Postbac vs. SMP vs. MPH in Infectious Disease

[xxabi]

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Hi everyone,

I know this question has been posed a lot on the forums, and I know a lot of people are going to start posting, attacking me. That being said, my situation and programs I've been accepted to vary quite considerably and I really need some feedback and advice.

I'm currently a senior graduating with a 3.4 cGPa and a 3.0/3.1 sGPA. I'm planning to take two years off prior to medical school. I've been accepted into multiple programs and I've narrowed it down to three. Most important: my goal is to attend medical school.

1) UC Berkeley's MPH in Infectious Disease/Vaccinology: I wasn't planning to consider MPH programs, but Berkeley's IDV program involves a lot of courses I think could be counted towards my science GPA. It's a two year program.

2) UCSD's Postbac Premed Program: I'd be taking courses with undergraduates/graduates, in upper level sciences needed for medical school. The program is through UCSD Extension.

3) Tulane's Masters in Pharmacology: SMP Program through Tulane's medical school. I'd be taking courses taught by med school faculty, and in the Spring, I take a course with medical school students.

Any feedback is appreciated. Costs are fairly similar.

 

[Launcelot]

You must ask yourself this: What is your purpose for pursuing any of these options? If it's to resuscitate your GPA and not to add some sort of additional or supporting element of research to your future practice of medicine, you can scratch out the MPH. If you follow this logic further and sGPA is indeed your problem, the post bacc is exclusively there to solve that. If you feel like you are somewhat deficient in research too, and would like to sprinkle some extraneous stuff in pharmacology into your routine, perhaps you might have a decent case at taking up the SMP at Tulane. This GPA, however, would be tacked on as a graduate GPA, not as a UG GPA, which does less to solve the problem of a low sGPA.

 

[Paean1]

I'm personally planning on attending Tulane's program. I didn't apply to either of the other two programs you mentioned because I'm not from California, but I received acceptances from a few other SMPs. I think if you rock Tulane's program and form strong relationships with the med school faculty you will have a high chance of acceptance at a med school (assuming decent ug gpa, ecs and mcat). They claim 2/3rds of their students are accepted to some med school.The advantages in my opinion are that all the courses are taught by actual med school faculty, you take pharmacology with 2nd year med students, and the program is highly structured to help guide you and improve your credentials. The cost is also important to me, $23k tuition is much better than some other programs.

In response to the above poster, I do have a friend who finished an MPH (and had a bad ug gpa) and was accepted to the host university's med school this year. Granted, he also had some spectacular EC's in community service and teaching since he'd been out of undergrad for a few years.

 

[deleted248403]

3.4 cGPa and a 3.0/3.1 sGPA
1) UC Berkeley's MPH in Infectious Disease/Vaccinology: I wasn't planning to consider MPH programs, but Berkeley's IDV program involves a lot of courses I think could be counted towards my science GPA. It's a two year program.
Won't help your sGPA or med school chances
2) UCSD's Postbac Premed Program: I'd be taking courses with undergraduates/graduates, in upper level sciences needed for medical school. The program is through UCSD Extension.
Good initial bet - will raise sGPA and cGPA if you rock it, and you can still do an SMP afterwards if needed
3) Tulane's Masters in Pharmacology: SMP Program through Tulane's medical school. I'd be taking courses taught by med school faculty, and in the Spring, I take a course with medical school students.
Probably the quickest way into medical school

 

[DrMidlife]

I'd prefer to see more undergrad before doing an SMP, because the SMP will not do a thing for undergrad GPA. Raising undergrad numbers should be done as long as it can be done.

The "linkage" from Tulane pharm is completely overstated, as opposed to Tulane ACP. I don't see any data indicating that Tulane pharm is any better at accelerating the low GPA premed's path than, say, Drexel's huge video-feed program. If Tulane pharm now has a contract for a guaranteed number of Tulane MD spots, or a guaranteed Tulane MD interview threshold, then fine, otherwise there's just nothing sparkly about it imho.

The MPH in ID looks fascinating and will do absolutely nothing for your US MD chances against undergrad GPA.

So obviously I'm voting for the program that will affect your undergrad GPA, UCSD, and I think the comments elsewhere about this program are seriously misguided. It makes no difference at all that this program operates under extension, because its directors have about a decade-long reputation already and resurrected the program nearly intact from the ashes of state defunding.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Paean1]

Also, if you need to take more undergrad but also want to do an SMP next year there is sort of a middle ground by taking undergrad classes over the summer before you begin your SMP. That way you can improve your sGPA a bit/fix up a C- in a pre-req and still have an SMP waiting for you in a few months. Also, it keeps you academically oriented over the summer so that when you start the SMP you aren't blindsided by the workload.