As a current student at Georgetown (2015), I wanted to write a post with some information I wish I had had prior to enrolling here. Here goes!
-Advising
The program website touts “one-on-one advising” and other academic support.
Nope. You can ask the undergraduate pre med advisor for advice, but advising is definitely not built into the program. In short, if you need some serious advice and counseling, you’re going to have to look elsewhere (friends, colleagues, or the advising system at your undergraduate campus)
-Classes
You’re in georgetown undergraduate classes, so the academic standard is up to snuff. Some professors (especially in the chem and physics department) are amazing and take a special interest in post bacc’s- offering some extra support. The classes were similar to those I experienced as an undergraduate - definitely challenging but doable with hard work.
one MAJOR issue with classes however, is registration. More often than not, there are not enough post bacc seats in the classes or lab sections and students are wait listed (for instance, there are 6 spots in Mammalian Physiology… and over 60 total post baccs). This is particularly shocking in a post bacc pre med program, where the whole point is that students are there specifically to take a set list of classes with little to no flexibility. Not being able to register has been a point of serious frustration every term. Its possible to get off the wait list, but either way its a huge headache and frankly goes to show how little Georgetown cares about its post baccs.
-Volunteer and seminar opportunities and information in the health field.
This is another claim made on the program website. Totally false, disregard this claim altogether. However, there is obviously a huge amount of opportunity to volunteer or work in the DC metropolitan area. You just have to find it on your own!
These are the major issues I’ve experienced with the program. In general, its very much a “do it yourself” situation. If you have specific advising or classroom needs, I wouldn’t recommend it. But if you are a capable person well on your way to med school but just need the classes under your belt, Georgetown has got what you need. Its realistic to get a solid GPA and find some opportunities that interest you in the area. Unlike the intensive programs (think Bryn Mawr, Goucher) you will have extra time on your hands to get some extracurricular experiences in if you are needing in that area. But be wise and don’t believe everything the program website says!
Good luck!
