I'm sure you all know much about the program already.
Without getting into details (you can look up my old postings for details), I will just say that you can count on this program to prepare you well for the MCAT and increase your success of getting into not just any med schools but the top competitive ones as well (if you care).
Just from my class (02-04) I know that many of us went into top 10 schools including Harvard and CA schools (if you are from CA).
I had so much free time the 2 years I was in Cambridge. I took only two courses as recommended and didn't work. I did get all A's because math is easy to me. I had to study hard (meaning memorize all) for Ochem. The point is it's not too hard, and you don't have to do all sorts of things just to impress the admissions. Just focus on the two science courses you are taking and enjoy the free time doing what you like. Get Examcrackers for MCAT and do the best. In the end what makes the difference is your MCAT scores; the difference between going to top 10 vs top 20 for example. If you get 36 and up, you will be asked to come by most top schools. Know that your life experiences as adults will work for you during admissions. Is it hard to get into med schools as non-trads? No, on the contrary it's getting easier. I am from an unknown undergrad, over 30yr old, with no extracurricular activities other than enjoying talking to old folks, working as physics TF and as a bio lab assistant while waiting for a year.
What I want to tell you is this: Make sure medicine is what you really want to do. If it's money, don't come in. It's getting harder and harder to make money in this. The path is just too much work and long (at least 7yrs after starting med school). You make less than $200k after 7yrs of non-stop hard works and life sacrifices. A dental student makes $100k just after 4yrs and in 7yrs over $300k; all this without going through the hellish residency. Ask why Dermatology and Radiology are so difficult to get in. It's simply because one can make around $300k working 9-5. Well, two of my dentist friends are making over $300k 10-5 Mon-Thurs. All this comparison is without mentioning the whole daily ordeals with insurance and HMOs as physicians.
Ask yourself before you actually end up getting into med schools (which will happen if you want to). Is it money? Lifestyle? Then, go to dental or something else. If it's medicine itself and what you can do as a physician, then you will go to sleep every night feeling good despite your long training. Then med school is not too hard. It's just discipline having to memorize things every day.
Another advice for those of you applying to med schools. Make sure you check the curriculum (frequency of tests, grading system and mandatory lecture hrs) of each school. Interestingly, the higher the rank the school is, the easier life you will have. I'm sure there are exceptions to this. But you will know what I mean once you get into the thick of med school life.
Once again it's a fact I learned after I got in. Derm is the top residency. And it's not because it's a hard, demanding discipline but simply because so many med students want to get in. Why? After 3yrs of draining life (4th yr is easy) and looking ahead many more years of harsher life with less than minimum wage, people start thinking LIFESTYLE!. Well, it would be wiser to seek lifestyle from the start and do something more guaranteed than trying to get into Derm.