Help with the post-bac process

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

troy82

Junior Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
I am going to graduate this spring and decided to do a post-bac program. I was wondering if I could still apply to medical schools for the '06 Fall term while taking the post-bac. And if I can, do the medical schools only get the '05 Fall term grades from my post-bac program?

Essentially I am trying to figure out if I can do a year long post-bac program and go right into medical school if accepted in fall '06. Any advice would be helpful, thanks.
 
If I read this right, the answer is yes if your post-bacc offers a linkage agreement with a med school, but it is an incredibly difficult path. A linkage allows you to skip the glide year and begin the fall of the same year in which you've completed your post-bacc (in the spring).

Basically you'll need to take all 8 pre-reqs (biox2, chemx2, orgox2, physicsx2) in three semsters (summer/fall/spring) AND study for and take the MCAT. You'll need to have amazing LORs and ECs in order to be competitve for the linkage and you'll need to do well in all your courses and the MCAT. Doable, yes; realistic, no.

Keep in mind that if successful you'll begin med school the following fall and THEN the hard work begins (burnout?). If you can afford to spread the post-bacc, volunteering and MCAT over two years you probably greatly increasing your chances of getting into med school and succeeding once there.

OckhamsRzr


troy82 said:
I am going to graduate this spring and decided to do a post-bac program. I was wondering if I could still apply to medical schools for the '06 Fall term while taking the post-bac. And if I can, do the medical schools only get the '05 Fall term grades from my post-bac program?

Essentially I am trying to figure out if I can do a year long post-bac program and go right into medical school if accepted in fall '06. Any advice would be helpful, thanks.
 
I already took the pre-reqs...I want to do the post-bac to raise my science gpa...sorry about that.
 
troy82 said:
I already took the pre-reqs...I want to do the post-bac to raise my science gpa...sorry about that.

Ahh. You should think about BU's Master of Arts in Medical Science Program (MAMS) or Rosalind Franklin or Georgetown (do a search you'll find tons). Also Drexel.

BU and Rosalind Franklin I know you CAN do in a year and both are feeders into their own schools providing you bust ass and do well.

Good luck!

-Ockham
 
The ones ockhamsRzr mentioned can be completed in one year and have a certain degree of linkage with their own schools--RFU's being the strongest of the bunch (takes more students into their school than BU, G-town, etc.). RFU basically tells you to apply to their med school during the program. For the med schools of these programs, these grades of their students will be considered (some of the other schools that consider your grades of the fall term were discussed on some old Drexel thread). However, if you're hoping to go to med school somewhere else, RFU's program is probably not the right for you.

Duquesne has a one-year enrichment postbac with a linkage of some sort to LECOM (osteopathic). Also, U Penn has a linkage to UMDNJ-RWJ for qualified applicants (I don't know the specifics)--no glide year.

Some med schools don't pay much attention to the Fall term grades (or at least, your app would essentially be on hold until those grades come in). Some of the postbac programs release grades by semester, others work on a block system. The ones with blocks (Georgetown, I believe) finish courses at various times and I think that you can have update letters sent on your behalf to the med schools. G-town actually encourages its students to apply during the program. With the programs on semester, it might not be until January or February when the schools finally get to see your grades. By that time, you could very well be interviewing for a waitlist.

In the app cycle it's to your advantage to get in your complete application early. So if you can wait an extra year, it's to your advantage to do the year of coursework first, have it show up on your AMCAS application, and then apply. That way you have the opportunity to show that you took courses with med students and could hold your own AND your app won't be delayed.

However, if you've got this exigent need to start med school ASAP (no glide year; start immediately after finishing the program), I'd drop the $52k, head to Rosalind Franklin, and work my ass off.
 
Phil Anthropist said:
The ones ockhamsRzr mentioned can be completed in one year and have a certain degree of linkage with their own schools--RFU's being the strongest of the bunch (takes more students into their school than BU, G-town, etc.). RFU basically tells you to apply to their med school during the program. For the med schools of these programs, these grades of their students will be considered (some of the other schools that consider your grades of the fall term were discussed on some old Drexel thread). However, if you're hoping to go to med school somewhere else, RFU's program is probably not the right for you.

Duquesne has a one-year enrichment postbac with a linkage of some sort to LECOM (osteopathic). Also, U Penn has a linkage to UMDNJ-RWJ for qualified applicants (I don't know the specifics)--no glide year.

Some med schools don't pay much attention to the Fall term grades (or at least, your app would essentially be on hold until those grades come in). Some of the postbac programs release grades by semester, others work on a block system. The ones with blocks (Georgetown, I believe) finish courses at various times and I think that you can have update letters sent on your behalf to the med schools. G-town actually encourages its students to apply during the program. With the programs on semester, it might not be until January or February when the schools finally get to see your grades. By that time, you could very well be interviewing for a waitlist.

In the app cycle it's to your advantage to get in your complete application early. So if you can wait an extra year, it's to your advantage to do the year of coursework first, have it show up on your AMCAS application, and then apply. That way you have the opportunity to show that you took courses with med students and could hold your own AND your app won't be delayed.

However, if you've got this exigent need to start med school ASAP (no glide year; start immediately after finishing the program), I'd drop the $52k, head to Rosalind Franklin, and work my ass off.

Wow, well said Phil...I 100% agree
 
Top