One-year intensive postbacs: how are you handling the workload?

[cheree cheree]

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For students at Goucher, BM, and other formal/accelerated programs:

Assuming you worked hard and did well in undergrad, but the sciences are completely new to you, how does it feel to be taking so many science courses at once?

How do students navigate their unfamiliarity with the material and the rapid pace of the program? I know the formal postbac deal is that with more intensity comes more support. But I'm wondering how well everyone is able to adjust. I suppose very high motivation levels are key?

I plan to apply both to formal one-year programs and the do-it-yourself kind. But I'd like to be able to predict, as well as I can, how I might succeed in either track.

 

[Goucher2013]

I can attest to the fact that summer intensive chemistry sucks, even more so for those of us who've been out of school for a while, and especially for those of us who never developed any particular study strategies prior to Goucher. There's no wonder to the whole thing. You're not looking around after class, thinking, "oh look, there's water turning into gas". You're just trying to cram as much knowledge into your brain housing as possible, without regard to real-world applicability.

Most people seem to do well, certainly in the first term. I was one of those people who struggled to stay afloat. The material is easy to follow: the professor was great, the book is good, and the overall structure of the summer chemistry provides a good structure for keeping up. For me, my trouble was translating that into the near-perfection on quizzes and tests that's required to get an A.

In the end, I had the classic experience of trying to force things by working even harder, then got a little burnt out, relaxed, and ultimately got better by putting in less effort and allowing my brain to process things behind my back.

I'm not sure if motivation is the key as much as an ability to keep up the effort despite repeated failure. That's probably more about confidence than desire. If you've failed before and gotten used to bouncing back, you're in good shape. If you're one of those people who never fail, you'll of course be fine as well.

If you've never failed before, that's when you might implode.

 

[cheree cheree]

Thank you for your honest reply. I have a feeling I'm designed the same way and could have a very similar experience - absorbing and enjoying the material, yet struggling to win the grade.

From your handle I assume you've just finished summer chemistry and will complete the program next spring?

This might be a silly question: Since they advertise a near 100% acceptance rate to medical school, I assume both A students and B students get in? Or is there a lot of pressure to achieve/maintain a certain GPA?

Thanks again.

 

[Goucher2013]

Yup, two more semesters to go.

That's not a silly question at all. Someone on the program pointed out that yes, the odds of getting into med school with a lower grade on the program are still very high.

Given that most people enter the program with a GPA above 3.5, the odds of being pushed below a 3.0 by the 8 science classes are very low. Unless we do spectacularly badly in the program, we should still have a good shot at a DO school, even with a mediocre science GPA. At that point, the same qualities that made us attractive to Goucher should also make us attractive to DO schools. Even if a Goucher student does badly during pre-med, I'd expect them to have no problem securing a decent residency during the NRMP process. At that point, having worked and shadowed with DOs, I know that the main difference between DO and MD schools is guaranteed vs. likely high debt.

And that's the worst-case scenario (a bunch of Cs in the summer, then a smattering of Bs and A-'s during the fall and spring). I haven't heard of any Goucher grads attending DO schools but, given my personal experiences, I would be fine if that fate were ultimately in store for me. If I wanted to be a superstar, sure, I could go ahead and be disappointed by a DO degree. But if my ego were writing bad checks like that, I would probably not be in the Goucher program to begin with.

Betsy the program director has told a good number of us who were struggling during the summer not to worry too much about our GPA. If we're aiming for a particular school, there's no point fretting over a 0.x deviation from the mean or average, because these are statistics, not formulas. Med schools look to all postbacs, both formal and informal, for precisely those qualities that transcend number.

In other words, there's zero pressure from the program director. Besides, she probably figures there's already enough coming from our own egos.

 

[cheree cheree]

Wow. OK - I feel infinitely more informed now. Thank you.
I'm sure with your level head you will far exceed your own expectations!

Aside from this Betsy being a cool lady, why did you choose Goucher? Were there other schools you were considering?

 

[beethousand]

Med schools look to all postbacs, both formal and informal, for precisely those qualities that transcend number.

🙂 so you're saying I shouldn't flip when I get a b in third quarter of summer general chem.... I am continuously impressed by the diversity and character of my cohort post baccs.

 

[Goucher2013]

Aside from this Betsy being a cool lady, why did you choose Goucher? Were there other schools you were considering?

I think these were my main factors:

1. Postbac-specific classes. This was HUGE to me. I didn't want to spend time with regular undergrads, because I didn't like the atmosphere regular pre-meds have to deal with.

2. Small class size. More or less self-evident - closer community and more advising opportunities.

3. The aforementioned staff. Everyone was absolutely wonderful.

Everything else like the linkages, decent location, etc., ended up coming second.


The other places I considered were Bryn Mawr, Scripps and Johns Hopkins. None of them came close in terms of the impression I got - and it really was a subjective impression, so YMMV. It's not that they were bad, definitely not. It's just that Goucher seemed to fit me like a glove. There was never any question about my top choice.


I do recommend being smart about maximizing your admissions school odds if you have your heart 99% set on a particular med school that has linkages with a postbac other than Goucher.

So, for both Bryn Mawr and Hopkins that would be Penn*, BU and a couple other linkages. For Bryn Mawr specifically, also Dartmouth. Hopkins for, well, Hopkins - no, there's no official link, but the admissions stats speak for themselves.

You can't get better odds than through a linkage application.

I should add that I didn't put Cornell on that list because Goucher now links there as well. Our website doesn't reflect that yet.


*caveat: if you choose a postbac specifically because it links to Penn, on the basis that Penn is the highest-ranked school with a linkage program, you're doing it wrong.

 

[darkjedi]

For students at Goucher, BM, and other formal/accelerated programs:

Assuming you worked hard and did well in undergrad, but the sciences are completely new to you, how does it feel to be taking so many science courses at once?

How do students navigate their unfamiliarity with the material and the rapid pace of the program? I know the formal postbac deal is that with more intensity comes more support. But I'm wondering how well everyone is able to adjust. I suppose very high motivation levels are key?

I plan to apply both to formal one-year programs and the do-it-yourself kind. But I'd like to be able to predict, as well as I can, how I might succeed in either track.

Thank you for your honest reply. I have a feeling I'm designed the same way and could have a very similar experience - absorbing and enjoying the material, yet struggling to win the grade.

From your handle I assume you've just finished summer chemistry and will complete the program next spring?

This might be a silly question: Since they advertise a near 100% acceptance rate to medical school, I assume both A students and B students get in? Or is there a lot of pressure to achieve/maintain a certain GPA?

Thanks again.

Hello again cheree cheree,

Honestly, no matter where you take these classes, they are going to suck. However at places like BM, Goucher, and Scripps, the directors of the programs have set up the program and scheduling very well so that it seems manageable. These programs cumulatively graduate 100+ students a year, who all manage to stay alive and almost all of whom get into a med school. Since it is a postbac, almost all your fellow students will be on a equal or similar footing in terms of familiarity with the sciences. The people you meet at these postbacs will likely also be some of the most varied and interesting people you will meet in your life. The friends you make here will likely make an excellent support system to carry you through this very intense process.

While there certainly is a certain level of pressure that exists to get the best grade you can, it is not at all competitive. None of the classes are curved amongst the postbacs (unless it's for your benefit) and some classes are actually curved against the ugrads (which is also to your benefit).

If you have any BM specific questions, feel free to PM me, I'd be more than happy to answer your questions!