Mississippi College Masters of Medical Sciences

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How long did it take for those people who were accepted to hear back about their application status?

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If you don't hear back within a week, I would recommend calling and double checking. It really depends on when Dr. Baldwin gets around to reviewing your application. He's probably very hectic atm due to finals/grades/LOR
 
How long did it take for those people who were accepted to hear back about their application status?

Took less than 2 weeks for me. They received my completed application on a Wednesday/Thursday and I got an acceptance 2 Mondays afterward.
 
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So this was my first semester in the Med Sci program at MC. I took Med Phys, Endo/GI (which will be renamed Med Phys 2 for the fall), and Grad Seminar. I must say this was crazy difficult. I thought people on this forum were crazy for saying that taking just two classes (Med Phys and Endo combo) was going to be grueling. But they are right! Now, I won't tell you to not take the two. I'm actually very glad that I took this combo. Here's why:
1. Gave me a ridiculously good foundation for how the body works. I'm sure it will make gross easier now that I know the function of the various systems and how they work together.
2. There is a lot of overlap. When you learn the endocrine system, you hit the hormones that affect the renal system a little before you start the renal phys in Med phys...works out wonderfully for studying. You also hit an overlap when you go over smooth muscle because it correlates with GI.
3. By taking the two together, you have a better shot for the Shelf exam. Let me warn you though! I wish I had known this: incorporate the BRS Physiology book with your normal studying so that you are prepared for the shelf at the end of the semester. I hear that if you study the BRS books, it makes the shelf exam a little easier and more manageable because it covers everything that's on the shelf.

So is this combo doable? Definitely. I got a B+ in Endo/GI, a B in Med Phys, and an A in grad seminar. (I haven't taken the shelf yet though. If you get a 500+ on it...which is 50th percentile, you get automatic As in Endo and Med Phys). But note that if you take this combo, you are in for a hell of a semester. You will be living from test to test. You will study all of the time. Your best chance at success...summarize the notes and read Guyton (all of it! for both classes). I got a little lazy towards the end which is why I have Bs. It is a marathon of sorts and tests your endurance when it comes to studying. Both of these classes are concept heavy. You will be tested on negative feedback pathways and how to apply your new knowledge to clinicals. Yes, there are detailed questions (esp. in Med Phys). But all in all, I would recommend this combo (but maybe not as your first semester...it gives you a very rude awakening to grad school).

Lastly, take what I say with a grain of salt. Endo/GI is undergoing changes for the fall, so I'm not sure how different it will be compared to when I took it. You are only as good as your will and determination to succeed. :)

Good Luck!
 
This will be my final review of the Med science masters program here... My roommate wants to write a review but doesn't want to open his own account so he may use mine so just a heads up if you see two from "me" out there.
Class review
1) Neuroanatomy... Difficult but doable. Easy to catch up if you get behind. Dr. Baldwin is not the best lecture teacher but he gets it done. This is a lab first type of class. If you go balls to the wall on the lab you can almost fail the lecture and still get a B in the class. It should be noted that Dr. Baldwin does not grade your lab part of any thing, the TAs do so getting on their good side is a good idea. Lab slide quality depends on Baldwins mood, sometime the slides are good sometimes you can't tell what in the world is in front of you. This class prepares you for about half of the shelf. The Neuroscience class isn't needed as they don't mind if you pop in for the lectures which are not very helpful.

2) Histo... This class is horrible. It is not hard but the amount of stuff you have to memorize is beyond stupid. Does anybody care able the size of a mitochondria or how about what color everything stains? You maybe thinking well maybe we get to learn about pathology type of diseases. Nope. This is another classes where the lab carries you again you can fail the lecture and ace the lab and still get a B easy. Now when I took this class the slides for the test were horrible, blurry slides and on the final we had an epididmis that was so compacted you could not see where the lumin started. This class does not prepare your for the shelf at all. I took that shelf and first page is had no idea what was going on. Scored in the 40th percentile... meh.

3) Med Phys... Hard class but it is very intuitive. You can easily teach yourself what you need to know and honestly you should. Baldwin's notes are so old and out of date and it shows. He repeats errors and goes off on wild tangents that make you wonder what happened to your life for the last hour. Honestly I got really frustrated and stopped going to most of the lectures and taught myself and my grades actually went up. I just used the text book, BRS and USMLE first aid and literally threw away the notes. I worked hard and did land a B in this class. Could I have made an A if I stuck with the lectures? No I honestly think I would have failed. I just came out of lectures so confused. This class also doesn't prepare you for the shelf but to be honest from what I read of most medical students on SDN not much does.

4) Gross... Wow this class is hard. I took it before the cadaver lab ( however my room mate just took it so maybe he will review it) so all we had were models ( They were plastic so don't get excited). Honestly the only thing that made this class so hard is volume. Keep in mind most med students take gross over a year, at MC you crush that in one semester in addition to other classes. You can't miss a single minute or it will cost you on the test and quizzes and I paid for every single class I missed. I spent hours and hours in the lab going over the models and the textbook and at the end of it all... freaking C. I wanted to die when I saw that grade. Took the shelf and just barely got over the 50th percentile and true to his word Baldwin did change my grade... although it took a semester, I think he got got busy to his credit.

Non Five hours
1) Bio of Cancer... It is a show up and do the work and get an A type of class. What makes it great is the laid backness makes it easy to learn. I may have learned more if I didn't have to sacrifice all my time to the 5 hour classes. You read lots of different articles and learn this from the read it then answer questions point of view. Dr. Brandon is awesome and will do anything to make your life easier.

2) Immunology... This class gets a passing score but it is horrible. Dr. S is getting old and you can tell there was a time when he was on top of his game. He really is a great guy and wants to teach. That being said.... HE READS THE NOTES TO YOU THE WHOLE 3 HOUR LECTURE. Yes, attendance is required. Eventually you get smart sit in the back and go over some other class like neuro or med phys. Study the notes on your own time because his quizzes and test are word for word from the notes. Yep, not kidding. Word for word. He will take out a sentence and cut out one word and you fill in the blank. Yeah it is confusing when the cut out term is IgG or burst. You'll be scraching your head ... what word goes here... not the, in or body... Samsonite... I was way off. Believe me you feel stupid as hell after those quizzes. This is another class where cheating is insane. People just pick up other people quizzes and copy the answers before Dr. S can pick them up. He doesn't punish people when they get caught either. Test answers are bought and sold but Dr. S did catch on to this and changed his tests although it was too late. I would avoid if possible but you can get an easy A in the class if you put in the time to memorize word for word the notes.
3) Cell Physio.... Ha this class is a joke in that really not funny kind of way. Nobody puts any effort into this class at all. It is a place holder and that is all it is. That being said don't expect any mercy if you didn't master molecular bio in undergrad because this class is really fast paced. However if you did get an awesome grade in undergrad molecular bio, sit back and enjoy. I studied the day before for every test and quiz, some times an hour before, and landed a B. If I had the time to put into the class I would have but priories to other classes. This class helps out with EVERY shelf. There is alot of cell physio on every shelf so master this stuff.
6) Grad sem... Yeah you do a power point presentation on yours or somebody elses research. If you don't get an A you didn't present or turn your stuff in on time. Everybody gets an A. Great way to end a Wednesday or a friday depending on which class you are in.

7) Biochem .... Pretty easy classes but it wasn't any kind of biochem like I did in undergrad. I was more memorize this and tell me the answer. No independent thought just memorizing endless powerpoints. Lecture was just Dr. Bailey reading power point slides to you. I can't remember a single thing from this class so I guess I learned nothing. Don't expect Dr. Bailey to move a test or a quiz for you if something comes up like a med school interview, he doesn't care. Gets hard to ignore his stupid sometimes racist jokes too. Overall the class is uneventful. Really hits the Meh factor.


The Good... :)
1) Nothing scares you after this... This program is extremely difficult and one hell of a challenge. If you can handle this program you are ready for anything.

2) The Baptist Healthplex... You going to need a great gym because when you want to go crazy and tell off your professors, this is a great place to work off steam. Lots of equipment and a pool makes getting in shape.

3) Cups coffee... Not the best place to study but this coffee is sooo awesome.
4) Small town... Never have to worry about parking and all your needs are a walk around the corner. Although if you need to get out be ready to drive at least 45 mins to get there.

5) Old buildings, classic feel... I like this kind of stuff. If you don't well stay away...

The Bad:mad:
1) Expectations.... This program wants too much from its grad students. You are expected to study 15 to 18 hours everyday. This is what professors tell you. They expect you to hold at least a 12 hour load... Ha.
2) Money pit... Everything here has a fee. Shelf 35... Books 700... Notes 120... Education...35K... What is it good for? I have no idea. The pricing is wild and changes all the time.

3) Tutors/TAs... These guys and gals walk around with there nose up in the air like they own this. Hell nothing wrong with that after taking the class and getting an A sounds good right. Well if they knew their stuff it would be good. See there are two types of tutor/TAs, the ones that got an A in the course and the ones that got an A in the course because of the shelf exam. The shelf exam people are the ones that are Ace on this stuff and can answer questions and can help you. However they are rare and are often busy or don't tutor that much. The others tutors honestly suck at this. All they do is regugitate Baldwin memorized answers. God forbid if you actually want to know something... Nah don't worry about it not on the test... Thanks doesn't answer my question. Some of them are also apart of the selling test answers crowd. Some of them are racist and will only help students of there similar race. It just isn't fun.

4) Cut Throats... If you have been lucky and have avoided them, you will meet them here. There are some hateful people here that love to brag about doing better then you. Be careful who you get slides and pictures from. I tons of gross, histo and Neuro slides and often it was mislabeled and I spent hours correcting it, then told my "buddy" only to have him say oh sorry about that... wrong file. You may think this was just one person but on many occasions people would give me the wrong address for volunteering, wrong time for changed tests and people wound delete study files out of the neuro drop box that the class shared. Be careful who you trust.

5) Bad advice.... This kind of goes with the above but everybody in this program does it from teachers or students. MCAT? Oh yeah Med phys helps you don't need to study for more then a month. They curve the score relative to the state and... Bad advice... You can graduate in a year... Bad advice... While you can you shouldn't. Don't take more the two 5 hours? Misleading advice... Don't take more then 1 5 hour per semester if you want to do well, without cheating. After a grad program you can get into any med school, its easy... Oh really... in what universe. Even after Aceing the top grad SMP there is no guarantee you will get into med school. This one is tossed around by the pre-dent people all the time, they forget med school is not dental school.

The Ugly :eek:
1) Racism... While I am aware it happens every where it seems to be much more cultural here. I have noticed that people avoid this topic on here or approach it with unfounded skepticism. I'll take the flak but this needs to be said. This entire state has a major problem with this good old boy racism and it leaks into the program. I am not black but I am still deeply offended by it and I believe many others are and should be as well. Often it is put out there as "just a joke"..." You know they are lazy... Just kidding, they do fine work all around my house. or Don't ever go to Jackson without a gun it is way to dark at night." Sometimes it is in a religious context," Black and white shouldn't marry... If God wanted that there would have only been one race." Other times they will talk down to non whites... using terms like "boy". They will sometimes bust out the classics we have all come to loath... The N word, and many others. So if you are not from Mississippi and you come here... Just know it is here and people do it without a second thought.

2) Deception ... This one gets me burned up. Now I am not claiming that anyone has out right lied so just get that out of your head. The benefits of this program are extremely exaggerated and its prestige is often waved around like it is world known. You may have heard that Gulf states love this program... or The shelfs help you prove to med schools you can do it... On paper it seems logical but it just isn't that case. You can do the checking for yourself ( and you should) but the benefits of this program are greatly skewed in favor of instate students, undergraduates and pre-dent. Every interview I went to I got the question tell me about Mississippi college I have never heard of it. When it came to the shelf, medical schools actually asked me NOT to send it. As it is not apart of the factors they use, just send grades, I was told. Overall I feel misled by the promises and promotions of this program for out of staters.

3) Financial aid... I hope you like ramin because it is going to be your best friend after this school destroys your aid. I don't know how they do it but sure enough my aid was never sent to me. NEVER. Tuition and school fee were always paid but they always seemed to screw up on a massive scale when it came to sending our checks. I eventually got one of those MC bank accounts because they said it would make it easier and they STILL never sent me my refund. Not only that the stupid bank started charging me a fee for not having a balance. This school still owe me a refund for that financial aid and they still don't know what to do to fix it. I had to work part time as a scribe and do work around the apartment in rent from to pay the bills. Lucky for me I had an awesome roommate that took care of the rent while I took care of everything else... Be careful with these guys because that sucked.
4) Don't apply to medical school without the blessing of MC.... This is something they really need to workout. Not that there is a policy that says you shall not apply to professional school until you are finished but they should. Every time I had an interview and needed to take a test or a quiz early the answer was usually ....no. But Worldchanger that makes no sense why would they do that? You got me but it happened to me every single time. Strangely when I had a funeral to go to the sky parted and they moved everything for me but for med school interviews .. ha kick rocks kid. It was strange because people that had interviews at UMMC, never had a problem it was like the med school tailored the interview to fit their needs. I took a lot of zeros, and had points deducted from tests for taking a later version. Geez maybe I had bad timeing or I just didn't have the right relationship but I heard of other people having similar issues while others had no problem at all. I guess it really depends... but it shouldn't. The program is here for one purpose to get people into professional school so when a med school calls you move that test or let me take it early.
5) Cheating... I know I get it it happens everywhere but it has really run amuck here.The program is really hard so it isn't a surprise. Med Phys has people selling old "tests" and while some may argue that it isn't cheating at MC they don't even allow you to write down the answers to tests. During every review they remind us how much it is cheating so at MC it is cheating. It happens in Neuro too but it doesn't seem to help much as apparently Dr. Baldwin switches it up. However that doesn't stop the bathroom crew. Yep don't know an answer just take a trip to the bathroom with your phone and look them up or just leave your notes behind the trash can in the bathroom. Got so popular Dr. Baldwin had to stop people from going bathroom, but he didn't stick to this. People were hiding notes in all the different bathrooms... Guy sitting next to me in med phys loved to write a cheat sheet... ON HIS PENCILS. They tell you not to use mechanical pencils to prevent cheating but did they ever bother to check these natural pencils. What being discrete not your style well why not take out your note in the middle of a quiz or have your essay paper write out in front of you while answering a question about it during the dead week. People get caught all the time too and are they punished... Nope.

Well that is my review. To those that are going to be attending MC remember this, you are buying a product and no one is looking out of you but you so make damn sure this is what you want. There are alot of good things about this program and if you want to go to medical school at UMMC or WCU you would be an idiot to pass this program over. It is money for those two schools. They love MC grads. Good grades, not so good grades they love you. If you are from out of state be much more skeptical. If a med school tells you yeah MC is great, ask them how many of there graduates they have interviewed and accepted. When you ask other people in the program where they got into take it with a 40 lbs bag of salt, I am yet to here a consistent I got into X school story. Be smart. Don't buy into this program and expect it to "get you in", do it to improve your academics. If you complete this program that is exactly what you will get.

Would I recommend this program to others? No I wouldn't. Not with all the other programs out there.

It is my hope that someone finds this review helpful but please understand this is my experience and some others may be different so your maybe too. Do your homework and don't just pick a school as a last minute thing or on a whim. It is a big deal. If anyone has any other questions feel free to PM me ( I am not giving advice on classes though sorry). If your experience was different feel free to add to the conversation. Peace out MC world and best of luck on your future endeavors.
 
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Felt sort've compelled to comment since my experience at MC has been drastically different. I have already commented on Neuroanatomy, Histo, and Cell phys previously.

It was suggested by Dr. Baldwin to take both Med Phys and Endo/GI, so I took both. Many people tried to stop me from taking the combo, as others have said it is far too hard and you really do not learn much from Endo/GI. My experience has been completely contraire to what others have said. I must admit, this semester has been even more amazing than the neuro/histo combo I took last semester. The integration of physiology boggles my mind and it nearly involves every processes we do during our daily lives. This is where you truly learn what medical doctors do on a near daily basis. Also, this semester was a bit more lax for me than last semester since I am more of a conceptual person.

I've come to love Dr. Baldwin's style of notes and I hate powerpoint presentations now (I was the opposite when I began the program). The notes are pertinent to everything that you need to know, however, he does have large self study sections. Dr. Brandon is the most enthusiastic professor I have ever known. She truly wants students to do well and her lectures are amazing. Only problem that I have seen is her test question banks. Some of the questions are very ambiguous and this is where the majority of the problem lies with the course. On a side note - Endo/GI is undergoing a drastic change and is turning into Med Phys II with 4 separate professors next semester. Three amazing and fantastic teachers are coming aboard and I am really excited for the next class (Dr. Baldwin, Dr. Reagan, and Dr. Howell).

I felt completely prepared for the shelf, although there were certain parts where I wished they emphasized more, but overall, I cannot have asked for a better education. Both Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Brandon are amazing lecturers and it bothers me when people under estimate their aptitude and teaching ability.

I don't care what other say, but TAs are the lifeline of this school. I do not know a single TA that would not help someone if asked. Most people are too lazy or find out too late how helpful TAs are to their education in this program. TA's do have biases and have been known to help more the people they are closer to, but that is with any person in any program. People do not share all their resources and that is a fact of life, not of this program.

Costs: I don't know a single SMP that only costs $600 per credit and the cheap living expenses of this program. I'm paying only half of what my undergraduate tuition costed.

This program uses medical school books. They are not cheap, but I don't know why everyone decides to buy the pristine brand new ones from amazon when the old ones from previous semesters are perfectly fine. Make some friends and borrow theirs if you're broke. Talk with friends because not all books are required and many people have computer copies for others to use. USE YOUR RESOURCES.

Expectations: This program is basically a feeder school to LSU/William Carey/UMMC. I don't think anyone doubts that or says otherwise. If you listen to bad advice and take it to heart, that is YOUR fault, not anybody elses. However, outside of the feeder schools, many students do get into outstanding places outside but mainly other DO schools.

Also, this program is basically a second chance remediation school. Many people in this program have below 3.0 GPA and are looking for options to redeem themselves out of the hole they made during undergraduate. There are great people in this program, but understand it is also filled with people who are still struggling. Associate with the correct people if you want to succeed in this program.

Cheating: This whole cheating scheme is actually a bit enlightening since I have turned a blind eye to anything that resembles it. I have noticed a lax attitude towards cheating and it bothers me if anything worldchanger36 said is true. I do hope it is addressed in the future if there is a problem.

Grades: Every semester, only about 15-25% of the class makes A's in the five hour classes. I don't know a single person that hasn't gotten accepted into medical school that makes A's in five hour classes. Become one of them and you WILL get accepted into somewhere. Although this place is a second chance option and the non-five hour classes are considered GPA boosters, why would you waste your money and not take the classes that will help further your medical education? I know for a fact after taking my class load, I will succeed in medical school.

Good luck to everyone entering in the summer/fall and don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
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When roughly does the fall semester start like what month? I have been accepted but I am currently waitlisted somewhere else until late may so I was just wondering if that would affect anything?
 
Fall semester starts 3rd week of August roughly. Long as you pay the deposit, I don't see a reason why you would have problems.
 
I am finishing the Mississippi College program and I've found it very challenging. I note that one person in this thread did not have a happy experience and has written extensively about it. I personally found the most of the courses were well taught, not all, but most were. Many of the profs really care about their students. This has been the most difficult academic experience I've ever had because of the demands of the medical school level courses, but I'm so glad I did this. It gave me realistic perspective of what medical school courses are like. The TA's are WONDERFUL! They saved me. Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. I'm grateful this program gave me a chance. I have taken several of the shelf exams and have done well above the national average.This has given me a great deal of confidence that I can do medical school level work.
 
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Hello All, Please give your opinions on the Mississippi College "Higher One" Debit Card that they're trying to get us to use. Use it? Leave it? Pros? Cons? Bad experiences? Need some help on deciding whether its worth it.
 
Hello All, Please give your opinions on the Mississippi College "Higher One" Debit Card that they're trying to get us to use. Use it? Leave it? Pros? Cons? Bad experiences? Need some help on deciding whether its worth it.

I've had a Higher One debit card from several different universities. Never had a problem with them. It functions like a checking account. You can get actual checks associated with the account, if you need them. When you get your loan refund, you get the money same day it is released by the school. Conversely, it takes several business days to get it put into your personal checking account if you don't choose to use the MC debit card for your refund. The only weird thing about it is that they charge you to use it as "debit" at the store so you always use it as credit.
 
I don't use Higher One...but it's more of a conspiracy theorist reason. I just don't like the school having "control" of my money. I mean I know they don't, but I feel a little more comfortable with it in my own bank.
 
Does anyone have the Fb link?... I was recently accepted to MS-Biological Science with plans of switching over post Mcat... yeah my GRE score sucked (damn Verbal).
 
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Hi all,

So I've decided to come to MC for the masters of medical sciences program and I'm trying to figure out what I'd like to do as far as scheduling is concerned. With that being said, should I take the pre-reqs for pharmacology and take pharm. in the summer? What are your past experiences (or rumors ;) ) about the Pharmacology course? Any ideas on how well this goes with impressing Med schools (around the area... I live in Louisiana so hopefully LSU Shreveport or N.O. or even Tulane... if I can wrap up this darn MCAT.... *sighs*

Please help! & THANKS!
 
I'd like (or have*) to take the following classes in no particular order (that's the problem):

Neuro
Gross
Endo/GI* (for Pharm.)
Med. Phys.* (for Pharm.)
Bio. of Cancer
Embryology
Pharmacology
The grad seminar
1 hour of independent research (to meet the 33 hr requirement)

SUGGESTIONS???? I'll be entering in the Fall of 2014, not 2013 ... I have to save up some money before I head to Mississippi on my own. :(

How hard is it to get in by the way? I haven't taken the MCAT or the GRE just yet (as you can see I have a year, lol.) but I've taken practice tests of course. Just trying to see my chances if I have a 3.2 GPA undergrad BS in Biology. The minimum for verbal (I HATE VERBAL!!!!!!) and pretty good in quantitative.... Let's not talk about the MCAT.... that's 'a whole nother' ballgame. Anyway... any comments/help is definitely appreciated!

THANKS!
 
Hi all,

So I've decided to come to MC for the masters of medical sciences program and I'm trying to figure out what I'd like to do as far as scheduling is concerned. With that being said, should I take the pre-reqs for pharmacology and take pharm. in the summer? What are your past experiences (or rumors ;) ) about the Pharmacology course? Any ideas on how well this goes with impressing Med schools (around the area... I live in Louisiana so hopefully LSU Shreveport or N.O. or even Tulane... if I can wrap up this darn MCAT.... *sighs*

Please help! & THANKS!

Have you joined the FB group? There are many more current/former students that participate. https://www.facebook.com/groups/443196402436478/

There are a few options to your question. First, how long do you want to take? Are you looking at starting school in 2014 or 2015? Most people suggest that you take 18 months to complete the program. I don't think that's a bad option unless you have other obligations that make you need to finish in a year. I did the program in a calendar year: Summer-Summer. It was definitely an eye opener and I don't really recommend it. I took Neuro and Gross together. The test days were Monday for one and then Tuesday for the next. I was always sacrificing studying for one for the other.

If you want to take 3 semesters, start off easy in the fall. Start off with histology, cell phys and a 3 hour class. Then you have the basics and really learn how demanding the program is. Don't underestimate it--it will be your downfall. Expect to spend 10-12 hours a day studying to make an "A". It's the 5 hours that will get you. The 3 hour classes aren't hard but they do require work. They are considered the GPA boosters in the program. Remember you're here because your undergrad performance was less than spectacular. You're here to do well not do it quickly.

If you want to take pharm, you need MedPhys I & II. You do that in a semester. Pharm is a difficult course. Primarily because it is a 5 credit class that you complete in a month.

If you insist on doing the program in a calendar year, I would do Neuro and Histo together. It will be no walk in the park but is the most doable combo of bunch. Neuro, Histo, and Cell Phys and that is a full schedule. Nothing more. Then you can take Gross+3 hour or MedPhys I & II in the spring. Then you do grad seminar and 3- 3 hour classes in the summer. You finish in a calendar year. It's pretty difficult to do this program in only 2 semesters and do well.
 
Have you joined the FB group? There are many more current/former students that participate. https://www.facebook.com/groups/443196402436478/

There are a few options to your question. First, how long do you want to take? Are you looking at starting school in 2014 or 2015? Most people suggest that you take 18 months to complete the program. I don't think that's a bad option unless you have other obligations that make you need to finish in a year. I did the program in a calendar year: Summer-Summer. It was definitely an eye opener and I don't really recommend it. I took Neuro and Gross together. The test days were Monday for one and then Tuesday for the next. I was always sacrificing studying for one for the other.

If you want to take 3 semesters, start off easy in the fall. Start off with histology, cell phys and a 3 hour class. Then you have the basics and really learn how demanding the program is. Don't underestimate it--it will be your downfall. Expect to spend 10-12 hours a day studying to make an "A". It's the 5 hours that will get you. The 3 hour classes aren't hard but they do require work. They are considered the GPA boosters in the program. Remember you're here because your undergrad performance was less than spectacular. You're here to do well not do it quickly.

If you want to take pharm, you need MedPhys I & II. You do that in a semester. Pharm is a difficult course. Primarily because it is a 5 credit class that you complete in a month.

If you insist on doing the program in a calendar year, I would do Neuro and Histo together. It will be no walk in the park but is the most doable combo of bunch. Neuro, Histo, and Cell Phys and that is a full schedule. Nothing more. Then you can take Gross+3 hour or MedPhys I & II in the spring. Then you do grad seminar and 3- 3 hour classes in the summer. You finish in a calendar year. It's pretty difficult to do this program in only 2 semesters and do well.

Any thoughts on what town and campus environment are like? I know not a huge deal since most of time is spent studying but I'm a little concerned being a Yankee. I see one or two people commented on area being racist. Is that what others felt too? Were people otherwise mostly friendly in town/campus area
 
Any thoughts on what town and campus environment are like? I know not a huge deal since most of time is spent studying but I'm a little concerned being a Yankee. I see one or two people commented on area being racist. Is that what others felt too? Were people otherwise mostly friendly in town/campus area

The students that attend the school are from a very diverse population. The area is relatively diverse as well. We have students from Michigan, California, New York, all over really. Most do come from the South though. Clinton is a small town. You can get what you need to live in Clinton. Jackson is about 30 min away. It has most of what I would go to a big city for. New Orleans is 3 hours. Can't comment on nightlife or anything because I've never been a participant in that kind of thing.

Is there racism? Yes. This is Mississippi.
Do I feel it permeates the school? No.
But I am a WASP raised in Louisiana so I may not be the best one to give an opinion on this.
Come down here with an open mind. If you come down here with the mindset that all white people hate anyone who is non-white, that is what you will see. Will you go into a dangerous area at night, regardless of the diversity of the area? Jackson is a major metropolitan area so that same things you see in Boston or New York you will see down here. Smaller scale but still present. If you have a superiority complex that all Southerners are stupid, illiterate and you are better than we are, you will get snubbed. Not because of race but because Yanks come down here thinking they are better than we are. I get talked down to all the time by non-Southerners when they hear me talk because I have a deep Southern accent and assume I'm stupid. YMMV.
 
The students that attend the school are from a very diverse population. The area is relatively diverse as well. We have students from Michigan, California, New York, all over really. Most do come from the South though. Clinton is a small town. You can get what you need to live in Clinton. Jackson is about 30 min away. It has most of what I would go to a big city for. New Orleans is 3 hours. Can't comment on nightlife or anything because I've never been a participant in that kind of thing.

Is there racism? Yes. This is Mississippi.
Do I feel it permeates the school? No.
But I am a WASP raised in Louisiana so I may not be the best one to give an opinion on this.
Come down here with an open mind. If you come down here with the mindset that all white people hate anyone who is non-white, that is what you will see. Will you go into a dangerous area at night, regardless of the diversity of the area? Jackson is a major metropolitan area so that same things you see in Boston or New York you will see down here. Smaller scale but still present. If you have a superiority complex that all Southerners are stupid, illiterate and you are better than we are, you will get snubbed. Not because of race but because Yanks come down here thinking they are better than we are. I get talked down to all the time by non-Southerners when they hear me talk because I have a deep Southern accent and assume I'm stupid. YMMV.

Thanks for response! Definitely helpful, gives me a better picture of place.
 
Hey Guys! Time's winding down... :)

I just added Immunology to my schedule for the Fall semester and while browsing the course listings I saw that there is an Immunology/Virology lab course available for 1 hour credit. Can't find it at all on the Fall 2013 course schedule!!!

Anybody ever had Immunology Lab?
Is the course still available?

Any info about Immunology Lab would be greatly appreciated!!!
 
Hey guys,

I've posted on this forum before in regarding to applying to the program and I'm back again with another burning question.

I applied to the program and got in touch with Baldwin as I was very concerned about my subpar GPA--2.7cumGPA; I was a business major at a top 50+ university and didn't take very many sciences courses beyond the pre med curriculum. I wrote him a detailed e-mail stating that I was dedicated to fixing all of my mistakes (I had a hell of a undergrad experience that was plagued with quite a few distractions) and that I knew the path to med school was going to be a long and arduous one. Anyways, he called me and said that my GPA wasn't an issue and depending on my GRE scores, I could gain admission into the program.

Well, I took the GRE and did fine (according to him). Baldwin e-mails me asking what classes I'd like to take and if I had submitted my tuition deposit..naturally, I take this as a good sign thinking that I'm on my way into getting accepted into the program until Mrs. Depriest tells me that I cant submit a deposit until my app has been reviewed. So, I'm kinda sweating bullets here right now..I thought I was ok to get into the program and turns out my app hasn't even been reviewed. Baldwin said he was going to review it today (8/8) but he didn't contact me with a response regarding if I was in or not.

If I don't get in for the fall semester, I guess I would be okay as long as I got to take some classes at MC (I know that any and all science courses will help my situation). Just looking for some advice from any of you who can help me out/know Baldwin better than I do.

Thanks!
 
Hey guys,

I've posted on this forum before in regarding to applying to the program and I'm back again with another burning question.

I applied to the program and got in touch with Baldwin as I was very concerned about my subpar GPA--2.7cumGPA; I was a business major at a top 50+ university and didn't take very many sciences courses beyond the pre med curriculum. I wrote him a detailed e-mail stating that I was dedicated to fixing all of my mistakes (I had a hell of a undergrad experience that was plagued with quite a few distractions) and that I knew the path to med school was going to be a long and arduous one. Anyways, he called me and said that my GPA wasn't an issue and depending on my GRE scores, I could gain admission into the program.

Well, I took the GRE and did fine (according to him). Baldwin e-mails me asking what classes I'd like to take and if I had submitted my tuition deposit..naturally, I take this as a good sign thinking that I'm on my way into getting accepted into the program until Mrs. Depriest tells me that I cant submit a deposit until my app has been reviewed. So, I'm kinda sweating bullets here right now..I thought I was ok to get into the program and turns out my app hasn't even been reviewed. Baldwin said he was going to review it today (8/8) but he didn't contact me with a response regarding if I was in or not.

If I don't get in for the fall semester, I guess I would be okay as long as I got to take some classes at MC (I know that any and all science courses will help my situation). Just looking for some advice from any of you who can help me out/know Baldwin better than I do.

Thanks!

If you've already talked with Dr. Baldwin, I wouldn't worry. Ms. Depriest has nothing to do with our program other than giving out the official acceptances. There's still 2 weeks til the semester starts so there's plenty of time. I applied last year in early May and was still able to take classes in June.
 
Hello everyone I was recently accepted into Mississippi's medical science program for the fall of 2014. I know this is an excellent program however I have not made my final decision yet because I'm waiting to hear a response from the med schools I applied to and the SMP programs with direct linkages into their med schools such as Drexel and Touro. I noticed that most of the Miss medical science grads went to Howard Carey or UMMC. Is there an unwritten linkage program where the grads of mississippi have a very good chance of acceptance into these medical schools or would I be better off going to another masters program that had a direct link to their med school such as drexel or touro of course if I met all the GPA req, etc. Thanks for the help.
 
Whether UMMC is of any use to you is going to depend entirely on whether or not you can get classified as a MI resident, if you cannot it doesn't matter if you have a 40.0, a 450 mcat, and a 5.0 in the program

I'm not sure what you mean by Howard Carey but assuming you mean Howard and Carey:

Howard is a HBC.

William Carey is a private DO school, which assuming you don't qualify for the first two is going to be your only real "linkage" opportunity, if one exists. I'm not familiar with the school so you should research it yourself though as it may display a preference.
 
Thanks for the advice. I did mean William carey professors name is howard lol. ill wait and see where else I get accepted to I just wanted to see if those programs were official linkages
 
I was accepted in the MS program. I am applying to other programs but haven't heard back. For now, I am focusing on this program since I am in. I would be an out of state student. To all the out of state students who are applying or who have applied to medical school from the program, how are getting into medical schools. I looked to where past students got in to, I see they got into out state schools. I just want to know where people got in. Have the medical schools heard of this program?
 
I was accepted in the MS program. I am applying to other programs but haven't heard back. For now, I am focusing on this program since I am in. I would be an out of state student. To all the out of state students who are applying or who have applied to medical school from the program, how are getting into medical schools. I looked to where past students got in to, I see they got into out state schools. I just want to know where people got in. Have the medical schools heard of this program?

The program is known in the South. There are several people who have come from California to complete the program. The medical schools in the surrounding states know about the program and its quality.
 
The program is known in the South. There are several people who have come from California to complete the program. The medical schools in the surrounding states know about the program and its quality.

Okay, so I would be better off applying for Southern medical schools although people have gone to schools outside of the south?
 
There is definitely a regional bias. Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana all love it. I knew people who got into PCOM (both GA and PA) though. You'll get out of the program what you want. There is a wall of pictures that shows where the previous year's graduates were admitted. Lots of LSU and UMMC. And other schools scattered around the US.
 
Yeah the big concern is that UMMC only accepts in-state residents from what I understand. If you are an out-of-state student then you are just surrendering any possible chances of being accepted into the state school. I am from the west coast and I'll be starting the program in the fall.. I don't think you'll be at any disadvantage whatsoever. This is a great program and can really turn things around for any pre-medical student with a GPA discrepancy.
 
Yeah the big concern is that UMMC only accepts in-state residents from what I understand. If you are an out-of-state student then you are just surrendering any possible chances of being accepted into the state school. I am from the west coast and I'll be starting the program in the fall.. I don't think you'll be at any disadvantage whatsoever. This is a great program and can really turn things around for any pre-medical student with a GPA discrepancy.

This is true. There have been a few people who have obtained Mississippi residency in a attempt to get into UMMC. This may give you an interview. But, the problem begins when they ask about your past or they don't hear a Southern accent. They then realize that you aren't a native and have no ties to the state other than you went to MC, meaning that you probably won't serve the people of MS after graduation. This is less of a problem when you've been here for 3-4 years after graduation. You've established that you've made a home there.

Last year, we had a rep from LSU-NO. There is definitely an in-state bias but they DO accept OOS applications. The OOS applicants they do interview have ties to the South including the Florida panhandle. They specifically recognized that attending school down here was a "tie" to the area. I don't know how many who have gotten an acceptance via this route but they do consider it. LSU-NO also has a method in which 32 post bacc science hours will substitute for your UG sGPA. So basically your MC program.

ETA: I finished the Med Sci program last summer. 15 months to finish.
 
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As far as racism goes, it can be a shock coming from somewhere else. I lived in central Florida and Missouri before Mississippi, culture is far different. Like in Missouri it is socially unacceptable to label someone as black or hispanic, whereas in Mississippi when describing someone it is okay to say someone is black. Though it may appear as racism, it's usually benign in the purest sense.
 
So I have been accepted for the Summer term this year. I was wondering if anyone can tell me what would be the best classes to start off with this summer term. I have read in the early posts that this program is great for students trying to get into dental school. Should I apply to dental school this coming cycle as well while being in the program? Or should I wait till next year to apply?
 
I recently graduated from the program and would suggest you take Medical Mycology during the maymester, it's a two week 3 credit course that is very easy to get an A in. Also take Food & Water microbiology during the 1st summer term, which starts sometime in June I believe.
I would suggest you apply to dental school this upcoming June, you can finish the program in a year. Only make sure you start out with one 5 hour your first semester, because as you have probably heard, the 5 hour classes are very very intense. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions.
 
I really want to apply to this school but then I started reading all these reviews about how its much better for people that are in state. I live in New Jersey and my parents live in Florida. I'm currently studying for the MCAT. Is it really worth it to apply here?
 
I recently graduated from the program and would suggest you take Medical Mycology during the maymester, it's a two week 3 credit course that is very easy to get an A in. Also take Food & Water microbiology during the 1st summer term, which starts sometime in June I believe.
I would suggest you apply to dental school this upcoming June, you can finish the program in a year. Only make sure you start out with one 5 hour your first semester, because as you have probably heard, the 5 hour classes are very very intense. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks for the advice. Im really trying to figure all this out ASAP. Im looking at the schedule for this year and the may session begins May 12th. The 1st summer session begins May 27th. I have been looking for the Summer term class schedule online but dont seem to find it. Again I appreciate the response. Ill be sure to message you if i have quesitons.
 
I don't think the 2014 summer schedule is posted yet, but you could look at the 2013 schedule to get a better idea, it will pretty much be the same.
 
I don't think the 2014 summer schedule is posted yet, but you could look at the 2013 schedule to get a better idea, it will pretty much be the same.

Okay I'll do that. I will not have a car while I'm down there. Do you know the best places to live near the school that aren't super expensive? Or some websites I can look at that may help me with that?
 
I must worn you it will be very hard for you without a car. I think I only know of one person in the program that didn't have a car, and it was pretty hard. But as far as living close to campus, you could consider chactaw apartments or college place, or look on Craigslist for roommates in the near by neighborhoods. I could probably hook you up with my old place. I lived in the woodmore neighborhood, which was 1 mile from campus, pm me you email so I could send you some pics.
 
I will look around and figure out what's best.
 
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Hey Guys,

I got accepted for this upcoming summer term. I have a few questions. Does anyone know a decent apartment complex that's within 10 mins of the school without a bug issue (I don't mind living even farther out if it's an apartment without bugs. Sorry, my current living situation has them and I don't think I can deal with it again.)? I want to live in a single. Also, does anyone have old syllabi of the classes? I would like to look over them to plan out my schedule. I'm trying to complete the program within one-year.
 
I was accepted for the Fall 2014 term and I plan to finish within 1.5 years (I'd rather slow it down and do well, just my take on it atleast). What do you guys/girls think about this schedule set up? Feel free to suggest any changes you would make!

Fall 2014 - 10 hours
- Gross Anatomy (8hrs)
- Graduate Seminar (2hrs)

Spring 2015 - 8 hours
- Medical Physiology I (5hrs)
- Biochemistry Metabolism (3hrs)

May 2015 - 3 hours
- Medical Mycology or Intro to Toxicology (3hrs)

Summer 2015 - 6 hours
- Food & Water Microbiology (3hrs)
- Cell Physiology (3hrs)
*** Apply to dental school ***

Fall 2015 - 8 hours
- Vertebrate Histology (5hrs)
- Biology of Cancer (3hrs)

PS: Looking for a roommate!
 
I was accepted for the Fall 2014 term and I plan to finish within 1.5 years (I'd rather slow it down and do well, just my take on it atleast). What do you guys/girls think about this schedule set up? Feel free to suggest any changes you would make!

Fall 2014 - 10 hours
- Gross Anatomy (8hrs)
- Graduate Seminar (2hrs)

Spring 2015 - 8 hours
- Medical Physiology I (5hrs)
- Biochemistry Metabolism (3hrs)

May 2015 - 3 hours
- Medical Mycology or Intro to Toxicology (3hrs)

Summer 2015 - 6 hours
- Food & Water Microbiology (3hrs)
- Cell Physiology (3hrs)
*** Apply to dental school ***

Fall 2015 - 8 hours
- Vertebrate Histology (5hrs)
- Biology of Cancer (3hrs)

PS: Looking for a roommate!

I am very glad you are deciding to take your time with the program. I've noticed many people that started in the fall were too anxious to "get out of MS" and took on more than they could chew. The general rule that most people tend to learn is that taking 2 five hours your first semester is extremely difficult and with good reason. I took 2 fives my first semester and had a lot of success but it came with a lot of sacrifice and commitment. My personal opinion is not to take Gross your first semester. I think Histology is a great first 5 hour to take since it covers a little bit of everything, giving you a nice background into the systems.
 
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Last year, we had a rep from LSU-NO. There is definitely an in-state bias but they DO accept OOS applications. The OOS applicants they do interview have ties to the South including the Florida panhandle. They specifically recognized that attending school down here was a "tie" to the area. I don't know how many who have gotten an acceptance via this route but they do consider it. LSU-NO also has a method in which 32 post bacc science hours will substitute for your UG sGPA. So basically your MC program.

Hypothetically speaking,

Say one person lives on the Mississippi gulf coast and is really wanting to go to LSU-NO. Which would be better, Tulane or MC? I know Tulane is is closer and after all in the same city, but does LSU love MC's SMP that much?
 
Hypothetically speaking,

Say one person lives on the Mississippi gulf coast and is really wanting to go to LSU-NO. Which would be better, Tulane or MC? I know Tulane is is closer and after all in the same city, but does LSU love MC's SMP that much?
All I can tell you is what they told us at the info session. And the fact that they drove up to the out-of-state school to give a presentation that accepts a limited number of OOS students and told us that their preference for OOS students is for students from/with ties to the U.S. Gulf Coast.
 
Hypothetically speaking,

Say one person lives on the Mississippi gulf coast and is really wanting to go to LSU-NO. Which would be better, Tulane or MC? I know Tulane is is closer and after all in the same city, but does LSU love MC's SMP that much?

Don't know much about Tulane's program but there are tons of people that get in to UMMC from this program as well. I think your best bet is MC whether it's to stay instate or to go to LSU-NO. You will leave this program feeling completely prepared to enter med school.
 
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Hi. Has anyone ever taken Dr. Norcross? If so, what's your experience? I see that she's teaching all of Dr. Snazelle's old classes now and I'm thinking of taking Immunology in the fall.
 
Hello,
I got accepted to the Fall 2014 term. However, due to some work issues I have to defer until Spring2015. Has anyone ever done that? And if so, is it a difficult process? Thanks!!!!
 
Hello,
I got accepted to the Fall 2014 term. However, due to some work issues I have to defer until Spring2015. Has anyone ever done that? And if so, is it a difficult process? Thanks!!!!
That should be as simple as a phone call to either the bio office or registrar or both.
 
Hello all, I'm working through finishing my app right now. Curious as to the timing of the program. If I want to start med school in fall of 2015, would it be possible to complete this program starting fall semester? If not, when does the summer semester start? Can't find any info on the site...
 
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