Post bac. pre med programs

[lucky]

What does everybody think of post-bac premed programs? Can they adequately prepare a student for med school?
I graduated from undergrad with a non-science degree, and I've decided that I really want to follow my instincts and go into pathology. My undergrad GPA was pretty good (3.79) and all of the post-bac classes (all sciences) I've taken have gone very well and I have a 4.0. I am currently enrolled in a post-bac premed program which only provides me with the most basic requirements to apply to med school....but I can choose to stay another year or so to take more classes. Additionally, I have been working full time doing research with gastroenteric diseases (almost 1 year).
My major concern is that I won't have a shot at getting into any really reputable schools because I don't have a full 4 year undergrad degree in premed.
Any thoughts or advice? Anybody else out there that did a post-bac premed program?

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[BeckyG]

Hi Lucky,

If your undergrad degree is in a non-science discipline, I think this can only help you (provided that you have strong grades in all your science pre-req classes). Most pre-med advisors tell students to major in what interests them and to take the minimum science classes needed to get into medical school. This gives prospective med students more time to become "well-rounded" and exposed to non-science issues. You'll have more science than you want while in med school and there's not much of a reason to take those classes ahead of time. In fact, some med schools, like UCLA, prefer that their applicants have NOT taken medical school classes (e.g., anatomy) before starting med school. They want it to be fresh and new to you - and they want to teach it to you THEIR way.

So, the short answer to your question is that if you have all the science pre-reqs (with good grades), volunteering in clinical settings and research (as you said you do), then your undergrad degree will not hinder you and may actually be an asset in the application process (i.e., you are inherently different than approx. 60-70% of the people applying based on your undergrad major). Just a note: I say all this based on what my pre-med advisor tells her current students. I was a biochem major and applied after doing other things in health care for a few years (i.e., I was non-traditional when I applied). I think it is great to major in something other than science - obviously it was something you enjoyed - before med school. So, use it to your advantage when you apply. Hope this helps. Good luck,

Becky