pre med to pre law but back to pre med. chances?

[nad7vx]

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hey guys, I am posting on this thread for a friend of mine who is currently looking into SMPs. I am myself a premed student but am not too sure about SMPs so I thought this was a good place to ask questions and hopefully help him out. It seems that he has his intentions set on applying to TEMPLE's SMP. Here is a bit abut him and it would be awesome if you could let me know what his chances are:

Goes to a T25 school
Overall GPA: 3.65-3.7 (not sure about the Exact GPA)
Science GPA: 3-3.1 (I know he has finished 1 year of intro chem and labs/ think he got a C+ one semester in them, he has done 1 semester of bio and physics + labs/ so he HAS NOT DONE: 1 semester of bio and physics + labs and 1 year of Orgo)
Research: A TON OF RESEARCH! (he has been working in some lab in the med school for the past 3 years and he spends his summers working at a pharmaceutical company helping with research)
SAT: he told he got a 1290/1600 (this is based on his best scores from math and english over multiple attempts)
ECs: super involved. leadership in student government and habitat for humanity was vice president of some honor organization

So, what do you guys think his chances are for TEMPLE SMP? I told him i would post on here for him because you guys have much more knowledge about this than I do.

 

[beBrave]

hey guys, I am posting on this thread for a friend of mine who is currently looking into SMPs. I am myself a premed student but am not too sure about SMPs so I thought this was a good place to ask questions and hopefully help him out. It seems that he has his intentions set on applying to TEMPLE's SMP. Here is a bit abut him and it would be awesome if you could let me know what his chances are:

Goes to a T25 school
Overall GPA: 3.65-3.7 (not sure about the Exact GPA)
Science GPA: 3-3.1 (I know he has finished 1 year of intro chem and labs/ think he got a C+ one semester in them, he has done 1 semester of bio and physics + labs/ so he HAS NOT DONE: 1 semester of bio and physics + labs and 1 year of Orgo)
Research: A TON OF RESEARCH! (he has been working in some lab in the med school for the past 3 years and he spends his summers working at a pharmaceutical company helping with research)
SAT: he told he got a 1290/1600 (this is based on his best scores from math and english over multiple attempts)
ECs: super involved. leadership in student government and habitat for humanity was vice president of some honor organization

So, what do you guys think his chances are for TEMPLE SMP? I told him i would post on here for him because you guys have much more knowledge about this than I do.

Good overall GPA however his science GPA is low which is weighted higher on the GPA scale. Research experience is solid however he needs Physician shadowing; research shows that he is capable of understanding the fundamentals of medicine however medical schools weigh exposure and comfort around sick people as one of the most critical components of an application .

SAT scores are irrelevant; his MCAT scores determine how competitive he is. He needs to get an MCAT score of 30 - 33 MIN to even be considered for an MD program. An SMP is for people who have already completed the pre-med requirements. An SMP is a special masters program where you take many of the same classes that would be taken during the first year of med school; it basically shows that you are capable of surviving in Med school. He needs to complete his pre-req's; His science GPA needs work however he has hope. I wouldn't recommend an SMP however if he completes his pre-reqs without his grades falling further, he has a good shot. He need to get his pre-req's done, his shadowing and patient experience first. I would suggest he applies to at-least med 15 schools to have decent shot including DO schools. Jumping on the SMP ship is not a guarantee to med school. SMP's also carry their own risk.

 

[nad7vx]

Thanks for the help. He has informed me that he has shadowed doctors for 100 hours and has 250 hours of hospice experience.

I was under the impression that Temple's SMP does NOT require MCAT scores or have needed to finished the pre reqs. He is applying to Temple's BCMS. According to their website: "The BCMS Program is designed for students who need to complete the premedical requirements. This is a full-time, 12-month course of study while preparing for the MCAT during fall and spring. Applicants who need to complete the premedical basic core requirements of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, all with labs, should select this track."

Am I understanding this wrong or has this changed? Thank you for helping!

Edit: it's also worth mentioning that he is graduating this year.

 

[nad7vx]

Wait, as I am rereading the Temple's BCMS program I am confused. Is it a program for students who haven't even STARTED taking the pre med requirements AND/OR for students who still need to COMPLETE the requirements?

 

[beBrave]

Thanks for the help. He has informed me that he has shadowed doctors for 100 hours and has 250 hours of hospice experience.

I was under the impression that Temple's SMP does NOT require MCAT scores or have needed to finished the pre reqs. He is applying to Temple's BCMS. According to their website: "The BCMS Program is designed for students who need to complete the premedical requirements. This is a full-time, 12-month course of study while preparing for the MCAT during fall and spring. Applicants who need to complete the premedical basic core requirements of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, all with labs, should select this track."

Am I understanding this wrong or has this changed? Thank you for helping!

Edit: it's also worth mentioning that he is graduating this year.

Temples program is not a special masters program however it can serve the same purpose. The BCMS allows students to complete their pre-reqs and guarantee's them a place in Med school if they maintain a 3.5 GPA. Both program scenario's award credits, but neither leads to a degree of any sort unless you are accepted into the temple MD program which is a separate program entirely.

the ACMS - Advanced Core in Medical Sciences Program would be for someone that has completed all of the pre-req work but failed to get into med school so they are doing the rough equivalent of an SMP with guaranteed admission to temples Med school as long as they can prove their capability to handle the course work. He has a solid chance of getting in. 100 hours of Physician shadowing is more than enough. He should be calling the school though and talking with directly with the admissions counselor or director. It's a good program. He just needs to get serious about his science classes because his grades suggest that the sciences are his weakest subjects.

Wait, as I am rereading the Temple's BCMS program I am confused. Is it a program for students who haven't even STARTED taking the pre med requirements AND/OR for students who still need to COMPLETE the requirements?

http://www.temple.edu/medicine/ppp/index.htm


"Outcomes: At the end of the Postbaccalaureate year, successful students (those who achieve a 3.5 GPA and a MCAT score of 30 with no score below 8) matriculate to the MD Degree Program. To date, 91% have matriculated into TUSM, 6% have been accepted into other health professions and osteopathic medical schools, and 2% have returned to their previous careers. "


The program is basically designed for the two kinds of Post Bach students that exist.

It's a program designed for students who want to go to Med school and haven't met the pre-req requirements but have already earned a Bachelors, so they can take classes that will allow them to meet this requirement and gain admission to med school or as I mentioned above, students who already met the pre-req requirement and earned a bachelors but want to gain guaranteed admission in temples program or strengthen their academic standings can use this program as an option as well.

 

[nad7vx]

WOW! Thank you for such a thorough answer. When I told him about this information you have shared with me, he seems confident that wants to apply to the BCMS program because he does not have time left to finish his pre reqs. Just to reconfirm, this is acceptable? Right? lol

Also, from your thoughts (you seem really informed about this!) what do you think his chances are for getting into Temple's BCMS? It looks like the program only accepts 25 students...that seems awfully competitive. You think he has any realistic shot?

 

[beBrave]

WOW! Thank you for such a thorough answer. When I told him about this information you have shared with me, he seems confident that wants to apply to the BCMS program because he does not have time left to finish his pre reqs. Just to reconfirm, this is acceptable? Right? lol

Also, from your thoughts (you seem really informed about this!) what do you think his chances are for getting into Temple's BCMS? It looks like the program only accepts 25 students...that seems awfully competitive. You think he has any realistic shot?

If he has earned a degree from an accredited university he should be fine. He should however call ahead and ask them how his already completed pre-req course work would factor into the program. For example when I spoke with the Director for a similar program he explained that any pre-req's completed at another accredited university would adjust the program requirements.

He should verify with the school directly to see how his completed undergraduate pre-req coursework will be treated when applying to the program. He may get credit or he may end up retaking the courses. Again he needs to speak with the school; trust me they want him to call and ask these questions. He should speak with the school before applying. He is a good candidate for the program; he has an excellent chance but he just needs to get clarification on their policy for already completed pre-req coursework.


"The TUSM Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program offers students a gateway into a career in medicine for those who either have an undergraduate degree in a non-science major, or have the degree and simply need additional classroom work and/or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) preparation."

Based on the statement placed in bold above, it appears clear that he would be accepted regardless of his completed coursework. Now how they treat that already completed coursework is something that he has to discuss with them.

 

[nad7vx]

thanks brBrave for the your help in all of this. I will be sure to relay the information and let him to know to directly contact the program if he has additional questions. Thanks! If anything else comes up do you think I can PM you/or post back on this?

 

[beBrave]

thanks brBrave for the your help in all of this. I will be sure to relay the information and let him to know to directly contact the program if he has additional questions. Thanks! If anything else comes up do you think I can PM you/or post back on this?

Sure, you can PM me.

 

[medicii]

FYI the deadline for 2013 BCMS applications has already closed and ACMS applications are only accepted until May 31.