Part-time SMP?

[neurogeek510]

Does such a program exist? My concern is that I am up to my eyeballs in student loans as it is, and while SMPs strike me as the best option given my situation, they seem pretty expensive. I would ideally like to continue working while taking classes, but something tells me most (if not all) programs expect students to attend full-time.

Thanks for your help!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Morsetlis]

I actually have a friend with decent (3.5) GPA who did well at an SMP and got in. Why wouldn't you do one if your GPA is high? The only cost is the opportunity cost.

I agree with no part-time SMP. It can't simulate the rigor of med school if it's only half-med school.

 

[Perrotfish]

I actually have a friend with decent (3.5) GPA who did well at an SMP and got in. Why wouldn't you do one if your GPA is high? The only cost is the opportunity cost.
.

SMPs are designed for students who have terrible GPAs (normally paired with high MCATs) to show that they have what it takes to succeed in medical school. You don't want to do it if you have a high GPA because:

1) If you do badly, you have now definitively shown that you CAN'T do well in medical school. You had a good application, now you have a bad application. An SMP is a risk

2) If you do well, you have now just spent 50K and a miserable, stressful year improving an application that didn't need to be improved in the first place. If you have a 3.5 and didn't get in on your first try what you need is an earlier, broader application and maybe a higher MCAT score. You don't need to waste a year and a fortune on that.

 

[235788]

SMPs are designed for students who have terrible GPAs (normally paired with high MCATs) to show that they have what it takes to succeed in medical school. You don't want to do it if you have a high GPA because:

1) If you do badly, you have now definitively shown that you CAN'T do well in medical school. You had a good application, now you have a bad application. An SMP is a risk

2) If you do well, you have now just spent 50K and a miserable, stressful year improving an application that didn't need to be improved in the first place. If you have a 3.5 and didn't get in on your first try what you need is an earlier, broader application and maybe a higher MCAT score. You don't need to waste a year and a fortune on that.

then do you deserve to be in medical school if you do crappy in a SMP? If you can't do the work, you can't do the work.

 

[Perrotfish]

then do you deserve to be in medical school if you do crappy in a SMP? If you can't do the work, you can't do the work.

Lots of people have bad semesters adjusting to medical school and go on to become excellent physicians.

 

[theWUbear]

then do you deserve to be in medical school if you do crappy in a SMP? If you can't do the work, you can't do the work.

Med school admissions considers a "B+" average in an SMP crappy, putting you just about dead in the water.

B+ frequently puts you around 50th percentile or in the top half of the medical school class with which you are taking those courses.

This does not equal you can't do the work, nor does it necessarily mean you don't deserve medschool

 

[neurogeek510]

I definitely understand the point about no part-time SMPs because it won't accurately demonstrate the rigor of med school. Kind of sucks though, means I'll have to likely put it off longer than I would have wanted until I can reasonably afford it. 🙁

I have a very low undergrad GPA mostly due to illness (2.94 cumulative, 2.91 BCPM), decent MCAT (31), two graduate degrees (MS and MPH, 3.6 and 3.7 GPA respectively), and several years of research experience, including clinical research. I'm a little concerned that my undergrad GPA may hinder me, many SMPs seem to have a 3.0 cutoff. Would my graduate school GPAs help?

 

[RedSox10]

If you're in the Boston area, you could consider night classes at Harvard extension schools--they have a program where if you maintain a certain GPA you can get a committee letter from them etc. Also, Tufts has a post-bac program and I know it takes 2 years, so I'm assuming its part-time....

 

[235788]

Med school admissions considers a "B+" average in an SMP crappy, putting you just about dead in the water.

B+ frequently puts you around 50th percentile or in the top half of the medical school class with which you are taking those courses.

This does not equal you can't do the work, nor does it necessarily mean you don't deserve medschool

at my program we're compared directly to the medical school test averages and class average. As long as you're in the giant portion of the bell curve +/- 4% you're pretty safe. Above that and you're golden, bellow that and you're on thin ice and need to improve


So to not get in, you have to be performing at the level of the bottom 30% or less - which is crappy.

 

[willen101383]

Med school admissions considers a "B+" average in an SMP crappy, putting you just about dead in the water.

B+ frequently puts you around 50th percentile or in the top half of the medical school class with which you are taking those courses.

This does not equal you can't do the work, nor does it necessarily mean you don't deserve medschool

A b+ average in med school is SOLID. The means on most of our exams m1/m2 was like a 79/80/81. The SMP that was administered by my grad school dept (i did the traditional masters not SMP) had an interview guarantee at >3.0.