Deciding on Program..

[Gutierrez001]

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Hi,
I was wondering if there SMP have more weight than a MS program? I ask becuz my state does not offer any SMP but do offer a couple of MS programs in Biomedical science. If i were to enter one of these MS programs and keep a +3.5 gpa , would this look good to the adcom? Thanks

 

[Instatewaiter]

The general opinion on SDN is that an SMP counts more than an MS. This is because, while an MS has courses similar to medical school, in an SMP you are taking actual medical school courses w/ med students. So the comparison is quite easy for adcoms to make since you are taking med school courses. In addition graduate courses can vary from school to school in terms of difficulty and grading.

If you end up doing grad school you need to keep a 3.7+ gpa. Many on SDN (not me) say that there is rampant GPA inflation. In reality the courses are very hard but all the slackers have been weeded out. Everyone gunning for med school realizes that it is a last ditch effort so they try really hard. So while the average grade may be a B or higher, everyone has earned those grades. Plus in graduate school a C is a failing grade. So if you want to get noticed by adcoms you need to get as high of a GPA as you can. There is no shortage of Grad students w/ a 3.5.

Another thing is that a 'real' MS takes 2 years while an SMP only takes 1. If your program is 2 years long, dont expect to be able to leave after 1. Most med schools require that you finish the program you are in before matriculating.

 

[Gutierrez001]

This MS program is only one year and is taught at the same building as the Umiami medical student. And i think that some of the MS professors teach the medical school clases. Also, doing this Ms program would save me about 15-20k and I could live at home 👍. Do you still think it is worth doing or heading out of state?

 

[Gutierrez001]

Is it wise for student to work during there SMP? i come from a low income family I dont believe i can afford this program. Im trying to firgure out if the low tution MS out weights a HIGH tution and out of state living SMP. Has anyone heard of the FAU biomedical program ?

 

[gdawg102]

Hey Gutierrez001,

Have you tried talking with the deans of the biomedical graduate schools you are considering in your area about what classes you can take and how it might count in terms of medical schools admissions?

From what I know, there are probably some biomedical schools that do allow some of their students to take some/limited number of classes with the medical students even though they are not SMP. But it depends on the individual school so I would personally talk with the dean of admissions and maybe some students from the schools you are inquiring about.

 

[Gutierrez001]

Hey Gutierrez001,

Have you tried talking with the deans of the biomedical graduate schools you are considering in your area about what classes you can take and how it might count in terms of medical schools admissions?

From what I know, there are probably some biomedical schools that do allow some of their students to take some/limited number of classes with the medical students even though they are not SMP. But it depends on the individual school so I would personally talk with the dean of admissions and maybe some students from the schools you are inquiring about.

I did talk to the dean and they told me that the classes arent taken with the medical student but medical students that need to repeat classes in anatomy take it during the summer with the MS students.