Do masters in anatomy programs count as smps? (Specifically Case Western)

[imsn234234]

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Hi everyone,

I recently got accepted into Case's masters of anatomy program and I was wondering if this program is an SMP? The program requires core classes which cover most of the first year of medical school classes at Case, so it seems like it's an SMP to me... I just haven't heard about it in that context around these forums and wanted to be sure before I make any decisions. Thanks for any help!

Here's the program description:
http://www.case.edu/med/anatomy/MS.pdf

 

[DrMidlife]

That looks pretty cool to me. No idea if it'll get you into med school. 1.5 to 2.5 years is a long time to draw student loans for a terminal masters.

Here's what you need to know:
1. Do they take students with low undergrad GPAs? (presumably that's what you're looking for)
2. How many of their non-MD/MS grads (percentage is fine) are in what med schools (preferably Case takes its own) and when did they get in (during the MS? after? multiple years after?)
3. Will they support a same-year app to Case and other med schools, if that's what you want to do, by writing you letters and releasing your transcripts quickly and harassing adcoms to let you in?
4. What's the cost?

I'd ask to talk to somebody who just finished the program and is starting med school this summer. If they won't let you talk to a relevant alumni, that's bad.

Please report back with your findings, if you find any.

Best of luck to you.

 

[imsn234234]

Hi Dr. Midlife,

1) Yes the accept low UG gpas. Mine is below a 3.0, and they accepted me because I did fairly well on the GRE (1500).
2) From what I heard, about 50% get into medical schools (MD and DO) after completion. From what I understand, students usually take 2 years to complete the program, but can do it in 1 year. So assuming 2 years, students usually apply after the first year and then send in their grades for the second year.
3) They do support same year apps, but I won't be needing that.
4) The cost is 20k a year (yikes!)

Also, do you mind if I PM you some questions that are kind of off topic to this thread?

Thanks.

 

[DrMidlife]

I think you're jumping the gun. You can't repair a sub-3.0 with a program like this. You would do better to do a second bachelors at a 3.7+...and kill the MCAT...and maybe then do this program.

This program would be great for somebody with a 3.4/30 who didn't get in anywhere on a first app cycle. Like Mt. Sinai. Great for people who need a little more academic juice in their otherwise compelling med school app. You don't yet have a med school app to juice up, unfortunately.

If you're really interested in anatomy, and you're prepared to work insanely hard and beat up the med students in these courses, and you kill the MCAT, and the rest of your app is great, and the program faculty support your app to other schools or to Case, then it's a good thing to do. I submit that you aren't ready to beat med students. Go beat up underchem biochem majors first.

4) The cost is 20k a year (yikes!)

That's not bad, really, I'd call it cheap if you can reasonably get done in a year. Comments above notwithstanding.

Also, do you mind if I PM you some questions that are kind of off topic to this thread?

Sure, I answer when I can.

Best of luck to you.

 

[imsn234234]

I think you're jumping the gun. You can't repair a sub-3.0 with a program like this. You would do better to do a second bachelors at a 3.7+...and kill the MCAT...and maybe then do this program.

This program would be great for somebody with a 3.4/30 who didn't get in anywhere on a first app cycle. Like Mt. Sinai. Great for people who need a little more academic juice in their otherwise compelling med school app. You don't yet have a med school app to juice up, unfortunately.

If you're really interested in anatomy, and you're prepared to work insanely hard and beat up the med students in these courses, and you kill the MCAT, and the rest of your app is great, and the program faculty support your app to other schools or to Case, then it's a good thing to do. I submit that you aren't ready to beat med students. Go beat up underchem biochem majors first.


That's not bad, really, I'd call it cheap if you can reasonably get done in a year. Comments above notwithstanding.


Sure, I answer when I can.

Best of luck to you.

Thanks for you insightful and quick response. about my gpa, that was actually one of my questions I just pmed you about... right before reading this. 🙂. Quiete honestly, I'm not too sure why I was accepted into the program considering my GPA. I hope it wasn't only to get money out of me. :-/ Do you really think I should go for another undergrad? Or could I just take a lot of classes on the side, during the masters program? Initially, I had an idea of getting my GPA above a 3.0 during or after taking the required Grad courses, so I could at least get through the initial screening and then hopefully ADCOMS could then see my anatomy grades. Do you think that's a good plan? Thanks again for your help!

PS. Sorry about the two separate threads of conversation, do you mind switching to the PM thread? Thanks!

 

[DrMidlife]

Thanks for you insightful and quick response. about my gpa, that was actually one of my questions I just pmed you about... right before reading this. 🙂. Quiete honestly, I'm not too sure why I was accepted into the program considering my GPA. I hope it wasn't only to get money out of me. :-/

Sesame Street is going to start having commercials, and every school on the planet is looking to fill budget gaps. It's low hanging fruit, from a budget perspective, for an existing MD/MS program to let non-med students in. Trust me, nobody is getting rich on this program except at the executive level. Your tuition is probably keeping faculty employed instead of laid off.

Do you really think I should go for another undergrad? Or could I just take a lot of classes on the side, during the masters program? Initially, I had an idea of getting my GPA above a 3.0 during or after taking the required Grad courses, so I could at least get through the initial screening and then hopefully ADCOMS could then see my anatomy grades. Do you think that's a good plan? Thanks again for your help!

Please go do the math to see how much more undergrad coursework you have to do to get up to 3.0. Hint: it's about 2 years. Full time. Preferably mostly hard science classes, not fluff, if you want credibility. My perspective on a sub-3.0 is that if you can get up to 3.0 in 2-3 years, then you should. The only way to take that much more undergrad coursework is to be degree-seeking, so that you have financial aid and registration priority.

More importantly, you have to suddenly magically become a 3.7+ student. This is a huge problem. In your shoes, I'd do this:
1. Go take one math or science class, at night. CC is fine. Get an A.
2. If you don't get an A, try again.
3. When you've got an A, then you get to take more classes. Keep getting A's. Do whatever you have to do to get A's.
4. If you fall below 3.7 in any term, you're done. Stop taking classes, you're making it worse.
5. If and when your GPA is 3.0+, and your MCAT is 32+, then you can either go DO or do an SMP and try for MD. At this point, the Case program would be a possibility, if it interests you, but Gtown/EVMS/Cincinnati/etc will give you predictable results.
Note: if you haven't already succeeded under a full time load of pretty hard science before you start an SMP, you will die and it will hurt.
6. Assume you will run into speed bumps. Make sure you're easy to employ and keep your credit clean.
7. Keep volunteering every week.
8. Every faculty member you meet is to be recruited as an LOR writer until proven unfit.
9. If there's any other career you'd be happy in, for the love of all that's holy do the other career.

Best of luck to you.

 

[patel2]

this program is sort of structured like the tulane anatomy certification, but that program is only for waitlisted students and has a 90-100% success rate.

With this, the 50% make it into med school statistic does not sound promising or worth 20K...like Dr.Midlife said, this program will not rescue a below 3.0 GPA. This sounds like more of a masters program for people interested in learning about anatomy, but IMO there are more established SMPs that have better track records and success rates at getting students into med schools...plus this is 2 years versus 1 at many others. I think your best bet is to really work on raising your GPA/MCAT, and then look into EVMS/Gtown/Tulane SMPs (if you score 30+ on the mcat, pharmacology/genetics have pretty good linkage).

Or, alternatively, if you really wanted to save a few years of undergrad course work, and don't mind the D.O. initials, then you would be an ideal person to take advantage of grade replacement at DO schools, as this could probably raise your GPA/sci GPA to 3.0 + in half the time.

 

[tn5736]

This 2 years program would cost more than $20K a year. One credit costs $1500 and tuition only for this 30-credit program will cost you $45k plus room and board, food, living expenses. I looked at graduate dorm, and for a single small room, it costs about $750 a month. Thus, depending on how soon you want to finish this program, just do the math - it may cost you up to $65k if you do not live at home.

Besides the expensive tuition, how it it compared to VCU CERT? Will it give me a better chance to get in medical school at the end of the program?