Duke Master of Biomedical Science

[Smuzz111]

Hello All,

I was searching SDN and I noticed there was not a lot on here about the Duke School of Medicine Masters of Biomedical Sciences Program. I hope to spread a little information about it.

For those of you who don't know, Duke MBS is a one year, intensive Masters program housed in the school of medicine. During this one year, you take classes closely resembling the first year basic science classes (taught by the same professors who teach the medical school at Duke), have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth elective of your choice, became EMT certified and work as a EMT at Duke and in Durham, as well as be mentored by some of the senior leadership at the Duke University School of Medicine.

There is much more to say about Duke MBS, but I will spare you all the long post and point you to their website: https://medschool.duke.edu/educatio...s/master-biomedical-sciences/program-overview

I myself am a graduate of Duke MBS and recently applied and was accepted to medical schools. I am more than happy to take any questions about what MBS was like, be it the curriculum, the class, the lifestyle, or the people. I also invite others to talk about MBS if you are interested. Thanks for reading!

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[bynum95]

Hello All,

I was searching SDN and I noticed there was not a lot on here about the Duke School of Medicine Masters of Biomedical Sciences Program. I hope to spread a little information about it.

For those of you who don't know, Duke MBS is a one year, intensive Masters program housed in the school of medicine. During this one year, you take classes closely resembling the first year basic science classes (taught by the same professors who teach the medical school at Duke), have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth elective of your choice, became EMT certified and work as a EMT at Duke and in Durham, as well as be mentored by some of the senior leadership at the Duke University School of Medicine.

There is much more to say about Duke MBS, but I will spare you all the long post and point you to their website: https://medschool.duke.edu/educatio...s/master-biomedical-sciences/program-overview

I myself am a graduate of Duke MBS and recently applied and was accepted to medical schools. I am more than happy to take any questions about what MBS was like, be it the curriculum, the class, the lifestyle, or the people. I also invite others to talk about MBS if you are interested. Thanks for reading!

Hello, I was recently accepted into the program actually. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions? How do you think the program helped with your MCAT? Do you know how many of your classmates were accepted into DukeMed? Thank you in advance!

 

[Smuzz111]

Hello!

I actually used the MCAT score I had before attending MBS, so I cannot speak personally to that matter. As for some of my classmates, they all said that it helped them for some of the MCAT test material, and it helped them learn how to study for an intensive test such as the MCAT. However, as of right now, MBS does not offer an MCAT prep course, but they may have one in the future. Everyone I talked to that took the MCAT after MBS performed well, with most significantly improving their score.

Out of graduating class of roughly 30 students, I believe 7 of us got accepted to Duke Med this year, and 2 more matriculated last year. It is important to know that Duke Med DOES NOT have a "minimum" amount of students they take from MBS every year. They judge every applicant completely on their merit.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

[bynum95]

Hello!

I actually used the MCAT score I had before attending MBS, so I cannot speak personally to that matter. As for some of my classmates, they all said that it helped them for some of the MCAT test material, and it helped them learn how to study for an intensive test such as the MCAT. However, as of right now, MBS does not offer an MCAT prep course, but they may have one in the future. Everyone I talked to that took the MCAT after MBS performed well, with most significantly improving their score.

Out of graduating class of roughly 30 students, I believe 7 of us got accepted to Duke Med this year. It is important to know that Duke Med DOES NOT have a "minimum" amount of students they take from MBS every year. They judge every applicant completely on their merit.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for the reply! Could you give me some examples of what your classmates did for their gap year after the program? Were you still in contact with the faculty at Duke that you worked with during the program?

 

[Smuzz111]

Thank you for the reply! Could you give me some examples of what your classmates did for their gap year after the program? Were you still in contact with the faculty at Duke that you worked with during the program?

Good Question!

I believe the majority of people stayed in Durham for their gap year, with a good amount of them working at Duke. Most of us ended up doing research at Duke, but other people also work full time as an EMT in Durham, while others still work at non-profits doing community outreach. Me personally, I continued the research project I did for my elective, as well as got brought on as a project manager for a blended community service / research project.

As far as staying in contact go, I stayed in close contact with MBS. I would say that I talk with mentors / advisers / faculty of MBS more than once a week. This comes in many different forms; emails, office visits, lunches, seeing them randomly around campus. One of the things the faculty commits to MBS is continuing advising after graduation. It is important to mention that this is what you make of it. I have friends who rarely reach out to the faculty members after graduating so their interaction is much less than mine. That being said, everyone I have reached out to always responded to me promptly, so they are there if you want to continue to stay in contact.

Let me know if there is anything else I can answer!

 

[bbqchicken1995]

Hey, I wanted to ask how you would rank this program in comparison to an already established one like Georgetown. I recently got into Georgetown and am weighing my options (have not heard back but I think I'll be accepted.)

 

[Smuzz111]

Hey, I wanted to ask how you would rank this program in comparison to an already established one like Georgetown. I recently got into Georgetown and am weighing my options (have not heard back but I think I'll be accepted.)

Excellent question. I personally would rank it higher, but I think it comes down to personal preferences.

With MBS you have quite a bit of freedom to craft your own experiences. While you do not mimic the first year curriculum exactly, you take the major basic science courses with the same faculty who teach the medical school. If you are looking to prove you can handle a medical school curriculum, MBS is as good as any. In addition, you have freedom to choose your research, community engagement, or elective experiences. You can pursue your interest and craft your experiences to fit your application specifically.

The final part I would add is that the advising at MBS is top notch. Your advisers and mentors are deeply ingrained in admissions and many of them have worked in admissions for the majority of their professional careers. They are seasoned experts in medical school admissions and you will not receive better advising anywhere in the country.

If you are looking for an experience that is standardized and gives your the route you will take, MBS is not for you. If, however, you want an experience that gives you room to pursue your interests and lets you take charge of the experience, MBS is more up your alley. This is why I say it is completely personal preference.

 

[DrSalamanca]

Hello, I was recently accepted into the program actually. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions? How do you think the program helped with your MCAT? Do you know how many of your classmates were accepted into DukeMed? Thank you in advance!

I applied for this upcoming year and have not heard back. do you mind sharing your stats?
I'm nervous and would like to see what my chances might be of getting in!

Also anyone know how to start a forum? I just recently joined so I'm new to this

 

[Smuzz111]

I applied for this upcoming year and have not heard back. do you mind sharing your stats?
I'm nervous and would like to see what my chances might be of getting in!

Also anyone know how to start a forum? I just recently joined so I'm new to this

Hello! When I applied I believe I had roughly a 3.5 GPA and 33 MCAT. It is important to note that MBS looks at much more than just GPA when considering applicants. While MBS is intensive and requires a certain academic ability, MBS is primarily concerned with selecting students who are highly motivated about learning in an interdisciplinary environment, are capable of taking advantage of the resources Duke has to offer, and will add to the culture of the program. If you meet the required 3.2 GPA you are fully considered.

As for starting a post, go to the forum you wish to post on and look for the button that reads "Post New Thread" at the top or bottom of the page. Let me know if you have any more questions!

 

[DrSalamanca]

Hello! When I applied I believe I had roughly a 3.5 GPA and 33 MCAT. It is important to note that MBS looks at much more than just GPA when considering applicants. While MBS is intensive and requires a certain academic ability, MBS is primarily concerned with selecting students who are highly motivated about learning in an interdisciplinary environment, are capable of taking advantage of the resources Duke has to offer, and will add to the culture of the program. If you meet the required 3.2 GPA you are fully considered.

As for starting a post, go to the forum you wish to post on and look for the button that reads "Post New Thread" at the top or bottom of the page. Let me know if you have any more questions!

Thank you so much!

I'm currently graduating this may and decided to change careers. I already have the science pre-reqs but do not have the GPA I would've desired due to unforeseen circumstances.
I have a 3.387 GPA and have been very involved in my community in and out of the hospital. I've also traveled to multiple countries on medical trips and have done what I can as an undergraduate. I'm also fluent in Spanish and English but I don't know if that makes much of a difference when looking at my application. Do you think I have any hopes of being admitted? I'm nervous I won't get into any post-bacc programs because of my GPA.

 

[Smuzz111]

Thank you so much!

I'm currently graduating this may and decided to change careers. I already have the science pre-reqs but do not have the GPA I would've desired due to unforeseen circumstances.
I have a 3.387 GPA and have been very involved in my community in and out of the hospital. I've also traveled to multiple countries on medical trips and have done what I can as an undergraduate. I'm also fluent in Spanish and English but I don't know if that makes much of a difference when looking at my application. Do you think I have any hopes of being admitted? I'm nervous I won't get into any post-bacc programs because of my GPA.

Unfortunately, I cannot really speak to your chance of being admitted. While I am peripherally knowledgeable about the admissions process I am not in conversations of the committee members who actually make decisions. Everything you mentioned though (career change, language skills, unforeseen hardships causing lower GPA) are things that MBS considers when building their class. MBS has a wide definition of diversity and actively seek people from all walks of life with unique experiences to create their learning community. I would stay hopeful.

 

[bynum95]

I applied for this upcoming year and have not heard back. do you mind sharing your stats?
I'm nervous and would like to see what my chances might be of getting in!

Also anyone know how to start a forum? I just recently joined so I'm new to this

Hello!

I have a 3.69 GPA. I'm a psychology/pre-med major and have not taken the MCAT yet. I've had two years worth of leadership experience as a resident advisor, held jobs, volunteered at a hospital, and currently do research. No publications though. I've had a few physician shadowing experiences as well. Hope that helps! But like Smuzz111 said, I think you should stay hopeful!

 

[bynum95]

Unfortunately, I cannot really speak to your chance of being admitted. While I am peripherally knowledgeable about the admissions process I am not in conversations of the committee members who actually make decisions. Everything you mentioned though (career change, language skills, unforeseen hardships causing lower GPA) are things that MBS considers when building their class. MBS has a wide definition of diversity and actively seek people from all walks of life with unique experiences to create their learning community. I would stay hopeful.

Hello again!

Would you be able to shed some light on some of the electives the MBS offers? Thank you for all of your help as well!

 

[Smuzz111]

Hello again!

Would you be able to shed some light on some of the electives the MBS offers? Thank you for all of your help as well!

No problem, I love helping all that I can, MBS really helped me in many ways and I want as many people to have the experience as possible.

Regarding electives, MBS is completely open to almost all possibilities. You can choose to take elective classes (from the school of medicine and other professional schools), perform research, take part in a community engagement project, and so much more. If you have an idea of a project, you can run it by your adviser and they will help you build it into an experience that will satisfy your requirement.

Some electives are more well-shaped than others. There is a DOCR (Duke Office of Clinical Research) mentorship that pairs you with a clinical investigator to learn more about clinical research. This is a program MBS has set up with DOCR and has specific requirements to it. Community engagement electives can be similar, with some being more well-defined than others.

Personally, I had a vague idea of the type of research I wanted to do and approached the faculty with the idea. They were fully supportive and I ended up performing research in this area (after the faculty made an introduction for me to the PI). I am still conducting research with that PI and will continue to throughout medical school (at least that is the plan). My research is more social science so MBS is open to all kinds of research, as long as they have scholarly merit.

If you have any other questions, please let me know!

 

[DrSalamanca]

Hi, me again!
Do you guys mind letting me know how long it took to receive a decision from Duke's MBS program?
Im running on two months and haven't heard anything back from them. Also, do they notify you by mail or email?

Thanks!

 

[bynum95]

Hi, me again!
Do you guys mind letting me know how long it took to receive a decision from Duke's MBS program?
Im running on two months and haven't heard anything back from them. Also, do they notify you by mail or email?

Thanks!

Hey!
My application and everything was complete on the day before the priority deadline. They called me around the 24th of February to let me know I was accepted. If you're accepted, then you receive a phone call and an email a few hours later.

 

[DrSalamanca]

Hey!
My application and everything was complete on the day before the priority deadline. They called me around the 24th of February to let me know I was accepted. If you're accepted, then you receive a phone call and an email a few hours later.

Thanks for letting me know!

 

[bbqchicken1995]

Still haven't received a call/e-mail. Starting to sweat a little haha

 

[bynum95]

No problem, I love helping all that I can, MBS really helped me in many ways and I want as many people to have the experience as possible.

Regarding electives, MBS is completely open to almost all possibilities. You can choose to take elective classes (from the school of medicine and other professional schools), perform research, take part in a community engagement project, and so much more. If you have an idea of a project, you can run it by your adviser and they will help you build it into an experience that will satisfy your requirement.

Some electives are more well-shaped than others. There is a DOCR (Duke Office of Clinical Research) mentorship that pairs you with a clinical investigator to learn more about clinical research. This is a program MBS has set up with DOCR and has specific requirements to it. Community engagement electives can be similar, with some being more well-defined than others.

Personally, I had a vague idea of the type of research I wanted to do and approached the faculty with the idea. They were fully supportive and I ended up performing research in this area (after the faculty made an introduction for me to the PI). I am still conducting research with that PI and will continue to throughout medical school (at least that is the plan). My research is more social science so MBS is open to all kinds of research, as long as they have scholarly merit.

If you have any other questions, please let me know!

Hey again!

I heard that Duke MBS members have a designated parking lot. Do you know what lot that is and how much the parking permit costs?

Thank you!

 

[Smuzz111]

Hey again!

I heard that Duke MBS members have a designated parking lot. Do you know what lot that is and how much the parking permit costs?

Thank you!

Hey again! We do not have a designated parking lot, instead part of the fees / tuition you pay is for a central campus parking pass. You are able to park on any parking lot on Duke's central campus with this pass. There are two notable parking lots that are situated directly next to the medical center (where your lecture rooms are) and are a very brief walk from. I do not know how much this parking pass costs, but to my knowledge it is rolled into tuition (at least it was for us). I cannot think of an instance where I could not park in one of these lots, especially on days when classes were scheduled. Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[098abc]

I've been on the wait list from priority review for a long time. Has anyone on the wait list heard back?

 

[DRHRT]

I've been on the wait list from priority review for a long time. Has anyone on the wait list heard back?

Same here. No news :/

 

[Smuzz111]

I've been on the wait list from priority review for a long time. Has anyone on the wait list heard back?

Hello! Although I don't have any news, I would like to chime in and say that a decent number of students from my class got in off the wait-list, so do not lose hope! They are working very diligently to get decisions out. If you have any additional questions feel free to reach out to the MBS program.

 

[crimsonhorses]

Hello! Although I don't have any news, I would like to chime in and say that a decent number of students from my class got in off the wait-list, so do not lose hope! They are working very diligently to get decisions out. If you have any additional questions feel free to reach out to the MBS program.

Approximately how many got in off the waitlist? Any idea how many applicants are waitlisted? Thanks

 

[Sqrappy1]

Hey I was recently accepted to the MBS program. How does the housing situation work?

 

[bynum95]

Hey I was recently accepted to the MBS program. How does the housing situation work?

Hey! You'll just have to find an apartment in or near Durham. I don't think they really have any on campus housing options for graduate students. But you could call them to double check!

Congrats on your acceptance! I look forward to seeing you in July!

 

[Lulu97]

Does anyone know a person who's even gotten a 4.0 in this program?? My gpa is borderline 3.6 (but 3.4 w/ AMCAS grade replacement rule) so I need nothing less than a 4.0 to be a stellar applicant, but if its harder than Med School I shouldn't waste my time??

 

[Cheerfulcheeto]

Hey all! Thinking about applying to this program at the end of this year. Can someone comment on the schedule? Are you in class 8-5 and have to do homework and study afterwards or how is this set up? How did previous graduates do as far as med school admissions goes? Thanks in advance and I hope you are rocking it over there at Duke!