Happy to answer any questions about Bryn Mawr...

[dcc]

hey jsend
i'm an applicant for the 09-10 year. so what I know about BM is mostly from the interview day i attended - it was pretty informative.

I had a semester of calc as an undergrad and they said that was definitely all I needed to take. It sounds like additional math might be helpful with physics, but not all the med schools even care that you have taken any college math.

if you haven't had chemistry, consider applying to start BM in the summer instead of the fall. completing all the pre-reqs by the end of the spring instead of at the end of the next summer will buy you eligibility for most of the linkage options.

other than that, i would say you should pretty much get involved with whatever interests you this year. seems like they want you to be passionate, and certain.
(but what do i know, i'm not in yet 😛)

good luck

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[NewmansOwn]

Don't bother taking calculus unless you want to go to a med school that requires it -- most do not. I posted this on a different thread, but I'll post it again here:

List of med schools with math requirements


This is an up-to-date list of med schools that require or strongly recommend college-level math courses. If you're interested in any of these med schools, you'll have to take some math. The best times to do it would be the summer after BM (if you start with gen chem the previous summer) or the summer before BM (if you plan to start in the fall). If you do the former, you can take your math through BM -- they'll be happy to set that up for you.

 

[Chai Tea Gal]

Calculus is completely a personal choice. Don't worry about it with regard to your postbac admission. Bryn Mawr offers it for convenience sake during the summers but it doesn't always get the 5 enrolled students they need for a class so you could end up taking somewhere else anyway. Their offering it isn't a sign that they want you to take it there. If you think you'll be interested in a med school(s) that require calculus or college math and want to do it next year, then go for it.

If you're really concerned you could always ask, but do what you feel is right for you with regards to math. Taking calculus before the program definitely helped me with Physics though you could easily get by without it. You could also wait and see if it's required by the med schools on your list. Good luck!

 

[Chai Tea Gal]

Just as an aside: I would advise that everyone be careful about throwing too much into the numbers and even into the resume. GPA, test scores, all of those things matter to an admissions committee but you have to be careful about putting too much stock into them. A lot of factors go into what would make you a terrific doctor and while academically you certainly have to cut it, there is a reason why career changer programs exist. Chances are you may not have been thinking about med school when you took the SATs and were an undergrad. Doing well on your postbac grades is much more important. In fact, on the AMCAS application there are several different GPAs that they calculate for the med schools to look at: your science GPA, your undergraduate GPA, your postbac GPA, etc. all of which have different levels of importance. THEY ARE NOT ARE EQUAL!

Medical schools appreciate postbacs for the other qualities they bring to the table: ability to interact well with people, passion for the field after trying something else, leadership, interest in not only scientific concerns but social issues in medicine. I won't say that GPA doesn't count for admissions to postbac programs at all, but a 3.4 is fine. If you can show that you're able to write a coherent, passionate essay, and can conduct yourself well in an interview, then you definitely have a chance, and you shouldn't give up before you try.

 

[drizzt3117]

I agree to a certain extent, but GPA/MCAT are still going to be the metrics with which you'll be compared to other students unless you are going through linkage.

 

[Chai Tea Gal]

Of course! I just wanted to caution people with undergrad GPAs and SAT scores who maybe aren't the best (not the worst just not the best) to get too bogged down now. I think the postbac GPA and MCAT scores are more important so they still have a chance to make up for it and do well.

 

[jsend]

Wow, just got out of class to a load of responses! Thanks everyone.

I want to keep my options as open as possible for medical school and a couple calculus classes prior to entering back into the field of sciences could break me in a little. I wasn't aware that calculus was so rarely approached in the post-bac experience.

Thanks, everyone, for the help.

 

[drizzt3117]

Of course! I just wanted to caution people with undergrad GPAs and SAT scores who maybe aren't the best (not the worst just not the best) to get too bogged down now. I think the postbac GPA and MCAT scores are more important so they still have a chance to make up for it and do well.

Yeah, they are more important as long as they have a pretty good GPA coming in. That generally won't be a problem at the top programs because they won't take people who they don't think have a legitimate shot at getting in. That said, if you have a 3.0 and do the Columbia program and get a 3.5 in two years, you probably aren't going to be a viable candidate for MD schools.

 

[jsend]

You know, I've been thinking a lot about post-bacs despite up and coming exams! You BM folks are so helpful that I thought I would ask yet another question of you so thanks for your generosity.

In MS4, applying to residencies your home rotations are seemingly an advantage to acceptance. I was wondering if there are any regional advantages to post-bacs as well. For example, BM places a lot of people at the Philadelphia Medical Colleges, would chances be increased for an admission to Harvard Medical if one attended the HES post-bac? Though really irrelevant to the post-bac experience, which is ultimately the most important, this is something I feel is important to consider.

All best.

 

[dcc]

jsend-
i don't really know facts on the subject, but here are my thoughts.
a) linkages. it seems like a lot of post-bacc programs have a high concentration of linkages in the area. at BM for example, i think 5/16 are all in philly? which probably just speaks to the fact that nearby schools probably have closer relationships.
b) a lot of people may be effected by location and be most likely to want to stay in the same place. I am a great example of this - my boyfriend will be starting a 5 or 6 yr phd program in the fall, so ideally, eventually getting into upenn or another philly med school would be fantastic.

these too factors make me think it probably is more *common to go to a med school in the same area as the post-bacc. however, that has no bearing on your *chances. i highly doubt that (private, don't know about public) med schools care whatsoever where you're coming from, if you're a qualified candidate.
maybe someone else knows more about this...

 

[NewmansOwn]

It's more about the relationship the postbac program has with the med school than sheer proximity. The two are often correlated, as has been mentioned, but (for example) BM sends more students to Rochester than to Jefferson, despite the fact that the latter is in Philadelphia and the former in upstate New York. BM and Rochester just have a fantastic relationship; Rochester appreciates the type of student that BM attracts. That being said, BM students go to Jefferson more than pretty much any other school besides Rochester, with Penn also high on the list, showing that location and relationship often go hand in hand.

 

[drizzt3117]

You know, I've been thinking a lot about post-bacs despite up and coming exams! You BM folks are so helpful that I thought I would ask yet another question of you so thanks for your generosity.

In MS4, applying to residencies your home rotations are seemingly an advantage to acceptance. I was wondering if there are any regional advantages to post-bacs as well. For example, BM places a lot of people at the Philadelphia Medical Colleges, would chances be increased for an admission to Harvard Medical if one attended the HES post-bac? Though really irrelevant to the post-bac experience, which is ultimately the most important, this is something I feel is important to consider.

All best.

I don't really think you're going to have a higher chance to get into HMS if you attend HES. Certainly you won't over one of the top formal programs. There are literally thousands of premeds doing research with HMS faculty, in addition to tens of thousands of college students in the Boston area, and you aren't even on the medical campus which is in Boston, not Cambridge. I don't see it as being an advantage.

Newman, that is also b/c they're one of the linkage schools, right? There are def more Scripps students at GW than say, UC-Irvine even though they're pretty close to us for that reason.

 

[jsend]

Thanks guys. Answers I was looking for, as always. I think I'll just apply broadly and worry about Medical School after I take the MCAT and succeed in a post-bac.

 

[sm640739]

Hey everyone - I have a question about the liklihood of my acceptance to this program... sorry if this is long...

I'm a senior and just decided over the past 2 years that I want to pursue medicine. My father had two kinds of cancer, and I overcame an eating disorder. These are the two main things that pushed me toward medicine and healthcare. I'm graduating in May with a BA in Political Science and International Relations. Obviously I have to take postbacc science courses. My GPA is a 3.89 right now, and I'm a member of my school's Honors College. I've also won the Dean's award for the College of Business and Public Affairs - a pretty big deal on my campus. I've also held numerous leadership positions ... no problems in the involvement area.

Anyway, here is my dilemma: I have TONS of volunteer experience... but none of it has been medical. The closest I've come to that has been working for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life... and that's not very close. I love the volunteer work that I do, but I am currently in the process of trying to find hospitals in the area who will allow me to do more than paperwork/filing. I'm submitting my applications no later than the end of December, hoping to enroll in Fall 2010. I won't have 3 months of medical experience under my belt by then, but assuming I'll stick with it until I graduate/relocate, is this sufficient enough for an admissions committee?

Thanks!

 

[Rooni]

Hey everyone - I have a question about the liklihood of my acceptance to this program... sorry if this is long...

Having not actually been accepted anywhere yet, I'm probably not the most qualified person to answer this, but that said, yes, I would imagine that with a good essay and interview, you could be a pretty competitive applicant.

One word of caution: I don't know this firsthand, but I have heard that you want to be careful mentioning a history of psychiatric problems (even things like eating disorders) in essays and interviews. Like alcoholics, a lot of recovering eating disordered people relapse under stress, which might make admissions committees wonder if you can handle the pressures of medical school. On the other hand, I guess if it's a big reason behind your attraction to medicine, you probably don't want to leave it out. *shrug* Again, I'm not judging you at all, or even saying that adcoms will...I'm just passing on a warning I received once.

Best of luck!

 

[NewmansOwn]

Hey everyone - I have a question about the liklihood of my acceptance to this program... sorry if this is long...

I'm a senior and just decided over the past 2 years that I want to pursue medicine. My father had two kinds of cancer, and I overcame an eating disorder. These are the two main things that pushed me toward medicine and healthcare. I'm graduating in May with a BA in Political Science and International Relations. Obviously I have to take postbacc science courses. My GPA is a 3.89 right now, and I'm a member of my school's Honors College. I've also won the Dean's award for the College of Business and Public Affairs - a pretty big deal on my campus. I've also held numerous leadership positions ... no problems in the involvement area.

Anyway, here is my dilemma: I have TONS of volunteer experience... but none of it has been medical. The closest I've come to that has been working for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life... and that's not very close. I love the volunteer work that I do, but I am currently in the process of trying to find hospitals in the area who will allow me to do more than paperwork/filing. I'm submitting my applications no later than the end of December, hoping to enroll in Fall 2010. I won't have 3 months of medical experience under my belt by then, but assuming I'll stick with it until I graduate/relocate, is this sufficient enough for an admissions committee?

Thanks!

You'll be asked the question: "Since you haven't had much exposure to the medical field, how do you know you want to be a physician?" If you can answer this question in a convincing manner, you'll be fine -- I only bring this up because I am honestly not sure how you would, and that would be a problem. Admissions offices are used to seeing applicants the last year or two that are a bit light on the medically-related involvement and the worry always is, "Are these folks just trying to get into medicine because it's secure and they can't get a good job offer in another field?" I'm not implying you are one of these people -- but you certainly wouldn't want to appear that way.

You may be tempted to talk about your own medical history and that of your family but as Rooni correctly advised you, that would be a mistake. Talking about your father's cancer certainly wouldn't raise any red flags, but an emotional interest in medicine is less important to admissions committees than a proven intellectual interest. Your own medical history may be a motivating factor for your interest in medicine and that's wonderful -- but DO NOT bring it up during your application to postbac programs. This is especially true for Bryn Mawr! If you need more details on why this is the case, feel free to PM me.

Otherwise, good luck!

 

[sm640739]

Newmans Own, I PMed you...

I've recieved mixed opinions on whether to mention this obstacle in my life or not. The director of the post bacc program at my own university said it shows strength because I've overcome it... not having to leave school, excelling academically with leadership positions and honors, and taking a demanding 18+ credits a semester. I guess each school will handle this a bit differently... but my school's program didn't see a problem with it...

Also, I might add, 18 credits + an internship + father's cancer recurring is certainly "stressful"... but I did not relapse by any means... It really is a thing of the past.

 

[kaleidoscopic]

I think you should start something ASAP. Then you can at least say you are currently doing some kind of medical volunteer work. You'll definitely stick out (not in a good way) if you don't have any concrete healthcare-related work experience. I interviewed at Bryn Mawr a few weeks ago, and they asked the interview group to go around and give an introduction including undergrad school/major, work experience, and healthcare-related experience. What I noticed was that everyone was from a top school and had fairly extensive healthcare-related experience. It was pretty intimidating. You don't want to be talking about your personal issues in front of other interviewees, and I don't see why you would with the adcoms either.

 

[International8]

Hi Kaleidoscope,

How did you find interview day, what activities did you do, and what specifically did you take away from it? I interviewed over the phone a few weeks ago and was really impressed, but it would have been really nice to actually see the program from the inside.

To anyone else interviewing by phone, I thought the questions were extremely open ended (maybe too open ended) and not one that I felt was unreasonable. Maybe only about 6-8 in total, there was also a massive amount of time spent explaining the program and how my individual schedule and classes would hypothetically fit in; they even went over my State School's medical requirements. Really classy experience.

 

[kaleidoscopic]

Yes, I was very tempted to do the phone interview, but I decided to fly out there and am really glad I did. It was nice to see the whole program at work. In the morning I joined 6 other interviewees in the postbacc building, and everyone introduced themselves by name, undergrad school, major, work experience, and healthcare experience. As I mentioned above, I was fairly intimidated by other interviewees' backgrounds. Jodi, the postbacc adviser, went over the structure of the program and various logistics for like an hour. Then we sat in on bio, which had like 85 people... despite the size, the class was interactive and laid back. The postbacc students seemed excited by our presence and came to chat with us after class. Then 2 students who came straight to postbacc from undergrad led a campus tour, and we had lunch with 2 other students who took a few years between undergrad and postbacc. I'm not sure if they did this on purpose, but the 4 students had a lot in common with the interviewees. For example, one guy went to my university and had worked for the same consulting firm as another interviewee. Either way, it was a good set up. They answered all kinds of questions, from whether you need a car to how much they are paying for housing to what other postbacc programs they applied to. Interviewees stepped out throughout the day to do their 45-minute individual interview. I interviewed with Diane, and she asked 4 questions total (why do you want to be a physician, tell me more about your hospital internship, why did you choose your undergrad school, what other extracurricular activities are you involved in). She discussed science and English classes I've taken and wrote out an academic plan. She also went over whether my state schools have math requirements.

Overall, I thought they did a really nice job showing what the postbacc program entails. It's a rigorous program, but all the necessary support and resources are there. The students seemed genuinely happy and involved. The campus is small but nice; Philadelphia is a decent city to live in for a year. I felt like I definitely fit into the place, and that I can be successful there. I'm pretty sure I'll attend next year.

 

[International8]

Unfortunately we still have to get in! 🙂

Would echo what you said about the professionalism / students possibly being handpicked... the student adcom put me in touch with has significant overlap careerwise and also is Korean American (I spent a few years in Seoul). Still might be coincidence, but it seems like there are a lot of them.

Every single interaction I've had with the postbac has been overwhelmingly positive, including the pre-interview purple folder I received today, in Australia. I'm still sort of in shock that they would send something like that all the way out here because my application has a few holes.

Dianne was my interviewer also, she asked similar sorts of questions (though of course they were not exactly the same).

I think it would be really amazing if we were lucky enough to get in. Of course this is just the admissions dept, and it might all be smoke and mirrors... but every single alum I've talked to recommends the program, including a good friend of a good friend. And of course, SDNers.

I guess we'll see. My fingers are crossed for you.

One note, Bryn Mawr's close to but not in Philadelphia; after going to Penn, it's far enough away that I'd choose to live closer to campus even though I love city life. Some must make the commute but I can't imagine it's the norm.

 

[kaleidoscopic]

I stayed with a student who lives 2 blocks away from Bryn Mawr, and the area was alright, like a small college town. It only took 20 minutes to get to downtown Philladelphia by train, so I'd imagine going into the city a lot, even if I don't live in the heart of it.

While I was in the lecture hall, I noticed that the student body was overwhelmingly white. I saw maybe 6 ethnic minorities (out of 80+ students). So the fact you got a Korean student makes me think that they must make conscious efforts to match up current students with prospective ones.

Anyway, they called me 2 weeks after my interview to let me know I've been accepted. I hope you hear back soon too.

 

[International8]

Congratulations, amazing news!

My two weeks was yesterday (feels like longer somehow), unfortunately haven't heard yet. Probably the phone interview (instead of the interview day) has something to do with it. Am guessing I'll hear something before the adcom takes Christmas break, maybe sometime around mid December.

We'll see what happens; cautiously optimistic but you never really know. Regardless of whether this works out, the opportunity would be pretty amazing.

Good luck to anyone else applying, hope we collectively can share more good news in the coming weeks and months.

 

[sm640739]

I'm still waiting for one more letter of recommendation... my professor said he will have it to me by the end of break (like mid January), and then my application is ready to go. I wanted to send everything I have now, since it's been ready since November, but I don't think sending an incomplete application with only one LOR is a smart idea. It's frustrating waiting for that one professor...

🙁

 

[DowntheRoad]

Hello,

I've enjoyed reading all the posts about the Bryn Mawr Program. I have an interview with them soon, and I would tly appreciate any and all information regarding the interview. I've been researching for the interview since last week, and I could definitely still use more info. Specifically:

1) what should I wear? I've always worn a suit and tie to interviews, but I find that sometimes it makes me seem out of place to be so formal. However, there is the counter-argument: the formal suit makes one look dedicated.
2) Do I have an opportunity to ask the interviewer any questions?
3) Should I prepare to answer anything about major medical issues? If so, how much of a response would be appropriate (because, if given the opportunity, I could speak at length, and of course this would hurt my chances)?
4) Any odd quirks about the interviewers that would benefit me to know?

Thanks, and I look forward to the responses.

 

[PetitAllegro]

All the information in this thread is really helpful, big thanks to the current and former BM students who have contributed! I have a few questions regarding admissions/interviews and financing:

- Earlier in the thread there was some mention of old v. new-version SAT scores. Does anyone know if the writing score is considered at all, or if they only look at your math and critical reading scores? My score for those two sections seems okay going by the standards of the OP (1380) but my writing score was by far my strongest.

- This might be a silly question but someone's mention of the interview questions got me thinking. I have no idea if "why did you choose your particular undergrad" is at all a common question, but would it be detrimental to my chances if my reasons were decidedly not academic, and I said something to that effect? Without getting into too much unnecessary detail, I chose my (state school) undergrad over better academic prospects to pursue artistic ambitions. It's not a decision I regret, but I'm slightly paranoid that it might be looked on as trying to avoid academic rigor or something like that.

- Regarding financing the program: is it possible/realistic to do it all through loans? I can't imagine there's much time to work an outside job while in the program, and I'm worried about financing living costs on top of the tuition.

 

[drizzt3117]

No one will ever blame you for choosing your state school in any setting,I would worry about it.

 

[kaleidoscopic]

PetitAllegro, I was one who was asked about my undergrad school. I think they wanted to know about my values and priorities that contributed to the decision-making process, beyond the obvious (prestige and academic rigor in my case). You were also 17, 18 when you chose your undergrad school, so things change... If you've realized you want to be in a more challenging environment, more power to you.

 

[Sunsru03]

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[Surgeon Shen]

Hi OP thanks for this thread.

Is it possible to apply for the pre-med path right after I graduate next year? My GPA was low during first 2 yrs of undergrad due to health/personal issues, but I've raised my gpa from a 2.2 to currently 3.15. I've been getting 3.7+ gpa per semester since last year. I'm hoping to graduate with at least 3.4. I've got strong ECs, 270+ hrs volunteering from HS, and at least another 100 after I start again next week. I also got a 2200+ on SATs, so even if I take the GRE should I give them both scores or just my SAT?

 

[Evidence Based]

Hey guys!
I thought I'd revive this thread to see if there are any current applicants that have questions about Bryn Mawr. I'm a current post bacc in the program, and we just got two days of classes cancelled (thanks Sandy!), so I'll have some free time on my hands if the power doesn't go out. It's been awesome so far (lots of work, obviously), but I'm actually really enjoying things. So if anyone has any questions, let it rip!

 

[SeverusSnape]

Hi Evidence Based, i sent you a private message with some questions if that's alright =)

 

[Evidence Based]

Hi Evidence Based, i sent you a private message with some questions if that's alright =)

Replied a few minutes ago, should be in your inbox now I hope!

To everyone else, I'm happy to take questions either by PM or by public posting. Unless the question is very personal and/or would make it very easy to identify yourself, I'd encourage you to post your questions publicly so that they can be a resource for other applicants (both present and future).

 

[darkjedi]

I did the Bryn Mawr postbac 2 years ago and currently an MS1. I can answer any questions regarding the post-postbac period as well!

 

[Evidence Based]

I did the Bryn Mawr postbac 2 years ago and currently an MS1. I can answer any questions regarding the post-postbac period as well!

Ooooo an old bacc! Good to see you're still around these parts. Anyone with questions about med school applications/med school in general would definitely be well-served by talking to darkjedi, as they will have more to offer about life after post-bacc than me. I'll be happy to take a crack at them too though.

P.S. Love the avatar. Dr. Grover to the rescue.

 

[SeverusSnape]

I did the Bryn Mawr postbac 2 years ago and currently an MS1. I can answer any questions regarding the post-postbac period as well!

lol Darkjedi I was just reading a few month old thread about someone's postbac experience,on another online community, turns out it was yours.

Congrats on Penn =)

 

[DMBSatellite]

Was also a Bryn Mawr postbac. DarkJedi and I both used SDN to help us with the postbac application process and are enthusiastic about paying it forward. Ask us any questions that might be on your mind, and we'll do our best to help.

 

[Saip]

Hi,

I have some questions about linkage. Do you know which schools on the linkage list do not require the MCAT?

Thank you 🙂

 

[Evidence Based]

Hi,

I have some questions about linkage. Do you know which schools on the linkage list do not require the MCAT?

Thank you 🙂

Hi Saip,
As of right now, I believe Dartmouth, U Chicago, Brown, Pitt, and Rochester don't have MCAT requirements. HOWEVER. The MCAT requirements for linkages literally change year to year, so you shouldn't put much stock in this at all. (More importantly, nor should you plan on going to medical school solely based on whether the school requires the MCAT or not, but that's another story).

In general, at this point in the process you shouldn't be worried about the specific requirements of different linkage programs. They change all the time, and shouldn't affect your decision on where/if to do a post bacc much, if at all. BM has linkages to around 20 schools, and their requirements range the gamut from around a 3.3 GPA/30 MCAT to 3.75/34.

 

[cheree cheree]

Hello current and former Bryn Mawr postbacs,

I have a question about research:

How important is research to medical schools looking at a Bryn Mawr postbac applicant?
Are students able to do research while at Bryn Mawr, or are outside activities limited to volunteering? I will have gotten some volunteering under my belt before I start at a postbac, so I'm wondering if I should try to do some some research before I get there or if I'll have the opportunity to do it during the postbac year.

Thanks!

 

[Evidence Based]

Hello current and former Bryn Mawr postbacs,

I have a question about research:

How important is research to medical schools looking at a Bryn Mawr postbac applicant?
Are students able to do research while at Bryn Mawr, or are outside activities limited to volunteering? I will have gotten some volunteering under my belt before I start at a postbac, so I'm wondering if I should try to do some some research before I get there or if I'll have the opportunity to do it during the postbac year.

Thanks!

Hi cheree cheree,
In general, research is a valuable, but definitely not essential part of a medical school application. We have a lot of people who have research experience under their belt before they matriculate here (doesn't apply to you obviously), plenty of people who take a gap year and do research then (could be you!), and plenty of people who do research on the side while they're here. Some post baccs go into Penn to volunteer in labs there, and I know of a few people who do research at the Fox Chase Cancer center or closer to home on the mainline. In short, research is definitely doable during the post bacc year. It's just another volunteer activity that people do. Hope that helps!

-EB

 

[cheree cheree]

Hi EB,

That's great to know. Thanks!

 

[darkjedi]

Hi cheree cheree,
In general, research is a valuable, but definitely not essential part of a medical school application. We have a lot of people who have research experience under their belt before they matriculate here (doesn't apply to you obviously), plenty of people who take a gap year and do research then (could be you!), and plenty of people who do research on the side while they're here. Some post baccs go into Penn to volunteer in labs there, and I know of a few people who do research at the Fox Chase Cancer center or closer to home on the mainline. In short, research is definitely doable during the post bacc year. It's just another volunteer activity that people do. Hope that helps!

-EB

I just wanted to add that many students do wind up doing research during the gap year, but some also go on to do things like policy work or non-profit work as well.

Research is only one way to stand out in the medical school applicant pool. As a post-bac you have several other avenues of standing out as well.

That said, there are heavy research-oriented medical schools where the students have almost all done at least some form of research. At the same time, there are also many schools who's mission is oriented around primary care and are less interested in research experience.

 

[wzgnwn]

Is it even worth it to apply to Bryn Mawr (or other similar post-bacs) without any medical EC's? I am an otherwise competitive candidate - 3.9 gpa, 1460 sat, volunteer / leadership / awards / personal ECs. My interest in becoming a doctor has come from my experiences as a patient for many years and I intend to start shadowing docs soon as well as volunteering in a clinical setting before actually beginning any post-bac program - however, I won't have time to do those things before actually applying in the upcoming months (or they will be minimal). Should I even bother? For those of you current and past students, do/did you know of people in your cohort that didn't have these experiences or is it pretty unheard of? If I do apply and don't get in, would this affect my chances at getting admitted the following year (assuming that at that point, I will be applying with almost a year of shadowing and clinical volunteer experience)?

Thanks for any input.

 

[darkjedi]

You should definitely apply now and get started on some sort of medically relevant experience immediately. You will however need to prove your passion for medicine, so hopefully by the time you interview you will have something to talk about.

Is it even worth it to apply to Bryn Mawr (or other similar post-bacs) without any medical EC's? I am an otherwise competitive candidate - 3.9 gpa, 1460 sat, volunteer / leadership / awards / personal ECs. My interest in becoming a doctor has come from my experiences as a patient for many years and I intend to start shadowing docs soon as well as volunteering in a clinical setting before actually beginning any post-bac program - however, I won't have time to do those things before actually applying in the upcoming months (or they will be minimal). Should I even bother? For those of you current and past students, do/did you know of people in your cohort that didn't have these experiences or is it pretty unheard of? If I do apply and don't get in, would this affect my chances at getting admitted the following year (assuming that at that point, I will be applying with almost a year of shadowing and clinical volunteer experience)?

Thanks for any input.

 

[Evidence Based]

Is it even worth it to apply to Bryn Mawr (or other similar post-bacs) without any medical EC's? I am an otherwise competitive candidate - 3.9 gpa, 1460 sat, volunteer / leadership / awards / personal ECs. My interest in becoming a doctor has come from my experiences as a patient for many years and I intend to start shadowing docs soon as well as volunteering in a clinical setting before actually beginning any post-bac program - however, I won't have time to do those things before actually applying in the upcoming months (or they will be minimal). Should I even bother? For those of you current and past students, do/did you know of people in your cohort that didn't have these experiences or is it pretty unheard of? If I do apply and don't get in, would this affect my chances at getting admitted the following year (assuming that at that point, I will be applying with almost a year of shadowing and clinical volunteer experience)?

Thanks for any input.

You should definitely apply now and get started on some sort of medically relevant experience immediately. You will however need to prove your passion for medicine, so hopefully by the time you interview you will have something to talk about.

Everyone in the class here has some sort of experience in the medical field, whether that's working in clinical research, working in medical business and finance, or personal experience. Otherwise how would they know they wanted to pursue medicine, right? On top of that, however, basically everyone I know has some more direct experience in a medical setting, which usually means shadowing or clinical volunteering. It's great that you have a lot of personal experience in the medical field, and that will give you great perspective on the system (and probably make you a better doctor). However, what you really need to answer is why you want to be a physician, not why you want to be involved in the medical field. It's usually necessary to have some shadowing experience or volunteer work in a directly clinical setting to really get at this.

At your interview, I can 100%guarantee that they will ask you some variation of "Why medicine? And why now?" You'll probably then get a follow up questions about why you want to be physicians, exactly, and not nurses, physicians assistants, pharmacists, etc. They really just want to see that you've thought this through, and really know what you're getting yourself into.

So, that's a long-winded way of agreeing with darkjedi. Definitely apply now, but also get started on clinical stuff ASAP. It's important for admissions, but also to make sure this is really what you want to do. It's a bit of a hoop to jump through, but it's all probably in your best interest. You just want to be able to articulate why you want to go into medicine, and more importantly have the experience to back up that choice.

 

[bakagal]

Great discussion.

Quick (silly) question for those of you in the program/currently applying. The instructions for the essays say that each essay should be one page. What line spacing did you guys use (Double, single, etc)?

 

[Evidence Based]

Great discussion.

Quick (silly) question for those of you in the program/currently applying. The instructions for the essays say that each essay should be one page. What line spacing did you guys use (Double, single, etc)?

I had 1 page single spaced for each. The exact parameters aren't important, just be nice and don't give them 17 pages to read.

 

[cheree cheree]

What's the MCAT prep at Bryn Mawr like? What do most people do to study and when do they start?

Thanks!

 

[darkjedi]

What's the MCAT prep at Bryn Mawr like? What do most people do to study and when do they start?

Thanks!

Nice thing about doing the program and taking all the pre-reqs in a single year is that it effectively acts as an MCAT bootcamp. All the pre-reqs are exactly the materials covered on the exam (except verbal obvi). The Biology professor is probably one of the best professors I've ever had and knowing that she'd be teaching to future medical students, taught Intro Bio in the context of genetics and human physiology, which helps with the MCAT significantly. Additionally, since everyone is in the same boat as you, people will work together and do things like purchase the MCAT practice exams in groups so that they can share them.

Bryn Mawr does also host their own little MCAT prep course that only costs a nomimal fee (I think it was like 60$?) that teaches from the Kaplan MCAT prep book, so that's an option for some students too.

I would say the vast majority of the students in the class did not take a professional prep course, but as a whole do very well on the MCAT, definitely significantly better than the general pre-med.