Masters Program then Med School?

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gumbyj

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I am just wondering if anyone has any experience or knows someone who has, in completing a two year masters program before medical school. I know that I do want to go to medical school, but I would really like to do some graduate work before hand and I do not think my application will be strong enough to apply MD-Phd. I am looking into Neuroscience masters programs at both Yale and Columbia, one is Neuroscience and Education and the other is a Childhood Neuroscience program.

Also, does anyone have any feedback at all on the competitiveness of these programs?

I would just really like some feedback on the good/bad of completing a masters program before medical school!
Thanks!

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I am just wondering if anyone has any experience or knows someone who has, in completing a two year masters program before medical school. I know that I do want to go to medical school, but I would really like to do some graduate work before hand and I do not think my application will be strong enough to apply MD-Phd. I am looking into Neuroscience masters programs at both Yale and Columbia, one is Neuroscience and Education and the other is a Childhood Neuroscience program.

Also, does anyone have any feedback at all on the competitiveness of these programs?

I would just really like some feedback on the good/bad of completing a masters program before medical school!
Thanks!

i went to graduate school before this process and i will say that i don't think having a graduate degree (in mathematics) helped my applications in the least. of course, having a graduate degree won't hurt you, but my feeling was that graduate school (gpa-wise) fails to make up for undergraduate weakness in the eyes of admissions committees. i regretfully did not apply m.d./ph.d. though, in which case it might be very helpful, particularly if you get some publications out.
 
Having a Graduate degree is not going to help you. Its you undergrad GPA, MCAT and EC's that will make you a well rounded applicant. Don't waste time on Masters.

Good luck!
DD
 
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I partially agree with the above posters. A masters program alone will not help you get into those specific programs. However If that masters program happens to be at one of those programs it may help you make connections on campus as well as give you opportunities to add to your EC list with some things that are easier for grad students to do. Since entering my grad program I've gotten a publication, been TAing for anatomy/physiology, biochem, and for the medical students gross anatomy, elected to the Grad student Govt and gotten to meet most of the educators and Adcoms at my school. However All that and a MS degree still wouldn't get me into those top schools with a low gpa/mcat. It will help for those less selective schools but again to a varying degree based on how your scores are. Your scores get your foot in the door, your EC's keep the dialog open (MS degree is really just an EC)
 
I'll be finishing up my Masters of Arts in Teaching this Aug., but I didn't do it to help my application.... I had to be certified to teach! I would think adcoms would see my masters as an EC like the poster above said.
 
Well, right now, I am still waiting on two medical schools that have me on their waitlist and a third school that will decide on acceptance or waitlist in mid-May. Anyways, this leads me to two letters inviting me to inquire about two master programs. One is the Master of Science in Anesthesia Program out of Case Western. This is that it takes only two years and what is cool is that all graduates of this program are guaranteed a job and the average starting salary for an anesthesiologist assistant is $115,00 per year.

The other program is a Master of Arts in Medical Sciences out of Loyola Chicago. They do not guarantee me a job after two years of the program, but I do get a guaranteed interview to the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of medicine if I apply for the 2010 class and meet their criteria.

Anyways, even while I was considering these two, it has made me realize that I am committed to a medical career that will culminate in an MD degree. So, I may take this approach, but I doubt I will do this because I do feel that strong call and pull to go to medical school right away.
 
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