Debating between two post bacc programs

[Sunday_Morning]

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Hi All, would love your advice on my post bacc program decision.

Background: career changer, went to top 3 undergrad in US and worked in management consulting for 6 years, currently live in the Bay Area. College GPA was 3.7 with a major in Econ

Post bacc options:
1) Berkeley extension program
- Better name brand and seemingly decent stats
- Offers only evening or weekend classes, so will take longer to finish
2) San Francisco State University (SFSU) post bacc program
- Offers full time day classes so can finish earlier and apply to med school one year earlier
- Not a good name brand, which concerns me a little if I wanted to go to top med school?
- No stats posted

Currently I am leaning towards option 2, but any opinions on this? Especially from those who served on any admissions committee? Would appreciate it

 

[GoSpursGo]

Grades are more important than school name, esp in post bacc. Go where you will be successful. If that is equal, no harm in going where you can finish faster. Make sure you have enough time to complete other requirements like clijical experience and other volunteering

 

[Sunday_Morning]

Grades are more important than school name, esp in post bacc. Go where you will be successful. If that is equal, no harm in going where you can finish faster. Make sure you have enough time to complete other requirements like clijical experience and other volunteering

Got it thank you! I am already volunteering at a pediatrics ED - do you advise that I also start other non-clinical volunteering?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Got it thank you! I am already volunteering at a pediatrics ED - do you advise that I also start other non-clinical volunteering?

Yes. Non clinical volunteering is a separate expectation

 

[Sunday_Morning]

1) And how much shadowing do you recommend to do? And what counts as a meaningful, high quality shadowing experience?
2) As a non traditional, do I need to do research to target top med schools?

 

[Approach]

1) And how much shadowing do you recommend to do? And what counts as a meaningful, high quality shadowing experience?
2) As a non traditional, do I need to do research to target top med schools?

I have a similar background to you, and I am now a medical student. Go to the cheaper option, get great grades, and crush the MCAT. I went to the local city university system where I was living.

Not the person you were replying to but:

1. Shadowing is a check box activity, make sure its concentrated in primary care. Get real clinical experience, perhaps you are are with your peds ED work, can you smell the patient (litmus test)?

2. IME Research is variable in importance depending on the type of non-trad you are; as a former consultant, my application had barely any research, and top schools didn't care. Source: I go to one. But also, don't get too hung up on "top" schools so much; med school applications are such a crapshoot. Fixating on them now when you have just started the post bacc journey is a recipe for disappointment.

 

[Sunday_Morning]

@Approach thank you for sharing, this is super helpful! Glad to know that you went thru a similar journey. If you dont mind me asking, how many years of work experience did you have before applying?

 

[Approach]

@Approach thank you for sharing, this is super helpful! Glad to know that you went thru a similar journey. If you dont mind me asking, how many years of work experience did you have before applying?

6. One more thing I thought of reading through this thread— I also suggest leveraging your consulting background for your non clinical volunteering. You have picked up a lot of skills, that many organizations, particularly nonprofits would find very valuable to have in house but are often-resource constrained. Look around your local area to see what is available, many times these opportunities are remote and a few hours of week by the time you apply could go a long way. Focus on crafting a narrative for your application. You got this