SMP vs. Post-bacc

[bravotwozero]

Alright guys, here's my dilemma:

I'm a Canadian green-card holder who wants to goto medschool in the US. I don't as of yet have the pre-reqs for medical schools in the US, and i'm the final year of my bachelor's. I'm considering the following two options:

1) Do a post-bacc in the US, possibly at Columbia.
Pros: A structured program, that allows me to complete physics, chem, calc, and english in two years, so it's spaced out, and I don't get killed.

Cons: Expensive. I'll be 20,000 dollars in debt by the time i'll graduate from there.

2) Complete the pre-reqs I need (see above) in Canada in one year, and then apply for a one-year SMP, such as georgetown's physiology program.

Pros: More affordable, get to stay at home for one more year before I move out.

Cons: When I do all the pre-reqs together in one year, it's going to adversely affect my GPA, which, at 3.18 (Canadian) right now isn't that great to begin with.

Also, I've got a 27Q on the MCAT for this year, and I don't know if I should have another go at it.

So, which option should I go with? Thank you in advance for your input.

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[VPDcurt]

You need to do something about that 27 MCAT. Also, what's wrong with going to school in Canada (besides the obvious of course)?

 

[bravotwozero]

I am applying to Canada this year, but it's just too competitive, and chances are i'm not getting in this year.

 

[youngman]

u think that canadian schools are competitive, usa schools will be even harder.

with a mcat score of 27, i doubt that you will get in. you know, we have some people from purto rico at our caribbean med. schools. can you image that.

I am applying to Canada this year, but it's just too competitive, and chances are i'm not getting in this year.

 

[DrMom]

my GPA, which, at 3.18 (Canadian)

What's the going exchange rate on that?




Take the cheaper prereqs and apply when you're towards the point of finishing them. Since you have time, go ahead & re-take the MCAT after you have a few pre-reqs under your belt.

 

[bravotwozero]

u think that canadian schools are competitive, usa schools will be even harder.

with a mcat score of 27, i doubt that you will get in. you know, we have some people from purto rico at our caribbean med. schools. can you image that.

Uh....right. Thanks for the encouragement. Why don't you go back to posting propaganda in your Carribean medschool thread, so you can continue getting mocked by everyone.

And by the way, US schools are not necessarily more competitive. There are more schools and more spots. Which is why Canadian applicants flock to the US. Get your facts straight.

Take the cheaper prereqs and apply when you're towards the point of finishing them. Since you have time, go ahead & re-take the MCAT after you have a few pre-reqs under your belt.

Apply where? to medschool? or to an SMP?

 

[Crake]

How have you taken the MCAT if you haven't taken any of the prerequisiste premed courses (gen. chem, physics, bio, o-chem)? Did you just take it cold or are you looking to retake prereq's to make up for some poor grades? Because if you've already taken these courses, don't go to Columbia! in fact, they strongly discourage people from coming here to make up for poor grades! There are good reasons for this 1.) CU is very very very ruthlessly hard, even though its spread out over 2 years, don't fool yourself into thinking that makes it any easier; 2.) If you just need to retake, there's no reason to do it at CU--go to SUNY Hunter or somewhere that is more affordable and not as difficult to get A's in. If you're already earning a B.S./B.A. in one of the sciences and your BCMP isn't that bad, I would say got to Georgetown SMP or do a hard science MA.
just my .02

-Crake

 

[bravotwozero]

Okay, i've had some exposure to pre-reqs. I have taken one semester of general chem, and one semester of organic, when most schools require at least a year of each. I took physics halfway before dropping it, so that doesn't count. Courses like anatomy and physiology helped me immensely for the biological sicences portion, though the biology offered at my school was environmental, and not human biology. I never took english or calc. So i've taken some pre-reqs, but they're not enough to meet the requirements. As far as the MCAT goes, i also took a prep course which helped out a lot.

 

[Crake]

well if you haven't finished the prerequiste courses, you need to get that done, because most med schools are strict about that. An advanced degree like GT SMP isn't going to cover introductory physics or second semester chemistry and o-chem. You need to make those courses up first. Still, I would say to look into some less expensive US schools--like SUNY Hunter or UCONN. Also, its very difficult to get into a US school being a non-citizen, maybe you could look into getting US citizenship. But I'd say definitely do a postbacc, you can't just ace the MCAT and skip physics and o-chem (oh, I wish!)
-Crake

 

[bravotwozero]

well if you haven't finished the prerequiste courses, you need to get that done, because most med schools are strict about that. An advanced degree like GT SMP isn't going to cover introductory physics or second semester chemistry and o-chem. You need to make those courses up first. Still, I would say to look into some less expensive US schools--like SUNY Hunter or UCONN. Also, its very difficult to get into a US school being a non-citizen, maybe you could look into getting US citizenship. But I'd say definitely do a postbacc, you can't just ace the MCAT and skip physics and o-chem (oh, I wish!)
-Crake

do Suny hunter and Uconn have post-bacc programs? And to my knowledge, US schools do not differentiate between US citizens versus permanent residents (which is what i am).

 

[youngman]

oh, sorry, honey, did I hurt your feelings?

well, tough luck, sonny. because I don't owe any med. schools. and i doubt that your dad knows any high powers in any US med. schools. I am only telling you the truth. i would love to tell you that you are already accepted, because you are just so wonderful. but it is not gonna happen.

people on here tend to be "supportive," however, they are very misleading. you need to be realistic. because with a 27 MCAT scores, most US students can't even get in any med. schools whether MD or DO schools. then you will always hear those "truth" about so and so get in harvard with a gpa of 2.5, so and so get into yale with mcat of 22. those are not gonna happen to you.

go ahead, believe that "US schools are not necessarily more competitive. there are more schools and more spots" there are many students rejected by their own state colleges. and many private schools don't accept foreign students.

most importantly, there are far more applicants get rejected than accepted every year.

Uh....right. Thanks for the encouragement. Why don't you go back to posting propaganda in your Carribean medschool thread, so you can continue getting mocked by everyone.

And by the way, US schools are not necessarily more competitive. There are more schools and more spots. Which is why Canadian applicants flock to the US. Get your facts straight.

Apply where? to medschool? or to an SMP?

 

[bravotwozero]

oh, sorry, honey, did I hurt your feelings?

well, tough luck, sonny. because I don't owe any med. schools. and i doubt that your dad knows any high powers in any US med. schools. I am only telling you the truth. i would love to tell you that you are already accepted, because you are just so wonderful. but it is not gonna happen.

Please learn to speak English. You don't owe any med. schools? What the hell does that mean? Btw, did you even realize i'm not applying to a US medical school right now, as I don't have the pre-reqs?

most importantly, there are far more applicants get rejected than accepted every year.

So? That happens EVERYWHERE. And in just about any program.

1) I know for a fact that people HAVE gotten in with a 27 MCAT.
2) I am not applying this year. You would have realized that, had you actually decided to read what I posted from the beggining. The thread wasn't even directly about applying to medical school, but rather whether I should do a post-bacc versus an SMP.
3) I am also technically not a "foreign" student. Seeing how people with green cards are considered PERMANENT RESIDENTS. LEARN TO READ.
4) I am also considering redoing my MCAT, since I have the time to do it.

And Who the hell said anything about getting into Yale with a 22?

Do me a favour and get the hell out of my thread. I can really do without your "advice". Constructive criticism is one thing. Spewing out Idiocy and vitriol are completely another.

 

[sidewalkman]

I agree with Crake's advice. Get US citizenship before applying - it'll make things a lot easier. Might as well get prereqs done in the US, and cheaply - Penn and Harvard are two programs that come immediately to mind. And geez, if you got a 27 sans some prereqs, imagine how you'd do if you actually took all the courses! So I'd retake it, and depending on your new GPA and new MCAT score, apply or do an SMP somewhere.

 

[Crake]

Yeah sorry about the citizenship thing...I really have no idea what the different classifications are or what they mean. I do know that my roomate in college was a "Resident Alien" and he was very concerned about it and didn't think he would get into a US Medschool.

Yes, UCONN and SUNY Hunter have postbacc programs.
Yes, Harvard Extension School is a great postbacc program
I don't know about UPenn

Don't listen to youngman (if you can understand him), if you're already getting a 27 without having taken even half of the prerequisite courses, you're in an excellent position!

-C

 

[youngman]

bravotwozero, with your whining emails to the moderator, and with your post full of attitudes, do you really expect yourself will be able to be a caring doctor?

so what if i don't speak english at all, you will meet plenty of people who only speak spanish. does that make them less intelligent or something?

if you don't know the meaning of "owe," i looked up webster dictionary online, here is the definition for you.
Main Entry: owe
1 a archaic : POSSESS, OWN b : to

yes, if i owe a med. school, i will let you marticulate without even taking any pre-req.

so what if someone with a 27 got in, it is not gonna be you. there are too many rumors flying around. most med. schools won't even consider the rest of your application if your score is only 27.

 

[Crake]

LMAO

I don't think that youngman understands that you basically got a 27 cold without having all the prerequisite classes. With a GED and a cold 27 you could probably go to a certain school in Grenada. . .evidently, the only admission requirement there is a pulse.

 

[bravotwozero]

whatever man. You win, if that makes you feel better.