Is it good to be a non-matriculated student at a grad/med school?

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

RUJC05

Junior Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2005
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
I am debating over a formal post-bac, barry 1 yr program, and UMDNJ's non-matriculated status. As a non-matriculated student, i can take some of the courses at the grad/med school. Is it a good idea to be non-matriculated?
 
RUJC05 said:
I am debating over a formal post-bac, barry 1 yr program, and UMDNJ's non-matriculated status. As a non-matriculated student, i can take some of the courses at the grad/med school. Is it a good idea to be non-matriculated?

What is the UMDNJ program? Is it just taking classes, or is it a formal program?
 
A couple of thoughts.

1) Don't look like you're just wandering around taking classes. I don't think being a non-matriculated student is a killer, depending on your circumstances and the schools you're applying to. Be prepared to answer the question why you did it that way instead of a formal post-bacc or something else.

2) Most places cap the amount of non-degree graduate courses you can transfer into a degree program -- usually about 12 credit hours if all the coursework was done at their institution. The reason I mention this is that, if you later decide you want to roll your non-degree coursework into a graduate degree, you might not be able to bring all your credits with you.

3) My advisor recommended full-time enrollment, regardless of what I program I chose.

Really it all depends on where you're coming from (i.e., what you need to accomplish). Do you just need a refresher for the MCAT? Do you need to take the pre-reqs? Do you need to re-take the pre-reqs and enhance your GPA? Do you need to add clinical or research experience? Have you applied before and are you trying to address a specific weakness in your application?
 
Basically, I just want to take some classes to show that I can do well in medical school. Looking for any programs that would let me take classes with medical students. I just don't want to be tied down for more than a yr. Any ideas?
 
RUJC05 said:
Basically, I just want to take some classes to show that I can do well in medical school. Looking for any programs that would let me take classes with medical students. I just don't want to be tied down for more than a yr. Any ideas?

Well it would probably serve you better to go to a program where you actually get credit for it (a Master's degree). The bad part about this is that it is more expensive.

I, naturally, recommend Georgetown, but Rosalind Franklin's program is pretty much the same (but costs $7,000 more). Georgetown's SMP has more recognition at schools other than Georgetown, but Rosalind Franklin's is much more of a sure thing although only for their med school. There are tradeoffs either way, but I think both are a good way to prove you can hack it in medical school.

Drexel also has a program, but I'm not entirely sure you get a degree after only one year, and you have to watch the med lectures on a TV because their lecture hall isn't big enough to seat everyone.

EVMS has one too, but they're kinda specific about who they want (willing to work in rural/underserved communities I believe), and again while like 90% or more get in to the medical school, it is only to that one.

Phil_anthropist is really the expert on this though.
 
Top