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RainerMaria said:
If you get enough good grades, HES will sponsor you as long as you get a 30 or more on the MCAT (not impossible if you take practice tests ad nauseum for a few months). I know a few people from MIT who had horrid (read: below 3.0) GPAs and were not officially in the program but eventually got sponsored because they aced all of the science courses. SMP with a sub-3.2 gpa is a recipe for debt and disaster.
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If your GPA is ~2.8-3.2, SMP might be your only viable option, as it will take a lot of time and be very difficult to raise the GPA to a viable level to apply to med schools. That said, it's also a last-ditch option that not everyone will be able to succeed in, especially those without great academics coming in.
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If you've only taken 4 basic science courses, bringing a 2.8 to a 3.1 is not impossible, and in fact I would recommend doing it before even thinking about an SMP. SMP's are cash cows, and even though they might take a 2.9'er, it's unlikely that person will get in. I chose HES because its sponsorship acceptance rate -- even including alot of the "oops" students -- is well above that for Georgetown SMP (95 vs. 75%). That said, SMP serves a purpose when your GPA is at the middling 3.1-3.3 range. But as a admissions director from UMich said to our class, "anything below 3.0 makes us nervous." If you don't do damage control for that uGPA, it will stain your AMCAS record no matter how many SMPs you do or villages in Africa you save.
 
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Hey everyone, I have a few questions about the HCP program:

1. When they say "you must apply no later than September 26 of the year preceding application to medical school," does that mean matriculation for Fall 2010 or Fall 2011?

2. I have one more premed requirement to complete (orgo II) but I did rather poorly in orgo II and took the class a long time ago - does HES let you repeat classes you've previously taken?

3. How long does HES take to mail you a decision once you submit your application?

Thanks!
 
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paris113 said:
Hey everyone, I have a few questions about the HCP program:

1. When they say "you must apply no later than September 26 of the year preceding application to medical school," does that mean matriculation for Fall 2010 or Fall 2011?

2. I have one more premed requirement to complete (orgo II) but I did rather poorly in orgo II and took the class a long time ago - does HES let you repeat classes you've previously taken?

3. How long does HES take to mail you a decision once you submit your application?

Thanks!
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1. An entire year before. Hence the gap year. Though you can still take classes I am quite sure.
2. Yes, it's fine.
3. Depends on the time of year but it's fairly quickly. Back in January a friend got her letter for next fall in two weeks.
 
grt398 said:
When you say 20 hours/week, are you including time in lecture/lab etc? Or 20 hours/week outside of class? I'm trying to figure out my schedule and I had assumed I would spend ~12 hours/week per class outside of class in addition to lab/lecture/recitation time. I'm actually very curious if I have underestimated the amount of time I will be spending on school work since I'll be working full time.
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The 20 hours includes everything: time in class, lab, and discussion, as well as homework and studying. It's just an average, and some weeks you'll spend less time, and other weeks you'll spend more time. Labs and especially tests increase the amount of time you'll spend. Before a bio test I might pull 3 or 4 straight days of 12 hour bio-studying. And then other weeks I might spend almost no time on bio outside of class. So you can see it varies, but on average, including everything, I think 20 hours per week is a reasonable amount of time to budget.

If you're working full-time, I recommend one lab class, although I do know one person working full-time who's taking 2
 
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RainerMaria said:
If you've only taken 4 basic science courses, bringing a 2.8 to a 3.1 is not impossible, and in fact I would recommend doing it before even thinking about an SMP. SMP's are cash cows, and even though they might take a 2.9'er, it's unlikely that person will get in. I chose HES because its sponsorship acceptance rate -- even including alot of the "oops" students -- is well above that for Georgetown SMP (95 vs. 75%). That said, SMP serves a purpose when your GPA is at the middling 3.1-3.3 range. But as a admissions director from UMich said to our class, "anything below 3.0 makes us nervous." If you don't do damage control for that uGPA, it will stain your AMCAS record no matter how many SMPs you do or villages in Africa you save.
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Do all classes at HES count as undergrad classes then, including the upper-level bio courses?
 
Yes, and I knew people who had taken all the basic courses and just did Biochem, Neurobio, Epidemiology, Physiology, etc. They qualified for sponsorship because they performed well for at least 20 credits.

I would not recommend working while in this program. Massachusetts has universal health care now, so avail yourselves of that.
 
Anyone found housing yet? I'm still looking for housing for the summer program.
 
If you already registered, I believe you can use your PIN to access Harvard Real Estate Services roommate connections lists. (You can't live on campus, but lots of grad students off campus use this list.) I believe it's here, but if not contact the office by phone or walk-in Holyoke Street. --> http://www.hres.harvard.edu/RRE/NewWeb/Brochure/Housing/roommates.htm

Craigslist is good but you have to filter for "rooms/shared" and "Boston/cambridge/brookline" for places that are a reasonable distance away.

With either one, you really want to screen for quieter roommates. Definitely don't want to be dealing with rambunctious types as you get used to the sciences.
 
Hey guys,

To those of you who have taken Gen Chem at HES or at Harvard Summer School, any particular advice for those of us taking Gen Chem this summer? What is the professor like? Any helpful study tips given the intensity of the summer schedule? What were the exams like? How much time should we expect to spend doing lab reports? How did you guys prepare successfully for all the exams?

btw - for those of you looking for summer housing, I haven't found mine yet either.
 
sharona1121 said:
Hey guys,

To those of you who have taken Gen Chem at HES or at Harvard Summer School, any particular advice for those of us taking Gen Chem this summer? What is the professor like? Any helpful study tips given the intensity of the summer schedule? What were the exams like? How much time should we expect to spend doing lab reports? How did you guys prepare successfully for all the exams?

btw - for those of you looking for summer housing, I haven't found mine yet either.
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The professor, Dr. Tucci, is really good and also teaches the course during the academic year. The labs take minimal time outside of lab, but you'll have 2 or 3 labs per week (2 hours each). Thankfully there are no lab write-ups outside of class - you just have a worksheet to fill out during each lab.

Exams are every Monday, and what worked for me was doing each of the practice tests twice. If you can answer all the problems on the practice tests, you'll do well on the actual test - just realize that there will be 1 or 2 problems presented in a way that you've never seen them before.

My only other advice is to do all the practice problems in the Logan notes, and try to get to know your classmates and also Dr. Tucci. Doing problems is better than reading the textbook - I didn't read much of the text. Summer chem is a lot of work, but if you put in the time, you'll do well. Good luck!
 
sketo43 said:
The professor, Dr. Tucci, is really good and also teaches the course during the academic year. The labs take minimal time outside of lab, but you'll have 2 or 3 labs per week (2 hours each). Thankfully there are no lab write-ups outside of class - you just have a worksheet to fill out during each lab.

Exams are every Monday, and what worked for me was doing each of the practice tests twice. If you can answer all the problems on the practice tests, you'll do well on the actual test - just realize that there will be 1 or 2 problems presented in a way that you've never seen them before.

My only other advice is to do all the practice problems in the Logan notes, and try to get to know your classmates and also Dr. Tucci. Doing problems is better than reading the textbook - I didn't read much of the text. Summer chem is a lot of work, but if you put in the time, you'll do well. Good luck!
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Thanks for your response! =)
 
What books do we need to purchase for the summer semester? And can I purchase them off the internet?
 
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Hey everybody,

My name is David and I wanted to introduce myself to you all and let you know that I appreciate all of the questions/replies on this post as they have been very helpful to me in learning more about the HCP at HES.

I am considering beginning the program in August and have to make a decision in the next couple of weeks between the PBPM programs at Georgetown, U of Miami and the HCP (non-diploma because I took BIO I & II 8 years ago!!) through HES. The obvious difference in cost between HES & the other programs is going to be potentially the deciding factor for me, since I am equally impressed with all of the programs, although it seems that the PBPM program at Georgetown has the most support for the post-bac students as well as the benefit of coordinating internship/volunteer work within their hospital and in the D.C. area.

The main question I have for someone who is familiar with the diploma vs. non-diploma options is if NOT being eligible for the diploma program will disadvantage me in any way, either through lack of access to certain libraries/services at HU or in obtaining advising services and sponsorship preference when it comes time to apply for med-school (I am planning on taking 2 years to complete the program while hopefully working/volunteering part-time.) My undergrad (BA Spanish) as well as my graduate (MA Romance Languages) GPA's are very strong, so I am not looking to boost GPA credentials, although I fear that my lesser preparation in the sciences may disadvantage me in performing as well in an extremely competitive science-minded environment, so I plan on having to work extra hard once I begin my coursework, wherever that may be.

If anyone does have any advice for me, I would greatly appreciate it and if HES turns out to be the best option, I really look forward to meeting everyone & have also sent an e-mail to the coordinator of the Google housing group as I will be extremely interested in finding joint-housing in order to keep my costs to a minimum.

Thanks & look forward to reading more on this thread.

David
 
David,

I was a diploma student, but most of my friends in the HES program were not. The only drawbacks for them was that they couldn't use one of the 24 hour libraries or the gym. But we all studied together in the science library anyway, so the former point is moot. As for the gym, there are nice, less crowded gyms nearby that are comparable in price. Diploma vs. non-diploma makes no difference to the med schools -- the program is one and the same in terms of academics and sponsorship opportunities.

HES will also support you in getting contacts for a internship / volunteer year, and I think being connected to the Harvard University network allows you to make a lot of connections to labs on your own, as well. Many of these labs are starving for volunteers, if not modestly paid research assistants.

As for competition, I felt as though it was pretty laid back at HES. I have heard that SMP programs are stiff because it's your 2nd and last chance to do well for a lot of people, and so it might be more cutthroat. A lot of people at HES know that their grade is not affected by their peers' performance. (Built into every syllabus is a policy that reads like this, actually. Bio might be on a curve, but that's it.)

I'm not sure paying the extra tuition is worth the security of internship/volunteer year, as you can do that easily on your own. Also, the sponsoree acceptance rate to med schools is pretty high compared to Georgetown (~92% vs. 75?%).

Also, Cambridge/Somerville is much more pleasant, desirable, and safe to live in than DC, IMO.

Best of luck deciding.
 
RM, thanks so much for your prompt reply and solid advice. I am definitely leaning that way and appreciate your input. It sounds like there are plenty of volunteer/research jobs available in the Boston area, so that's great to hear.

Thanks again.
 
Hey guys,

For those of you who took classes at HES or are taking classes, do you know when mid terms period is during the fall? An immediate family member is getting married and setting dates (potentially for smack in the middle of October) and I'm wondering when mid terms are? Mid October? Late October?

Thanks!
 
First let me begin by stating that I agree whole-heartedly with RM's depiction of HES. I am currently a Diploma/ALM-Biology candidate and he is absolutely correct. Further, and RM can confirm or refute this point per his experiences, I find that we in the HCP are well respected among other Harvard students; and in my experiences I always feel like another regular Harvard student with no caveats to my Harvard legitimacy ;) .

Sharona,
The midterms statement is a bit hard to gauge since we generally don't have formal midterms, but classes such as Fixsen's Bio usually have their first major Exam (of 3) in late october.


Hope that helped
 
Hello all fellow SDN-ers! I'm Mike, and I just signed a lease with two friends for a 4-bedroom apartment. All three of us (two guys and a girl) are starting the post-bacc program at Harvard Extension School this fall, and we are looking for a fourth roommate (our original fourth roommate had to drop out last minute). We would strongly prefer another HES post-bacc student.

Our apartment is on the third floor of a house in Cambridge. We are 20 minutes walking distance from Harvard, but there's also a bus that drives right by our house, cutting the commute to 5 minutes. The apartment has large bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and gets a lot of sunlight. As for the three of us, we're very laid back, but very serious about our studies. During the semester, we will not be partying much at all.

If this is an environment in which you would fit well, shoot me an e-Mail at [email protected]. Thanks!
 
So, I spoke with HCP on the phone and there is actually a 2.7 GPA cut off. With that said, my GPA is slightly above a 2.7 (~2.75) with a science GPA lower than 2.7 So my question is, if one meets that 2.7 cut-off, even by a hair, are they automatically accepted or are other parts of their application weighed, or is it likely they will be rejected? Anyone with about the same GPA as me who was not accepted to the program? Just curious, thanks!
 
Could someone please clarify for me whether post-bac students, having just graduated from undergrad, pay the undergraduate ($800) or graduate (~$1700) tuition for the HCP classes?

Thanks,
Refugee
 
Undergraduate tuition. All the basic sciences are required for medical schools to be in college credit. That you have a BA already doesn't preclude you from taking more bachelor's level sciences.
 
Dancingdoc,
The HCP is really the only program at Harvard, in the Extension school, that maintains-pre enrollment admission criteria. It is in most manners an orthodox admissions-based program. Since you meet the 2.7 cut your competitive but it does not guarantee your admission to the program. Further, if you are considering the Diploma portion of the HCP, it will also play into the factors of your admission.

Nevertheless, you should certainly apply, you do have a good chance of acceptance.
 
Hello my sdn friends,
I am currently considering attending the health careers program, but I'm at the stage where I am looking for an affordable place to live starting this fall 2009. Preferably a place close to Harvard and with parking space:xf: If you are like me, and looking for a responsible roommate(s), please email me at [email protected]. In the email please could you mention a little about yourself, the location, rent, and what you are looking for in a roommate. I would love to hear from you all, have an awesome day! cheers! Tashi

P.S. any info about sources for housing and part time jobs would be much appreciated. Thanks everyone :)
 
Does anyone know when the cut-off date is to apply for Fall 2009? Is it too late to apply?

Also, what are they looking for in a candidate? I have fulfilled most of my prereqs. I did not do well in them and I am looking to retake them and my missing prereqs (ochem, ochem lab, & bio lab). I have not done any research and I have only a couple of volunteer experiences. With a simple application and no letters of recommendation required, is their decision based on the "Why do you want to prepare for a career in a medical field ?" question?
 
I believe they make their decision through the question and the transcript, in order to determine that you can engage effectively in Harvard level coursework. However, the HCP really isn't for persons looking to retake classes, in fact, I do not think your allowed to. Further, you wont be eligible for the Diploma portion of the program since you have taken those pre reqs outside of Harvard.

But you could always call the program and inquire.


Best
 
Hey serendipity,
the best I know is that the program is for both people who have no science background as well as for people looking to improve their credentials. So I think it is worth the try to apply. If they see you as viable candidate to retake some classes and has the potential to improve then they should accept you. Regardless you should call and inquire more about it. Hope that helps.
 
Hey guys do you know when the registration for classes for HCP opens?
 
Does anyone mind helping me proofread my essay response to "Why do you want to prepare for a career in a medical field?" Please PM me and I will send you my response thus far...it is not complete however. Thanks in advance!
 
Hey all - I know a lot of you are going up for summer session, but I wanted to see if we can try to get together in September when the rest of the new students get there. Also, I found a Health Careers Program group on Facebook so I just thought I'd share it - it might be a good way to facilitate get-togethers:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34031752672

Looking forward to meeting you all and good luck in gen chem to those taking summer classes!
 
Utilising this facebook group is a brilliant idea. It will facilitate the simple formation of study groups/HCP nights out at the pubs in cambridge. Anyone who is enrolled in the program, especially the Diploma portion, should join.
 
Hi folks,

Was wondering if any one could share their advice/thoughts on something I've been deliberating on...

I'm wondering whether I should apply for sponsorship at HES. I plan on doing the 1Yr course plan starting this summer and would apply to schools next summer. This means that I have to apply for sponsorship within the next couple of months. The other option is to ask my undergraduate pre-med office to write my sponsorship letter. I have a good relationship with them that dates back to my undergrad years and have been meeting with them consistently for advice etc. I went to a decent undergrad and the pre-med office there has a good track record of sending students to med/dental schools...

The one downside of asking my undergrad for sponsorship is that I'm concerned about getting a little lost in the whole process because a) I'm non traditional and my "timeline" is different from the other students they're sponsoring (i.e., undergrads..most of whom will not be taking the mcat in the summer and be on a tight schedule). bc I'll be taking my mcat in June I'll be on the bottom of their priority list and b) i'm not in the same city and won't be able to pop over for advising etc (this shouldn't be too much of a problem though with e-mail and phone etc).

Does anyone know how the committee letter timeline / correspondence with the sponsorship office at HES works? i.e., when do they try to get your committee letter out by if you're taking the MCAT in June?

Thoughts? Can anyone who has been through the application process comment on how his/her's went in terms of the HES office getting things out on time and how they deal with students taking the mcat in the summer?

Thanks!
 
Thanks Allopathic13 and TiB77. I think that since HCP is listed under academic record enhancer in AAMC's post-bac search, I should be able to retake some courses and take new courses in order to boost my record. I will call the program to find out. Thanks again.
 
Hey my sdn peeps,
This post is for all the out of state HCP participants. Are you bringing your car and if so what are you planning to do about the licence plate,id and registration while you are there for hcp.Does the 30 day deadline to convert out of state documents (registration,licence,etc.) apply to us as well or not? Since you know we are all temporary residents of the state during the program.:rolleyes: Need more info regarding this issue.

​
 
Thanks Allopathic for the info regarding registration dates! I will be sure to look out for that.

For those of you who are looking to take out loans for living expenses. What are the steps towards getting financial aid.
I have already done my FAFSA and application for aid for 2009-2010.

Is that it, is my next step just to sign up for classes in August so that I can get a financial aid package. OR is there more to be done?

I just want my loans to be approved and ready before I move to Boston area Late August. But then isnt' registration during that time? and then doesn't the loan approval thing take time?

Please share your insight:)
 
You are in HCP primarily as a student so you do not need to switch. I did HCP for a few years and I kept my out of state plates by searching for "private driveway" and "private parking" on Craigslist. As for switching to MA plates, be careful. If you become a MA resident, you may disqualify yourself for your state schools. UMASS Med will not, I repeat, WILL NOT, accept you unless you were born in MA, went to an MA high school, or have paid income taxes in MA for 5+ years. Apt complexes and houses in Brookline and Somerville are likely to have some kind of driveway. Also, car is handy but not a necessity in Boston IMO.
 
Thanks RainerMaria,
Now I don't intend to go through the hassle of changing my info to Mass document. Thanks also for the heads up about not losing my state resident status which definitely took time to build over the years.

For those of you from out of state and taking out loans for living expenses in Boston area, what are the steps towards getting the aid, in time for when you move in before the HCP program begins (end of August/beginning of September)?

I have filed my FAFSA and sent in my Fin Aid App to Harvard, is my next step just to register for classes in August?

Please share your insight!:)
 
Tib,
Rather soon you should be getting an award letter back from Harvard stating the total amount of federal aid that you will be given...per your FAFSA app. You will sign that letter and send it back, then when your register, your award will essentially be a credit on your account.

all the best
 
Thank you Allopathic:)
May I ask, are you a former program participant or are you going to do the program starting this fall. If its the later, then when did you apply for the program and when did you recieve the financial aid package. B/c i have submitted the FAFSA and Fin Aid App a while ago in Feb. :confused:
 
I am currently enrolled in the program. For the upcoming semester I sent my FAFSA app. in last month and I assume will be receiving my award letter in sometime in mid-June.

You can always give them a ring as well...Just to confirm that Harvard did receive all the necessary materials. Our advisor is Samantha Lehr...her contact info can be found on the Extension's website or the general Harvard directory that lists employees of all Harvard schools.
 
I have a question..

I read their website and it seems like I could apply into this program. However, to fulfill the credit requirements, am I required to take the basic, pre-med requirements? (I already have taken them at my undergrad). I basically wanted to take classes at HES to boost my gpa. Reading about the program, I wanted to try to have Harvard's sponsorship. Would this be a feasible idea or not? Or is it just for those who haven't taken the necessary pre-reqs?

Also, what do you guys think of my doing the sponsorship program (should I be accepted and take enough credits) for 2 years and during the year I apply, to do an SMP (so basically from fall 2009- spring 2011 and applying to med school for fall 2012 admission, WHILE doing an SMP during the year I apply). Would that be feasible?
 
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Any apartments available? Classes are starting soon and I'm in need of a place. If anyone has one available, give me the heads up.
 
Ah, living in Boston. After about 10 years here I'm going to miss it...

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/roo/ has saved my butt in finding normal roommates. Click on the tab on the top of the page that says "Boston/Camb/Brookline," as this will save a lot of time in weeding out crap places. Just make sure to screen for people who are: college-educated, clean their dishes every day/other day, not regular drinkers/partiers/smokers, etc., as you do not want to be dealing with roommate issues while in the middle of Bio / Chem. Make sure your soliciting e-mails are nice and sound normal, eg, that you're a college grad, looking for a friendly set of roommates to de-stress and watch House with, etc etc. The process is intimidating but it works.

I would personally stay on the East Cambridge/West Somerville side of town. It's safe, fun, and has plenty of interesting people to hang out with. Popular areas to live in are Somerville and Cambridge, and to a lesser extent, Brookline. I've only paid 550 plus utilities for the past 4 years, which is on the low normal side (~650 is average). Inman Square is a fun place, so is Davis (T stop at the latter). Central can be a little iffy at night, but has a T stop. Avoid East Somerville, and Cambridgeport. Kendall is nice, off the T, but quiet. If you absolutely have to keep your car you'll need a driveway or a "private way" (switching to MA would kill your opportunity to go to a state school). Some places around Beacon St. and Washington St. have these. You can always get cheap rent and parking in Watertown, but might be a pain to drive back after long nights at the library.

I would not live in Allston or Brighton. Way to loud and unsafe (friend got her car stolen near a main intersection, house broken into 2x while sleeping, etc etc.). Also avoid south boston / dorchester / brockton, still kind of tough neighborhoods.

Finally, invest in a really good northface jacket, earwarmers, and nice gloves. I am from Philly and was in denial how crucial these would be for surviving the winter. If you get the blues, buy a happy light from Costco. :cool:

Good luck.
 
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Rainer,
If you feel that this question is too invasive then by all means you needn't answer it, but did the HCP help aid you in your quest to get into medical school?
 
Definitely. Despite having a middling sci GPA I got into two great schools and went to a bunch of other great schools for interviews. They will not hold your hand like Bryn-Mawr will, nor is it a virtual guarantee you will get in. But the sponsoree acceptance rate is consistently in the 90-95 percent range, which I felt very comfortable with. I didn't think it was that hard to get sponsorship, as the requirement for me was just above a 3.0 (it varies student-to-student). However, I'd recommend that you shoot for a BCPM of at least a 3.3 or 3.5, because I know I was screened out by a lot of schools for being a low 3.

In HCP, I was kind of my own worst enemy: I tried to work full-time at a high-pressure job while doing two hard sciences. It did not work out very well, but I eventually quit the job to go back to HCP for some upper electives and got into a MD program that is a great fit for me. There is an issue of sticktuitiveness at the HCP, as a lot of people drop out because they decide they don't want to do medicine or whatever. Honestly, getting sponsorship is a function of: 1) getting decent/good grades in your sciences; 2) turning in your sponsorship form as soon as possible; and 3) turning in your personal inventory essays, etc. as soon as possible (at the beginning of your application year). None of these were hard tasks. I think part of the game is being conscientious and good with deadlines, paperwork, and being organized.

I suggest investing in Google Calendar and setting it to text/e-mail you for important dates and meetings, as they will often occur for the next 2-3 years.

I guess my strongest advice is to volunteer or research lightly (~5-10 hrs a week, with a proviso to slow down during exams), make sure that if you are spending your time there you are not just a gopher but actually doing some leadership or accumulating great stories of working with patients. For me, I got to combine research with clinical experiences at Children's Hospital Boston. I got to work with cute babies all day and then study their brain EEGs. Try to seek out research advisors who are nurturing in your goal towards medical school. Mine guided me towards a poster that I eventually presented at a national neurology conference. Again, self-starting is important at Harvard University. Http://hms.harvard.edu is your friend, find amazing profs that you would like to work with here (only if you have the time). The most important thing is getting used to the sciences, however, so I would put the extracurricular stuff until you feel you have some extra time.

If you do community work, make sure it fits into YOUR story. For me, I was a creative writing major, and so I sought out a youth outreach creative writing program in Boston, where I eventually became the coordinator for a year. If you like kids, do pediatric research, not centenarian research. Make sure you are consistent. As the great bard said, to thine own self be true...and thou canst be false to any medical school.
 
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Thank you Rainer for the tips...and congrats on your success. My plan at HCP has been thus:

I will be finishing the program next summer, then will be moving into the ALM-Clinical Psychology program, at Harvard in Extension. I felt that the psychology would offer me something more in applying to med school, compared to maybe a Bio ALM, because as i'm sure anyone who has spent time in a hospital has come to realize...healing is in part a cognitive process. This academic structure, while intensive, is allowing me to complete the DPM and a Masters of Liberal Arts in 3 years and will end in the June before my med school matriculation. I recommend it for anyone interested in a masters prior to their commencement to medical school.

Also, I am going to be participating in a volunteer internship at Brigham and Women's that I would encourage my fellow HCPs to look into.

all the best
 
That sounds good but on the safe side I would check with Dr. Fixsen as a sounding board, if you haven't already. I am finishing my master's (MBA) before I start medical school and it both helped and hurt me. Often the question arises when you get an advanced degree is how committed you are to patient care. Thus, you will always have to tie it into your story. For me, and MBA is valuable for health policy, and for trying to correct systematic problems on-the-spot when I am an attending at a hospital, for instance. I think an ALM in Clin. Psych could be good you just have to weave it into your story of being a clinician. Perhaps some interesting volunteer activities exist that would meld the two interests? At the end of the day, med schools like intellectual diversity, but they also want people who are going to be treating patients as the number one goal. Best of luck to you.
 
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