Drexel DPMS 2020-2021

[ScHoolboyC]

Very interested applicant but haven't seen a thread for this cycle. Anyone else applying?

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[heliosanthos]

I applied! Thanks for creating this thread btw I wasn't sure if any one else was interested

 

[ScHoolboyC]

Awesome! Glad to see someone else is. I'm hoping that they start reaching out to us in early March, but we'll just have to wait and see. Have you applied anywhere else?

 

[heliosanthos]

Awesome! Glad to see someone else is. I'm hoping that they start reaching out to us in early March, but we'll just have to wait and see. Have you applied anywhere else?

Is that how long you think it will take for them to reach out to us with interview invites? So far I only applied to IHS but not to any other programs at other schools. hbu?

 

[ScHoolboyC]

I think so. According to their website, they are starting to review completed applications this month and beginning the interview process in March. I've applied to some DO schools and two other post-bacc programs.

 

[Choco10196]

Hey guys I’m planning on applying this week! I’m really nervous though because both gpa and mcat not high. Although came from Ivy League school don’t think that will help my case. But just praying!!!

 

[heliosanthos]

Hey guys I’m planning on applying this week! I’m really nervous though because both gpa and mcat not high. Although came from Ivy League school don’t think that will help my case. But just praying!!!

Don't worry I'm in the same boat as far as gpa and mcat so I feel your pain. All we can do is apply! Best of luck to you!

 

[heliosanthos]

I think so. According to their website, they are starting to review completed applications this month and beginning the interview process in March. I've applied to some DO schools and two other post-bacc programs.

Good luck with your other applications! Hoping some good news comes your way

 

[Yamatama]

I didn’t know there was a thread for the program this year!
I applied back in October and I’m just waiting for decisions. I’m OOS so I also applied to a well known SMP in my home state. Didn’t apply to any med schools this cycle, but I’m getting ready for this cycle in case I don’t get accepted here!

 

[heliosanthos]

I didn’t know there was a thread for the program this year!
I applied back in October and I’m just waiting for decisions. I’m OOS so I also applied to a well known SMP in my home state. Didn’t apply to any med schools this cycle, but I’m getting ready for this cycle in case I don’t get accepted here!

Congrats on applying early! I’m an OOS applicant as well. Hope you get good news from your in state program. I’m still looking into other masters programs, and applied to the IHS program as backup.

 

[Yamatama]

Congrats on applying early! I’m an OOS applicant as well. Hope you get good news from your in state program. I’m still looking into other masters programs, and applied to the IHS program as backup.

Really considering applying to another masters program but I’m not sure I would attend if accepted!

 

[SparklesDuWang]

Hey yall! I’m a MS1 who was track 1, the MCAT track, in DPMS and also one of the TAs for the program. I work closely with Dr. Núñez still and some of the other TAs to aid in the current DPMS class success. I can tell everyone that this year, the DPMS class as a whole has done well and is outperforming any other previous DPMS class.

Y’all can get some good info and insight if you follow the last 2 pages of last year’s page if you follow this link DPMS 2019-2020. Y’all can then continue the conversation here.

Please feel free to message me, and I will get back to y’all ASAP.

I’m going to attach here somethings I wrote about last year in the 2019-2020 DPMS forum thread when I was helping with their application which were frequently asked questions.

———Beginning of Frequently Asked Questions from Last Year———-​

Hi everyone! I'm a current DPMS student. Please feel free to ask me questions. I am going to be seeing y'all as y'all interview and in the summer as well once classes start. I'll be answering some questions I've seen in my own way. Bob_boy has answered thing amazingly so far, and I'll just be adding some details here and there.

It's that bad? From prior threads, it seems like the MCAT was the biggest reason that people don't make contract, but you don't take the MCAT until January. So that means that a bunch of people have already dropped the program because the classes were too difficult?

The MCAT is only part of the reason that people don't make contract. Track 1, the MCAT track, which I'm a part of, has MCAT prep courses provided by The Princeton Review 3 times per week for the entirety of the fall and spring semesters. Yes, that means that even after people have taken the MCAT in January and their retake in March if they need it, students still have MCAT class until May. It is an annoyance if you do make the score the first time, but it levels out the playing field for course work with those in track 2. Anyhow, most track 1 people study through winter break, but biochem does a great job of teaching content for the bio section and some of chem/phys.

The other part of the reason that people don't make contract is that the courses themselves are the same as the first year medical students, but for a grade. The way the tests line up especially in October, 3 at the begging of the month and 3 at the end with 2 lumped in the same day, makes it a very stressful and hectic time. The material itself isn't hard. It's just the sheer volume that needs to be learned in such a short amount of time as well as relearning how to study for each individual course. Every exam feels like a final during undergrad. Unfortunately for some, learning how to study or not knowing how to deal with new test anxiety brings down students.

Resources are plentiful. Those who say that there aren't must not have paid attention during orientation because we have free tutoring as well as academic coaches, or they weren't a very social person because I was given resource after resource through my big or classmates.

So you have to re-take the MCAT by January? So if you got accepted to the program with a low MCAT score, they give you till January to retake it not after that?

Yes, you have to at least take the first and hopefully only MCAT in January. If you have to retake it, you must take it by the end of March, which the last exam this year was during spring break. I know of one student who retook the MCAT right before starting classes in the summer, and they got a score that allowed them to go from track 1 to track 2 before the fall started. I definitely don't suggest taking the exam during the fall. The coursework is huge.

Thank you so much! Do you mind sharing how hard the classes were? like what was the hardest class? what was the average in these classes? And what do you think is a good time to submit my application?

The classes during the summer are bio stats, medical terminology, critical thinking (a class that introduces skillsets on how to critically think as well as introduce the fall classes a little), and medical science prep (a class that introduces soft skills that physicians need to do well as well as amazing physician visits). Bio stats was online and could be considered a little hard since 1 missed question is equal to 1 point off your total grade. Critical thinking was tougher than expected due to the intro to the fall classes being graded, but this course is pass/fail along with med science prep. Medical terminology wasn't bad, but the teacher was a stickler for spelling and handwriting. I suggest to any future DPMS student to get all A's during the summer because it'll make the rest of the year a little easier.

The classes during the fall and spring semesters aren't hard. Like I wrote above, the sheer volume of the material that's required for each exam is a lot for the time length between exams, which can be as little as 2 weeks. Biochem is worth the most hours at 8 hours, so doing well in this one is essential. The professor, Dr. Jameson, loves to see his students succeed, especially DPMS student, and will help and lay out time for us. Please get to know him and talk to him. The average was around a B. This could have been the hardest class, or if not, it's the next class I'll talk about. Microanatomy is worth 5 hours, and I found a lot of people did well on the written exam, but they wouldn't do well on the practical. The average was around a B. The class makes students use spacial orientation skills in a way that many people haven't used before. Those who are bad with directions are likely to have a hard time with this course. There are however a ton of resources to overcome this, websites, videos, and books. I will also be a resource for those who need it next year. The average was around a B-. Physiology is broken up between the Fall and Spring semesters. The class is worth 3.5 hours in both the fall and spring each, 7 total. The hardest part of this course is that the last exam in the fall and the 2 exams in the spring are worth 50% of your grade. I consider physiology the other side of the coin of biochemistry, and thankfully most classes talk about the same subject matter around the same time. In the spring there is medical professionalism, and it is easier in comparison to all the previous courses. Also, comparatively to the other courses, this course is graded with attendance and class participation. The material presented can be a little dull, but the teacher does a great job of making it more interesting.

Track 2 students take more courses that are all pass/fail such as immunology, neuroanatomy, and neuro.

As for submitting your application, hopefully you have already, and if not, no worry! You have a month still, but the sooner you do it, the better!

i’m doing research to apply next cycle. i’m going to have around a 2.9 GPA and a 3.6 science GPA. i am a licensed EMT, volunteer weekly and have started a medically related non profit. i am a black female from philadelphia.

do you think i have a shot at getting into DPMS?

I say apply and see what happens! The application is a holistic process, and they take people that they think will be representative of the population that we will serve in the future as well as will add to the upcoming class. They do take in more females than males. It's worth a shot!

It is possible to do a one day volunteer during the program year?

Honestly, since most of our classes are online, you can schedule your time to include that. One thing we are told often is to have our activity that rebalances us and brings us joy so that we can recharge. If that is your activity, then yes. Otherwise, studying will take a lot of your time. For me, I go to NYC once a month for a whole weekend. So you can definitely do it if you plan well.

Do they go through every single application or screen applications based on MCAT/GPA? @bob_boy and other DPMSers

No, they go through the whole application. It is very holistic. Just be authentic in your essays.

Should the resume that they ask for, be an one page resume or like a CV with everything that one did throughout college?

I did a 3 page CV. I had a whole different life before this, and DPMS will love to see what your experiences are.

Does anyone know if the MCAT requirement to matriculate into the medical school changed?

Previous posters said you needed at least a 45% overall. With a minimum of a 125 in each section.

But Drexel's website states that the requirement is a minimum of a 499 overall with no lower than a 123 in each section.

As you stated, the requirement is a minimum of a 499 overall with no lower than a 123 in each section. There is no exception to this at all. I know because I asked haha! Thankfully I did very well on the MCAT thanks to the courses we take and very well planned MCAT practice.

To confirm, LORs can be written like we're applying to med school right?

I used the exact same LOR that I used when I applied to med school.

Hope this helps people out! Like I said, message me if you need help or have questions.

I saw some more questions I would like to add some detail to.

I finished applying late February and have not heard back. From what I know, they don’t start extending interview invites until April so no news right now is good news.

I applied in February as well, and I didn't hear from Drexel until the end of April. I had my interview in the middle of May, and I was accepted 2-3 weeks later. Waiting for an answer is stressful I know, but take this time to add more to your resume. Not only are you doing something good and passing some time, but the time spent wasn't wasted.

What were your stats going in to the program? Also when did you submit your app and when were you interviewed?

So my stats going into the interview were:
Undergrad GPA: 3.1
Science GPA: 3.7
Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 509 (the score was ridiculously unbalanced. I failed the psych-soc portion with a 122 and still did track 1)
OOS (Texas)

I had applied to medical school 2 cycles ago, got 11 interviews, got waitlisted at 6, and got accepted to none. I am so thankful for DPMS because my overall GPA and unbalanced MCAT really held me back. The above answer has the information about app submission and interview timeline.

How long was ur DPMS essay? Did they ask a lot of questions about your background during interview?

My DPMS essay was slightly more than a page.

My favorite part of the interview was talking about my background. They did ask some questions about it. Remember that every question they ask is just to learn about who you are as a person, what you stand for, and how your energy will add to the future DPMS class and med school class further along. Also remember that an interview is a conversation. I asked questions throughout and made jokes as I do with friends with my interviewer. My 30 mins interview actually went over by 20 mins, and my interviewer was none other than our biochemistry teacher. It was great. One piece of advice, please wear a suit. One person during my interview didn't have one, and I was so sad to see this because I knew that it wouldn't be taken well. I don't have a suit, but I sure did borrow one.

what is the reason they can't make contract? Is the coursework or mainly because of the MCAT for track I?

I would like to add more to this. I think that there are 2 major contributing factors this year for those not making contract.

First, some students didn’t learn how to turn their performance around in a timely fashion. What I mean by this is that some students had to learn how to study for each class and see what worked for them, and by the time they figured it out, it was too late. That can be circumvented by utilizing the resources we have around us quicker rather than later. A lot of people are used to having the time to turn it around that they had in college, but we don’t have that luxury here. That’s why it’s essential to ask for help and utilize the resources such as tutoring, asking prior and current DPMS for aid, and talking to the professors (amongst many other resources) early. The sheer amount of material we have to go through can quickly snowball out of control because it waits for no one.

Second, I’d say that people dealing with anxiety and related mental health issues that are born out of high stress environments is a huge culprit. Most people have never experienced this type of environment before, and they imagine that they’ll be excluded from anxiety. Here’s a wake up call that this environment will decrease your quality of life and mental resilience, and for some it is to the point of diagnosable anxiety. That’s why I preach self-compassion and self-care so much because it’ll help when the anxiety arises. There’s nothing weak nor shameful in experiencing these things. Finding the ways to lessen the effects of anxiety and other learning curveballs is a task that everyone had to deal with at some point in this program. Also, those who would’ve benefitted from having testing accommodations didn’t pursue them thinking that it would make them look weak or have an unfair advantage or plain didn’t know how to receive them. I can say from personal experience that it’s not true. It allows an equal opportunity to succeed at the tests. This is great for those who have learning obstacles such as ADHD.

As Bob_boy said, the MCAT was largely a huge success this year for the vast majority of the retakers, and I was in track 1. I felt very prepared by the time January came along because of the classes we take.

These aren’t every reason why, but one thing to take away is that it’s possible to do well in this program. It’s up to each individual person to be reflective and honest and willing to ask for help when the time comes.

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

I applied back in December. I didn't realize there was a forum for this year! Praying and I am excited for this program!

 

[Yamatama]

Hey yall! I’m a MS1 who was track 1, the MCAT track, in DPMS and also one of the TAs for the program. I work closely with Dr. Núñez still and some of the other TAs to aid in the current DPMS class success. I can tell everyone that this year, the DPMS class as a whole has done well and is outperforming any other previous DPMS class.

Y’all can get some good info and insight if you follow the last 2 pages of last year’s page if you follow this link DPMS 2019-2020. Y’all can then continue the conversation here.

Please feel free to message me, and I will get back to y’all ASAP.

I’m going to attach here somethings I wrote about last year in the 2019-2020 DPMS forum thread when I was helping with their application which were frequently asked questions.

———Beginning of Frequently Asked Questions from Last Year———-​

Hi everyone! I'm a current DPMS student. Please feel free to ask me questions. I am going to be seeing y'all as y'all interview and in the summer as well once classes start. I'll be answering some questions I've seen in my own way. Bob_boy has answered thing amazingly so far, and I'll just be adding some details here and there.



The MCAT is only part of the reason that people don't make contract. Track 1, the MCAT track, which I'm a part of, has MCAT prep courses provided by The Princeton Review 3 times per week for the entirety of the fall and spring semesters. Yes, that means that even after people have taken the MCAT in January and their retake in March if they need it, students still have MCAT class until May. It is an annoyance if you do make the score the first time, but it levels out the playing field for course work with those in track 2. Anyhow, most track 1 people study through winter break, but biochem does a great job of teaching content for the bio section and some of chem/phys.

The other part of the reason that people don't make contract is that the courses themselves are the same as the first year medical students, but for a grade. The way the tests line up especially in October, 3 at the begging of the month and 3 at the end with 2 lumped in the same day, makes it a very stressful and hectic time. The material itself isn't hard. It's just the sheer volume that needs to be learned in such a short amount of time as well as relearning how to study for each individual course. Every exam feels like a final during undergrad. Unfortunately for some, learning how to study or not knowing how to deal with new test anxiety brings down students.

Resources are plentiful. Those who say that there aren't must not have paid attention during orientation because we have free tutoring as well as academic coaches, or they weren't a very social person because I was given resource after resource through my big or classmates.



Yes, you have to at least take the first and hopefully only MCAT in January. If you have to retake it, you must take it by the end of March, which the last exam this year was during spring break. I know of one student who retook the MCAT right before starting classes in the summer, and they got a score that allowed them to go from track 1 to track 2 before the fall started. I definitely don't suggest taking the exam during the fall. The coursework is huge.



The classes during the summer are bio stats, medical terminology, critical thinking (a class that introduces skillsets on how to critically think as well as introduce the fall classes a little), and medical science prep (a class that introduces soft skills that physicians need to do well as well as amazing physician visits). Bio stats was online and could be considered a little hard since 1 missed question is equal to 1 point off your total grade. Critical thinking was tougher than expected due to the intro to the fall classes being graded, but this course is pass/fail along with med science prep. Medical terminology wasn't bad, but the teacher was a stickler for spelling and handwriting. I suggest to any future DPMS student to get all A's during the summer because it'll make the rest of the year a little easier.

The classes during the fall and spring semesters aren't hard. Like I wrote above, the sheer volume of the material that's required for each exam is a lot for the time length between exams, which can be as little as 2 weeks. Biochem is worth the most hours at 8 hours, so doing well in this one is essential. The professor, Dr. Jameson, loves to see his students succeed, especially DPMS student, and will help and lay out time for us. Please get to know him and talk to him. The average was around a B. This could have been the hardest class, or if not, it's the next class I'll talk about. Microanatomy is worth 5 hours, and I found a lot of people did well on the written exam, but they wouldn't do well on the practical. The average was around a B. The class makes students use spacial orientation skills in a way that many people haven't used before. Those who are bad with directions are likely to have a hard time with this course. There are however a ton of resources to overcome this, websites, videos, and books. I will also be a resource for those who need it next year. The average was around a B-. Physiology is broken up between the Fall and Spring semesters. The class is worth 3.5 hours in both the fall and spring each, 7 total. The hardest part of this course is that the last exam in the fall and the 2 exams in the spring are worth 50% of your grade. I consider physiology the other side of the coin of biochemistry, and thankfully most classes talk about the same subject matter around the same time. In the spring there is medical professionalism, and it is easier in comparison to all the previous courses. Also, comparatively to the other courses, this course is graded with attendance and class participation. The material presented can be a little dull, but the teacher does a great job of making it more interesting.

Track 2 students take more courses that are all pass/fail such as immunology, neuroanatomy, and neuro.

As for submitting your application, hopefully you have already, and if not, no worry! You have a month still, but the sooner you do it, the better!



I say apply and see what happens! The application is a holistic process, and they take people that they think will be representative of the population that we will serve in the future as well as will add to the upcoming class. They do take in more females than males. It's worth a shot!



Honestly, since most of our classes are online, you can schedule your time to include that. One thing we are told often is to have our activity that rebalances us and brings us joy so that we can recharge. If that is your activity, then yes. Otherwise, studying will take a lot of your time. For me, I go to NYC once a month for a whole weekend. So you can definitely do it if you plan well.



No, they go through the whole application. It is very holistic. Just be authentic in your essays.



I did a 3 page CV. I had a whole different life before this, and DPMS will love to see what your experiences are.



As you stated, the requirement is a minimum of a 499 overall with no lower than a 123 in each section. There is no exception to this at all. I know because I asked haha! Thankfully I did very well on the MCAT thanks to the courses we take and very well planned MCAT practice.



I used the exact same LOR that I used when I applied to med school.

Hope this helps people out! Like I said, message me if you need help or have questions.

I saw some more questions I would like to add some detail to.



I applied in February as well, and I didn't hear from Drexel until the end of April. I had my interview in the middle of May, and I was accepted 2-3 weeks later. Waiting for an answer is stressful I know, but take this time to add more to your resume. Not only are you doing something good and passing some time, but the time spent wasn't wasted.



So my stats going into the interview were:
Undergrad GPA: 3.1
Science GPA: 3.7
Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 509 (the score was ridiculously unbalanced. I failed the psych-soc portion with a 122 and still did track 1)
OOS (Texas)

I had applied to medical school 2 cycles ago, got 11 interviews, got waitlisted at 6, and got accepted to none. I am so thankful for DPMS because my overall GPA and unbalanced MCAT really held me back. The above answer has the information about app submission and interview timeline.



My DPMS essay was slightly more than a page.

My favorite part of the interview was talking about my background. They did ask some questions about it. Remember that every question they ask is just to learn about who you are as a person, what you stand for, and how your energy will add to the future DPMS class and med school class further along. Also remember that an interview is a conversation. I asked questions throughout and made jokes as I do with friends with my interviewer. My 30 mins interview actually went over by 20 mins, and my interviewer was none other than our biochemistry teacher. It was great. One piece of advice, please wear a suit. One person during my interview didn't have one, and I was so sad to see this because I knew that it wouldn't be taken well. I don't have a suit, but I sure did borrow one.



I would like to add more to this. I think that there are 2 major contributing factors this year for those not making contract.

First, some students didn’t learn how to turn their performance around in a timely fashion. What I mean by this is that some students had to learn how to study for each class and see what worked for them, and by the time they figured it out, it was too late. That can be circumvented by utilizing the resources we have around us quicker rather than later. A lot of people are used to having the time to turn it around that they had in college, but we don’t have that luxury here. That’s why it’s essential to ask for help and utilize the resources such as tutoring, asking prior and current DPMS for aid, and talking to the professors (amongst many other resources) early. The sheer amount of material we have to go through can quickly snowball out of control because it waits for no one.

Second, I’d say that people dealing with anxiety and related mental health issues that are born out of high stress environments is a huge culprit. Most people have never experienced this type of environment before, and they imagine that they’ll be excluded from anxiety. Here’s a wake up call that this environment will decrease your quality of life and mental resilience, and for some it is to the point of diagnosable anxiety. That’s why I preach self-compassion and self-care so much because it’ll help when the anxiety arises. There’s nothing weak nor shameful in experiencing these things. Finding the ways to lessen the effects of anxiety and other learning curveballs is a task that everyone had to deal with at some point in this program. Also, those who would’ve benefitted from having testing accommodations didn’t pursue them thinking that it would make them look weak or have an unfair advantage or plain didn’t know how to receive them. I can say from personal experience that it’s not true. It allows an equal opportunity to succeed at the tests. This is great for those who have learning obstacles such as ADHD.

As Bob_boy said, the MCAT was largely a huge success this year for the vast majority of the retakers, and I was in track 1. I felt very prepared by the time January came along because of the classes we take.

These aren’t every reason why, but one thing to take away is that it’s possible to do well in this program. It’s up to each individual person to be reflective and honest and willing to ask for help when the time comes.

Hey! Thank you for your lengthy response here as well as in the other thread! Do you know many people accepted with just 499? I feel like that’s on the cusp and it could hurt me more than help. Anyway, I’ll study hard now and hopefully be able to submit another score soon.

 

[SparklesDuWang]

Hey! Thank you for your lengthy response here as well as in the other thread! Do you know many people accepted with just 499? I feel like that’s on the cusp and it could hurt me more than help. Anyway, I’ll study hard now and hopefully be able to submit another score soon.

You’re very welcome~!

Yes, I do know people with 499s that are my classmates. Since that is the cutoff, you’re in as long as each individual section is a 123 at least. Remember please that the review process to get in completely holistic. Stats are not everything. Having great letters of recommendation, a great personal statement, and a great DPMS essay will make up for scores.

 

[alp36]

Good luck to everyone applying! I was accepted to one of their alternate programs we were required to apply to (biomedical studies) but I am REALLY hoping for DPMS! I’ll be Track 1 if accepted!

 

[heliosanthos]

Hey yall! I’m a MS1 who was track 1, the MCAT track, in DPMS and also one of the TAs for the program. I work closely with Dr. Núñez still and some of the other TAs to aid in the current DPMS class success. I can tell everyone that this year, the DPMS class as a whole has done well and is outperforming any other previous DPMS class.

Y’all can get some good info and insight if you follow the last 2 pages of last year’s page if you follow this link DPMS 2019-2020. Y’all can then continue the conversation here.

Please feel free to message me, and I will get back to y’all ASAP.

I’m going to attach here somethings I wrote about last year in the 2019-2020 DPMS forum thread when I was helping with their application which were frequently asked questions.

———Beginning of Frequently Asked Questions from Last Year———-​

Hi everyone! I'm a current DPMS student. Please feel free to ask me questions. I am going to be seeing y'all as y'all interview and in the summer as well once classes start. I'll be answering some questions I've seen in my own way. Bob_boy has answered thing amazingly so far, and I'll just be adding some details here and there.



The MCAT is only part of the reason that people don't make contract. Track 1, the MCAT track, which I'm a part of, has MCAT prep courses provided by The Princeton Review 3 times per week for the entirety of the fall and spring semesters. Yes, that means that even after people have taken the MCAT in January and their retake in March if they need it, students still have MCAT class until May. It is an annoyance if you do make the score the first time, but it levels out the playing field for course work with those in track 2. Anyhow, most track 1 people study through winter break, but biochem does a great job of teaching content for the bio section and some of chem/phys.

The other part of the reason that people don't make contract is that the courses themselves are the same as the first year medical students, but for a grade. The way the tests line up especially in October, 3 at the begging of the month and 3 at the end with 2 lumped in the same day, makes it a very stressful and hectic time. The material itself isn't hard. It's just the sheer volume that needs to be learned in such a short amount of time as well as relearning how to study for each individual course. Every exam feels like a final during undergrad. Unfortunately for some, learning how to study or not knowing how to deal with new test anxiety brings down students.

Resources are plentiful. Those who say that there aren't must not have paid attention during orientation because we have free tutoring as well as academic coaches, or they weren't a very social person because I was given resource after resource through my big or classmates.



Yes, you have to at least take the first and hopefully only MCAT in January. If you have to retake it, you must take it by the end of March, which the last exam this year was during spring break. I know of one student who retook the MCAT right before starting classes in the summer, and they got a score that allowed them to go from track 1 to track 2 before the fall started. I definitely don't suggest taking the exam during the fall. The coursework is huge.



The classes during the summer are bio stats, medical terminology, critical thinking (a class that introduces skillsets on how to critically think as well as introduce the fall classes a little), and medical science prep (a class that introduces soft skills that physicians need to do well as well as amazing physician visits). Bio stats was online and could be considered a little hard since 1 missed question is equal to 1 point off your total grade. Critical thinking was tougher than expected due to the intro to the fall classes being graded, but this course is pass/fail along with med science prep. Medical terminology wasn't bad, but the teacher was a stickler for spelling and handwriting. I suggest to any future DPMS student to get all A's during the summer because it'll make the rest of the year a little easier.

The classes during the fall and spring semesters aren't hard. Like I wrote above, the sheer volume of the material that's required for each exam is a lot for the time length between exams, which can be as little as 2 weeks. Biochem is worth the most hours at 8 hours, so doing well in this one is essential. The professor, Dr. Jameson, loves to see his students succeed, especially DPMS student, and will help and lay out time for us. Please get to know him and talk to him. The average was around a B. This could have been the hardest class, or if not, it's the next class I'll talk about. Microanatomy is worth 5 hours, and I found a lot of people did well on the written exam, but they wouldn't do well on the practical. The average was around a B. The class makes students use spacial orientation skills in a way that many people haven't used before. Those who are bad with directions are likely to have a hard time with this course. There are however a ton of resources to overcome this, websites, videos, and books. I will also be a resource for those who need it next year. The average was around a B-. Physiology is broken up between the Fall and Spring semesters. The class is worth 3.5 hours in both the fall and spring each, 7 total. The hardest part of this course is that the last exam in the fall and the 2 exams in the spring are worth 50% of your grade. I consider physiology the other side of the coin of biochemistry, and thankfully most classes talk about the same subject matter around the same time. In the spring there is medical professionalism, and it is easier in comparison to all the previous courses. Also, comparatively to the other courses, this course is graded with attendance and class participation. The material presented can be a little dull, but the teacher does a great job of making it more interesting.

Track 2 students take more courses that are all pass/fail such as immunology, neuroanatomy, and neuro.

As for submitting your application, hopefully you have already, and if not, no worry! You have a month still, but the sooner you do it, the better!



I say apply and see what happens! The application is a holistic process, and they take people that they think will be representative of the population that we will serve in the future as well as will add to the upcoming class. They do take in more females than males. It's worth a shot!



Honestly, since most of our classes are online, you can schedule your time to include that. One thing we are told often is to have our activity that rebalances us and brings us joy so that we can recharge. If that is your activity, then yes. Otherwise, studying will take a lot of your time. For me, I go to NYC once a month for a whole weekend. So you can definitely do it if you plan well.



No, they go through the whole application. It is very holistic. Just be authentic in your essays.



I did a 3 page CV. I had a whole different life before this, and DPMS will love to see what your experiences are.



As you stated, the requirement is a minimum of a 499 overall with no lower than a 123 in each section. There is no exception to this at all. I know because I asked haha! Thankfully I did very well on the MCAT thanks to the courses we take and very well planned MCAT practice.



I used the exact same LOR that I used when I applied to med school.

Hope this helps people out! Like I said, message me if you need help or have questions.

I saw some more questions I would like to add some detail to.



I applied in February as well, and I didn't hear from Drexel until the end of April. I had my interview in the middle of May, and I was accepted 2-3 weeks later. Waiting for an answer is stressful I know, but take this time to add more to your resume. Not only are you doing something good and passing some time, but the time spent wasn't wasted.



So my stats going into the interview were:
Undergrad GPA: 3.1
Science GPA: 3.7
Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 509 (the score was ridiculously unbalanced. I failed the psych-soc portion with a 122 and still did track 1)
OOS (Texas)

I had applied to medical school 2 cycles ago, got 11 interviews, got waitlisted at 6, and got accepted to none. I am so thankful for DPMS because my overall GPA and unbalanced MCAT really held me back. The above answer has the information about app submission and interview timeline.



My DPMS essay was slightly more than a page.

My favorite part of the interview was talking about my background. They did ask some questions about it. Remember that every question they ask is just to learn about who you are as a person, what you stand for, and how your energy will add to the future DPMS class and med school class further along. Also remember that an interview is a conversation. I asked questions throughout and made jokes as I do with friends with my interviewer. My 30 mins interview actually went over by 20 mins, and my interviewer was none other than our biochemistry teacher. It was great. One piece of advice, please wear a suit. One person during my interview didn't have one, and I was so sad to see this because I knew that it wouldn't be taken well. I don't have a suit, but I sure did borrow one.



I would like to add more to this. I think that there are 2 major contributing factors this year for those not making contract.

First, some students didn’t learn how to turn their performance around in a timely fashion. What I mean by this is that some students had to learn how to study for each class and see what worked for them, and by the time they figured it out, it was too late. That can be circumvented by utilizing the resources we have around us quicker rather than later. A lot of people are used to having the time to turn it around that they had in college, but we don’t have that luxury here. That’s why it’s essential to ask for help and utilize the resources such as tutoring, asking prior and current DPMS for aid, and talking to the professors (amongst many other resources) early. The sheer amount of material we have to go through can quickly snowball out of control because it waits for no one.

Second, I’d say that people dealing with anxiety and related mental health issues that are born out of high stress environments is a huge culprit. Most people have never experienced this type of environment before, and they imagine that they’ll be excluded from anxiety. Here’s a wake up call that this environment will decrease your quality of life and mental resilience, and for some it is to the point of diagnosable anxiety. That’s why I preach self-compassion and self-care so much because it’ll help when the anxiety arises. There’s nothing weak nor shameful in experiencing these things. Finding the ways to lessen the effects of anxiety and other learning curveballs is a task that everyone had to deal with at some point in this program. Also, those who would’ve benefitted from having testing accommodations didn’t pursue them thinking that it would make them look weak or have an unfair advantage or plain didn’t know how to receive them. I can say from personal experience that it’s not true. It allows an equal opportunity to succeed at the tests. This is great for those who have learning obstacles such as ADHD.

As Bob_boy said, the MCAT was largely a huge success this year for the vast majority of the retakers, and I was in track 1. I felt very prepared by the time January came along because of the classes we take.

These aren’t every reason why, but one thing to take away is that it’s possible to do well in this program. It’s up to each individual person to be reflective and honest and willing to ask for help when the time comes.

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide us with this!

 

[helpers56]

Will be taking my MCAT March 27 . Literally cutting it close. According to the website that’s the last test date

 

[Grace821]

Hello All! I am gearing up to submit my application for DPMS this week. I applied once back in 2014 and was rejected due to a very low GPA (but they said my MCAT was good). Since then, i have completed a Masters in Medical Science to increase my GPA, and improved my MCAT substantially. I am really hoping for at least an interview (kinda feels like my last shot at getting into medical school).

Wishing all of us every bit of luck possible!

 

[helpers56]

Hello All! I am gearing up to submit my application for DPMS this week. I applied once back in 2014 and was rejected due to a very low GPA (but they said my MCAT was good). Since then, i have completed a Masters in Medical Science to increase my GPA, and improved my MCAT substantially. I am really hoping for at least an interview (kinda feels like my last shot at getting into medical school).

Wishing all of us every bit of luck possible!

Hey that’s a great improvement since you have a great gpa now, a masters, and a good mcat, are you applying to regular medschools too ?just curious as why you would need to do another masters

 

[h344]

Hey all, applying as well planning to submit everything by Sunday.
For the CV/resume part did y'all just submit a CV or a resume as well.

 

[ScHoolboyC]

Hey all, applying as well planning to submit everything by Sunday.
For the CV/resume part did y'all just submit a CV or a resume as well.

I only submitted my CV.

 

[yosemitesam91]

Hello All! I am gearing up to submit my application for DPMS this week. I applied once back in 2014 and was rejected due to a very low GPA (but they said my MCAT was good). Since then, i have completed a Masters in Medical Science to increase my GPA, and improved my MCAT substantially. I am really hoping for at least an interview (kinda feels like my last shot at getting into medical school).

Wishing all of us every bit of luck possible!

I’m in the same boat. I applied back in 2016 with no luck. Finished a Masters in Biomedical Sciences last year and re-took my MCAT with a good score. I’m really hoping that they look at my Graduate GPA separately because it is so much better than my undergraduate GPA.

Good luck to everyone applying this cycle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[yosemitesam91]

Hey all, applying as well planning to submit everything by Sunday.
For the CV/resume part did y'all just submit a CV or a resume as well.

I only submitted a CV letter but it’s a bit long because I had a lot to add. I’m hoping it doesn’t get counted against me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[alp36]

Does anyone know what date DPMS actually starts?

 

[SparklesDuWang]

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide us with this!

You’re very welcome!!

Hey all, applying as well planning to submit everything by Sunday.
For the CV/resume part did y'all just submit a CV or a resume as well.

I submitted a complete academic CV. Please don’t think that your CV has to be one page long like your typical job resume. Mine was 3 pages, and now when I’ve submitted my CV for research opportunities, it is actually 7 pages. Dr. Núñez has a CV that is over 40 pages long. So don’t worry about length. Put all your accomplishments and deads on it. Don’t repeat things if you can and use action words and numerical figures if you can to highlight what you have done.

I’ll attach DUCOM’s actual sample CV they give students to write their CV’s. I hope this helps people!

I’m in the same boat. I applied back in 2016 with no luck. Finished a Masters in Biomedical Sciences last year and re-took my MCAT with a good score. I’m really hoping that they look at my Graduate GPA separately because it is so much better than my undergraduate GPA.

Good luck to everyone applying this cycle


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Since the admissions committee is holistic, they will definitely take your most recent academic work as a sign of maturity and academic growth. I have talked with the committee a lot, and they like to see people who are persistent and don’t give up so applying again actually looks great! Good luck!

I only submitted a CV letter but it’s a bit long because I had a lot to add. I’m hoping it doesn’t get counted against me


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If the information in the CV is applicable and not repititous and shows your strengths and truth, then length isn’t an issue. Resumes are different from academic CVs. Read above for more info on academic CVs.

Does anyone know what date DPMS actually starts?

DPMS starts July 1, 2020.

 

[alp36]

Sorry for so many questions! What degree is awarded after DPMS? I know it’s a Master’s of science but I wasn’t sure if there was a concentration.

 

[helpers56]

Can anyone who have been accepted or know people who have been accepted y’all about stats in regards to mcat and gpa. I’m taking my MCAT this month and I’m not confident

 

[pdog20]

Anyone know when the earliest you can expect to hear back is?

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

For those who have already submitted your application materials, have you heard back yet? Anyone receive interview invites already?

Nope, nothing yet.

 

[ScHoolboyC]

For those who have already submitted your application materials, have you heard back yet? Anyone receive interview invites already?

I believe my app was marked complete on 2/1, but I have not heard anything back yet.

 

[zawlowk943]

Anyone know when the earliest you can expect to hear back is?

Last year first round of interview invites were around mid April

 

[heliosanthos]

For those who have already submitted your application materials, have you heard back yet? Anyone receive interview invites already?

Nope, I haven't heard anything either and I submitted my app in January.

 

[helpers56]

So my MCAT got cancelled , how am I supposed to apply now.

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

So my MCAT got cancelled , how am I supposed to apply now.

I am very sorry to hear that. They should hopefully be understanding with people still needing to taking the MCAT. I was also wondering if they’d be pushing everything back as well like interviews and admissions.

 

[helpers56]

I am very sorry to hear that. They should hopefully be understanding with people still needing to taking the MCAT. I was also wondering if they’d be pushing everything back as well like interviews and admissions.

Thank you, I tried calling them earlier before everything went crazy and they told me they would not push back but I hope things will change now

 

[helpers56]

I wonder if Anyone else is in the position

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

Thank you, I tried calling them earlier before everything went crazy and they told me they would not push back but I hope things will change now

Really? I tried calling them earlier and no one has been answering. Do you remember who you talked to?

 

[helpers56]

This was last week but I don’t remember who I spoke with. When did you call

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

This was last week but I don’t remember who I spoke with. When did you call

I called roughly an hour ago to get in contact with Ms. Hill but I guess she is not in the office. I called around 9 am too.

 

[helpers56]

Oh yea I called to no response so we just wait

 

[heatcheckdoc]

I sent an email, but if they, even in the midst of all that is going on in the world, will not look at special circumstances of people who were not able to take the MCAT in time to get the required score, I don't think this is a school I would want to go to. Other programs I am in have already reached out and sent messages of encouragement saying that they are extending deadlines and if ANYTHING goes wrong that we should not hesitate to reach out to them.
DPMS is a GREAT program, but goodness you see everything going on in the world and you can't make an exception? Really hope that changes.

 

[helpers56]

I sent an email, but if they, even in the midst of all that is going on in the world, will not look at special circumstances of people who were not able to take the MCAT in time to get the required score, I don't think this is a school I would want to go to. Other programs I am in have already reached out and sent messages of encouragement saying that they are extending deadlines and if ANYTHING goes wrong that we should not hesitate to reach out to them.
DPMS is a GREAT program, but goodness you see everything going on in the world and you can't make an exception? Really hope that changes.

I agree with you, they should Atleast post something on their website. Do you know of any other programs?

 

[Choco10196]

Hey guys I just submitted my application today. I was wondering how long it took for your official mcat scores to be delivered to them? Also how do I access the math/science gpa calculator form once I’ve submitted the application? I’m having some trouble with this. Thanks!

 

[SparklesDuWang]

Sorry for so many questions! What degree is awarded after DPMS? I know it’s a Master’s of science but I wasn’t sure if there was a concentration.

You will be awarded a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences

Can anyone who have been accepted or know people who have been accepted y’all about stats in regards to mcat and gpa. I’m taking my MCAT this month and I’m not confident

My stats are above in the long reply.
So my stats going into the interview were:
Undergrad GPA: 3.1
Science GPA: 3.7
Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 509 (the score was ridiculously unbalanced. I failed the psych-soc portion with a 122 and still did track 1)
OOS (Texas)

Anyone know when the earliest you can expect to hear back is?

Honestly, since what we are going through is a super special circumstance with COVID-19, everything is going to be delayed. DUCOM and the graduate school have just put everything online, and they are having a hard with it. They are dealing with the 4th year’s match day today, the 2nd year’s STEP 1 exam, 3rd year’s clinical rotation cancellation, 1st year’s exam that is next Friday (3/27/2020), and moving every class that each individual Master’s program and med student takes onto an online format that’s changing daily. It’s been really hectic honestly. I heard that the people who read the applications first to submit to be considered for interviews have not worked in about 2 weeks at least.

I do know that DUCOM IS going forward with the currently planned med school interviews in an online fashion, and once a lot of the circumstances that the school is facing settles down, I truly believe that applications for DPMS will be considered and interviews will be sent out. I do think that the interviews will follow the same way that the med school interviews are being conducted, which is where a person is transferred from AN online waiting room to specific interview rooms with faculty to ethics essay writing to general information seminar room with Q&A sessions with current DPSM and DPMS alumni in the med school.

Last year first round of interview invites were around mid April

This is true, and they actually started in Late April/Early May in previous year. This year I would honestly would not be surprised for a later start.

So my MCAT got cancelled , how am I supposed to apply now.

Read below.

I sent an email, but if they, even in the midst of all that is going on in the world, will not look at special circumstances of people who were not able to take the MCAT in time to get the required score, I don't think this is a school I would want to go to. Other programs I am in have already reached out and sent messages of encouragement saying that they are extending deadlines and if ANYTHING goes wrong that we should not hesitate to reach out to them.
DPMS is a GREAT program, but goodness you see everything going on in the world and you can't make an exception? Really hope that changes.

The faculty and staff of the medical school and DPMS are the most understanding and supportive individuals who are truly overworked and understaffed. They will most definitely take into consideration those who were not able to take or retake their MCAT. Even now in the current DPMS class they are taking it into consideration for those who are in track 1, the MCAT retake track, because most people were scheduled for their retake on 3/27/2020. They are working as diligently and as fast as they can. I’m not part of the admission committee, but if I could hazard a guess on what will happen, we will most likely follow in the footsteps of other special master’s and not have the MCAT be a part of the application for those who couldn’t take it or retake it. Of course all old scores will be looked at, but I truly don’t think that it will be highly placed or at all to help level the application pool. That means though that y’all will really have to work really hard on the personal statement, letter of recommendations, and DPMS essay to maximize their impact.

FYI, our school buildings were officially closed today (3/20/2020) and so all faculty and staff are working from home. Most staff and faculty were asked to work from home starting last week. It makes sense that those who are calling in aren’t getting answered because no one is there. Please email [email protected] with all of your concerns and questions, and they will get to y’all as soon as possible.

I hope this helps everyone! Again, feel free to write here or send me a message, and I will help as soon and as much as I can.

Don’t give up, please be as patient as possible, and more than anything, please be safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

 

[helpers56]

Cincy, Tufts, Loyola Chicago, Georgetown, Roasalind Franklin BMS

Thank you

 

[helpers56]

You will be awarded a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences



My stats are above in the long reply.
So my stats going into the interview were:
Undergrad GPA: 3.1
Science GPA: 3.7
Post-bacc GPA: 4.0
MCAT: 509 (the score was ridiculously unbalanced. I failed the psych-soc portion with a 122 and still did track 1)
OOS (Texas)



Honestly, since what we are going through is a super special circumstance with COVID-19, everything is going to be delayed. DUCOM and the graduate school have just put everything online, and they are having a hard with it. They are dealing with the 4th year’s match day today, the 2nd year’s STEP 1 exam, 3rd year’s clinical rotation cancellation, 1st year’s exam that is next Friday (3/27/2020), and moving every class that each individual Master’s program and med student takes onto an online format that’s changing daily. It’s been really hectic honestly. I heard that the people who read the applications first to submit to be considered for interviews have not worked in about 2 weeks at least.

I do know that DUCOM IS going forward with the currently planned med school interviews in an online fashion, and once a lot of the circumstances that the school is facing settles down, I truly believe that applications for DPMS will be considered and interviews will be sent out. I do think that the interviews will follow the same way that the med school interviews are being conducted, which is where a person is transferred from AN online waiting room to specific interview rooms with faculty to ethics essay writing to general information seminar room with Q&A sessions with current DPSM and DPMS alumni in the med school.



This is true, and they actually started in Late April/Early May in previous year. This year I would honestly would not be surprised for a later start.



Read below.



The faculty and staff of the medical school and DPMS are the most understanding and supportive individuals who are truly overworked and understaffed. They will most definitely take into consideration those who were not able to take or retake their MCAT. Even now in the current DPMS class they are taking it into consideration for those who are in track 1, the MCAT retake track, because most people were scheduled for their retake on 3/27/2020. They are working as diligently and as fast as they can. I’m not part of the admission committee, but if I could hazard a guess on what will happen, we will most likely follow in the footsteps of other special master’s and not have the MCAT be a part of the application for those who couldn’t take it or retake it. Of course all old scores will be looked at, but I truly don’t think that it will be highly placed or at all to help level the application pool. That means though that y’all will really have to work really hard on the personal statement, letter of recommendations, and DPMS essay to maximize their impact.

FYI, our school buildings were officially closed today (3/20/2020) and so all faculty and staff are working from home. Most staff and faculty were asked to work from home starting last week. It makes sense that those who are calling in aren’t getting answered because no one is there. Please email [email protected] with all of your concerns and questions, and they will get to y’all as soon as possible.

I hope this helps everyone! Again, feel free to write here or send me a message, and I will help as soon and as much as I can.

Don’t give up, please be as patient as possible, and more than anything, please be safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Thank you so much for responding. I’m guessing it will be harder now because if we get accepted without an MCAT score then that means we would have to take it while in the program which I read is tough to do.

 

[helpers56]

Am I the only one that needs to take the MCAT here?

 

[Jorr.Jorr]

Am I the only one that needs to take the MCAT here?

If accepted, I’d be in the track one group so no you are not alone.

 

[helpers56]

If accepted, I’d be in the track one group so no you are not


Oh okay thanks for responding.