Non-trad post-bacc conundrum

[efertsch]

Howdy folks 👋

I've finally decided that it is time to do what I should have done a long time ago and commit to becoming a physician. I am still in the planning phases and have been doing a lot of research on post-bacc programs.

Some background:

• I am a 32-year-old New Englander (and I plan to stay on the East Coast at least until I get to med school).
• I have a B.S. in Biology/minor in Chemistry in 2014 from a state school north of Boston, MA.
• I earned a 3.43 GPA (3.1 sGPA) (my first two years were rough for personal reasons, but I managed to turn it around).
• I worked in a research lab at UCSF for two years as a lab tech/research assistant.
• I left research to pursue a career in software development in 2017.
• I have been successful (but entirely unfulfilled) working as a software developer.
• I own a home in Maine (that I will be selling), but I will need to continue to work full-time to support my family and pay for the program.

Given that it has been ~ten years since I graduated (it feels crazy to say that), I feel like it might be worth re-taking most of my prerequisites so I am best prepared for the road ahead. There are only a handful of part-time programs that will allow you to do this - the three that I am looking at are Harvard Extension School, Northeastern, and Fordham. Now, for the questions:

• Has anyone attended any of the programs I mentioned? If so, what was your experience like? Were you working when you attended? How did you balance everything? It's been surprisingly hard to find testimonials from past students (hopefully because they're all too busy with med school 😉).
• How are you funding your post-bacc? Some have federal aid, others don't. I can't imagine taking out a private loan to pay for these. For example, Fordham is like 70k with 12.5k in federal aid offered. Maybe that's just what it takes, but I would love to hear from other folks before I sell my soul to private creditors. 😬
• Has anyone done a combination DIY/formal program? I want the structure of a program for the advising/MCAT prep/committee letter, but I am wondering if I could save a few pennies by re-taking a few of the more basic courses outside of a program before applying. I am not sure this will make much of a difference, but I am curious if anyone else has gone through this.

Thanks for reading!

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[postbaccgalore]

If I were doing a part time, I’d do UNE or another online program where I can get easy A’s and focus on the mcat. Post baccs to me are only as good as their linkages. If they don’t have a linkage, why would you pay so much money for the program?

 

[efertsch]

If I were doing a part time, I’d do UNE or another online program where I can get easy A’s and focus on the mcat. Post baccs to me are only as good as their linkages. If they don’t have a linkage, why would you pay so much money for the program?

Thanks for the response! This slightly contradicts what I have been reading, but maybe I just need to do more research. I started out looking at UNE, and I ended up placing them on the back burner pretty quickly because I was reading that an online program/online coursework would potentially hurt my competitiveness as an applicant with many medical schools. Given that I am a non-trad with a lower GPA, I want to give myself the best chance possible. Arguably, the "best chance possible" could mean getting those easy A's and maintaining a 4.0, but only if online coursework is valued the same as in-person coursework in the eyes of medical schools. I would love to be wrong here as it means that I would save quite a bit of money and have more flexibility. I can reach out to the medical schools on my list and ask about their policies.

I appreciate you bringing up linkages. I did consider programs with linkages when making my original list of post-bacc programs, but where I need to continue to work a high-paying job, they were quickly moved to the bottom of the list. While linkages are beneficial for obvious reasons, they also seem somewhat limiting with regard to choice. I think the reason for shelling out large amounts of money for a program without linkages is the advising/support, networking with faculty, quality of instruction, and. With the exception of online post-bacc programs, I have read many times that "it isn't about where you do your post-bacc, it's what you do while you're in it." With linkages aside, in my mind, a 4.0 from a part-time in-person program is likely treated the same as a full-time one, though it may not have a brand attached to it (i.e., Bryn Mawr, Goucher, Johns Hopkins).

 

[postbaccgalore]

Thanks for the response! This slightly contradicts what I have been reading, but maybe I just need to do more research. I started out looking at UNE, and I ended up placing them on the back burner pretty quickly because I was reading that an online program/online coursework would potentially hurt my competitiveness as an applicant with many medical schools. Given that I am a non-trad with a lower GPA, I want to give myself the best chance possible. Arguably, the "best chance possible" could mean getting those easy A's and maintaining a 4.0, but only if online coursework is valued the same as in-person coursework in the eyes of medical schools. I would love to be wrong here as it means that I would save quite a bit of money and have more flexibility. I can reach out to the medical schools on my list and ask about their policies.

I appreciate you bringing up linkages. I did consider programs with linkages when making my original list of post-bacc programs, but where I need to continue to work a high-paying job, they were quickly moved to the bottom of the list. While linkages are beneficial for obvious reasons, they also seem somewhat limiting with regard to choice. I think the reason for shelling out large amounts of money for a program without linkages is the advising/support, networking with faculty, quality of instruction, and. With the exception of online post-bacc programs, I have read many times that "it isn't about where you do your post-bacc, it's what you do while you're in it." With linkages aside, in my mind, a 4.0 from a part-time in-person program is likely treated the same as a full-time one, though it may not have a brand attached to it (i.e., Bryn Mawr, Goucher, Johns Hopkins).

Sending you a pm

 

[efertsch]

Please do!

 

[efertsch]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience with the online, part-time Post-Bac program the University of New England offers? I believe a Post-Bac is the right choice for me for the following reasons:

• B.S. in Biology with cGPA 3.4/sGPA 3.1 (I had a rough first two years, but I managed to turn it around).
• Worked in research for two years after graduating, then transitioned to software development.
• Out of school for ten years.
• I must continue working full-time to support myself and my partner.
• Want to audit/retake some prereqs to review the material.

However, most part-time formal programs (HES, NEU, Forham) feel out of reach financially, so I have been strongly considering a DIY Post-Bac for the flexibility in cost and scheduling. It seems like UNE is a middle ground, but I have read that most medical schools do not accept online coursework. It seems wild to me that something like this could be offered in good faith, knowing that most schools do not accept this type of coursework in a "post-pandemic" world. They do have a D.O. school and claim to have linkages per this statement on their site:

We prepare you not only with the science prerequisites you need, but we also offer committee letters and linkage agreements to bolster your acceptance into medical school.

Which is appealing, but I have yet to find anything concrete about said linkages. While I plan to ask admissions about this, at the end of the day, most universities are trying to sell you something, just like any other for-profit organization. I would love to hear from someone who has been through this program or who knows of someone who has completed it. Success stories are always welcome, but I definitely want to hear from those who may have had a poor experience or difficulty getting into medical school as a result of participating in the program.