Post bacc options

[BigRedMD]

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I would like to go to med school but I haven't taken the required coursework. I have the option of completing my masters degree in middle school education while competing my pre med reqs or pursing a second degree in bio. I took only a few science courses during undergrad and graduated with only a 3.3. Should I go for the second degree and improve my gpa or complete my masters degree even though I don't want to teach?*

Thanks

 

[Propylene]

There are some programs that are designed specifcally for your to take your premed classes but don't offer a masters, something like this: http://gs.columbia.edu/postbac/ .

I heard programs like this are really expensive though. If it's more affordable maybe pursue your masters? Just so you'll save the most amount of time and not have to take 4 years of classes again.

 

[darkjedi]

Check out the postbac forum on SDN here

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=71

What you are looking for is a career changer post-bac that will give you all the pre-req classes. Places like Columbia, UPenn, and Harvard offer classes that you can take over the course of 1-2 years so that you can apply to medical school with all the required classes.

 

[Zoopeda]

So here's a big factor: graduate level grades are NOT factored into your general (undergraduate) GPA. So when your CUM is presented to admins, it includes only grades from undergrad courses. So if you're trying to affect your overall GPA, you've gotta go for the undergrad curriculum. If it's an additional degree or "higher" learning you're pursuing, go masters.

 

[red doctober]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure post-bacc pre-req courses are still considered undergrad.

 

[BigRedMD]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure post-bacc pre-req courses are still considered undergrad.

That's what I would like to know. If I continue in the masters program, I will be taking a bunch of undergrad classes in addition to my grad classes. Will these undergraduate courses be counted as undergrad?

Thanks everyone!

 

[IslandStyle808]

That's what I would like to know. If I continue in the masters program, I will be taking a bunch of undergrad classes in addition to my grad classes. Will these undergraduate courses be counted as undergrad?

Thanks everyone!

I have the answer to this. If your undergraduate courses are taken even as a graduate student, as long as they are not for your degree, they count toward your cumulative undergrad GPA. So no worries there and if you want proof, read the AMCAS instructions.

 

[IslandStyle808]

So here's a big factor: graduate level grades are NOT factored into your general (undergraduate) GPA. So when your CUM is presented to admins, it includes only grades from undergrad courses. So if you're trying to affect your overall GPA, you've gotta go for the undergrad curriculum. If it's an additional degree or "higher" learning you're pursuing, go masters.

Be careful of this statement because it is not quite accurate. The majority of schools do look mostly at undergrad GPA but there are some that factor both GPAs (yes allopathic schools). The undergrad GPA and grad GPAs are presented separately through AMCAS. However, how they are viewed is up to the school. Most will keep them separate and some will add them together. There are a few that may weight the grad GPA higher than the undergrad GPA.

 

[BigRedMD]

Thank you for the clarification. Do you have any suggestions?