP student and we don't spend any time with the Pharm kids other than when we run into one another outside of school. There are T1s at Tulane (people with whom I take classes) who are graduates of various Tulane masters programs from previous years, including Cell & Molecular Bio as well as Pharm. It can be done, but I'm just saying that it's gotten more difficult recently.

In lieu of a Pharm student addressing your question, I would strongly suggest that you call/email the Pharm department and ask about this year's class and how they have done in terms of getting accepted to Tulane SOM. Dr. Beckman is another valuable resource, as she is part of the admissions committee and also teaches (or advises?) in the Pharm department.

Regardless of what SMP you attend, it's always a great idea to get some straight answers from the people who know. It's a huge investment in terms of time, money and energy and while I'm more than happy to volunteer what I've heard, I would suggest that you call around to get the details from those in charge.

Lastly, I don't want to speak negatively of Tulane; it's a great school filled with good people in an amazing city. I was initially lined up to be a Pharm student before I got into my current program, and I would have stuck with that had I not had the option of doing ACP.

 

[thomyorke]

Please take what I've said with caution; I'm an ACP student and we don't spend any time with the Pharm kids other than when we run into one another outside of school. There are T1s at Tulane (people with whom I take classes) who are graduates of various Tulane masters programs from previous years, including Cell & Molecular Bio as well as Pharm. It can be done, but I'm just saying that it's gotten more difficult recently.

In lieu of a Pharm student addressing your question, I would strongly suggest that you call/email the Pharm department and ask about this year's class and how they have done in terms of getting accepted to Tulane SOM. Dr. Beckman is another valuable resource, as she is part of the admissions committee and also teaches (or advises?) in the Pharm department.

Regardless of what SMP you attend, it's always a great idea to get some straight answers from the people who know. It's a huge investment in terms of time, money and energy and while I'm more than happy to volunteer what I've heard, I would suggest that you call around to get the details from those in charge.

Lastly, I don't want to speak negatively of Tulane; it's a great school filled with good people in an amazing city. I was initially lined up to be a Pharm student before I got into my current program, and I would have stuck with that had I not had the option of doing ACP.

Thanks for the insight TyrKinase. I did contact someone within the department and they were helpful but not very forthcoming with regards to specific admissions statistics. I especially asked about admissions to Tulane from the Pharm program.

I do love Tulane and what this program offers but I am really turned off by the fact that they seem to be shunning their own students. I couldn't find much data for more recent classes but I saw that in 2007 the Pharm program had an average 3.3 GPA and 29 MCAT. I'd be willing to guess that these numbers have only increased given how much more competitive med school admissions get each year. That being said, if students have these kind of numbers (which are not that far off from Tulane med school average) to begin with how would a solid performance in Pharm not warrant an interview? With only 3 people interviewing, quite simply it just doesn't seem like it does. Additionally, I'd be willing to bet that those three are just a few people with good stats anyways that needed something to take up a year of their time rather than those who really benefitted from what the program offers.

I am very much a borderline candidate to medical school and I am looking for a program that I will both enjoy and that will significantly increase my chance of getting into medical school, particularly the school that hosts the program. Sounds to me like the new dean has no love for the Master's students. 3/30 interviews is literally just a few percentage points above the overall percentage of Tulane's applicants that get interviewed. This, to me, speaks volumes. Especially as someone who would literally be moving across the country to an unfamiliar place (which although NOLA is a great city, certainly isn't ideal). Also, I come from a state that is very unfavorable to in-state applicants so I would ideally like to become a LA resident and apply to the LSU schools. In talking to some people at admissions (at LSU-Shreveport) they seem to feel that being a full-time student at Tulane would in no way qualify me as a resident of the state. This is definitely another negative but a whole different issue in and of itself.

Basically, this information has me really questioning the whole reason why I'm considering going there to begin with. Why not just go to one of the big SMPs close to home, which admit 25 percent and are very well known rather than one that only INTERVIEWS 10 percent of its students??

 

[swimchick]

Also, I come from a state that is very unfavorable to in-state applicants so I would ideally like to become a LA resident and apply to the LSU schools. In talking to some people at admissions (at LSU-Shreveport) they seem to feel that being a full-time student at Tulane would in no way qualify me as a resident of the state. This is definitely another negative but a whole different issue in and of itself.

I know you mentioned this is an entirely different issue...but I wanted to throw in my 0.02.

I moved to LA from NY for a job in September 2008. Although I obtained an LA license, registered to vote and opened a bank account within 2 days of moving here...LSU did not consider me a resident for school purposes until September 2009.

 

[chillywilly35]

Hey everybody,

I just recently visited the Tulane Pharmacology program and wanted to let you guys know a few things that I learned:

1. The program is not necessarily designed to get people into medical school in the fall after they finish the program. Think about it: If you apply this fall/winter, the only difference between your credentials from last cycle are only one semester of classes from this program (unless you retake the MCAT) As you may have learned on this thread, there are some people who do gain acceptance the fall after finishing this program but thats more the exception than the rule. It is possible, but should not be expected by any means. It all depends on your credentials entering the program. I think D.O. applicants actually do fairly well in this cycle though. Your application will look a whole lot better after you finish the program, in which their acceptance rate to medical schools is around 80%.
2. Don't treat this program like a backdoor into Tulane Med. Nothing is guaranteed and you should not expect anything. Yes, there are connections between the programs and there are students who come from the program into Tulane Med but nothing is guaranteed. Your outlook coming into this program is that it will improve your overall credentials to all medical schools, including Tulane Med, where you will probably get a good recommendation.
3. The Medical Pharmacology Class is kind of your time to shine. You take the course with the 2nd year med students at Tulane and if you do well, medical schools will really take note.
4. The program looks great. The price isnt terrible and unlike other SMPs or masters program, it seems more like a cooperative atmosphere and less cutthroat, which is the antithesis of the premed lifestyle.

Hope this helps yall out. Message me if you have any more questions

 

[chillywilly35]

And thomyorke,

Take the 3 out of 30 stat with a grain of salt. Not all 30 of those applicants even applied to medical school and you dont their qualifications. The medical school cycle isnt over yet and they do have an 80% acceptance rate after you finish the program.

And trust me, everybody loves NOLA. Nothing strange about it.

 

[docmetal]

For the acp students, how do you apply to the som? Do you fill out a formal amcas or just submit the packet used for the acp app? Since amcas is due well before the program starts how do they factor in acp grades? Have any acp students not been accepted to tulane som after performing above the average in the program

 

[thomyorke]

And thomyorke,

Take the 3 out of 30 stat with a grain of salt. Not all 30 of those applicants even applied to medical school and you dont their qualifications. The medical school cycle isnt over yet and they do have an 80% acceptance rate after you finish the program.

And trust me, everybody loves NOLA. Nothing strange about it.

Yes, NOLA is fun but I've lived my entire life in the Northeast. Why move across the country for a 10 percent chance of getting into med school? All that I had read on here before this statistic was introduced had led me to believe that this is a VERY high linkage program.

You are honestly trying to convince me that there aren't more than 3 people in that program whose stats are ballpark with Tulane's incoming class GPA/MCAT of 3.4 and 31??? Sorry but I am just not going to buy that. Also, you would think if people are even close to these numbers they would get an interview so long as they perform well in the program/ make a good impression.

Also, FYI, the 80 percent stat is within 2 years after finishing the degree and who knows if that includes DO/Carribbean. I don't consider these as options so the stats may be skewed.

 

[TyrKinase]

For the acp students, how do you apply to the som? Do you fill out a formal amcas or just submit the packet used for the acp app? Since amcas is due well before the program starts how do they factor in acp grades? Have any acp students not been accepted to tulane som after performing above the average in the program

Application to Tulane SOM is done via AMCAS. The department of Structural and Cellular Biology submits grades from ACP directly to the Tulane SOM admissions committee, with no student action required.

From my understanding, there have been ACP students who were not accepted to Tulane SOM after surpassing the mean but it's rare. It was basically chalked up to a really severe personality issue -- ACP students are expected to treat medical students, staff and faculty with respect and those who don't potentially face consequences, like not getting into the SOM.

 

[sehnsucht77]

I noticed this too! I first heard of this program early last year and the brochure said MCAT of 24. Then I'm pretty sure at some point it moved to 26 and now states 28. I think you'll be all right as long as you have a decent GPA and put some effort into the essay, had good letters, etc. My friend is a T3 at Tulane and he was telling me the new dean is trying to cut down on the back-door routes into Tulane so this increase in MCAT/program requirements likely reflects this fact. It also probably reflects the increasing difficulty of getting into medical schools. As med school admissions get harder, linkage programs will inevitably get harder as well.

Also, this is a bit random but I've heard male vs. female can play a role in the admissions to such programs, especially at Tulane. Due to the negative press often associated with NO it is inevitably a bit harder to attract females to the area. Thus, in order to have proper ratios the admitted males end up needing stats that are a bit higher. This was actually in a previous thread so you can look it up if you'd like. I think it was from a few years ago (2007 maybe?) so not sure how pertinent it is anymore.

Anyways, best of luck to you and hope to see you down there in July!

Got in. See you in July🙂

 

[MDCracker]

Got in. See you in July🙂

Hey sehnsucht77 and thomyorke, are you guys attending Tulane Pharmacology MS program for sure? I am giving this program a serious consideration. But I was wondering how much do you guys know about this program? Especially its linkage with Tulane Med.


Do you know if we have to file the AMCAS before we go to New Orleans in July? And is the Program director going to give us a recommendation letter for med school? It would be very great if you could share all the info about this program with me, since I couldn't get much info from the Tulane's website. Thanks so much!

 

[TyrKinase]

Hey sehnsucht77 and thomyorke, are you guys attending Tulane Pharmacology MS program for sure? I am giving this program a serious consideration. But I was wondering how much do you guys know about this program? Especially its linkage with Tulane Med.


Do you know if we have to file the AMCAS before we go to New Orleans in July? And is the Program director going to give us a recommendation letter for med school? It would be very great if you could share all the info about this program with me, since I couldn't get much info from the Tulane's website. Thanks so much!

There has never been an official linkage between the Pharm program and the School of Medicine at Tulane, but there have been a number of successful Pharm graduates who have matriculated into the medical school. That number has been declining in recent years, as the new dean wants to increase the stats for the medical school as a whole (hence the updated MCAT requirement).

If your MCAT falls below the updated minimum, I wouldn't hold out too much hope for getting into Tulane from the Pharm program, but you may have luck at other schools. You can request a letter from the program that states your performance relative to the medical school average, which can help admission committees determine your suitability as a medical school candidate.

 

[MDCracker]

Thanks for the info, Tyrkinase! I was wondering how many ppl here are confirmed that he or she will attend Tulane's Pharm MS program this year? And where are you guys from? 🙂

There has never been an official linkage between the Pharm program and the School of Medicine at Tulane, but there have been a number of successful Pharm graduates who have matriculated into the medical school. That number has been declining in recent years, as the new dean wants to increase the stats for the medical school as a whole (hence the updated MCAT requirement).

If your MCAT falls below the updated minimum, I wouldn't hold out too much hope for getting into Tulane from the Pharm program, but you may have luck at other schools. You can request a letter from the program that states your performance relative to the medical school average, which can help admission committees determine your suitability as a medical school candidate.

 

[Sewanee08]

Hey y'all, I'm definitely attending the pharmacology program this fall and looking for a potential roommate. Is anybody game?

 

[MDCracker]

Hey y'all, I'm definitely attending the pharmacology program this fall and looking for a potential roommate. Is anybody game?

Hey, Sewanee. Have you decided where to look for housing yet? Are you considering Deming Pavilion or some off campus apartments?

 

[Sewanee08]

I was considering Deming, but one of my buddies from NOLA advised me against it because it sketchy and parking & crowds can be problematic on big party weekends. He told me to look on Tchoupitoulas Street in the Warehouse District & Magazine Street in Uptown. However, I'm open to living most places.

 

[MDCracker]

Anyone looking for roommates for the program?

 

[HumGenetics]

I am the Director for the Hayward Genetics Masters program. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions;

How many students are in your program each year?
This year we have 13 students coming this year. We cap the class off at around 15.

How many people who apply to the program are accepted?
It varies one year to the next, but we get somewhere between 50 to 70 applicants. We accept about 2/3rds of them - again it varies depending on the type of applicant pool we get. We have found that 1/3 to ½ of the people we accept actually matriculate.

Are most of your students planning on continuing to Med School eventually?
Yes. Most, but we have had students go work for pharmaceutical companies, work in labs and biomedical technology companies. Students have also go on to PhD programs, genetic counseling programs, dental school and one went to law school after completing our program.

What has the success rate been of previous students in being accepted to Medical School after completion of your program?
It varies from year to year, but over 80% of the students who apply to Medical School or a School of Osteopath have been accepted - but not all the following year.

I know other programs have some kind of deal with the med school regarding interviews to graduates of Masters programs within the same university, is there anything like that at Tulane?
We have no deal with Tulane. Tulane Medical School knows and respects our MS program, but there is no “deal”. If you end up going to Tulane Medical School, we can get approval for you to be exempt from the genetics block in Medical School.

In terms of the actual degree, I noticed that there is a paper involved in completion of the program, is it a literature-based paper?
Yes, it is a 20to 30 page literature review on a topic of your choice (has to be related to genetics). Each student has a mentor who provides some guidance in the writing of the paper and who will be the one who decides the grade for the paper.



Visit our website at www.haywardgenetics.tulane.edu for more information

 

[Tyler15]

Of the following 4 programs, I would appreciate opinions on which would position best for med school:

In Tulane's School of Medicine:
1. Anatomy masters
2. Pharmacology masters

In Tulane's School of Science and Engineering:

3. Neuroscience masters
4. Cell and molecular biology masters

Thanks.

 

[aesucla]

hi everyone!

hoping to get some more recent info on the programs... does anyone have any insight between the Pharm and CMB program? I'm mainly interested in the competitiveness, student life, curriculum, etc.
Thanks!

 

[aesucla]

bump

 

[dentalfan99]

bump