**Rate your SMP & Postbac**

[indy488]

I posted this on another thread and under the suggestion of SDN.com member "Kaustikos", I am posting the same message here:

I would rate my level of dissatisfaction at a ten and would suggest the aspiring preprofessional look into other post-baccalaureate programs.

The selling point for many students in this program is that their entry into, and successful completion of, this year-long program will result in acceptance into professional schools. The message we received seven days ago from our "adviser" (which will be discussed later) suggests otherwise:
"Now let’s move on to what you can expect this year. The IUSM admissions committee has been carefully looking at data from new applicants (current college and university seniors) at the same time as students who are part way through (one semester in your cases) an advanced degree. This is a change from the practice in previous years, which was that students from this and other graduate programs were reviewed early in spring as a group and admissions decisions were made separately for that group. Now these decisions are made across all applicants. For some in the program admission may be granted early and for others it will be delayed until second semester grades are available. This means that some students who did not receive offers early in the admissions cycle will be placed on the wait list in May. We have every reason to be hopeful that admission from the wait list for students in the program will be more common this year. We also believe that high performing students who are waitlisted but not admitted for 2011 will be in a good position from the outset for admission next year."
The message goes on to read:
"We wish we could be more specific but please remember that this is our first time through this new process as well."

Which leads into the second low point of this program: lack of adequate advising. While advisers were certainly helpful in two thirty-minute long appointments to schedule our coursework for first and second semester (and explaining to every student that they were contractually-bound to complete the program), there have been several instances throughout the year that myself, and my colleagues, have attempted to meet for advice regarding grade grievance or attempts to try to understand why masses of students are being placed on wait lists, and answers are met with uncertainty at best. It seems as though because students enter and exit this program within one year, there is inadequate advising and very few faculty members willing to advocate for a student whose name they don't even know.

While one may think that this a student's response to an unsuccessful completion of this program, I will suggest that I have finished both semesters well above a 3.5 grade point average - which certainly took a great deal of effort on my part, which is to be expected from the program. However, cheating has run rampant throughout the year and has come to the forefront within the past few weeks - yet, nothing has been done to counteract these measures even though students have told several professors about the "state-school clique" that cheat on every one of their exams. While faculty are certainly aware and have taken time out lectures to provide open threats to lecture halls full of students, academic dishonesty is an integral part of this program.

I have finished my year, got the grades I needed, but I cannot stress how myself, and many of my colleagues, are leaving with terrible tastes in our mouths because of the way this program has concluded.

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[336]

anyone have any experience or information about this maters program at tulane?

 

[PHNB2010]

So I've been browsing around on SDN to get some feedback on particular SMPs but am still unsure. I've gotten into programs at UMDNJ, Columbia's Nutrition masters, U of MD (Molecular Medicine and in-state), RF, NYMC traditional track and waitlisted at Tufts.

Each program has its pros and cons, but can certainly take out NYMC because of its lack of incorporating Medical School classes.

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on what program would be the best to accept? I'm leaning towards either RF of Maryland...

About me: 3.3 ugpa, 3.3 science, BS neurobiology (high honors) and BA middle eastern history. 3 years research and extensive clinical volunteer experience, along with several international volunteer stuff.

 

[deleted248403]

PHNB2010 - Take Columbia's Nutrition program out too - it wont help you enough. You need a true SMP, Columbia's program isnt that

 

[PHNB2010]

PHNB2010 - Take Columbia's Nutrition program out too - it wont help you enough. You need a true SMP, Columbia's program isnt that

Thanks! Yeah I definitely am taking that out as an option. i sent in my depost to RF and am waiting on Tufts to hear back about the waitlist. Thanks!

 

[James Sacket]

Drexel IMS 2009-2010

Pros:
1. You're graded against the medical class average.
2. The broadcasting and accessibility of the lectures online.
3. Individual tutoring.
4. Great lecture note handouts (I didn't use textbooks).

Cons:
1. Expensive (tuition and cost of living)
2. We don't have live lecturers.
3. Inconsiderate/rude staff members (exclude professors & deans), not all of them were, but the overall impression I got was most of them weren't happy with their jobs.

Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Yes!

A rating from 1-5:
5 (3 if you take their staff service into account)

 

[leahy]

.

 

[wallsttomd]

FIRST: List your program and your year and then

Scripps College Post Baccalaureate Premedical Program - Class of 2010

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)

Pros:
Learning environment: The classrooms are very small and the professors are very easy to get to know and focussed on teaching you the material rather than research. This is important because they will put time into making you understand the material (as long as you're willing to put time into it) and once they get to know you, they can write a good letter of recommendation.

Size of the program: There are at most 15 students (sometimes fewer) in the program at a time, so it really is a tight knit group of people. We all became close friends by the end of the program.

Advising: Since the program is relatively small, you have pretty open access to the program director and faculty advisor. They will also write a really long and extensive committee letter for you. I didn't realize how important this was until so many of my interviewers at medical schools mentioned how awesome my letters were.

Location: It's in Southern California! Scripps has the weather, access to a large metropolitan area, and located in a quiet suburban environment. It's not a terrible place to spend a year of your life.

Length of the program: This program will allow you to finish all your premedical prerequisites in one year. Starting with chem in the summer, you should be ready to take the MCAT by the next summer.

Volunteer/Internship Opportunities: There are many hospitals and research institutions in the area. Many of us had shadowing experiences at City of Hope which is a research hospital focused on treatment of cancer. There were other people who went to other teaching hospitals to do preceptorships, research and volunteering. Scripps has relationships with different physicians at various institutions in the area that will help you get placed with these opportunities.

Cons:
Cost of the tuition: It's a private school so it's a bit expensive, but still cheaper than the undergraduate tuition at the school.

Few linkage opportunities: Scripps still has linkages options (like Temple, Drexel, George Washington, WesternU, Pitt...) but not as many as its larger competitors like Bryn Mawr

Location: For those who are more into an urban environment, Claremont really isn't very urban... Some people might consider it boring. Although LA is about 30 minutes away, I'm not sure if too many students will have that much free time to hang out in LA all the time.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

I took the basic premed courses like: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics and Biology. They were all two semesters long with labs. The program starts with a year of gen chem condensed down during the two summer sessions. It's very manageable and the professor is awesome. During the fall, I took intro Physics, Biology and Organic Chemistry with labs. During the spring, I took the second semester intro to Physics and Organic Chemistry and Cell Biology (upper level, molecular based biology that some med schools require). Some people take physiology during the spring to prep for the MCAT or just second semester intro to Bio. There's some flexibility in that. There was also one person in the program who took biochem and genetics during the fall and spring semesters on top of everything. You are also allowed to stretch out the program into 1.5 years or 2 years depending on how you configure your course load.

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program

I think most people expect that they will work very hard during their post bac program and they should expect that. But I think it's also important to learn to manage time and take some time to relax--especially during the summer and fall semester. Since the spring semester with the harder courses and the MCAT prep is much more difficult, enjoy the summer and fall!

Also... don't use the reputation or track record of the program as a crutch. Scripps has an amazing track record for getting people into medical school, but that's not necessarily because of the program. It is largely the result of the hard work that you will put in. The program definitely facilitates your success, but the results are mostly dependent on you.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

Even though it's a tough year, you'd be surprised by how much fun it can be. Since the program is so small, you get to make really close friends that you can bond with over the agonies of that last physics test you took or studying for the MCAT. It really is a tremendous help as you will be under a lot of stress.

5) Tips for students applying to your program

Make sure you demonstrate that you really want to be a physician or dentist or veterinarian.. etc. So make sure you have experiences in the health care settings and a story as to why you decided to change career paths. It's also important that you can demonstrate that you can handle the rigors of the program (especially quantitatively). If you have a bad grade on a math class that you took in college, you should have a good explanation of what happened to help the admissions committee to be assured that you can handle the courses.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.

YES! And most of my classmates who applied this year are having great success.

7) Anything else you'd like to add

You should reach out to DeEttra Mulay (http://www.scrippscollege.edu/academics/postbac/index.php) -- the program director -- if you have questions about applying. When I was deciding on applying, I contacted the program director at the time and she was very helpful.

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

5 - I was very pleased with the caliber of the program.

 

[caps1219]

Does anyone have a review for the Rosalind Franklin Post-Bacc Program?

 

[BigJ28]

Tulane Pharm...anyone?

 

[goodvibes]

BU MAMS

Pros:
Take all medical school courses.

Excellent faculty.

Not competitive. There's definitely a sense of solidarity amongst classmates, which is awesome.

Peer mentoring - these are former MAMS students who are now in the med school. They're great people to know, and they know how to succeed in the program/application process. They also will give you honest feedback and opinions.

The BU gym (FitRec) - amazing facility.

Cons
It's expensive! But let's be realistic here, what program isn't?

It's difficult to do really well - you're taking med school classes for grades, whereas med students take the same classes pass/fail. Professors want you to do well, but they don't make adjustments for this delineation.

There's not much around the med campus in terms of things to do/places to eat.

The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
Biochemistry - 1st semester
Physiology - 1st and 2nd semester
Prenatal Genetics/Embryology - 1st semester
Biostats - 2nd semester
Medical Immunology - 2nd semester
Endocrinology - 2nd semester
Pathology - 2nd semester
Thesis - 2nd year

Something they wished they knew coming into the program, & Tips for Applying
If you've been out of school for several years refresh yourself on basic sciences/pre-med prereqs. I wouldn't have been ready for the program if that stuff hadn't been fresh in my mind.

If you don't want to take histology, remember that it's an elective. A lot of my classmates felt pressured to stay in histology because BU preregistered everyone for it. It's a ton of work and there's a steep learning curve, so it may not be the best class to take if you're trying to get straight A's.

Don't buy any textbooks. Use review books for the medical boards instead - they're thorough, concise, and have good practice problems. Lippincott is basically our unofficial biochem text; BRS Physiology and Costanzo; Lange Immunology; Goljian Pathology

Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
You need to work hard. Think of this as your last chance, and take everything seriously because every point counts...1 question can be the difference between an A- and an A. Go in with the mantra of "No regrets" in terms of putting in full effort and not regretting your decisions/choices. Throughout the year as long as I tried my best, I could live with the grades I got.

Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Yet to be determined.

Is the program linkage successful?
Looking at people ahead of me in the program, it seems to be successful. BU considers MAMS students in a different pool, so at the very least our application will get looked at (which may not be true had we just applied as a normal applicant). That being said, only a small fraction of each MAMS class actually matriculates to the med school. I'm not sure how much of that is that people had other options though or they just didn't get in.

A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
5. This is a great program, just come prepared to work your butt off. Good luck!

 

[icaruswalks]

I would agree with everything that has been written in your post with the followingg addendum:

First, BU-MAMS Jan. 2008 (grad.)
Second, most of my classmates who worked hard eventually got in...
Third, even though BU histology isn't required and is considered an elective, it's probably one of the courses where I learned the most! The histo professors are great, the labs were awesome, and they have one of the best histo classes in the country. While my current classmates at my school moan and groan when it comes to histology, I've had no issues what soever with histo, even for step 1... if you can take it, I would!

That being said, be ready to work your tail off. Seriously. Cannot be emphasized enough. The more effort you put in, the better your outcome.

Good luck goodvibes!

BU MAMS

Pros:
Take all medical school courses.

Excellent faculty.

Not competitive. There's definitely a sense of solidarity amongst classmates, which is awesome.

Peer mentoring - these are former MAMS students who are now in the med school. They're great people to know, and they know how to succeed in the program/application process. They also will give you honest feedback and opinions.

The BU gym (FitRec) - amazing facility.

Cons
It's expensive! But let's be realistic here, what program isn't?

It's difficult to do really well - you're taking med school classes for grades, whereas med students take the same classes pass/fail. Professors want you to do well, but they don't make adjustments for this delineation.

There's not much around the med campus in terms of things to do/places to eat.

The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
Biochemistry - 1st semester
Physiology - 1st and 2nd semester
Prenatal Genetics/Embryology - 1st semester
Biostats - 2nd semester
Medical Immunology - 2nd semester
Endocrinology - 2nd semester
Pathology - 2nd semester
Thesis - 2nd year

Something they wished they knew coming into the program, & Tips for Applying
If you've been out of school for several years refresh yourself on basic sciences/pre-med prereqs. I wouldn't have been ready for the program if that stuff hadn't been fresh in my mind.

If you don't want to take histology, remember that it's an elective. A lot of my classmates felt pressured to stay in histology because BU preregistered everyone for it. It's a ton of work and there's a steep learning curve, so it may not be the best class to take if you're trying to get straight A's.

Don't buy any textbooks. Use review books for the medical boards instead - they're thorough, concise, and have good practice problems. Lippincott is basically our unofficial biochem text; BRS Physiology and Costanzo; Lange Immunology; Goljian Pathology

Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
You need to work hard. Think of this as your last chance, and take everything seriously because every point counts...1 question can be the difference between an A- and an A. Go in with the mantra of "No regrets" in terms of putting in full effort and not regretting your decisions/choices. Throughout the year as long as I tried my best, I could live with the grades I got.

Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Yet to be determined.

Is the program linkage successful?
Looking at people ahead of me in the program, it seems to be successful. BU considers MAMS students in a different pool, so at the very least our application will get looked at (which may not be true had we just applied as a normal applicant). That being said, only a small fraction of each MAMS class actually matriculates to the med school. I'm not sure how much of that is that people had other options though or they just didn't get in.

A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
5. This is a great program, just come prepared to work your butt off. Good luck!

 

[SoccerDocker]

I posted my review back on 30Mar09 but at that point I hadn't applied to schools yet, so I couldn't speak to how effective it was for me. I applied after the IMS year and stayed on for the MMS year.

I said I would update, so - yes I believe the program greatly strengthened my application. I went on 6 allopathic interviews and 1 osteopathic interview. I was accepted straightaway by the D.O. school in October, and at this point have been accepted into 2 of the allopathic schools. I haven't been rejected from any schools post-interview yet (knock on wood!) - still waiting to hear from them.. should know within the next few weeks.

So in summary, it was worth it for me. I know a lot of people on SDN give the Drexel program grief, but I don't think I would have received as many chances as I did this cycle if I hadn't done the program. As a caveat, I was also very involved in volunteering, research, and shadowing throughout the IMS (not only the MMS) year, so it wasn't just a year of grades that I brought to the table. Good luck, guys.

Really? How did you balance all that school work w/ volunteering, research and shadowing and still maintain a 3.5? Very impressive. I heard the admins specifically advises against doing that sort of stuff while in the program. Thanks for your review. If accepted, I would like to continue doing all that good stuff, but feel it would be distracting...how were you able to balance it effectively?

 

[deleted407805]

Pros: Small class sizes (largest class had just 35-40 students), collaborative atmosphere, interesting classmates, attentive postbac adviser (paid for me to have MCAT tutors when I couldn't afford a prep course!), efficient one-year program, beautiful campus, linkages to medical schools in Philadelphia and DC, and highly accessible faculty (professors have 5-10 office hours per week).

Cons: Cost ($36,000 tuition for 12-month program), and pitiful lack of nightlife in Claremont.

Courses: Two semesters of general chemistry over the summer; biology, organic chemistry and physics in the fall; and organic chemistry, physics and vertebrate physiology (for medical school applicants) in the spring. The summer general chemistry requires a lot of time, but at least is taught by a very enthusiastic and straightforward professor. The courses taught over the academic year are manageable, even with a campus job and MCAT studying, so long as you have the discipline to put work first, play second. Also, all of the organic chemistry faculty are amazing teachers!

I'd like to tell incoming students that the program is doable. Remember what your priorities are and your reason for starting the program in the first place - to do well in prerequisite classes for medical school! - and give due effort to your coursework and MCAT studies. If that means you drink or play sports with your classmates only every other weekend instead of every weekend, then so be it! Even while working 6-8 hours a week, volunteering, shadowing and studying for the MCAT, I pulled a 4.0 in the program and scored a 36 on the MCAT. I also worked out three times a week and got seven hours of sleep a night, and the only all-nighter I pulled during the program was the night before I was supposed to meet my adviser with a list of possible medical schools (my list that evening had zero medical schools; by 7am, thirty). This program is very reasonable!

If you're interested in applying to the program, apply early! Although the application deadline is March 1, last year the class was apparently full by mid-January. Also, make sure you have some volunteer, research, shadowing, or some other medically-related experience to discuss in your personal statement and interview. If you completely lack any science courses on your transcript or if your science grades were poor, consider taking a chemistry course at a community college to show the admissions committee that you can probably do well in the sciences.

I'm currently applying to medical school for matriculation in 2012, and I'm certainly hoping the program will help my application!

I give the Scripps College Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program a 5, my full recommendation. The only thing they could do better is to line up jobs for its graduates, the way another post-baccalaureate program does.

 

[TheYeren]

Ah accidental post disregard.

 

[ahsansad]

DOES ANYONE KNOW, IF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL PREVIOUSLY HAS ACCEPTED SMP STUDENTS?

I KNOW I AM POSTING IT IN A WRONG PLACE BUT I FIGURED YOU GUYS MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IT TOO.

thanks!

 

[SisterDisco08]

DOES ANYONE KNOW, IF UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDICAL SCHOOL PREVIOUSLY HAS ACCEPTED SMP STUDENTS?

I KNOW I AM POSTING IT IN A WRONG PLACE BUT I FIGURED YOU GUYS MIGHT BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IT TOO.

thanks!

SMP or not, Dr. Ruiz (director of admissions) told me to my face that unless applicants have a 3.7 science GPA and a 35+ MCAT there is no point in applying, because they spend 3 minutes on each app, and if your scores are below that they'll spend 2.5 talking about how you don't deserve to be there.

I would just look elsewhere.

 

[Akoma]

Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition Class of 2007

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)

Pros:
1. Strong emphasis on clinical applications dealing with nutrition and disease.
2. Graduate program within the College of Physicians and Surgeons.
3. Several required courses (Growth and Development, Molecular Nutrition) use faculty members from P&S.
4. Vast research opportunities (e.g. Ophthalmology, wound healing, neurology, various dental topics, etc).
5. Allowed to take courses within the Mailman School of Public Health, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Teacher's College.
6. World class medical faculty and facilities.
7. New York City.

Cons:
1. Cost (tuition is comparable to most programs, but the cost of living is a major problem).
2. Some of the faculty are disorganized (e.g. Biochemistry/Physiology). Material is what you would expect, but the faculty member teaching the course is a disappointment to the institute. She will most likely NOT be teaching the course due to the numerous complaints this year.
3. "Special Studies" course (designed to help students with their thesis) is the biggest waste of time. Hopefully they will restructure this course, as many of us complained about its irrelevance to our education.
4. Neighborhood isn't unsafe, but it's definitely not the safest place to be at night. Additionally, Washington Heights is very boring and there is a major lack of food sources around campus.



2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
1. Biochemistry/Physiology I/II
2. Epidemiology
3. Growth and Development
4. Clinical Nutrition
5. Molecular Nutrition
6. Readings in Human Nutrition -- Assigned packets (generally 4-8 articles) of recent research published on topics such as cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, cholesterol, retinoids, etc. You are required to discuss, in detail, all aspects of each article the following week. Class is split up into smaller groups (15-17 students) to allow for better discussion.
7. History and Philosophy of Public Health
8. Special Studies (see comments above)
9. Foods in Human Nutrition (bonehead course, fun but time consuming).
10. U.S and International Nutrition Policy. One of the faculty members for this course is director of UNICEF.
11. Molecular Toxicology
12. Medical Ecology

3) Something you wished you knew coming into the program
1. Just how expensive NYC can be.

4) Something you would like to tell incoming students about your program
1. Overall, the program is strong. It has a very strong reputation and you will be surrounded by many opportunities. However, be prepared to deal with some disorganization on the part of the administration and faculty. Hopefully with the complaints from the class of 2007 they will clean up some of the issues we faced. I know that they will be selecting student representatives to communicate the needs of the student body to the faculty (something the class of 2007 did not have).

5) Tips for students applying to your program
1. Apply early. Show that you have some sort of interest in nutrition. A decent academic record and good LORs should get you in.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Yup! I will be attending my 1st choice this fall!

7) Anything else you'd like to add
Just do it, you know you want to.

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
4.5

---

What are the requirements to get into this program? What are the stats of those applying to medical school? On average %

 

[czesc]

Does anyone know anything about the Cornell DNS Post Bac program? I was accepted but it is a lot of money and there is hardly anything on their website.

 

[vindicate]

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)

Since most people already know IMS Philly, I will only discuss what I perceived to be the differences in the first year of IMS Sacramento.

Location: 2nd floor in One Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento. Just over the gold colored bridge. The facilities and classrooms were good. Though by second semester, most everyone was watching the lectures from home (which I hear is the norm). Our contact with the east coast was made through video conferences.

Initially, I was very concerned about not being able to communicate with professors during lectures. Specifically, IMS Philly watches live broadcast of the lectures and have the ability to ask questions during lectures. IMS Sacramento only had the capacity to watch the recorded videos only. As an avid learner through questions, I thought that was a sour point of IMS Sacramento. But I soon realized, no one in IMS Philly nor the medical school asked questions. The material (based on modules) didn't have complex concepts that needed questions to resolve. And perhaps there was the fear of looking silly in front of your peers by asking a basic question. But no one, from IMS Philly or the Med school, during the last year, asked questions during a lecture. Eventually, the fact that professors knew the 16 members of the IMS Sacramento by name, came to outweigh the never used potential to ask questions in IMS Philly. Also, any e-mail I wrote to professors were answered immediately.

Whereas IMS Philly has tutors, Dr. S, and Laura, we have our own adjunct faculty which comprised of 3 PhD staff, one of which was a saint for our class. Given that we were the 'guinea pigs' (ie first IMS outside Philly), there were many bumps along the way. However, with every bump was Dr. Cay, the coordinator for the program in Sacramento, adamantly working to resolve, restore, or meet our requests. Her support was really helpful to the success of the class last year. Also, Dr. S made 4 visits and met with each student in private meetings to give counseling, advice, etc. Laura made 1 visit.

I should mention: through every course, every exam, and quiz up until neuroscience, IMS Sacramento had higher averages than either the Medical School year 1 or IMS Philly.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

Medical Biochemistry, Microanatomy, Immunology, Physiology, Nutrition, Neuroscience, and Medicine & Society.

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program

So at beginning of second semester, they gave awards to those with "high academic achievement." They gave this award, not to those with the highest GPA, but with the most total cumulative points.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

Just study. Don't lose points early on. The work load gets intense by November.

5) Tips for students applying to your program

N/A

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?

I'll update after this year when I apply.

7) Anything else you'd like to add

N/A

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

4.5
TL;DR - great program, great support, no regrets.

 

[Jlaw]

Program: Manhattanville
Year: Fall 2009- Spring 2011

Pros: Easy to get into, professors are fair and helpful, campus is nice, no problems registering/getting into classes I need.

Cons: Expensive, part time limits you to 11 credits per semester. The older facilities have a cheap community college/high school type feel to them. Program is very loosely structured so don't expect lots of help and handholding in terms of advising- you will need to seek it out on your own. Some of the professors are not the greatest but if you do the work on your own you will do well.

Classes taken: All the basic sciences- organic and general chem, bio, physics, plus biochem and medicinal chem.

What I would tell others: If you are looking for a no frills post bacc or don't have a high enough GPA to get into other programs then this is a great option. Just keep in mind you won't have a ton of structure/support so you've got to be pretty proactive in getting into classes, putting your applications together and taking the MCAT. There is one advisor for the program who means well but is fairly useless. If Mville had to improve one area I think it would be this.

Tips for those applying: None, just apply.

Did it help me get into med school: Haven't applied yet so we will see.

Rating: 5. I did well and enjoyed it.

 

[DarlingDDS]

Hunter College Premed Postbac Program 2010

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)
PROS: Not difficult to be accepted and enroll. The cost is so much more economical than other NYC options, and if you can prove New York residency you get further discounts. Pretty much all classes are available on evenings and weekends, which is very helpful for working students - NYC is so expensive I don't know how you could take classes here without working. While postbacs were mixed with undergrads, if you took evening and weekend classes, the postbacs took up a sizeable portion of the class. Great location in the city. Classes aren't super hard, but if you don't put in time studying you will not get that A - definitely manageable. Most of the other students are very friendly and I had no trouble seeking them out (mostly in lab) and making friends.
CONS: Advising for the program and the departments is variable and their regular hours are constantly changing - several times I have gone to regular hours only to find they've been cancelled or someone has been out to lunch for the past 5 hours. Program requires 15 hours of volunteer work for Hunter, but this is very loosely structured and very few options were available to complete the requirement. Variable teaching - some lab instructors and professors were great and really got the point across, some were incredibly difficult to follow and couldn't answer the most basic question, which really made me doubt their professor selection process. Labs also varied - Bio labs were pretty organized and seemed to have better equipment and experiments, Gen chem labs seemed more ancient and the lab manual was house made and dated. Bio department had plenty of options for free tutoring and extra TA teaching sessions, Chem department included TA teaching sessions with the class registration but never actually had them or had them sparingly.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description: Bio - huge lecture hall of 700 students, more intimate lab setting, TA sessions every week and Bio teaching center, very difficult exams, average difficulty labs, great professor and lab instructor. Gen Chem - medium lecture hall of 80 students, more intimate lab setting, no TA sessions, very easy exams, very difficult online homework, very time consuming lab reports, lab instructor more informative than professor.

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program: I almost did not get into the program since you have to apply both CUNY and to Hunter separately and they give conflicting information on what is needed to apply. Hunter will say something is absolutely not required while CUNY says it is. Check, check, and double check.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program: Expect to have to go the extra mile to get what you need from the program and faculty in terms of advising, letters etc., it won't be handed to you. Just stay on top of your needs for your career path, stay organized, study hard, and you'll be fine!

5) Tips for students applying to your program: Do not take application instructions for granted. Make sure to call both Cuny and Hunter to make sure everything is order as they will not reach out to you if something is missing.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.? Hope so - haven't applied yet. I am moving to Chicago and continuing at the Northwestern program, so I think it was helpful to get into that program.

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
I'll give it a 4 based on it's lower cost classes and very flexible class schedule. For what you are paying the value overall is pretty good. You will get what you need to apply to med school. The other students are pretty enthusiastic about the program and getting into medical school.

 

[Dave Chester]

Drexel Pathway to Medical School Program

Pros:
- You take 2 medical classes (Biochem & Physio) graded against medical class.
- You get admitted straight to Drexel Med if you do well.

Cons:
- Expensive tuition & living expenses
- Malignant administration--the staff aren't responsive to your needs. And soon you'll find out that every advice they give you is for the best of their program's reputation; my friends from other postbaccs at Drexel felt the same: The administrators are very money-driven and do not have your best interest in mind.
- At the beginning of the program, we were 'warned' that some staff & students might treat us with prejudice and/or jealousy, which turned out true. Rude office staff who "forgot" that you paid to get their service. Enough said.
- Anatomy class: The most monstrous 4-credit class you'll ever take. The content you have to master (I really mean *master*) is the same as that of medical school, but the medical students have a whole year to learn it, you have only 1 semester, so that makes it twice as hard. The exams in this class are ridiculously hard & trickier than any medical school exams that ever exist.
- If the administrator ever says the acceptance rate to med school is >70%, it's a lie. None of the acceptance rates so far has been close to 70%.

Something I would like to tell incoming students about your program:
You cannot afford to score lower than C in any class or you'll lose your seat at Drexel Med as well as close to destroy your chances at any schools you may apply to later (I got lower than a C in Anatomy; thanks god I made it into a DO school at last because my cGPA is still over 3.0 but it took 2 years for me to recover. I wish I'd never done DPMS program because my only weakness was my MCAT, which could be overcome without the program). With the way the system is set up (credit distribution, the difficulty & number of classes you're taking), getting 2 C's and your GPA is irrecoverable, meaning you'll close all doors to US med schools.
Unless this postbacc is your last, desperate hope to get into med school, it's too huge a risk, and is not worth putting in the efforts. You'd better spend your one year doing medical research, volunteering or even taking science classes at a local community college. Everyone should understand what he/she's getting into: (1) the administration at Drexel is bad as everyone says it is, (2) the people who run the program have no say in medical school admissions process as well as no knowledge--sometimes false knowledge--of med school application; sometimes they tell you anecdotes about how student A or B from the program got into med schools (other than Drexel) with sub-3.0 GPA and sub-30 MCAT and that once you're in the program, you have pretty good chances at med school, blah... but the reality is, even if you're a minority with amazing ECs and those stats, it's an uphill battle, a miracle, if you ever get into med school at all, (3) you take only 2 medical classes, (4) The reality is a lot of students from this program who didn't make it into Drexel Med had to change careers. It's a sad truth to know that they had spent so much time & money into it only to have their dream crushed, (5) if you failed to make into Drexel Med, the admins would start treating you like a failure that ruined their program's reputation and they wouldn't even help you on your process of applying to whatever schools you chose later.
So...in the end, it's your choice, but know what you're getting yourself into!

 

[bluesky711]

Drexel IMS

The only thing good about this program is the number of med courses you're allowed to take. Still you have to compete with the medical class for a grade, which is either a pro or con depends on how you see it.
Most advisors don't even understand the application process enough to give you advice. One advisor will recommend that you do something while another gives you a completely opposite advice.
Very disorganized, bad administration, terrible staff (excluding professors/faculty), bad location, awful library.
About the guaranteed interview: Everyone with a 27 (no less than 9 in any section) MCAT and B or above in all courses is offered a guaranteed interview with DUCOM. Some people thought they wanted you when they interviewed you, but that's not the case. A guaranteed interview with DUCOM doesn't mean anything other than a contract to be kept, so don't put much hope into it. For my class, they interviewed about 40 IMSers and accepted less than 9 into DUCOM. It is still a normal intense application process that you're in. Plenty of people end up going DO schools, plenty change careers after their IMS year. Also, like people have said, Drexel is very very money-driven.
Something I wished I knew: I don't need this program to get into med school.

Rating: 2/5

 

[high5]

BU MAMS 2009-2011

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)
PROS: Get to take same exact classes as medical students. Professors and advisers all treat you like you're future medical students and doctors. Faculty and staff extremely helpful

CONS: None. It's a lot of work, but that's expected.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description: All classes that the med students have to take (ie. biochem, physio, histo, immuno, endo, etc).

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program: A lot of work, especially since you're going for those A's. Spend most of your time studying, but if you can - try to do some kind of EC...it separates you from everyone else who's only studying.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program: Work hard, be confident -- get the best grades you can. Do an EC that will not only add to your application, but also remind you why you want to be a doctor and serve people in the first place.

5) Tips for students applying to your program: Follow the directions...not much to it.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.? Yes. My GPA was 3.2 coming out of undergrad (strong upward trend though). Had no shadowing, no clinical or research experience. Very poor candidate on paper. Did well, got involved in shadowing, clinical, etc. and matriculated into BUSM (can't count on getting into BUSM...only 10-15 outta ~200, but I know many others who got into different schools either MD or DO).

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
5/5 - if you do your part...the program, faculty and staff will do theirs.

 

[zdent]

FIRST: List your program and your year and then
Specifically, Id like to see users here comment about

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)
2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program
4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
5) Tips for students applying to your program
6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
7) Anything else you'd like to add
8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey guys!

I'm currently in the Master's of Biomedical Sciences at Regis University (9 month program, graduate in May, 2012) (Denver, CO)

1. I certainly saw many pros with Regis' BMS program when applying to SMP's. It is a private school, with much dedication given to developing the program (we are the inaugural class). The program has been developed so that it is much like the first year of dental or medical school, which will give credibility when applying to dental and medical schools. The tuition is around $22,000, but is well worth the cost! When applying to SMP's I was very happy with the learning environment they were culminating. Though many SMP's will offer classes with other master's students, PhD students and undergrads, in this program we only have classes with the other 21 people in the class. They emphasize team learning as well as traditional learning, which is a very well-rounded teaching style. The faculty is wonderful and really willing to work with your individual needs. They push our class, so the program is difficult, though they want all of us to succeed. Regis' campus is beautiful, with a variety of newer buildings and traditional buildings, and the school is located in Denver, Colorado.

2. The classes which are taken in the include:
Pre-fall... a 4 day biomedical seminar I
Fall...biochemistry, genetics, physiology (and lab), human anatomy (with cadaver), and biomedical seminar II
pre-spring...a 4 day biomedical seminar III
Spring.... human anatomy II, microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, biostatistics, biomedical ethics, and biomedical seminar IV

The classes in the fall and spring are 4 days a week and start after 12:30 pm to allow for internship and volunteer activities (these are required as part of the seminars, with a final project tied in with these).

3. I can't think of anything that I wasn't aware of regarding the program prior to starting. Any questions I had were answered very timely by a Regis faculty member.

4./5. If you are a student who is not sure where you want to go in biomedicine, this is a great program! (Our class is mostly students wanting to attend medical and dental school, though some are still undecided). This program also provides much help throughout the application process to both medical and dental school's which is very helpful!

6. I will be applying to dental school in June of 2012 after graduating from this program.

7. For further questions check out the program's website: http://www.regis.edu/regis.asp?sctn=rcmsbs
also, there is a facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Regis...Biomedical-Sciences-Post-Bacc/151714431554088

8. 5

~Kelly

 

[thn1401]

Drexel Pathway to Medical School Program

Pros:
- You take 2 medical classes (Biochem & Physio) graded against medical class.
- You get admitted straight to Drexel Med if you do well.

Cons:
- Expensive tuition & living expenses
- Malignant administration--the staff aren't responsive to your needs. And soon you'll find out that every advice they give you is for the best of their program's reputation; my friends from other postbaccs at Drexel felt the same: The administrators are very money-driven and do not have your best interest in mind.
- At the beginning of the program, we were 'warned' that some staff & students might treat us with prejudice and/or jealousy, which turned out true. Rude office staff who "forgot" that you paid to get their service. Enough said.
- Anatomy class: The most monstrous 4-credit class you'll ever take. The content you have to master (I really mean *master*) is the same as that of medical school, but the medical students have a whole year to learn it, you have only 1 semester, so that makes it twice as hard. The exams in this class are ridiculously hard & trickier than any medical school exams that ever exist.
- If the administrator ever says the acceptance rate to med school is >70%, it's a lie. None of the acceptance rates so far has been close to 70%.

Something I would like to tell incoming students about your program:
You cannot afford to score lower than C in any class or you'll lose your seat at Drexel Med as well as close to destroy your chances at any schools you may apply to later (I got lower than a C in Anatomy; thanks god I made it into a DO school at last because my cGPA is still over 3.0 but it took 2 years for me to recover. I wish I'd never done DPMS program because my only weakness was my MCAT, which could be overcome without the program). With the way the system is set up (credit distribution, the difficulty & number of classes you're taking), getting 2 C's and your GPA is irrecoverable, meaning you'll close all doors to US med schools.
Unless this postbacc is your last, desperate hope to get into med school, it's too huge a risk, and is not worth putting in the efforts. You'd better spend your one year doing medical research, volunteering or even taking science classes at a local community college. Everyone should understand what he/she's getting into: (1) the administration at Drexel is bad as everyone says it is, (2) the people who run the program have no say in medical school admissions process as well as no knowledge--sometimes false knowledge--of med school application; sometimes they tell you anecdotes about how student A or B from the program got into med schools (other than Drexel) with sub-3.0 GPA and sub-30 MCAT and that once you're in the program, you have pretty good chances at med school, blah... but the reality is, even if you're a minority with amazing ECs and those stats, it's an uphill battle, a miracle, if you ever get into med school at all, (3) you take only 2 medical classes, (4) The reality is a lot of students from this program who didn't make it into Drexel Med had to change careers. It's a sad truth to know that they had spent so much time & money into it only to have their dream crushed, (5) if you failed to make into Drexel Med, the admins would start treating you like a failure that ruined their program's reputation and they wouldn't even help you on your process of applying to whatever schools you chose later.
So...in the end, it's your choice, but know what you're getting yourself into!

Oh wow, that's terrible to hear. Anyone has second/third opinion?

 

[DrMidlife]

Oh wow, that's terrible to hear. Anyone has second/third opinion?

This is a low-traffic thread. I suggest searching the rest of the forum for Drexel opinions. They are not difficult to find.

 

[mmckuin]

Hey, I want to hear a post from both University of South Florida Masters of Medical Science and Barry University's Masters of Biomedical Science programs.

Please inform me of the pros and cons.

THANKS!

 

[mdanitka]

Hello, to anyone who went to Bryn Mawr and got accepted to your linkage med school. I was curious for example with Univ. of Chicago what do they expect? Do all the linkage schools require MCAT, or certain grades in certain classes? If you could just give me an idea how the linkage works that would be great! Thank you!

 

[deleted248403]

Hey, I want to hear a post from both University of South Florida Masters of Medical Science and Barry University's Masters of Biomedical Science programs.

Please inform me of the pros and cons.

THANKS!

Hello, to anyone who went to Bryn Mawr and got accepted to your linkage med school. I was curious for example with Univ. of Chicago what do they expect? Do all the linkage schools require MCAT, or certain grades in certain classes? If you could just give me an idea how the linkage works that would be great! Thank you!

how about doing some searching and reading of threads? The things you both want to know are discussed in the school specific threads as well as elsewhere if YOU look for it

 

[Brooklyn26]

.if this is your only option for post bac programs, then that would be the only reasons that I would suggest going here, but I believe that most of the work that we do can be done at your home town taking graduate level classes and doing your own test preparation....

 

[greenflower]

I'm surprised to see such little mention of the Temple program on this thread.

It's literally the ONLY post-bac program in the country that offers a guaranteed matriculation for everyone in the program if you meet very doable non-stressful requirements (3.5 GPA in the program and a 30MCAT). You don't have to apply or re-interview for the med school, or loose a year in applying. Everyone they accept into the program makes the GPA cutoff with room to spare. And if you've taken your MCAT before the program starts and already have a 30, then you don't need to stress about the one reason people don't matriculate. If you still need to take the MCAT, they have a year-long MCAT class included in the tuition and schedule it for you.

I did the ACMS program, and I can't believe everyone isn't clambering to apply. The 25K I am paying in tuition for this year actually is negated because I was able to qualify for instate tuition at Temple for the 4 years in med school -- saving me 44K.

http://www.temple.edu/medicine/education/post_bac_programs_admissions.htm

 

[DrMidlife]

I'm surprised to see such little mention of the Temple program on this thread.

Temple gets plenty of mention in this forum. All the time, everywhere.

Temple gets plenty of applicants for its postbacs: http://www.temple.edu/medicine/education/post_bac_programs_class_profile.htm

Temple has a minimum undergrad GPA of 3.3. That's the highest minimum of all SMPs. Doing ACMS with an average GPA (3.5 or so) in order to get a guaranteed admission at Temple is paranoid.

Temple isn't degree-granting and thus has max federal loans of $12,500 against COA of about $35k. (Tuition is misleading: cost of attendance is relevant.) That makes Temple the second worst SMP for financing (Tulane ACP is worst). Before you grab a private loan to cover this program, you would be smart to research the critical differences between private loans and federal loans.

Otherwise, sure, it's a great program (so is Tulane ACP).

Best of luck to you.

 

[greenflower]

Wow, so hostile! I never said Temple didn't get applications..lol. Yes, all these programs are competitive, but so are the other programs you mention. But if you get in, then by all means its a fantastic thing.

As a person who has completed this program, let me assure you that getting an average of 3.5 in the program is not "paranoid." My favorite thing about this program is that while you're busy learning, it isn't particularly stressful since you know you have that seat and everyone (faculty, staff, other students) works with you to make sure you don't have any problems. They treat you as part of the med school here, which is pretty unusual as far as SMPs go, and you don't need to "beat a curve" or anything else like that.

The program also ends in mid-April, so you have a nice long summer break.

Financing is always an issue, but all of us here made it work. At both Temple and Tulane you are taking out much less overall than you would if you did the degree granting programs, since they know you can't take out the same kind of loans. And, at Temple at least, you save money in med school since you were NOT in a degree granting program during you postbac year and can qualify for residency.

Tulane is a hidden gem too, but you have to beat their med student curve so it's a bit more stressful. I would have applied there if I hadn't gotten into Temple.

Temple gets plenty of mention in this forum. All the time, everywhere.

Temple gets plenty of applicants for its postbacs: http://www.temple.edu/medicine/education/post_bac_programs_class_profile.htm

Temple has a minimum undergrad GPA of 3.3. That's the highest minimum of all SMPs. Doing ACMS with an average GPA (3.5 or so) in order to get a guaranteed admission at Temple is paranoid.

Temple isn't degree-granting and thus has max federal loans of $12,500 against COA of about $35k. (Tuition is misleading: cost of attendance is relevant.) That makes Temple the second worst SMP for financing (Tulane ACP is worst). Before you grab a private loan to cover this program, you would be smart to research the critical differences between private loans and federal loans.

Otherwise, sure, it's a great program (so is Tulane ACP).

Best of luck to you.

 

[DrMidlife]

Wow, so hostile!

Isn't it interesting that you view that as hostile. What else might it be?

 

[DrMidlife]

Let me clarify this:

Doing ACMS with an average GPA (3.5 or so) in order to get a guaranteed admission at Temple is paranoid.

If you have an undergrad GPA of 3.5, which according to Temple's class profile is normal, and you choose to do an SMP, that smacks of paranoia that you won't get into med school with that average GPA. About half of med school matriculants have an undergrad GPA lower than 3.5.

 

[deleted248403]

About half of med school matriculants have an undergrad GPA lower than 3.5.

Not really true.
The average cGPA is 3.67 with a standard deviation of 0.26 - which means that about 15-16% of people are below 3.41 and get in, but that 34% of people sit between 3.41 and 3.67. It's a bell curve. so it's not really 50%.

Being a bit pedantic about stats but people make this claim all the time, and statistically its not true

https://www.aamc.org/download/161690/data/table17.pdf

 

[DrMidlife]

Not really true.

That's why I went for "about half".

 

[deleted248403]

That's why I went for "about half".

More like a 3rd

 

[greenflower]

Let me clarify this:

If you have an undergrad GPA of 3.5, which according to Temple's class profile is normal, and you choose to do an SMP, that smacks of paranoia that you won't get into med school with that average GPA. About half of med school matriculants have an undergrad GPA lower than 3.5.

Ah I see, well the "average" is misleading. The ACMS program is a mix of students... some SMP types with higher MCATs and lower undergrad GPAs (myself included), but there are also students who have extremely high grades (like 3.9) but haven't even taken the MCAT when they apply to the program. Those students say it saves them a year of taking the MCAT and then waiting an additional year to go through the application cycle, since you can do it all in one stop shopping at Temple. I think Temple is ranked in the top 45 now, so it's one of the higher ranked med schools with a linkage program.

I dunno, if it's not for you it's not for you...lol. But it's a pretty sweet deal for the right person, and I really am very thankful for stumbling across it myself (on a random SDN post actually). I remember feeling hopeless about my stats after talking to my advisor (he told me my best bet was to be a Physician Assistant), and listening to my friends talk about that one B+ on their transcript they were worried about when I had C- 's on my transcript and some W's. And now, I'm actually going to a better medical school than most of them...lol. So, I try and pay it forward and encourage people to apply, because you never know...

 

[LittleRabbit]

Wow, so hostile! I never said Temple didn't get applications..lol. Yes, all these programs are competitive, but so are the other programs you mention. But if you get in, then by all means its a fantastic thing.

As a person who has completed this program, let me assure you that getting an average of 3.5 in the program is not "paranoid." My favorite thing about this program is that while you're busy learning, it isn't particularly stressful since you know you have that seat and everyone (faculty, staff, other students) works with you to make sure you don't have any problems. They treat you as part of the med school here, which is pretty unusual as far as SMPs go, and you don't need to "beat a curve" or anything else like that.

The program also ends in mid-April, so you have a nice long summer break.

Financing is always an issue, but all of us here made it work. At both Temple and Tulane you are taking out much less overall than you would if you did the degree granting programs, since they know you can't take out the same kind of loans. And, at Temple at least, you save money in med school since you were NOT in a degree granting program during you postbac year and can qualify for residency.

Tulane is a hidden gem too, but you have to beat their med student curve so it's a bit more stressful. I would have applied there if I hadn't gotten into Temple.

This sounds like a great program. It does appear competitive to get in, however, with about 7% matriculation rate for the 2011 ACMS program, per the school website. Also, you indicate it is not stressful to meet the ACMS 3.5 science GPA required for matriculation into med school. That is my other question, if one gets 3.5 and higher undergrad science grades, how easy is it to achieve 3.5 science grades in their program? They claim it is a challenging program... Do you think it is less stressful than meeting the medical student curve in other programs? Also, do you have to retake the medical school classes in the ACMS if you matriculate into Temple's medical school? Thanks.

 

[ahsansad]

Ah I see, well the "average" is misleading. The ACMS program is a mix of students... some SMP types with higher MCATs and lower undergrad GPAs (myself included), but there are also students who have extremely high grades (like 3.9) but haven't even taken the MCAT when they apply to the program. Those students say it saves them a year of taking the MCAT and then waiting an additional year to go through the application cycle, since you can do it all in one stop shopping at Temple. I think Temple is ranked in the top 45 now, so it's one of the higher ranked med schools with a linkage program.

I dunno, if it's not for you it's not for you...lol. But it's a pretty sweet deal for the right person, and I really am very thankful for stumbling across it myself (on a random SDN post actually). I remember feeling hopeless about my stats after talking to my advisor (he told me my best bet was to be a Physician Assistant), and listening to my friends talk about that one B+ on their transcript they were worried about when I had C- 's on my transcript and some W's. And now, I'm actually going to a better medical school than most of them...lol. So, I try and pay it forward and encourage people to apply, because you never know...

I was gonna apply to this one. I have 2.99 gpa. and my mcat is 36. DO I have any hope to getting in here? Please get back to me? thanks!

 

[LittleRabbit]

1

 

[LittleRabbit]

1

 

[LittleRabbit]

"did not attend a post-baccalaureate program, but some of the ones which have a higher percentage of it's students entering med school are the Michigan State, Southern Illinois, and Georgetown. A significant number of the students in each of these programs enter the sponsoring school's medical school, but many gain acceptance else where."

Michigan state has a SMP or post bacc prog.. ?I didn't see any in their website. COuld someone confirm this?

The only postbac I have heard of at Mich State Univ. is their ABLE program. The website says it is for 8 disadvantaged students who have applied to their MD program. However, Univ of Mich does have a new post bacc program. MS in Physiology. I think they take about 25 students.

 

[pineapplepizza]

Can any current please comment on UNT's SMP? I would really appreciate it!

 

[acousticxlover]

anyone have any insight into USF's MSMS pre-professional track program?

I know this program doesn't allow students to take courses with the medical students but the same professors that teach the medical courses teach the graduate courses for the program.... is this frowned upon when applying to medical school considering the many other programs out there require students to take courses alongside the medical students?

thanks for the feedback.

 

[Kaustikos]

IUPUI - Pre-Professional Non-Thesis Masters - Indianapolis
1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)
Program - Leniancy in courses you can take, but still, most all are challenging with a few exceptions.
Faculty - I only had two complaints, but it's part of school, so I can't say it's a terrible thing. Otherwise, they're professors and act like professors.
Difficulty - It is difficult, more so if you decide to work fulltime like myself, but the fact that it's all science makes it easier - if that makes sense.
Other Students - I will say one thing - a LOT of the people in this program either a) have NO idea what this program is about b) are babies or c) are idiots. I have NEVER dealt with such infantile immaturity towards a graduate program. Complaining about curved exams and the such gave me a headache.
Building/Location - It's right in Indianapolis with plenty of apartment choices to fit your budget.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
Plant Bio - A focus on the molecular aspects of plants and its implications in our current research (A)
Molecular Bio - No explanation needed. Professor is ridiculous, though, priding himself on making the class as difficult as possible. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT beat yourself up if you don't get an A here
Sensory Systems - Nervous system. This is probably one of the fairest courses you will take. The exams are difficult, but in a fair way, and you can study the material yourself and be fine. Not much to say other than the professor is rather lazy and there are a lot of typos in her notes. She does know her stuff and can answer questions with no problem.
Stem Cell - Easy Professor but this course is probably one of the best because it offers a concrete, organized course on Stem Cells which I found helpful
Biotechnology - Applications of bio research in the real world (monoclonal antibody cancer meds, plant/agro tech, etc). Easy course except for due to so many students taking advantage/trying to take advantage of the professor, she deliberately gave an insane uncurved exam that dropped peoples grades.
Regenerative Medicine - Applicable to medicine and a good professor. Curved exams, but fair, and very interesting material
Developmental Neuro - Rather difficult concepts and more difficult exams. Same professor as Sensory but these exams tended to be more confusing with a lot of descrepancies
Molecular Genetics of Development - Studies 40 genetics-based disorders (all presented by students in class). Interesting course that develops presentation skills while learning about different genetic disorders and their classifications. Fair exams and great professor
Immunology - I can't say much because this was a brand new professor who had never taught before. If you study the lectures, you should have no problem with an A, but her being new made the lectures themselves boring as she recited them word for word.
Microbial Genetics - Disorganized and confusing. Packets are never in order and professor speaks and never/hardly writes. Terrible presenter and annoying packets with a reliance on self-teaching and reading literature for explanation of topics. It is a graduate course, but I'm bitter because you had to give a presentation with no objective measure and I didn't give a good presentation (despite majority class saying otherwise).

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program
It's an SMP. It's difficult and challenging. But the courses are applicable, for the most part, to medicine and interesting. I don't find it to be a waste of time and Indiana does look into this program strongly.
4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
I liked it. I'm sure a 4.0 would've been obtainable if I hadn't worked full-time, but I can't complain about that. Study hard and keep up with the lectures. You DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT need books for this course except for MAYBE Stem Cell
5) Tips for students applying to your program
Again, don't expect a walk in the park. I recommend it but I can't say anything atm since I'm just now applying to Med School, but I think really reflects your ability to excel academically
6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Waiting
7) Anything else you'd like to add
Working while in this program - Again, it is feasible, but take caution that it's not advisable. I don't know how I made it but I did.
8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
5

Okay, I need to update this for people interested in Indiana Med because I think this needs to be said. First of all, this program is beyond helpful if you plan on attending Indiana. I don't know how beneficial it is to other med schools, but I can only imagine it's just as helpful, if not more.

Why?

Because the courses you take have a HUGE impact on the courses you take in medical school. Let me give you some examples of how helpful -

Immunology - the SMP program has you take an immunology course that basically makes you beyond prepared for immunology in medical school. You're essentially getting a complete education into immunology that prepares you to succeed in what you need to know for medical school. After taking this course, you're basically more acclimated to focusing on case studies that are presented in classes because you're going to be more comfortable with the information presented. I can't speak highly enough about this course - you're getting a complete walk-through into everything you'll need to know for immunology.

Sensory Systems and Neuro Development - Combined, you'll have a ridiculous edge in Neuroanatomy. I kid you not, because you'll be more comfortable following the nerve pathways and how everything works while everyone struggles to understand what the hell is going on. Having these two courses; I'm definitely having an easier time getting with the neuroanatomy and I'm glad. You're getting information on nerve pathways that are substantially important to your education in med school and I can't thank this course enough.

I also took a course on Genetic Diseases which helped, too. This was a course that basically taught you 15-20 diseases that are genetically derived. The diseases are ones more commonly talked about and definitely helped.


Regenerative Medicine - This was a good course because it essentially made you understand/recognize/memorize/know signal pathways dealing with our bodies. Signal transduction mechanisms are a huge part of our education nowadays and I can't speak highly enough about how helpful this course was towards reinforcing my knowledge for school.


All in all; these courses definitely helped. If not to get me INTO med school, then to help me succeed greatly in med school. My only regret was not being able to take physiology while in this program, because you're basically taking the same course as med students. That would've definitely helped me in the long run. So, in essence, this program definitely deserves more recognition because it helps.

 

[einstein1990]

Anyone have any information on Loyola's relatively new MSP?