LECOM Postbacc 2017-2018 Cycle

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Current post bacc here. Thought I would copy-paste some responses that I have sent to people recently so that you guys can all get the same information they did. If you’re accepted now, congrats. For the record, I think LECOM is by far the best value for a post bacc out there. It worked out well for me and it can for anyone committed to putting in the work. Similarly, to what @nasuthar said, the main thing I would say is to get a high GPA 1st semester. I did well 1st semester which allowed me to calm down a bit for the harder stuff this semester. Looking back now, 1st semester seems easy, but the transition from undergrad to LECOM is pretty steep, so prepare yourself. 2nd semester is objectively harder in terms of content, but for me, I found 1st semester to be more challenging because it was intimidating, I felt lots of pressure, and I didn't really know how to study (or even know that I didn't know). 1st semester taught me a lot about myself and how I learn best, which for me, is not being in a lecture hall for 4 hours a day. That is one thing that the post bacc is good for. You get time to think about which pathways sound appealing (for me, that was DSP)

You will study a lot... To the point where time not studying will be accompanied by guilt. Everyone is different, but most of the successful students that I know, study between 5-7 hours on lecture days (which is M-F 2:00-6:00) and another 8-10 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Just be prepared for that if you (like me) could study the night before an undergrad exam and still do well. Not going to happen here.

Preview lectures: 99% of everything you need to know for exams is in their powerpoints, but the books are there if you need additional info to help solidify concepts. Don't buy them, they are all online in free pdf. The only book I would actually recommend “reading” would be the physiology book because that class is worth a lot of credits. Go through the lecture before class so you can pay attention to important points.

Another tip: Use the BRS review series books for all applicable classes, especially physio and biochem. You'll find that the questions asked on exams cover almost identical concepts to what BRS tests on. LECOM is all about prepping you for the boards, which trickles down into their post bacc as well, so use the BRS books.
 
Does anyone know if we have to retake the MCAT exam when were ready to bridge from the Post Bacc program to the DO program?
 
Hi guys!

Just opened my acceptance letter today, got it in the mail today and it was addressed March 22. My file was complete and ready for review the first week of March. The turnaround time for me was surprisingly quick. During that time, I emailed Jaime Murphy only once to inquire about any update on my file.

I'll be looking for a roommate and housing situation now. I am not sure if there is already a facebook group for 2017-2018 class?
Message me if you too will be looking!

Good luck to everyone and don't give up!
 
afajayan said:
Hi guys!

Just opened my acceptance letter today, got it in the mail today and it was addressed March 22. My file was complete and ready for review the first week of March. The turnaround time for me was surprisingly quick. During that time, I emailed Jaime Murphy only once to inquire about any update on my file.

I'll be looking for a roommate and housing situation now. I am not sure if there is already a facebook group for 2017-2018 class?
Message me if you too will be looking!

Good luck to everyone and don't give up!
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Yah, there's already a Facebook group. Look up LECOM Post Bacc 2017-2018
 
If I've already applied to LECOM's dental school, can I just request them to use my already submitted letters or must I submit them again?
 
byahnoob said:
If I've already applied to LECOM's dental school, can I just request them to use my already submitted letters or must I submit them again?
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When I applied to the post bacc for medical school, they used my letters and transcripts I had previously submitted.
 
Hi everyone! I received my acceptance letter this week. I'm guessing they are using my AIS stats since my MCAT score was below average. Do I have to retake MCAT in order to apply to DO program next year? Also, how does the application process work? Do we apply through AACOMAS again?

Here are my stats:
cGPA = 3.52
sGPA = 3.34
MCAT = 495
SAT scores = 590/530/490
AIS = 113
No grade replacement
 
lorilorai12 said:
Hi everyone! I received my acceptance letter this week. I'm guessing they are using my AIS stats since my MCAT score was below average. Do I have to retake MCAT in order to apply to DO program next year? Also, how does the application process work? Do we apply through AACOMAS again?

Here are my stats:
cGPA = 3.52
sGPA = 3.34
MCAT = 495
SAT scores = 590/530/490
AIS = 113
No grade replacement
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The way Jamie described it to me is that unless you are planning on applying to other schools, they just use the application that you applied with to the post bacc program.
 
DantheManimal said:
Well, like you said. They have to wait for the grades first. However some of us have been accepted since January. If you have above a 3.4 after the first semester, you will interview and get a "conditional acceptance" which is a real acceptance (tells you your pathway you received, requires a deposit in X amount of time, etc." Only difference is that there is a line that says pending you don't fail any postbacc courses (69% or below in any class) any courses or drop below a 3.0 somehow (which is hard to do honestly without failing if you have a 3.5). As far as the people hovering around 2.7 - 3.3, LECOM waits for their final grades, because it would be hard to rescind acceptances/refund deposits etc. after finals.
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Hey, I'm looking forward to apply to Post-Bac programs this year (to start next year)
Quick question, are you saying that after the first semester of the Post-Bac program, the students who earn up to a 3.4 GPA gets a conditional acceptance to the Medical School? And if it falls less than that, do they automatically dismiss that person from the program? Is there a wait-list?
Sorry, I didn't quite get what you were saying
 
nasuthar said:
After I finish up the post-bacc, I'm gonna write up a class-by-class "how-to" since every class is different and every professor is different. This should help to understand what to expect in the class and how to study efficiently for that class.
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Please Please do. That will be very helpful. God bless you for that 🙂
 
Lois Lane said:
Hey, I'm looking forward to apply to Post-Bac programs this year (to start next year)
Quick question, are you saying that after the first semester of the Post-Bac program, the students who earn up to a 3.4 GPA gets a conditional acceptance to the Medical School? And if it falls less than that, do they automatically dismiss that person from the program? Is there a wait-list?
Sorry, I didn't quite get what you were saying
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I'm not saying you are dismissed. I'm not sure why it came across that way, but what I was saying is the 3.4+ people (at least in my class) received conditional acceptances after the 1st semester, while the rest mostly just wait until the end of 2nd semester. Either way, if u get a 3.0 overall, you're in. It's just a bonus if you get accepted early but it doesn't mean that the rest, as in the vast majority, of people are suddenly kicked out of the program.
 
DantheManimal said:
I'm not saying you are dismissed. I'm not sure why it came across that way, but what I was saying is the 3.4+ people (at least in my class) received conditional acceptances after the 1st semester, while the rest mostly just wait until the end of 2nd semester. Either way, if u get a 3.0 overall, you're in. It's just a bonus if you get accepted early but it doesn't mean that the rest, as in the vast majority, of people are suddenly kicked out of the program.
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Ok. Got it. Thanks for clarifying.
 
Hey everyone,

I am applying to the program in about 2-3 weeks once I have my final transcripts. Was there anything in particular anyone did that you felt aided your acceptance into the program? If anyone has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it if you could drop me a PM! Hope to see you all in the Fall.

Thanks!
 
Hey guys,

Got my acceptance letter about 3 weeks ago but haven't had time to post. Applied without any MCAT if that helps motivate people to apply. Currently waiting to hear back from a couple for places before I officially decided where I am heading. If anybody (current postbacs/med students) has general tips about making the transition to Erie for school, please do share. Things such as housing, gym access, things to do around town, etc. would be great.

Thanks!
 
weare1771 said:
Hey guys,

Got my acceptance letter about 3 weeks ago but haven't had time to post. Applied without any MCAT if that helps motivate people to apply. Currently waiting to hear back from a couple for places before I officially decided where I am heading. If anybody (current postbacs/med students) has general tips about making the transition to Erie for school, please do share. Things such as housing, gym access, things to do around town, etc. would be great.

Thanks!
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what was your GPA?
 
weare1771 said:
Hey guys,

Got my acceptance letter about 3 weeks ago but haven't had time to post. Applied without any MCAT if that helps motivate people to apply. Currently waiting to hear back from a couple for places before I officially decided where I am heading. If anybody (current postbacs/med students) has general tips about making the transition to Erie for school, please do share. Things such as housing, gym access, things to do around town, etc. would be great.

Thanks!
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I am last year's post bac and accepted to Erie LDP program for coming year. Erie is a small town with very little activities to do. However it's great for school since post bac will require a lot of your time and dedication if you want to do well. A lot of ppl I know live in Laurel Springs/Ridge and it's very convenient since it's right across from school so you can just walk over. The prices there are pretty good too. I couldn't get a place there in time last year and ended up living at Scenery Hills, which is a little bit more expensive but it comes with a garage which helps a lot during the winter. LECOM's gym is hella nice, it's a pretty upscale gym which I think charges about $70 a month if you're not a student, so take advantage of it if you can manage some time during your studies haha. Like I mentioned, most of the ppl I know who did well in the program rarely went out to do activities around town, you will be studying so much that if you're lucky you'll maybe find couple of hours a week to do whatever you need to do to de-stress. The town has a decent amount of bars (mostly on State street), karaoke place, and presque isle is pretty amazing if you like doing outdoor activities like hiking, biking, fishing... Erie has pretty much every fast food/chain restaurants/stores you can think of. I am from a big city so first moving to Erie was a little rough for me tbh haha but looking back I don't think I could've dedicated my time well to school if I had been living somewhere else. And if you like small towns, Erie will be perfect since it has all the charms that a small town can offer.
 
Can they pull my LORs from AADSAS or do I have to submit them again??
 
byahnoob said:
I'm a pre dent. I'm guessing if they do it for the AACOMAS, it'll apply for AADSAS as well
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I see, my mistake. Yeah I would imagine it's the same for AADSAS.
 
So I just finished the postbac a couple weeks ago and received my acceptance yesterday. I actually finished the first semester just under a 3.0 but was able to pull off a 3.6 for second semester to finish above the 3.0 cutoff. I would advise against this route as the past 4 months have been the most stressful of my life.

You'll hear a lot of complaints about the program, and I do have some of my own, but the fact remains that if you put in the work you WILL get into medical school here. LECOM gave me a chance when nobody else would. I graduated undergrad a couple years back with a 2.6 science GPA and had to retake about 10 classes to even get into this program. I had a poor MCAT and a 112 AIS. Only about 60% of the class will finish above the 3.0 cutoff, but that number means absolutely nothing on an individual basis. Anyone who gets accepted into the program has the capability to make it if they are willing to put in the time and effort.

Good luck to all the incoming postbacs and I'd be happy to answer any questions on here or via PM.
 
DexterMorganSK said:
Can those who finished the program talk about how to study for each class? Overall, your suggestions/advice for each course.

Thanks and congrats!!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
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So in the fall you will take Physiology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Microbiology, Histology, Genetics, and Critical Thinking ( I think that's all of them)
Physiology: This is your 5 credit course and carries the most weight, I got a C in it (missed a B by half a point) but I was still able to maintain a 3.1 for the semester. They will tell you in the beginning of the semester (at orientation) that the first test is one of the hardest. This was not the case for me, I did best on the first exam, worst on the second (cardiology...) and right in the middle on the third. The third was the most difficult I think because it contained the most information. Understanding the material conceptually is important for this class, don't just memorize. I honestly did not study correctly for this class because I didn't know how to study yet. I would re-write my notes and review the powerpoints to memorize rather than understand. So that's my biggest piece of advice for this class, understand the concepts!!
Biochemistry: 3 credit course. Definitely more of a memorization class than a conceptual class, for me at least. I got a B and I am terrible at chemistry. My suggestion is draw out the pathways and mark the important parts that they go over in class. Usually I was able to tell which parts of the lecture they were going to test on just because of the amount of time they spent on it during class. Also, they will ask practice questions during class, those are usually a good idea of the important concepts.
Cell Biology: 2 credit course. This class is straight memorization. Also there are interactive quizzes at the end of lecture that you can use your notes and work together to answer. Some of these questions are the same questions they ask on the test so be sure to pay attention during the quizzes, you can't write down the questions from the quizzes but I knew people who would mark their notes on slides they used to answer questions.
Microbiology: 2 credit course. You will get mixed reviews of this class, some people struggled and others found it easy. I thought this class was super easy because I memorized the information. My biggest suggestion for this class is make a chart with all of your bacteria on it and any other important characteristics about them! You never know when gram (-) or gram (+) is going to be the way to differentiate two answers in a test question.
Histology: 1 credit course. The majority of your test questions are going to be histological pictures that you have to identify different parts of. Every once in a while they will add extra questions like "What is the function of this cell?" and point to the cell on the picture. There is a ton of histological supplemental material out there you just have to look for it (some of it they will even provide for you). My suggestion is go through as many pictures as you can when you are learning the material, also this will make Anatomy a lot easier in the spring because they bring Histo back for each of your Anatomy exams.
Genetics: 1 credit course. Another easy course as long as you pay attention to the big concepts in class. They may never ask you to do a punnet square on a test, but they will give you two parents genetic make-ups and ask you for recurrence rates of the offspring. They also love to give pedigrees and ask the inheritance pattern. I suggest flashcards and memorization for this course, make your life easy.
Critical Thinking: 1 credit course. My absolute biggest suggestion in this course is to not forget to do the paragraph they assign you on the portal at the beginning of the semester!! I forgot and automatically lost 4 points in the first week of class. Doesn't seem like a lot but the class is only out of 120 points. I kept my A, but just barely. The first few exams are medical terminology, super easy just memorize it. They give you a website that you can go on to take practice quizzes and such to help you. At the end of the semester you will do a few journal articles, again focus on the things that they focus on -- independent variables, dependent variables, controls, things like that. This is not a hard course

Fall semester is definitely an adjustment, and you will learn how to study. Do not ignore your small credit courses because if you are like me and get a C in physiology you will need A's in the 1 and 2 credit courses to balance you at a 3.0.

In the spring you will take Anatomy, Pathology, Pharmacology, Immunology, Virology and Intro to Clinical Medicine
Anatomy: Again this is your big course, 5 credits. The first thing you will do is concepts of anatomy and most people I knew found that test to be very easy (first exam-- most of my friends got A's). Concepts is mostly memorization. The second test is neck and thorax which our class struggled with as a whole. They give you a lot of supplemental material for Anatomy (extra notes), I suggest using all the material they give you and again understanding the material not just memorizing it. Also, I downloaded complete anatomy to my laptop and essential anatomy to my iPad. They are not cheap, I think it was around $70 for both, but they were well worth the money when it came to visualizing the material, which was the most difficult part for me.
Pathology: 4-credit course. If they do pathology the way they did it for us then it is mostly a directed study course. This means that you will do the material on your own, they will give you powerpoints to review, and then you will have one day of a question and answer lecture with a quiz. The down-side is they make you take the quiz before the question and answer part of the lecture. I did the learning objectives for this class and reviewed them and didn't struggle (I got an A). Also, the final is almost entirely repeat questions from your exams so it is completely possible to get 100% on your final. The highest grade on our final pathology exam was 108%.
Pharmacology: 3-credit course. This is the big scary spring course that everyone will talk about. It is difficult and there are a lot of drugs to remember. What my friends and I did that seemed to work for all of us was we made drug lists. We would review the powerpoints and then write all the drugs down and only write the things we couldn't remember about them down. We would review these lists for days before the exam. Also, I would take the entire powerpoint and condense it down to one sheet of paper (kind of like a cheat sheet) because it kind of tricks your brain into remembering the material because who has honestly ever used the cheat sheet if they were allowed to bring one into a test. Also, we would make up case scenarios for all the drugs and ask each other questions before exams, this helps you think the same way your test questions will be phrased. It is possible to do well in this class, but a lot of our class also failed this course. Biggest piece of advice -- dedicate your time to it and you will be fine.
Immunology: 1-credit course. We only had one test for immunology and it was the first test of the semester. Then you don't see the material again until the final. My suggestion again is the learning objectives. You will also have interactive quizzes again for this class. Between the learning objectives and the interactive quizzes you will be able to determine your high yield information.
Virology: 1-credit course. This class was straight memorization for me. Memorize the material that isn't about specific viruses and then for the specific viruses I made a chart with important characteristics and reviewed that before the exam.
Intro to Clinical Medicine: 1-credit course. Don't blow this course off, it wasn't hard but I also gave it the time it deserved. I know other people that would try to review the information a few hours before the exam and didn't do as well as they wanted. It's another directed study course, they will give you chapters to read and then quizzes to take on the portal that you can use your book for and work with other people. I made study guides of the information from the chapters and reviewed those. My biggest suggestion is just take the time and make your own study guide, don't use other peoples (even if it seems easier). This goes for almost all the courses because that was how I learned the material. I would read the chapters once and then go back through to make my study guide and typically that was all I had to do before the exams.

They will tell you spring semester is harder and that you need to do well in the fall to have a cushion for the spring! Follow this advice, don't do it backwards like I did! I got a 3.1 in the fall and a 3.4 in the spring and was accepted, but it was difficult! It is possible to do better in the spring, but it requires all of your time and dedication! Actually, the program as a whole requires almost all of your time so enjoy your summer!!
 
@midawa Thanks so much for the detailed response.

How often you had exams? Did you mostly use the class ppts and notes for exams or also supplemented with textbooks? I'm guessing you might read the Physio/Anat books? Also, does the school provide with extra notes, besides the lecture ppts? Thank you!
 
DexterMorganSK said:
@midawa Thanks so much for the detailed response.

How often you had exams? Did you mostly use the class ppts and notes for exams or also supplemented with textbooks? I'm guessing you might read the Physio/Anat books? Also, does the school provide with extra notes, besides the lecture ppts? Thank you!
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So the exams vary. There were 6 exams and the final in fall semester. I believe the first exam of fall semester was 2 weeks in, 2nd exam was 2 weeks later, 3rd exam was three weeks later, 4th exam was two weeks later, 5th exam was 2 weeks later (the Tuesday before Thanksgiving) and then the 6th exam was 3 weeks later. The hard part is your last exam will be on the last Monday of both semesters and your Final will be on Friday of the same week. You have Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday free to study.
In spring semester there were only 5 exams and the final. Almost the same layout every 2-3 weeks, except there was one 4 week test for us (that was a long exam).

I used the class powerpoints for the most part, but I do like to read the chapters especially on concepts that I'm struggling with. So the textbooks I did use include Physiology, Anatomy, Histology, Immunology, Biochemistry and Pathology. I bought them all and will say that I used all the textbooks at least once for something. We also had a dropbox of the books in pdf form, but I prefer to have a textbook in front of me rather than read it on my laptop. Also, the entire intro to clinical medicine class is from the textbook so you definitely need that one.

We had extra notes for Anatomy and I believe some Histology. In the spring when you see histology a second time in your anatomy course you will have extra notes for it. The professors supply any extra material you need on the portal. Also there is an Anatomy clinical supplement that I forgot to mention above. They will tell you to print it out, laminate it, study it everywhere (in the shower, in bed, at dinner), believe them because they love the clinical supplement.
 
license43 said:
You got a good answer from that previous responder but I would say usually every 2 weeks, but sometimes I think.... for the 4th exam in the first semester and 3rd exam for the second semester it was after 4 weeks. Obviously much more material if every exam is long.
I would say for most courses its powerpoint, but for histology, critical thinking mainly the text, but histology has extra study notes, modules where you have to know the images. For anatomy, it was recommended to read the text, but I don't think you really needed to... but it helps a lot.
Also of course, take the professors' words as the words of God, most of them don't want to trick you.... PS: I love our biochemistry professor, had a crush on her.. 🙂.
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Congrats and thanks for replying.

So how many of you made it to the DO program? I see alot of good things about the program here, but any cons, or things you wish knew before you started it?
 
license43 said:
I would say 40% don't make it. Usually thats the figure. Most of them failed pharmacology surprisingly, I think 20-30%..? one of my other classmates here could probably tell you what it is.
Not really much except that I wish I prepared more for anatomy in the 2nd semester. I did A LOT of preparation believe it or not for the first semester and did pretty well. But most people will tell you to not and enjoy your summer. Just be prepared for physioand biochemistry in the fall and anatomy and pharm in the spring. Doesn't hurt to prepare for those classes... If you get As in those, you'll at least be in a solid position.
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I think it's a little more than 40% that don't make it. Here's what I told someone recently:
170 started, and 135 entered spring, so 35 failed a fall class (which for LECOM is a 69% or below because there are no D's given). As for spring, 26 people failed Pharm, 8 failed Anatomy, 5 failed Path, 4 failed Immuno, 3 failed Clin-med, and 1 failed Viro. Granted, there could be some that failed more than one course, but you have to figure at least 30 different people failed at least one class this spring. So that takes it down to about 105, and then I would say another 20-30 people at least were not able to manage the 3.0, despite not failing a class (i.e. those who earned a C in Anatomy and/or Physiology). With all that, I would say closer to 70-80 people made it out of the original 170. However, don't let that deter you. Of those, I assure you that 100% of them were accepted. LECOM wants you to make it through their program. As far as they are concerned, once you're in the post bac, you are already someone they want in their medical school, you just have to prove it on paper first. That's why they basically throw out your file on arrival, as in they don't consider anything at all that you did prior to post bac when making their admissions decision. It's solely on your 3.0 and your conduct. So don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. If someone got a 3.0 and were rejected it's probably because they punched and/or threatened to kill a police officer (true story, just not our year).
 
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DantheManimal said:
I think it's a little more than 40% that don't make it. Here's what I told someone recently:
170 started, and 135 entered fall, so 35 failed a fall class (which for LECOM is a 69% or below because there are no D's given). As for spring, 26 people failed Pharm, 8 failed Anatomy, 5 failed Path, 4 failed Immuno, 3 failed Clin-med, and 1 failed Viro. Granted, there could be some that failed more than one course, but you have to figure at least 30 different people failed at least one class this spring. So that takes it down to about 105, and then I would say another 20-30 people at least were not able to manage the 3.0, despite not failing a class (i.e. those who earned a C in Anatomy and/or Physiology). With all that, I would say closer to 70-80 people made it out of the original 170. However, don't let that deter you. Of those, I assure you that 100% of them were accepted. LECOM wants you to make it through their program. As far as they are concerned, once you're in the post bac, you are already someone they want in their medical school, you just have to prove it on paper first. That's why they basically throw out your file on arrival, as in they don't consider anything at all that you did prior to post bac when making their admissions decision. It's solely on your 3.0 and your conduct. So don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. If someone got a 3.0 and were rejected it's probably because they punched and/or threatened to kill a police officer (true story, just not our year).
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When you say 170 started, and 135 entered fall, is it 170 started fall and 135 started spring?
Little confused here
 
DantheManimal said:
I think it's a little more than 40% that don't make it. Here's what I told someone recently:
170 started, and 135 entered fall, so 35 failed a fall class (which for LECOM is a 69% or below because there are no D's given). As for spring, 26 people failed Pharm, 8 failed Anatomy, 5 failed Path, 4 failed Immuno, 3 failed Clin-med, and 1 failed Viro. Granted, there could be some that failed more than one course, but you have to figure at least 30 different people failed at least one class this spring. So that takes it down to about 105, and then I would say another 20-30 people at least were not able to manage the 3.0, despite not failing a class (i.e. those who earned a C in Anatomy and/or Physiology). With all that, I would say closer to 70-80 people made it out of the original 170. However, don't let that deter you. Of those, I assure you that 100% of them were accepted. LECOM wants you to make it through their program. As far as they are concerned, once you're in the post bac, you are already someone they want in their medical school, you just have to prove it on paper first. That's why they basically throw out your file on arrival, as in they don't consider anything at all that you did prior to post bac when making their admissions decision. It's solely on your 3.0 and your conduct. So don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. If someone got a 3.0 and were rejected it's probably because they punched and/or threatened to kill a police officer (true story, just not our year).
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I think thats still a pretty good number to get in, tbh. I mean, you either know it in the postbacc rather than being in oms-1 and failing out.
If you don't mind me asking, how much debt are you guys looking at from this postbacc, after you factor in the living expenses and everything? Thanks!
 
byahnoob said:
When you say 170 started, and 135 entered fall, is it 170 started fall and 135 started spring?
Little confused here
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Yes, as in 35 people failed out in fall so couldn't continue to spring. Meant to say 135 entered Spring. Sorry for any confusion.
 
license43 said:
100% agree, thanks for clarifying the statistics!!! but wow..... can't believe that many failed.
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Me either honestly. I mean, yeah the first pharm test was rough for everyone I think just because there were calculations on it and it was the first pharm exam, but for the other two exams and final it's basically pure memorization, albeit a lot, but memorization nonetheless..
 
DexterMorganSK said:
I think thats still a pretty good number to get in, tbh. I mean, you either know it in the postbacc rather than being in oms-1 and failing out.
If you don't mind me asking, how much debt are you guys looking at from this postbacc, after you factor in the living expenses and everything? Thanks!
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33K
 
Did people fail because they didn't study?
I'm worried because I don't have the best undergrad grades and not sure how it'll translate
 
byahnoob said:
Did people fail because they didn't study?
I'm worried because I don't have the best undergrad grades and not sure how it'll translate
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If your poor undergrad grades are from not studying, and you continue that, then it will translate into extra poor post bac grades. I think it goes without saying that you should obviously work much harder in post bac than undergrad, where you can often cram the night before and get As. This is medical school minus the labs, so don't kid yourself. There is a ton of info. I didn't find anything difficult conceptually, but the volume is similar to taking 40 units, so it requires discipline and commitment
 
byahnoob said:
Did people fail because they didn't study?
I'm worried because I don't have the best undergrad grades and not sure how it'll translate
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Hey what's up man. I was in this year's post bacc and will be an incoming MS1 this July .

Everything you have heard throughout this entire thread is true. I would say around 70-80 students in our class of 170 will have matriculated. None of the material in this program is some Egyptian hieroglyphics that only the superior beings can understand; it's moreso the vast amount of information you will be exposed to.

Here's my $.02, like you I was lurking hard on these forums trying to figure out how to "game" the system. Of course the curriculum is tough and it'll test your mental fortitude. But here's the thing, none of our opinions really matter as to whether or not material is "difficult". If you work your absolute heart off good things reciprocate. So don't fool yourself or anyone around you, be professional, adhere to the rules, and dedicate yourself to this. All of the professors will help you if you look for it, and don't think that just because your undergrad was subpar that this will dictate your performance in this program. Weaker students fail out, it's that simple. How do you resolve this? You improve your study habits and work ethic. One study method for one class may not work for another. It is imperative that you find out your method rather quickly. I personally worshipped flashcards. That got me through and helped me really force-feed the material. But I know plenty of my friends who rewrote notes, loved the whiteboard, or listened to lectures again (with permission!). Find your method fall semester and these habits translate well spring semester.

Do not get discouraged if you don't perform well the first exam, seek help and find another way that best suits your needs. Don't give up. And please please please be professional and kind to your peers and everyone around you.

tl;dr
Work hard every day + law abiding citizen = med school

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Hey Everyone, I am a former Post bac and I know how many questions I had going through my head before I arrived and even during the program, so feel free to message me! 🙂
 
byahnoob said:
Did people fail because they didn't study?
I'm worried because I don't have the best undergrad grades and not sure how it'll translate
Click to expand...


So this is just my 2 cents, take it or leave it. I came into the post-bacc in the same situation, didn't have the best undergrad grades or GPA. In undergrad I would do things last minute and study the night before exams, pretty much did the bare minimum to pass. When I got into this program I realized that it was a second chance and really my last chance at getting into medical school. Come in with that mindset and you will be fine. It definitely took me some time to learn how to study, which is why I did much better second semester compared to first. As long as you are fully dedicated to this program then it should translate into a medical school acceptance!

Edit: I was accepted into the MS1 class starting in July!
 
midawa said:
So this is just my 2 cents, take it or leave it. I came into the post-bacc in the same situation, didn't have the best undergrad grades or GPA. In undergrad I would do things last minute and study the night before exams, pretty much did the bare minimum to pass. When I got into this program I realized that it was a second chance and really my last chance at getting into medical school. Come in with that mindset and you will be fine. It definitely took me some time to learn how to study, which is why I did much better second semester compared to first. As long as you are fully dedicated to this program then it should translate into a medical school acceptance!

Edit: I was accepted into the MS1 class starting in July!
Click to expand...
Are the students in the program cooperative or competitive with each other ?
 
PAtoDO said:
Are the students in the program cooperative or competitive with each other ?
Click to expand...

Most of the people in my class were cooperative with one another, we all helped each other for the most part. Shared different study guides or any interactive websites we found that were helpful. I never really got the competitive vibe from anyone.
 
Yeah I agree with what the other said in terms of it not being competitive. We were all there for each other and always hooked each other up with notes, Anki decks, and whatever else we were using. If you're nervous about undergrad scores, just consider this a fresh start. I had a bad overall undergrad GPA (3.0), but I studied like a lunatic and wound up with above a 3.5 in post bac. It can be done
 
I agree, no one was competitive in the program and everyone helped each other in a constructive manner. They tell you on day one that there is no curve and they do not make exams and harder or easier based on class averages. Our year did quite well as a class, but they did not try and pull a fast one on us and make everything more difficult all of a sudden. They want you to work together, you'll have to work as a team at the hospital when your a doctor anyways.


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Hello everyone,
I was also in this year's Post-Bacc and will be an incoming MS1 this July. As others have said, this is a great program that provides a set of requirements and a challenge, which if successful and professional, leads to a medical school acceptance. The Post-Bacc provides students with a clean slate, so that ones performance in the next 8 months proves their readiness for medical school. The program enables us to all be cooperative, not competitive, as there is no curve. During orientation, they even encourage group studying and helping one another out, as they have MS1 spots reserved for those who are successful in the program.

Personally, I would say that if I could have know what study method works best for me and each subject, I would have been much less stressed and more successful throughout the first semester of the program. This was also something that was stressed in orientation and was a common concern of my friends too. In my case, I barely passed the first Physiology exam, as I began the semester with my undergraduate study habits and spent time watching TV series more than I should have. The Post-Bac 15 credits is not the same as undergrad 15 credits. Thankfully, I was able to turn things around from exam 2 onward, as I also became part of a study group, which I consider integral to my success in the program. Over the first half of the first semester, I tried different study methods (ANKI, Outlining the Powerpoint, Summarizing, Single-slow review method, Practice Questions, Charts, etc.) until I found the ones that worked best for each subject. Again, everyone studies differently and finding what works for each person/subject is imperative.

As an example, while not all of my friends found physiology practice questions helpful, I partially attribute my performance to practicing with BRS and Pretest Physiology questions, as they allowed me to gauge question styles/content I should expect on the exam. ANKI (Flashcards) was helpful for histology and charts were helpful in Microbiology and Pharmacology. In Anatomy, I used the 3D visualizer to have a visual perspective of concepts discussed in the anatomy clinical supplement, which will really become everyones best friend in the spring semester. KNOW your clinical supplement, especially as the semester progresses!!! I won’t really get in to each class, as previous posters have provided excellent explanations of the courses. I must say, for pharmacology, it is imperative to be proactive in that class and study the drugs and differences almost daily, for the two exams in the Spring. This was the class that was the most difficult for our class, as it had the highest failure rate. I did very well in the class and if any clarification is required with respect to the material, the professors are very responsive to emails and requests for appointments.

Overall, I really recommend studying as hard as possible in the Fall semester, as that will provide a GPA buffer for Spring, leave you with less stress, and will allow you to get your acceptance letter sooner. Students with a Fall GPA of 3.4+ get their letter first, then 3.2+, and others after final grades.
I myself was the opposite, I had a low 3+ GPA in the Fall, but had a 3.7 in the Spring. I had also not taken the MCAT, as I had applied with an AIS score, so I knew I had to step up in the Spring. I knew the study methods that worked for me, so I was able to do very well.


Aside from the educational aspects, life in Erie, PA is nice, most of the restaurants, retailers, and amenities found in larger cities are available, plus there are less distractions, providing ample study time. Personally, one of my non-academic concerns was the weather, being that I was from Florida. While everyone will try and prepare/scare you with the idea of lake effect snow, I can’t say that this was a major hassle, at least for me this year. I should provide the disclaimer that I lived right across the street from school and have been told the winter was worse three years ago. I was able to easily drive my front wheel drive sedan with all-season tires after a short learning curve. Don’t forget to buy an ice scraper if you have a car!
Additionally, there are larger cities within 1.5-2 hours that one could visit during extended breaks, if that is something you enjoy.

I wish everyone the best of luck and if there are any specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
 
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