master's program as gap year?

[icarus2847]

Hi, I'm currently a junior right now and have decided to take a gap year. I'm not sure if this is the right section where I should post or not, but does anyone have recommendations for where to find more information about good master's programs before heading to med school? To be honest, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and I just need some advice on where to start or learn more since I don't really know anything about master's programs. Thanks.

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[sinombre]

Well, why do you want to do a master's program? Are you trying to compensate for a low GPA? Are you interested in graduate level science courses prior to starting medical school?

 

[icarus2847]

Well, why do you want to do a master's program? Are you trying to compensate for a low GPA? Are you interested in graduate level science courses prior to starting medical school?

That would be a yes to both. I've done quite a bit of research and shadowing, so I feel like I would probably benefit by taking a gap year and doing a master's program. Any advice you or anyone else has, I'm open to and would appreciate. I visited an advisor at my school who is supposed to be pretty good, but she didn't really help and pretty much told me to do whatever I feel like doing with a gap year.

 

[sinombre]

That would be a yes to both. I've done quite a bit of research and shadowing, so I feel like I would probably benefit by taking a gap year and doing a master's program. Any advice you or anyone else has, I'm open to and would appreciate.

I'm not sure about this, but I always thought that "gap year" implied that you were out of school. Anyway, keep in mind that your undergrad GPA is mainly what adcoms look at (your graduate GPA is calculated separately). Supposedly a master's in a hard science can help compensate for a sub-par GPA, but a master's in another area may not (e.g. an MPH probably won't compensate for a 3.3). SMP's are a good option for some people as well.

 

[icarus2847]

I'm not sure about this, but I always thought that "gap year" implied that you were out of school. Anyway, keep in mind that your undergrad GPA is mainly what adcoms look at (your graduate GPA is calculated separately). Supposedly a master's in a hard science can help compensate for a sub-par GPA, but a master's in another area may not (e.g. an MPH probably won't compensate for a 3.3). SMP's are a good option for some people as well.

Right, I was thinking about SMPs, which I kind of recently learned about. I need to further look into it and I think I'll probably have about a year before I have to apply. I just want to get a better feel for what's next for me, but didn't know where to start I guess.

 

[eDITN]

What is your current GPA?

SMPs are generally quite expensive. Medical school is obviously very expensive. You probably don't want to put yourself even further in debt unless you think the SMP can really improve your application (due to having a low/borderline undergrad GPA).

 

[LizzyM]

SMP is basically paying for the first year of medical school and betting you can out perform 50% of the medical school class. If you win, you get to repeat first year of medical school. If you lose, you are out on your tail with a MS degree that doesn't provide you with much in the way of marketable skills.

Frankly, I think that a MS is biology, microbiology, biochemistry, etc is a better bet.

 

[Midifelder10]

LizzyM - How do you look upon a Masters GPA for hard sciences like you mentioned. Consensus on SDN is that it is worthless but I find it tougher than Bachelors grade as the competition is much harder.

 

[LizzyM]

LizzyM - How do you look upon a Masters GPA for hard sciences like you mentioned. Consensus on SDN is that it is worthless but I find it tougher than Bachelors grade as the competition is much harder.

The top 20 schools are going to screen for undergrad gpa so people with gpa remediation through a grad program rarely get through (they get a perfunctory look-see but not by someone at my level, at least at my school).

I do know of someone who ~10 yrs ago did a MS in biochem, then med school, residency, & fellowship. I was rather surprised to see him this subspecialty fellowship as I was aware of his undergrad record which was unimpressive.

 

[Midifelder10]

The top 20 schools are going to screen for undergrad gpa so people with gpa remediation through a grad program rarely get through (they get a perfunctory look-see but not by someone at my level, at least at my school).

I do know of someone who ~10 yrs ago did a MS in biochem, then med school, residency, & fellowship. I was rather surprised to see him this subspecialty fellowship as I was aware of his undergrad record which was unimpressive.

Thanks!