Post baccalaureate program question

[Shy_Gemini]

Hi all. I was just wondering if a person can enter a post baccalaureate program if they majored in biology and already took some of the required pre-med courses? I imagine this would be a waste, but I thought I'd ask. Would it be better to find a master's program with upper division science courses instead?

Thanks.

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[frosted_flake]

Is your purpose grade replacement? Are you wanting to go MD, DO or apply to both?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Hi all. I was just wondering if a person can enter a post baccalaureate program if they majored in biology and already took some of the required pre-med courses? I imagine this would be a waste, but I thought I'd ask. Would it be better to find a master's program with upper division science courses instead?

Thanks.

Masters programs unless they are SMPs aren't q good way to repair your GPA

There are post bacc programs for situations like yours where the focus is grade repair for people who already took pre reqs. Look into them. Alternatively doing a DIY post bacc at your school taking a good load of upper level science courses will work fine as well

 

[BamaNicole]

You know I actually had some people in my program that were in the same place you were. They were called Academic enhancers and their GPAs weren't terrible but they could use a bit of a boost. They came to the post bac to take upper division classes and many were successful in gaining admission into MD schools.

Again...their GPAs were like still 3.4 or 3.5 so if true GPA repair is your goal you may want to look into a SMP. Masters programs in general aren't seen as being rigorous (reason I was told by an adcom member was that your grades are based on seminars and the like) In most SMPs, you take classes with first year medical students so it shows you can handle the work in medical school. I want to say you'd be required to take the MCAT to apply, though. I have classmates that went that route and got a masters in medical sciences before med school.

 

[Whats up Doc!]

Yeah I was actually in the same boat as you with a slightly low gpa and an average MCAT. Now im doing a Masters program (SNP) in Medical Physiology at Case Western Reserve. The down side is it cost allot the up side is that its really a solid program with a tough core curriculum and it has a good reputation. I chose this program over re-doing science courses because allot of schools follow gpa trends and instead of doing the same stuff I already knew I could learn something that will help me once im in med school (and earn a masters degree at the same time). The only thing I would watch out for with SNPs is to find one that has a good reputation, allot of programs fluff their grades to make their students seem better but in reality the med schools see this and then the programs worth nothing.

 

[Shy_Gemini]

Is your purpose grade replacement? Are you wanting to go MD, DO or apply to both?

Yes, part of the reason is to achieve better grades. I plan to apply to both md and do schools.

 

[BamaNicole]

Yes, part of the reason is to achieve better grades. I plan to apply to both md and do schools.

Let me give you just an example. This is a program that does an academic enhancer track. Not all post bac programs have that.

https://www.ce.csueastbay.edu/ce/programs/pre-professional-health/#curriculum

May I ask what your GPA is....just ballpark would be fine. If you need a lot of repair, you may need a different avenue than a post bac.

 

[Shy_Gemini]

Let me give you just an example. This is a program that does an academic enhancer track. Not all post bac programs have that.

https://www.ce.csueastbay.edu/ce/programs/pre-professional-health/#curriculum

May I ask what your GPA is....just ballpark would be fine. If you need a lot of repair, you may need a different avenue than a post bac.

Thank you for that information. Much appreciated. I currently have a 3.35/3.4 . I still have about 50 to 56 credit hours to go before I can graduate with my bachelors though, but they're all the rigorous classes such as organic chemistry, etc. So I have a feeling my GPA will be dropping a little.

 

[BamaNicole]

Thank you for that information. Much appreciated. I currently have a 3.35/3.4 . I still have about 50 to 56 credit hours to go before I can graduate with my bachelors though, but they're all the rigorous classes such as organic chemistry, etc. So I have a feeling my GPA will be dropping a little.

Do the best that you can and you probably could do well with an academic enhancer track somewhere.