Pursuing a masters degree for med school?

[Chowdhury1000]

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Hello,
I've recently graduated with a bachelors in Biology from the University of Florida (UF), with a overall GPA of 3.1 and science GPA of 2.8. During my junior year, i made the mistake of not dropping 2 science courses and decided to push through to have the final save me, but instead completely ruined my grade and lowered my GPA, and I spent the last semester trying my best to recover from these mistakes. I've been exploring graduate programs at UF to apply too (preferably in the 1.5 year range), and found a masters of medical science offered by the college of medicine. This program also has a thesis. I do have research experience, I currently work in a research lab for around 1.5 years now. Would a program like this be a good option to improve my academic record for med school? I looked through the courses offered in the program, and it seemed like plenty of upper division biochemistry courses, and then the additional would be working on your thesis. I have no preference of MD over DO, just as long as I reach medical school. I'm also currently studying for the MCAT which I hopefully plan to take sometime in the middle of this year.

 

[Med Ed]

Hello,
I've recently graduated with a bachelors in Biology from the University of Florida (UF), with a overall GPA of 3.1 and science GPA of 2.8. During my junior year, i made the mistake of not dropping 2 science courses and decided to push through to have the final save me, but instead completely ruined my grade and lowered my GPA, and I spent the last semester trying my best to recover from these mistakes. I've been exploring graduate programs at UF to apply too (preferably in the 1.5 year range), and found a masters of medical science offered by the college of medicine. This program also has a thesis. I do have research experience, I currently work in a research lab for around 1.5 years now. Would a program like this be a good option to improve my academic record for med school? I looked through the courses offered in the program, and it seemed like plenty of upper division biochemistry courses, and then the additional would be working on your thesis. I have no preference of MD over DO, just as long as I reach medical school. I'm also currently studying for the MCAT which I hopefully plan to take sometime in the middle of this year.

You need GPA repair, and a traditional Masters program isn't going to do it. When you're finished you'll just be a guy with a 2.8 sGPA and a MS. You'd be better off finding an academic enhancer postbacc or reputable SMP.

Also, don't take the MCAT until you have a reasonable idea of which cycle you will be applying for. Take it too early and it may expire.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

You need a postbacc

 

[Goro]

Hello,
I've recently graduated with a bachelors in Biology from the University of Florida (UF), with a overall GPA of 3.1 and science GPA of 2.8. During my junior year, i made the mistake of not dropping 2 science courses and decided to push through to have the final save me, but instead completely ruined my grade and lowered my GPA, and I spent the last semester trying my best to recover from these mistakes. I've been exploring graduate programs at UF to apply too (preferably in the 1.5 year range), and found a masters of medical science offered by the college of medicine. This program also has a thesis. I do have research experience, I currently work in a research lab for around 1.5 years now. Would a program like this be a good option to improve my academic record for med school? I looked through the courses offered in the program, and it seemed like plenty of upper division biochemistry courses, and then the additional would be working on your thesis. I have no preference of MD over DO, just as long as I reach medical school. I'm also currently studying for the MCAT which I hopefully plan to take sometime in the middle of this year.

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[PreMedMissteps]

You need GPA repair, and a traditional Masters program isn't going to do it. When you're finished you'll just be a guy with a 2.8 sGPA and a MS. You'd be better off finding an academic enhancer postbacc or reputable SMP.

Does a postbacc always only include undergrad courses? If so, what would a graduated premed do that needs some GPA repair? For example, if the premed graduates with a 3.2 - 3.3 GPA with upward trend and wants MD schools, could this student do a postbacc by only including undergrad level course so that all the classes would boost BCPM GPA? The student has taken all the prereqs, so would they just take a variety of BCPM to help their GPA?

 

[Med Ed]

Does a postbacc always only include undergrad courses? If so, what would a graduated premed do that needs some GPA repair? For example, if the premed graduates with a 3.2 - 3.3 GPA with upward trend and wants MD schools, could this student do a postbacc by only including undergrad level course so that all the classes would boost BCPM GPA? The student has taken all the prereqs, so would they just take a variety of BCPM to help their GPA?

There are a zillion post-bacc programs for the study of areas both inside and outside of premed, so I hesitate to declare that they always include only undergraduate level courses. That said, they are readily distinguishable from traditional graduate programs, which tend to grade in a different manner than most undergraduate schemes.

GPA repair can take one of two forms. There is taking additional undergraduate courses to boost your cGPA, and there is just trying to get 30-60+ credits of A's between you and your academic blemishes.

 

[Chowdhury1000]

This is likely a Special Master's Program and is what you may need.

I spoke with the department, and adviser in charge of this program and she told me a good amount of the program's students do make it to a med school afterwards. ( I personally would be happy with DO if i can't get into MD), i'm studying hard to score well on the GRE to help get into this program.

 

[buckoh24]

Read this:
Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

Question about this: I havent had much success this cycle and may take a cycle off before applying. I am contemplating SMP or a regular masters or retake MCAT and work on ECs. Stat wise, my cGPA is 3.61 (3.84 last 2 years) and 3.45 (3.78 last 2 years) and 505-->511 GPA. Would a SMP do much for me since I have approx 155 credit hours?

 

[Goro]

Question about this: I havent had much success this cycle and may take a cycle off before applying. I am contemplating SMP or a regular masters or retake MCAT and work on ECs. Stat wise, my cGPA is 3.61 (3.84 last 2 years) and 3.45 (3.78 last 2 years) and 505-->511 GPA. Would a SMP do much for me since I have approx 155 credit hours?

Whoa whoa whoa whoa!!! Risign GPA trends are always good!

You don't need a post-bac or SMP...you need to get ready for the app cycle!
I recommend the following:
Your state MD schools
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
Any DO school
U Miami
Wake
EVMS
Temple
Jefferson
GWU
Gtown
Loyola
Netter
VCU
Tulane
Tufts

 

[buckoh24]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa!!! Risign GPA trends are always good!

You don't need a post-bac or SMP...you need to get ready for the app cycle!
I recommend the following:
Your state MD schools
Drexel
Albany
NYMC
Any DO school
U Miami
Wake
EVMS
Temple
Jefferson
GWU
Gtown
Loyola
Netter
VCU
Tulane
Tufts

Awesome. I applied to a lot of schools (38 cuz my dad pushed me to apply to some schools like UCSF, Cornell, etc which I had no chance). I still have 5 on those list and 5 state MD (thanks Ohio) to hear from. Tufts and GT already gave me the boot.

 

[Goro]

Awesome. I applied to a lot of schools (38 cuz my dad pushed me to apply to some schools like UCSF, Cornell, etc which I had no chance). I still have 5 on those list and 5 state MD (thanks Ohio) to hear from. Tufts and GT already gave me the boot.

Well, those were donations. But those schools really don't need the money.

And as a teaching moment, parents, out of love and ignorance, will do their best to sabotage your medical career. Please tell them "It's my career, not yours, and I'll apply to the schools I want to, and on my time line. And I still love you"

 

[buckoh24]

Well, those were donations. But those schools really don't need the money.

And as a teaching moment, parents, out of love and ignorance, will do their best to sabotage your medical career. Please tell them "It's my career, not yours, and I'll apply to the schools I want to, and on my time line. And I still love you"

Well I had my list and he was like "Im paying so you miss every shopt you dont take." So I just added those schools on top. Tho it made the secondary process much longer than I anticipated......

 

[Goro]

Well I had my list and he was like "Im paying so you miss every shopt you dont take." So I just added those schools on top. Tho it made the secondary process much longer than I anticipated......

*sigh*...parents. Treat your dad to an extra special Father's Day dinner, OK? He meant well, even though he has zero understanding of this process.

 

[Robin-jay]

I would recommend an SMP after a bachelors, although you can still get some love from medical schools with a traditional science masters degree. Make sure its actually a science masters though. You don't want to only increase your cumulative GPA and let your science GPA stay at 2.8 after a masters. You might be able to raise it to a 3.1 sGPA after your masters.

 

[Med Ed]

This is likely a Special Master's Program and is what you may need.

I believe it's one of the traditional MS programs offered through UF's Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.

 

[Med Ed]

I spoke with the department, and adviser in charge of this program and she told me a good amount of the program's students do make it to a med school afterwards. ( I personally would be happy with DO if i can't get into MD), i'm studying hard to score well on the GRE to help get into this program.

If my suspicion is correct about which program you are looking at, the average GPA of students admitted to the program is 3.5. The graduates who matriculate into medical school are likely starting from a stronger academic standpoint than you are. You currently do not meet the minimum GPA requirement for NOVA Southeastern. Your sGPA is barely over the minimum threshold at LECOM-B, and they state that to be competitive you really need at least a 3.2 cGPA and sGPA.

The point is that graduate GPAs get calculated separately in AMCAS, and even with a MS you will get screened out of many schools based on your undergraduate GPA. For schools that don't screen you out, a MS program still isn't going to fix your underlying academic deficiency.