Post-bac linkage program

[abruzz75]

Is there some sort of disadvantage that I'm not seeing for post-bac linkage programs? There are very few of them, and it seems like relatively few people apply (with the average accepted GPAs being significantly lower than those of the normal medical school)...that seems to suggest that people with competitive GPAs don't even bother applying to these programs. Why don't more people do this?

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[235788]

Is there some sort of disadvantage that I'm not seeing for post-bac linkage programs? There are very few of them, and it seems like relatively few people apply (with the average accepted GPAs being significantly lower than those of the normal medical school)...that seems to suggest that people with competitive GPAs don't even bother applying to these programs. Why don't more people do this?

I have a 3.7 and am in one. There are plenty of us with great stats in them, who are just staying busy over a year and preventing the possibility of two years off (or didn't get in/didn't want to go DO). We get diluted by the people with 3.2-3.3 who are also in them. Most of them are expensive (not mine though for instate residents), so they would rather not. A lot of people feel that if they do poorly they are overall hurting themselves more, but I see it it like this: If you can't do well in an SMP (or at least ok), you can't do well in med school.

But i love mine, you get to rock med school classes and do clinical research. win win.

 

[thlaxer]

Is there some sort of disadvantage that I'm not seeing for post-bac linkage programs? There are very few of them, and it seems like relatively few people apply (with the average accepted GPAs being significantly lower than those of the normal medical school)...that seems to suggest that people with competitive GPAs don't even bother applying to these programs. Why don't more people do this?

I was in a two-year post-bac program and decided not to apply for any linkages. I think that a few factors discourage people from linking. 1) Deadlines for linkages were pretty tight at my program from what I remember, the first ones occurred just several months after the program started. It is also hectic to get your personal statements, LORs, etc. ready for the committee before their deadlines. 2) You can only apply to one linkage that your school offers, so you may not be able to apply to your top choice programs. 3) I heard that people who link usually don't get many merit-based scholarships since the school doesn't need to woo them. 4) In the event that you fail to link, you are considered a reapplicant the next cycle. 5) Some people want a gap year between post-bac and med school to recharge up.

For me #1, 2 and 5 were my biggest reasons for not wanting to link.

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to the post-bacc forum.

 

[abruzz75]

So in the event that you do get accepted to the linkage program, is it binding for that school only?