Post-bacc wannabe

[docintheory]

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Hi everyone!

I am pretty much new to these forums and hope that I can get as much help as others have from all these responses 🙂

I am a pre-med student in my 5th year kinda shaken from horrible experiences with the MCAT. I've taken it two times and my last score was just really bad (about upper-teens) 🙁 . My science gpa is ok, but not good enough to be a regular applicant. I am in a obvious stand-still about where to go from now, all I do right now is volunteer at a hospital and independent research in oncology and toxicology. I really do want to go to a medical school in the United States as all you do, but feel like I am near out of options.

I have been looking into these post-bacc programs and they seem pretty great. I've only really looked into one which was Rosalind Franklin University (once Finch-Chicago Medical School) in Applied Physiology. The thing is that with my current stats in academics and MCAT I feel that I won't even have a chance to even get into a post-bacc program 🙁 I don't know if its just a confidence problem, but I am trying to fix that as I type. Right now I feel that I can start attacking the MCAT and really just wholly immerse myself for the next exam. Meanwhile, I was considering taking more classes to help boost my GPA some. Question is, how difficult is it to gain acceptance in these programs? I hear great things about Georgetown, and thinking about applying there. I am a very compotent student, but just have really bad luck... I would very very much appreciate any help at all! Thanks!

Good luck to all of you!!! 🙂

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Welcome to SDN, docintheory 🙂

First, did you take a review course for the MCAT? You might want to consider investing in one...I think this more than anything is what you should focus on. A lot of the masters programs you mentioned will see your score as a red flag--I think you'll have more opportunities if you can raise your score to upper 20s (or better). There's a lot of great advice in the MCAT discussion forum too. Hopefully it will help me too for April 2005 😉 T-minus 6 months...start crackin! 😎

I inquired a few months ago about G-Town's special masters program. Just so you know, they're looking for (require??? I'd have to pull out the email) applicants with at least 3.0 cumulative AND science gpas. The typical MCATs are upper 20's and above, so I'm thinking you might have trouble getting in here. Boston MA Medical Sciences is a similar program. My understanding is that in both programs, the MCAT score is given slightly more consideration than gpa. I could be wrong about that though. A friend of mine was accepted to both a couple of years ago. He only had about a 3.1 cume/2.9-3.0 science (without much of an upward trend), but he scored in the 30s and was accepted to both programs. I think it's more competitive now though.

There are many different types of postbac programs. Everyone can get into a postbac program of some sort--maybe not special masters, maybe not formal, but there's plenty of options for you to get into one. In fact, some of them are specifically meant for those who have trouble with the MCAT. One that comes to mind is Drexel's MSPP program:

http://www.drexel.edu/med/ims/mspp.asp
Give it a look, I think this might be exactly what you're looking for from what you've mentioned.

Medical Science Preparatory Program

The Medical Science Preparatory (MSP) program is a one-year certificate program designed to help students enhance their credentials for application to medical school by improving their science background and MCAT scores. Students in the MSP program have completed the premedical science requirements but need to enhance their science preparation in order to take or retake the MCAT. Those students who successfully complete the program will receive a Certificate of Program Completion.

MSP Curriculum

Students in the MSP program take four graduate level courses in anatomy/histology, biochemistry/cell biology, pharmacology, and physiology. Also included are undergraduate level review courses in physics and chemistry, a laboratory component, and participation in community service activities. In addition, there are weekly reviews in the verbal reasoning, biological science, and physical science sections of the MCAT. Mock MCATs are given during the year. Students are required to take the April MCAT.

Another option you might want to look into is Barry's MS Biomedical Sciences Program--Option III. Minimum requirements are an undergrad gpa of 2.60 and an MCAT of 18. They also give out some provisional acceptances if you fall below their minimum criteria (must have a 3.0 for 9 credits the 1st semester there). I believe this program is two years. Again though, I think a program like Drexel's MSP would probably be a better fit. Because even if you do very well in a program like Barry's, if your MCAT isn't seen as adequate by med school adcoms, you may not see the reward for your hardwork.

There's also some undergrad / grad programs that take non-degree students. Harvard extension and U Chicago have (I think) informal undergrad postbac programs. I think just about anyone can do these programs. I'd have to take a look again though. UMDNJ-Newark has a non-matriculated admission option that allows you to take some science classes there. http://www.umdnj.edu/gsbsnweb/admissions.htm
If you do well, you might be able to get into their MS Biomedical Sciences program, which has a few classes with med students.

Good luck,

Phil