•••quote:•••Originally posted by Anath:
•🙂 Well, no I haven't completed the program, but I had talked to my pre-med advisor about the program when I was doubting my ability to get into med school. Anyhoo, here si what he told me
- they're there solely to make money.
- overpriced
- LARGE -- he especially thought this was horrible. With a large class like this, not only does it show they want the money, but it makes learning a lot harder
- COMPETETIVE/cut-throat -- Because med schools basically want to see you making straight A's or damn near it, and the classes are graded on a curb, people are ultra cut-throat in the class
- No guarantee of med school admission, nor are they really affiliated with any of teh medical schools in teh area. So no real brownie points from med schools just b/c you went to georgetown's program. I've met a couple people who have done the program -- the ones I know never got into med school the first time after doing the program.
- 🙂 But I *was* told that if you get into med school afterwards, what you learned in the post-bacc classes REALLY help in the med school classes (since the program's students take 1st year med school classes).•••••whoa whoa anath! ease down! ease down! i am ex-physio from 2001 and proud of it.
"they're there solely to make money." even if this was accurate, not once did i feel like this was true. the faculty and advisors were very helpful and supportive of the grad students and our plight to get into med school.
"overpriced." yeah, it's very, very expensive. but, i would have never gotten into med school if i didnt go the physio program. thus, it was worth it for me.
"LARGE." yeah it's a class of 100, but i never viewed it as a hindrance. each student had something unique to offer to the group.
"COMPETITIVE/cut-throat". competitive, yes; cut-throat, no. there are benefits to a competetive atmosphere--it raises the bar. you study harder and learn more about medicine as a result. i never believed that people were trying to get ahead at the expense of others.
"graded on a cur[ve]". sort of true. yes, to get an A in the med school classes you have to be in the top 10% of the medical students. obviously, this is no easy task, but hypothetically, all the grad students can get A's if they all score in the top 10%. so, we're actually not competing against each other. i studied in study groups often, so if anything, it was an air of cooperation, and not competition.
"no guarantee". true, but the statistics are usually 20-25% of the class get into gtown med that year. another 25% get in somewhere else that year. then 30% get in to a med school some time afterward. thus, approximately 80% of a student class goes on to pursue medicine. i ended up getting on their waitlist last summer, where i stayed. i did research this year at NIH, and i got into a state school. happy with that, i chose not to finish the gtown secondary because of the money.
"what you learned in the post-bacc classes REALLY help in the med school classes" absolutely, upon my entry into med school in a few months, i will have already taken histology, embryology, endocrinology, neuro, physiology, and biostatistics. what a great way to start med school!
i had a great year at georgetown, but dont get me wrong, it's no walk in the park. it was a very difficult year. for me, it worked out well. unfortunately, i know a few people who have yet to get in. but, i firmly believe, that if they really want it, they'll get in eventually, and their time at georgetown will help them.
obviously, the experience is mine only, and other graduates may have different sentiments. for me, i got out what i put in.
email me with any more detailed questions.
coffeecat, when were you a physio, i finished last year.
anath, did you get my email?