Post-bac Premed Route

[ocdp09]

i was just wondering, since im going to be applying in a year to med school, i find myself as a average candidate..in the middle of the playing field with a 3.5 and a 28....i dont expect to make it in my first try but i will push for it...if it fails i have to consider a back up....what does everyone think about the special masters programs offered at various schools.

ive been reading up on the them and they all pretty much offer the same stuff....would you guys think thats a smart route to take and then reapply after successfully completing it?

let me know, thanks for your inputs

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[Law2Doc]

i was just wondering, since im going to be applying in a year to med school, i find myself as a average candidate..in the middle of the playing field with a 3.5 and a 28....i dont expect to make it in my first try but i will push for it...if it fails i have to consider a back up....what does everyone think about the special masters programs offered at various schools.

ive been reading up on the them and they all pretty much offer the same stuff....would you guys think thats a smart route to take and then reapply after successfully completing it?

let me know, thanks for your inputs

3.5 is the average for allo matriculants, so I don't think SMP is really necessary, unless your sci GPA is much lower. An MCAT retake for a 30 would help more.

 

[gotmeds?]

3.5 is the average for allo matriculants, so I don't think SMP is really necessary, unless your sci GPA is much lower. An MCAT retake for a 30 would help more.

I agree. Your GPA is not the problem. Why waste the time and money on an expensive postbacc or SMP when you can just take 3 months to study your ass off and raise the MCAT score into the 30s?

 

[NonTradMed]

Ditto here. Your chances greater improves as you approach 30 given your 3.5 GPA. What's your science GPA? If that is good as well, an SMP is useless and could even put in jeapardy your app since you could do poorly on it. Better to study your ass on for the MCAT and retake if you don't get in.

 

[ocdp09]

science is a 3.6 but like say i dont improve my mcat, do you all suggest take the smp still or no?

 

[Law2Doc]

science is a 3.6 but like say i dont improve my mcat, do you all suggest take the smp still or no?

I don't see the point. SMP's are largely important to show to med schools you have the ability to do well in sciences. For example, if you graduated with a 3.2 with a 3.0 in the sciences, then an SMP would be a great idea and could help you a lot. Someone with a 3.6 BCPM already has adequate science grades. You don't do postbacs or SMPs just because they are there, you do this kind of thing to address any shortcomings in your application. You perhaps have shortcomings but not this particular one.

 

[mshheaddoc]

Doing a SMP during your application year (if its a 1 year program) is a great idea to show you are working towards your goal (as well as your backup plan if you need to reapply the next year) but I agree with Law2doc that there might be other shortcomings in your application that you might be better suited to focus on.

 

[foofish]

with a 3.6 BCPM already has adequate science grades. You don't do postbacs or SMPs just because they are there, you do this kind of thing to address any shortcomings in your application. You perhaps have shortcomings but not this particular one.

Agree. I did a postbacc, but that was only because I needed to do my prereqs (didn't become premed until senior year of college, where I was a history major). In my case I had to do a postbacc, and I enjoyed it, but if I already had the classes done and a good gpa as in your case, I sure as hell would not have done a postbac/SMP. As other posters have said, your MCAT is more likely to be a barrier to admission than your gpa, so focus on raising that score instead.

If you're looking for potential backup plans, or something to do during the lag year while applying that will help your app, consider getting a full time job in a research lab or in a clinic.

 

[ocdp09]

ty everyone