Hello everyone!
Since most of you were asking me the same questions, I just thought I would create one long post for all of you to read. If you still have more questions, just message me again. Hopefully I answer most of your questions here.
To start off, my experience with the program has been a very positive one. This program is a true masters program, you take courses from the graduate school with other pre-health students, people from the pharmaceutical industry, students interested in teaching and PhDs, etc
because of this, it is very different from other programs such as the SMP at Georgetown because it is not geared ONLY to pre-meds. Instead of the program telling you which classes to take, you have complete liberty in choosing your classes and your direction. There are a few required classes: Fundamentals I (Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Fundamentals II (Cell Biology), a seminar course, and a lab rotation. Other than that, its up to you. You can also get a concentration in a certain field and get a certificate in addition to your masters degree. These fields are bioinformatics, stem cell biology, and pharmacology.
In terms of medical school courses, there are a few offered: molecular and genetic medicine (MGM), medical physiology, and medical neuroscience. This past year, MGM was not offered to everyone, and Im not sure what the requirements were for it. For pre-dental students, I think you are allowed to take Physiology and Biochemistry- but again, I am not sure if everyone is allowed to take them. So you may want to contact Dr. Ingoglia at GSBS or whoever youre told to contact to find out if these options are available for you. MGM and Dental Physiology are first semester courses, and medical physiology, medical neuroscience, and dental biochemistry are second semester. Someone asked about taking undergraduate courses
to be honest, Im not sure. Ive only seen the graduate school side of things and Im not aware of any undergraduate courses here.
The courses are all different in terms of difficulty level. I have had some very challenging classes and some that were pretty easy. I do feel that I have learned a lot more from all of my classes in general, and that will help you in the future.
You can definitely do this program in one year but make sure you plan accordingly from day one. I did the program in one year. I chose to do the MS program, that is, the masters with thesis option. You can do this, which is 25 course units and 5 thesis units, or the MSBS option which is no thesis, 30 course units.
I know a handful of people that applied during the year but have not really followed up with them to see if they have gotten in. Most people seem to apply after the program but I think it could work either way. Make sure to submit your first semester grades from the program if youre applying this year and maybe go in and talk to advisors in the medical school/dental school deans offices. This can allow you to go over your application w/ them and introduce yourself as you apply.
Since this program is very new, I dont believe they have tracked graduates to see if they have gone on to medical school and such. In general, however, students who do programs such as these greatly increase their chances of getting into their desired schools. Taking more classes, doing well, and getting more experience can only help, so I think as long as you work hard here, it will only help you get to where you want to be. I have talked a few students who did this program and are now at the medical school so it definitely helps!
One thing that may be considered a weakness of the program by some of you is that there is not yet a lot of guidance in the program. Many of you may have heard of Dr. Ingoglia, the associate dean of the graduate school. He is a GREAT resources and great person in general and I highly recommend talking to him. He is the main go-to person at the moment, but I know they are looking to make changes in UMDNJ in general that will make it easier for you to get the information you need when you need it. I have not had a big problem with how things are run b/c Dr. Ingoglia is great at pointing you in the right direction to get your questions answered. Get to know him!
Okay, now for living. I am from CA and had never been to NJ before this program. I got lucky and found someone on studentdoctor.net who was from NJ and is now my roommate here. I definitely lucked out in finding a great roommate, especially one who was familiar with the area. So ask around and maybe that will work for you. For those of you who have not been to Newark, it is a typical urban city thats rough around the edges. It is a city in which you should be careful when walking around. I dont mean to scare you, because things arent that bad walking around campus, but you need to be aware of your surroundings. There is new on-campus housing that is supposed to be very nice and I also know some people who live in a place called Society Hill, which is within walking distance of the university. They all seem to like it okay. I was told by some friends to not live in Newark so I took their advice and live in Jersey City. Personally, I am glad I live in Jersey City because we live within walking distance to the subway into NYC and close to grocery stores, target, staples, a mall, etc. The commute is also not that bad, w/o traffic it only takes about 15-20 min. The area, to me anyway, generally seems more secure and I just feel more comfortable living here.
One thing that made me decide to bring a car was that most of our graduate school classes are offered in the evenings between 5-9pm. There is a bus that picks up and drops off students between Newark Penn Station and campus but I didnt want to wait around for the bus after class and make it a longer trip home. But there are trains and the PATH subway that goes into Newark which may be accessible to you depending on where you choose to live.
Okay, sorry for such a LONG post
I hope it helps you guys! And of course, feel free to message w/ more questions
Good luck!
