Quickest Suggested Timeline For DIY Post-Bacc & Application

[2ndlifedoc]

Starting a career change and planning a DIY-Post Bacc (no pre-reqs from undergrad). Is it possible/suggested to do this in ~year taking 2-3 courses per semester, studying for/taking the MCAT and trying to get apps done in an earlier timeframe? I'm guessing this means minimal time to work for $ (since volunteering), the need to take some classes after applying, potentially not being able to apply right when cycles open, and potentially risking lower scores. Any former DIYers willing to share their timelines and tips?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[CoolBreezes]

Your timeline seems too aggressive to me. Completing the chemistry/biochemistry sequence required 5 semesters and I wouldn’t recommend taking the MCAT before biochemistry. So you’re looking at 2 years to complete prerequisites and an application year.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

Your best case scenario is applying in the Summer of 2024 for entry in 2025, and that means starting your prereqs this fall (bio 1, chem 1, physics 1). You'd knock out the bio 2/chem2/phys 2 in Spring '23, Then potentially Genetics and/or OChem1 Summer '23. OChem2 and another upper level bio Fall '23, then another upper bio Spring '24 + MCAT prep and apply Summer '24. Plus any other specific reqs the schools you are applying to require.

Take it from someone that did it DIY-- you do not want to rush this and apply with a less than stellar app. Minimal pre-reqs for someone that didn't do anything in college needs to showcase it all prior to applying. You can't apply with minimal science work when your competition by in large have entire bachelor's degrees dedicated to the stuff.

Edit: You actually would be better served enrolling in a SMP starting Summer '23 after you've knocked out some intro prereqs during Fall '22 and Spring '23. You'll get way more impressive graduate-level science coursework on your transcript for when you apply in the Summer of 2024 for entry in 2025. SMP >>> DIY.

 

[operaman]

Well I’ll share what I did but note that it’s a big risk and if you screw something up it could torpedo your chances entirely.

But basically I shaved it down to 9 months from start to acceptance and about 12-13 to the start of MS1. And this is with zero science background in undergrad. I was a music major and intentionally avoided any kind of serious science class - I took a class on acoustic that counted and another on the history science - basically what the artsy folks did to stay far from organic chemistry.

So for my DIY- I basically got a couple review books and watched Khan Academy and itunesU videos to teach myself mcat material. I took the mcat before my post bacc. I started with a early summer biochem 400 level class. Got permission to take it out of sequence. Then did the chemistry and calculus and maybe something else over the next 2 summer sessions. Then fall took orgo and physics and a couple upper level bio classes (didn’t think 101 would be that interesting after already taking the mcat). Spring the second half of the fall stuff plus more upper level bios. Accepted that spring and started that next summer. 4.0 GPA for the post bac and 90th percentile mcat - not bad for a guy whose last real science class was sophomore year….of high school!

The reason I did this was my state school didn’t require any pre reqs, just the mcat. So my initial plan was that I wouldn’t get in at all the first time, that I’d retake the mcat for a 99th percentile score and re apply, but I’d get a boost at my state school because they gave some preference to reapplicants. I wanted to ensure I got in and that seemed the best way. I also knew I could handle the workload and am a good test taker. There was some risk but I know myself pretty well and it was fine.

I’d never advise anyone else try it. Getting some Cs or bombing the mcat could have sunk my chances entirely. But it’s doable! Just gotta be creative and convince the undergrad science dept to let you do something unusual.

 

[2ndlifedoc]

Your timeline seems too aggressive to me. Completing the chemistry/biochemistry sequence required 5 semesters and I wouldn’t recommend taking the MCAT before biochemistry. So you’re looking at 2 years to complete prerequisites and an application year.

Your best case scenario is applying in the Summer of 2024 for entry in 2025, and that means starting your prereqs this fall (bio 1, chem 1, physics 1). You'd knock out the bio 2/chem2/phys 2 in Spring '23, Then potentially Genetics and/or OChem1 Summer '23. OChem2 and another upper level bio Fall '23, then another upper bio Spring '24 + MCAT prep and apply Summer '24. Plus any other specific reqs the schools you are applying to require.

Take it from someone that did it DIY-- you do not want to rush this and apply with a less than stellar app. Minimal pre-reqs for someone that didn't do anything in college needs to showcase it all prior to applying. You can't apply with minimal science work when your competition by in large have entire bachelor's degrees dedicated to the stuff.

Edit: You actually would be better served enrolling in a SMP starting Summer '23 after you've knocked out some intro prereqs during Fall '22 and Spring '23. You'll get way more impressive graduate-level science coursework on your transcript for when you apply in the Summer of 2024 for entry in 2025. SMP >>> DIY.

How do you explain the "official" Post-Baccs that do this in ~1YR? They seem to cram multiple classes on top of each-other, often not in perfect order.

Similar to Operman's comment, isn't there some merit if I can get this done in a year, even if I don't get in, I can re-apply the following year and will be on the same timeline and can bump up my stats? For context I am 30 and will be 31 this fall so every year has a pretty big impact financially/life trajectory/resilience-wise. I am also aiming for DO/regional schools as I want to stay local and practice Psych.

 

[Darrow O'Lykos]

How do you explain the "official" Post-Baccs that do this in ~1YR? They seem to cram multiple classes on top of each-other, often not in perfect order.

They do it in 1 year and then apply once completed, which is what I encourage you to do. Some applicants will apply when they start their SMP with the hopes of updating schools with their updated transcripts at the end of the Fall semester for a shot at Spring interviews to enroll the following Summer, but these are few and far between. These applicants also already have some breadth of a science background prior to starting their SMP and are just using the SMP to boost their grades, not make up for an entire lack of coursework to begin with.

Similar to Operman's comment, isn't there some merit if I can get this done in a year, even if I don't get in, I can re-apply the following year and will be on the same timeline and can bump up my stats? For context I am 30 and will be 31 this fall so every year has a pretty big impact financially/life trajectory/resilience-wise. I am also aiming for DO/regional schools as I want to stay local and practice Psych.

Re-applicants nationally do worse than first-time applicants at garnering interviews and acceptances. It's well-documented and you can read about that on this forum. @operaman said themself that their path is very much against the norm and that they'd advise against it. It might have worked for the 1 school they were targeting, but to set yourself up for success, you need to make yourself a competitive applicant at 30+ schools. Setting yourself up to be a re-applicant is foolish. Would you rather wait a year to apply and get in or have to re-apply 3 times and double the length needed to get in?

If you know that you have a weak application, you should not apply. Having very limited science coursework constitutes as having a weak application. There are too many other applicants that you're competing against that have what they are looking for, and at this point you simply do not. AdComs will not care that you have 30 hours scheduled between the time you apply and the following Summer. They can't see your performance in future coursework and therefore will not include it in considering the merits of your application. And in order to even get to the point of having the type of coursework that medical students have on their record prior to acceptance, you are looking at a minimum of what's been outlined above.

 

[CoolBreezes]

How do you explain the "official" Post-Baccs that do this in ~1YR? They seem to cram multiple classes on top of each-other, often not in perfect order.

Those programs are unlike offerings typically available to DIY post bacc candidates in that the classes are tightly integrated to allow them to be done in as short a time period as possible. And for that benefit, their students pay handsomely.

Similar to Operman's comment, isn't there some merit if I can get this done in a year, even if I don't get in, I can re-apply the following year and will be on the same timeline and can bump up my stats? For context I am 30 and will be 31 this fall so every year has a pretty big impact financially/life trajectory/resilience-wise. I am also aiming for DO/regional schools as I want to stay local and practice Psych.

I can appreciate how much the time required to move through this process weighs on you as an older applicant. and ultimately this is your decision to make. Feel free to leave my $0.02 on the counter.

 

[2ndlifedoc]

As a former postbac from a top program, I'd also add that in addition to tightly integrating everything, these programs make the courses substantially easier than undergrad equivalents. They do this in two ways: (1) by removing non-medical stuff from the curriculum (e.g., plant biology, calculus-based physics) and (2) by making grading easier.

As an example, the two semesters of organic chemistry + lab I completed at my postbac had an average grade of an A-. In addition, in all of the lab components, they didn't care how much yield you got on your practical experiments. (Perhaps some individual courses are like this in undergraduate DIY coursework. Frankly I wouldn't know since everything I know is all hearsay from friends.) All-in-all, the postbac was very chill.

My bigger point is that if you're deadset on doing this in one year, you should seriously consider the top programs (Bryn Mawr, Scripps, Goucher) because if you get in your odds of getting accepted to med school either through a linkage or after a glide year are >90%. Also, your time doing the program will likely be easier than if you had done it all in regular undergrad classes. Here's a helpful list of the top programs with their rates of admission to MD programs and the percent of student attrition - Best Premed Post-Bacc Programs for Career Changers (2022) - PERSONAL PREMED

Obviously, this route is more expensive than the DIY and it's not for everyone. But it should be considered if you're trying to maximize speed, minimize difficulty of coursework, and maximize outcomes!

Thanks for sharing! Do you mind me asking what program you were in? I had looked into Michigan's program and while I think the eventual placement into med school is solid, it didn't seem like many people got linkage and some had multiple gap years. I also believe their students take the regular undergrad courses so that might be part of the reason compared to your experience.