Hey, Im new to SDN and I'm very happy to have found it. Since I found it, I'm on here all the time. I'm a pre-med student who just graduated with about a 2.9 GPA. I want to be a doctor more than anything and was considering doing a post-bac program. I spoke to some people who advised a Masters program in Biological science or an Masters in Public Health. I'm not sure which one will look better to an admissions committee and would like to know which option would be more beneficial. Thanks in advance for your advice.
MS or MPH? Will these better my chances of acceptance?
- Thread starter DrBruh55
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None. Most students do a master's in biology to get themselves a high GPA. Go for something you have a high interest in, so you can get that good looking GPA. What did you major in?
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Consider staying in college an extra year and retaking any math and science where you got less than a C, plus some original upper-level Bio coursework. Get straight As to prove you have what it takes. Or graduate and take the same undergrad classes elsewhere as an unofficial postbac until you raise your undergrad GPAs over a 3.0. You would then be in a better position for an acceptance to a DO med school which only includes the retaken grade (assuming same credits or greater in each class) when they calculate your application GPAs. If you want your best shot at an MD program, you could then engage in a 1-year Special Masters Program (SMP). You can read about these in the Postbaccalaureate Programs Forum. See Dr Midlife's list among the stickies there.
An MPH or traditional masters might give you a portal to beef up research or teaching experience, but as stated by The Buff OP, an assumed-to-be-inflated masters GPA isn't going to help your case much for the vast majority of med schools.
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Woof. That's a lot of ground to make up. You need to redo the science stuff to show you can handle the academics, not pay for a useless Master's in a random field you may not have interest in (doesn't seem like you know of a good reason to do either program).
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thank you all for your responses. My pre-health advisor told me that an MS in biology looks better than a post bac. I was a bio major in college. I do have an interest in this area which would be a masters in biological sciences with a concentration in Cell biology and Immunology
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Good deal, bud. TBH these people who commented above me know more about medical admissions than your pre-health advisor, they are the ones who look at medical school applications.
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