Masters as Plan B?

[AllSmiles66]

If I don't get into Med School, what kind of masters program would be best to do before reapplying? Biology? Chemistry?

Thanks in advance!

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[doc05]

do a masters in something that you wouldn't mind using in your career. a second-time application may not work out, unfortunately.

 

[tinkerbelle]

I did a masters in reproductive bio at a public health school (hopkins). It was great because you take science & public health classes... so it opens up your options a little more. Public health is a awesome field and there are so many cool things you could do (in the event you don't get into med school).

 

[Sparky Man]

If I don't get into Med School, what kind of masters program would be best to do before reapplying? Biology? Chemistry?

Thanks in advance!

what's your background? if you are already strong academically, you might want to gain some other type of experience. i guess it all depends why your application was weak (if you don't get in).

i agree with the other posts, don't do it just to get in to med school, choose something you at least enjoy a little bit.

 

[deuist]

Are you really stressing over the decision to study biology or chemistry? Give me a break. So long as you major in something that interests you ... preferably in a science or engineeering program, you'll be fine.

 

[MochaSoulSistah]

I did mine in Physiology, which was great because I got a wide variety of courses (immunology, gastrointestinal, reproductive, etc.) and they all seemed interesting and beneficial for a pre-med. But I don't think it matters as long as you do well. Try to find a professor that you'll like to work with even if you don't go the thesis route because you can get some research experience even with a non-thesis program (if available).

 

[bebella24]

Hey


Similar to you, I will do a masters in medical sciences if i don't get in this time around. I really really hope though that i won't have to. But like the others have said, do something that you ENJOY and focus less on what you think adcoms will "like." just my .02 cents

 

[LabMonster]

If I don't get in, my wife and I are moving to the Caribbean or joining the Peace Corps. - This is option A

Option B: I get a masters in Hematology (someone has to have a program) get my SH (specialist in Hematology). I wouldn't mind working for a PhD, but if I don't get it, maybe it's not in the cards anyway.

To the OP - get a functional degree that you are very interested in.

 

[lane]

Dartmouth has a one year masters in Medical Science that i was accepted to last year as a plan B. it's fairly expensive but it looked like a great program (and it's done through the med school)

 

[brynn7]

i am going to get a master's in public health if i dont get in off waitlists this year. i actually think it would be a great idea for me. not that i wouldnt mind just getting started on my M.D. in the fall, but spending 2 years (still in my hometown) getting an M.P.H will really help me. i know that i want to work in healthcare...so it makes a lot of sense. do something that interests you and will make you a better doctor and a more informed healthcare provider some day...at least thats what i keep telling myself!!! the place where i want to go for my M.P.H. is actually a medical school so they are definitely supportive of people that want to pursue an M.D. simultaneously/before/after earning an M.P.H. i am just gonna keep working towards my goal. if i am 45 years old when i finally get an M.D. then that's better than never...but i only just turned 23..so i am hoping it will be sooner than that....

 

[OSUdoc08]

i am going to get a master's in public health if i dont get in off waitlists this year. i actually think it would be a great idea for me. not that i wouldnt mind just getting started on my M.D. in the fall, but spending 2 years (still in my hometown) getting an M.P.H will really help me. i know that i want to work in healthcare...so it makes a lot of sense. do something that interests you and will make you a better doctor and a more informed healthcare provider some day...at least thats what i keep telling myself!!! the place where i want to go for my M.P.H. is actually a medical school so they are definitely supportive of people that want to pursue an M.D. simultaneously/before/after earning an M.P.H. i am just gonna keep working towards my goal. if i am 45 years old when i finally get an M.D. then that's better than never...but i only just turned 23..so i am hoping it will be sooner than that....

Keep in mind that since the MPH has relatively no science courses, it will not help out much with strengthening your science background to enter medical school.

If you already have a strong science GPA and a good MCAT, then an MPH would be fine, but then again---you'd probably be accepted to medical school in the first place.

I initially though about an MPH if I didn't get in, but I was told by an admissions committee that it wouldn't be particularly helpful.

 

[brynn7]

If you already have a strong science GPA and a good MCAT, then an MPH would be fine, but then again---you'd probably be accepted to medical school in the first place.

are you serious?? dude everybody that applies or at least everybody that gets interviews has a strong gpa and mcat. 10,10,10,Q, sci gpa3.65, overall gpa 3.73. all kinds of volunteer experience and what not. i went to a small school though so a post-bacc degree of any sort at a well known medical school will help. you are a little condescending no?

 

[Brain]

Keep in mind that since the MPH has relatively no science courses, it will not help out much with strengthening your science background to enter medical school.

If you already have a strong science GPA and a good MCAT, then an MPH would be fine, but then again---you'd probably be accepted to medical school in the first place.

I initially though about an MPH if I didn't get in, but I was told by an admissions committee that it wouldn't be particularly helpful.

I second this. I just finished my MPH at Emory and classes are, I hate to say, a joke. It will, however, give you a new way of thinking about medicine and there are some cool experiences you can get while working on the degree. I'd highly recommend doing the MPH before medical school if you want to do public health with your MD. Otherwise, it really won't do you any good.

 

[OSUdoc08]

are you serious?? dude everybody that applies or at least everybody that gets interviews has a strong gpa and mcat. 10,10,10,Q, sci gpa3.65, overall gpa 3.73. all kinds of volunteer experience and what not. i went to a small school though so a post-bacc degree of any sort at a well known medical school will help. you are a little condescending no?

Where do you get these numbers?

A post-bacc will help.

An MPH will not----if a low MCAT and science GPA are your problem.

 

[brynn7]

Where do you get these numbers?

A post-bacc will help.

An MPH will not----if a low MCAT and science GPA are your problem.

what do you mean..where do you get these numbers????..ummmmm my AMCAS application

 

[brynn7]

I'd highly recommend doing the MPH before medical school if you want to do public health with your MD. Otherwise, it really won't do you any good.

wait a second...how would you practice medicine without doing public health? how can some physicians avoid dealing with healthcare policies, laws, epidemics, and programs to prevent disease in communities???

i am not being a smartass...seriously waht do you mean???

 

[Brain]

wait a second...how would you practice medicine without doing public health? how can some physicians avoid dealing with healthcare policies, laws, epidemics, and programs to prevent disease in communities???

i am not being a smartass...seriously waht do you mean???

Let's face it, most do avoid it. When there's an epidemic in the community, the board of health will be conducting the investigation not individual physicians. Public health officials devote their entire time to disease prevention and interventions at the community level wheras most physicians only treat the problem that shows up in their office. Some practices of physicians conflict with those of public health recommendations. Issues concerning antimicrobial resistance are one such example. If you plan on one day becoming involved with developing health policies or working as an epidemiologist with your M.D., then getting the MPH will help your career. Otherwise getting this degree will be a complete waste of time.

 

[AllSmiles66]

bump

 

[dm1279]

Where do you get these numbers?

A post-bacc will help.

An MPH will not----if a low MCAT and science GPA are your problem.

You're absolutely right! An MPH has nothing to do with hardcore science and if an applicant is trying to prove you can succeed in medical school this is not the way to do it. I did an M.A. in Medical Sciences and if anyone has questions about the program or how it changed my stats feel free to PM me.

 

[brynn7]

Who cares about your stats?

you told me that if i have a low gpa or bad mcat it wont help. you are a turd. if an mph is soooooooooo useless then why do so many medical schools offer a joint md/mph or md/mba program??? why are you so hostile? i am a very nice person dammit!

 

[tinkerbelle]

Keep in mind that since the MPH has relatively no science courses, it will not help out much with strengthening your science background to enter medical school.

I don't remember how strict the MPH requirements were at Hopkins, but I know we had a biochem/molecular bio department and an immunology department at the school of public health. So if you were willing to stay an extra term or overloaded your schedule, you would actually be able to take a decent amount of science classes.

 

[CoffeeCat]

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[DrBowtie]

you told me that if i have a low gpa or bad mcat it wont help. you are a turd. if an mph is soooooooooo useless then why do so many medical schools offer a joint md/mph or md/mba program??? why are you so hostile? i am a very nice person dammit!

It seems as though he was referring to the scope of normal practice. People don't get dual degrees just for giggles. They get them because they want careers that require both. So unless you plan on doing some public health work while a physician, I find it pointless. Go ahead and take a Biology Master's because it would help more in dealing with the hardcore science rigors of med school.

 

[OSUdoc08]

you told me that if i have a low gpa or bad mcat it wont help. you are a turd. if an mph is soooooooooo useless then why do so many medical schools offer a joint md/mph or md/mba program??? why are you so hostile? i am a very nice person dammit!

Obviously you are confused.

When discussing the MPH degree, I was stating that it would not help with increasing your chances of admission to medical school. Due to the lack of science courses, there will be no addition to your science GPA and/or no enhancement of preparation for a future MCAT.

I agree that an MPH is useful as a physician, in addition to an MBA, and I even considered doing the combined program. I decided, however, that I'd rather not put off becoming a doctor for an additional year.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I don't remember how strict the MPH requirements were at Hopkins, but I know we had a biochem/molecular bio department and an immunology department at the school of public health. So if you were willing to stay an extra term or overloaded your schedule, you would actually be able to take a decent amount of science classes.

These are the most common concentrations with an MPH degree:

Biostatistics / Clinical Research / Community Health / Environmental Health / Epidemiology / Health Management and Policy / Occupational Health Practice / Health Interpreting and Health Applied Linguistics

If you are interested in enhancing your science GPA, I would suggest obtaining an M.S. in the biomedical sciences instead.

 

[brynn7]

If you are interested in enhancing your science GPA, I would suggest obtaining an M.S. in the biomedical sciences instead.

the discussion was about doing a master's program if you don't get into medical school this year. no one was specifically talking about enhancing their SCIENCE GPA. people are just discussing master's programs as an option. i for one want to get a master's degree in something that will help me to better understand the healthcare system. an MPH really seems useful to me. why have so many of us (including myself) been asked the "what's wrong with healthcare and how would you solve it?" question at interviews??? it IS important that physicians understand these things. unfortunately being a doctor is not what it was 20 years ago. it sucks that we have to care about the business aspect but we do. if you dont agree fine. but i am going to get an MPH and later i will get an M.D. maybe thats not what everyone wants to do and that's absolutely fine. i do not think it's a waste of time.

 

[nicholasblonde]

Plan B for me=postbacc programs at Georgetown and Loyola..Georgetown's program allows u to take same classes as their M1s and then you receive an evaluation, sent to you schools, which states your performance on exams relative to their actual M1 class--so if you go in there and kick butt you're schools will have no justification to say "you're not academically ready for med school" b/c you'll have a piece of paper which directly states otherwise!

 

[brynn7]

Plan B for me=postbacc programs at Georgetown and Loyola..Georgetown's program allows u to take same classes as their M1s and then you receive an evaluation, sent to you schools, which states your performance on exams relative to their actual M1 class--so if you go in there and kick butt you're schools will have no justification to say "you're not academically ready for med school" b/c you'll have a piece of paper which directly states otherwise!

how many schools do that??? what kind of program is it and how did you apply?? that's a great idea for sure.

 

[OSUdoc08]

the discussion was about doing a master's program if you don't get into medical school this year. no one was specifically talking about enhancing their SCIENCE GPA. people are just discussing master's programs as an option. i for one want to get a master's degree in something that will help me to better understand the healthcare system. an MPH really seems useful to me. why have so many of us (including myself) been asked the "what's wrong with healthcare and how would you solve it?" question at interviews??? it IS important that physicians understand these things. unfortunately being a doctor is not what it was 20 years ago. it sucks that we have to care about the business aspect but we do. if you dont agree fine. but i am going to get an MPH and later i will get an M.D. maybe thats not what everyone wants to do and that's absolutely fine. i do not think it's a waste of time.

If I'm not mistaken, doing a Master's program if you don't get into medical school is done to occupy your time until you are accepted. It is also done to enhance your application for reapplication.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

how many schools do that??? what kind of program is it and how did you apply?? that's a great idea for sure.

Some of the programs that allow you to take first year medical school courses with US allopathic students include:

Loma Linda University's Biomedical Sciences certificate (a few med courses)
Georgetown's Special Masters Program MS in Physiology and Biophysics (many med courses)
Florida Atlantic University's MS in Biomedical Sciences (Human Gross Anatomy with the University of Miami branch MD students)
University of South Florida is planning a program for this Fall or next Fall...
Rosalind Franklin's MS in Applied Phyiology (most of the med courses)
Tulane's Anatomy Certification Program (most of the 1st semester med courses for waitlisted applicants only)
Boston University's MA in Medical Sciences (usually at least two med courses)
Creighton's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Creighton's MS in Clinical Anatomy (gross anatomy w/ med students)
UMDNJ-Newark's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Drexel's IMS certificate / MMS master's program (many but you take the courses via telecast)
EVMS MS in Biomedical Sciences (quite a few med courses)
Marshall University MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few med courses)

There are also a lot of programs that don't include med school courses, but are meant for enhancing academic credentials for med school. An example is the Loyola MA in Medical Sciences that someone previously mentioned. There are also similar programs at schools that do not have medical schools (e.g., Colorado State MS in Biomedical Sciences Plan B, Barry University MS in Biomedical Sciences) and programs at osteopathic schools (e.g., PCOM certificate / master's, TCOM postbaccalaureate certificate, KCUMB MS in Biomedical Sciences). There are a bunch of these programs, but some have better track records and are more effective than others. There are undergraduate-level and graduate-level enhancement programs.

Check out the postbac forum for more info.

 

[brynn7]

Some of the programs that allow you to take first year medical school courses with US allopathic students include:

Loma Linda University's Biomedical Sciences certificate (a few med courses)
Georgetown's Special Masters Program MS in Physiology and Biophysics (many med courses)
Florida Atlantic University's MS in Biomedical Sciences (Human Gross Anatomy with the University of Miami branch MD students)
University of South Florida is planning a program for this Fall or next Fall...
Rosalind Franklin's MS in Applied Phyiology (most of the med courses)
Tulane's Anatomy Certification Program (most of the 1st semester med courses for waitlisted applicants only)
Boston University's MA in Medical Sciences (usually at least two med courses)
Creighton's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Creighton's MS in Clinical Anatomy (gross anatomy w/ med students)
UMDNJ-Newark's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Drexel's IMS certificate / MMS master's program (many but you take the courses via telecast)
EVMS MS in Biomedical Sciences (quite a few med courses)
Marshall University MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few med courses)

There are also a lot of programs that don't include med school courses, but are meant for enhancing academic credentials for med school. An example is the Loyola MA in Medical Sciences that someone previously mentioned. There are also similar programs at schools that do not have medical schools (e.g., Colorado State MS in Biomedical Sciences Plan B, Barry University MS in Biomedical Sciences) and programs at osteopathic schools (e.g., PCOM certificate / master's, TCOM postbaccalaureate certificate, KCUMB MS in Biomedical Sciences). There are a bunch of these programs, but some have better track records and are more effective than others. There are undergraduate-level and graduate-level enhancement programs.

Check out the postbac forum for more info.

hey...thanks for being helpful!!!!

 

[dm1279]

Some of the programs that allow you to take first year medical school courses with US allopathic students include:

Loma Linda University's Biomedical Sciences certificate (a few med courses)
Georgetown's Special Masters Program MS in Physiology and Biophysics (many med courses)
Florida Atlantic University's MS in Biomedical Sciences (Human Gross Anatomy with the University of Miami branch MD students)
University of South Florida is planning a program for this Fall or next Fall...
Rosalind Franklin's MS in Applied Phyiology (most of the med courses)
Tulane's Anatomy Certification Program (most of the 1st semester med courses for waitlisted applicants only)
Boston University's MA in Medical Sciences (usually at least two med courses)
Creighton's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Creighton's MS in Clinical Anatomy (gross anatomy w/ med students)
UMDNJ-Newark's MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few)
Drexel's IMS certificate / MMS master's program (many but you take the courses via telecast)
EVMS MS in Biomedical Sciences (quite a few med courses)
Marshall University MS in Biomedical Sciences (can take a few med courses)

There are also a lot of programs that don't include med school courses, but are meant for enhancing academic credentials for med school. An example is the Loyola MA in Medical Sciences that someone previously mentioned. There are also similar programs at schools that do not have medical schools (e.g., Colorado State MS in Biomedical Sciences Plan B, Barry University MS in Biomedical Sciences) and programs at osteopathic schools (e.g., PCOM certificate / master's, TCOM postbaccalaureate certificate, KCUMB MS in Biomedical Sciences). There are a bunch of these programs, but some have better track records and are more effective than others. There are undergraduate-level and graduate-level enhancement programs.

Check out the postbac forum for more info.

I did the BU program if anyone has any questions. I took 4 classes with MS I's. Without a doubt it made the difference in my getting into med school. However, an MA like this is NOT a terminal degree and if you don't get into med school you have wasted A LOT of money. So, it's one of those things that can have great benefits but you definitely have to get the most out of it possible.