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In lurking around these forums, I've discovered Health Science is frowned upon by adcoms for some weird reason. There were even AMCAS tables that showed Health Science majors didn't get in by far (I don't remember the statistics). But I already have a humanities bachelors and a Masters degree.
As a nontrad career changer, it looks to me that getting a degree in Health Sciences from Rush would demonstrate:
1. Commitment to health care and a career in a medical field.
2. A way to improve my uGPA (Rush's program is 21 months)
3. A way to get recommended upper division science classes out the way (genetics, microbiology, biochemistry).
4. A way to get more lab exposure and personal time shadowing health care professionals
5. Rush is a great medical facility so wouldn't the Rush name look favorably rather than getting a BS in Health Sciences from some random college?
6. The program is still really new and relatively small (first class was 5 or 7 people, and that began in 2012 I believe), and word has it there's a substantial endowment from some philanthropic donors which is always a big plus - apparently this program is/was originally designed for disadvantaged students of all types in Chicago to get into healthcare.
I still have to take some pre-reqs, and I'm either going to take those concurrently at CC or at during summers at the post-bacc program I was accepted into, but I applied to Rush and I'm waiting to hear back; they pretty much told me to go for a Master's in Science and that I'm a shoe-in for their program, but from what I've read on here, med schools primarily look at your uGPA, not any graduate study.
So...to Rush or not to Rush? Would it look better to get a BS in Health Sciences or should I just stick to the post-bacc programs?
I'm also interested in Rush because I haven't 100% decided yet whether to go for PA school. Lately I've been doing a cost/benefit analysis in addition to time and money, and PA school might be more aligned with my financial goals, though DO/MD is definitely more aligned with my need for autonomy.
Sorry for the novel. Grateful for any advice.
As a nontrad career changer, it looks to me that getting a degree in Health Sciences from Rush would demonstrate:
1. Commitment to health care and a career in a medical field.
2. A way to improve my uGPA (Rush's program is 21 months)
3. A way to get recommended upper division science classes out the way (genetics, microbiology, biochemistry).
4. A way to get more lab exposure and personal time shadowing health care professionals
5. Rush is a great medical facility so wouldn't the Rush name look favorably rather than getting a BS in Health Sciences from some random college?
6. The program is still really new and relatively small (first class was 5 or 7 people, and that began in 2012 I believe), and word has it there's a substantial endowment from some philanthropic donors which is always a big plus - apparently this program is/was originally designed for disadvantaged students of all types in Chicago to get into healthcare.
I still have to take some pre-reqs, and I'm either going to take those concurrently at CC or at during summers at the post-bacc program I was accepted into, but I applied to Rush and I'm waiting to hear back; they pretty much told me to go for a Master's in Science and that I'm a shoe-in for their program, but from what I've read on here, med schools primarily look at your uGPA, not any graduate study.
So...to Rush or not to Rush? Would it look better to get a BS in Health Sciences or should I just stick to the post-bacc programs?
I'm also interested in Rush because I haven't 100% decided yet whether to go for PA school. Lately I've been doing a cost/benefit analysis in addition to time and money, and PA school might be more aligned with my financial goals, though DO/MD is definitely more aligned with my need for autonomy.
Sorry for the novel. Grateful for any advice.