UNC MED Program Summer 2018

[GDTBATH16]

I'm making this for anyone who has applied and is waiting for a response. Feel free to share opinions and what you think about the program. This is my second time applying.


"Success doesn't come without struggle"

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[rosa1]

Hello,

Thanks for making this! I am super excited, but also anxious to hear back from them. I wish you good luck!


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[GDTBATH16]

Hello,

Thanks for making this! I am super excited, but also anxious to hear back from them. I wish you good luck!


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Great to hear from someone! Good luck to you too.


"Success doesn't come without struggle"

 

[Ween]

Question: How beneficial is this program? Do most applicants get interviewed or accepted into UNC dental or medical school?

 

[rosa1]

Hi Ween,

I am not an expert, just another applicant, so here is my humble opinion:

The main benefits of the program, if you do well obviously, is that they give you a committee letter of evaluation. The letter of evaluation can be beneficial to you anywhere you apply, because it shows that you are able to handle a curriculum that is similar to a medical school curriculum.

They even wrote a research paper to determine if the performance of students at the UNC MED program was a good predictor of students academic performance during the first three years of medical school, and they found that the student’s class ranking during UNC MED was a strong and sometimes the only predictor of their medical school academic performance, so students who failed the program or did poorly were more likely to fail or do poorly in medical school, while students who did well were more likely to do well in medical school. Here is the link to that paper:

Participation in a premedical summer program for underrepresented-minority students as a predictor of academic performance in the first three years of medical school: two studies

When I called the admissions staff, they told me that although completing the program does not guarantee you an interview with UNC, if you do well on the program (they rank the best students in each class) you are definitely increasing your chances of getting an interview at UNC.

Of the people I personally know that have successfully completed this program ( 3 people total, 2 medical and one dental), they all got interviews at UNC, and also got interviews at several other places. They also mentioned that completing this program was the best decision they made.

The bad...

Here is the issue though, I see this program as a double-edged sword, it can be extremely beneficial if do well in every class and behave professionally and respectfully, but if you do poorly, fail the classes or behave unprofessionally, it can negatively affect your chances of getting into medical school.



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[Ween]

Thanks so much for your quick response Rosa1! I am waiting to hear back as well. Good Luck to you!

 

[rosa1]

You’re welcome Ween,

Good luck to you as well, let’s hope we all get in!


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[GDTBATH16]

Y'all know when we should hear back from the program??


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[rosa1]

It should be around March 31st.


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[NSU2DDS]

Hello everyone!! I am waiting as well to hear back from UNC. Good luck to everyone and I’m praying we all get in, especially GDTBATH16!! Who all here is medical or dental? I’m dental.

 

[Vladimir7]

Medical here.

@GDTBATH16 Did they give you a reason why you weren't accepted or feedback on what to do to improve your chances?

 

[rosa1]

Hi NSU2DDS,

I’m medical! And yes hopefully we all get in. And for you GDBATH16, this is your year!


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[GDTBATH16]

Medical here.

@GDTBATH16 Did they give you a reason why you weren't accepted or feedback on what to do to improve your chances?

Yeah, so I was waitlisted but didn't come off of it. After decisions are made, during the Fall those who wanted to had the opportunity to speak with someone from admissions and discuss their application. My problem was my grades unfortunately. This is one of the reasons why I'm trying to do this program, to show I'm academically ready. I'm currently doing a post-bac so hope this helps as well.

I'm medical BTW.


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[NSU2DDS]

Yeah, so I was waitlisted but didn't come off of it. After decisions are made, during the Fall those who wanted to had the opportunity to speak with someone from admissions and discuss their application. My problem was my grades unfortunately. This is one of the reasons why I'm trying to do this program, to show I'm academically ready. I'm currently doing a post-bac so hope this helps as well.

I'm medical BTW.


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That’s good you were able to speak with Admissions about what they were looking for. You said you’re doing a post-bac. What is that exactly? I had an overall gpa of 3.2 in undergrad and now I’m in a masters program. Is that the same thing?

 

[GDTBATH16]

That’s good you were able to speak with Admissions about what they were looking for. You said you’re doing a post-bac. What is that exactly? I had an overall gpa of 3.2 in undergrad and now I’m in a masters program now. Is that the same thing?

So after thinking about it hard, I decided to do another undergraduate degree. So essentially anything done after your first degree is considered post bac. Because of some financial circumstances I decided a grad degree wasn't going to be possible for me. My 1st degree was in biology. So now I'm doing a clinical lab science degree. I'm actually very glad because it's cheaper and I'm receiving scholarships. It's also a great field to fall back on.


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[Ween]

Hello everyone!! I am waiting as well to hear back from UNC. Good luck to everyone and I’m praying we all get in, especially GDTBATH16!! Who all here is medical or dental? I’m dental.

Im dental and OOS

 

[Ween]

My grades were horrible in undergrad so I did a masters degree in biology and my state school is still giving me the run around...smh

 

[NSU2DDS]

Im dental and OOS

What is OOS? Wow, I'm sorry to hear about the run around with your school. Hopefully whatever it is will get sorted out sooner than later.

 

[Vladimir7]

What is OOS? Wow, I'm sorry to hear about the run around with your school. Hopefully whatever it is will get sorted out sooner than later.

OOS is out of state. As in ur applying to a program/school in a state where you're not considered a resident. Which is usually harder because ur competing against in state students.

So after thinking about it hard, I decided to do another undergraduate degree. So essentially anything done after your first degree is considered post bac. Because of some financial circumstances I decided a grad degree wasn't going to be possible for me. My 1st degree was in biology. So now I'm doing a clinical lab science degree. I'm actually very glad because it's cheaper and I'm receiving scholarships. It's also a great field to fall back on.

So you're doing an ENTIRE undergrad degree? another 4 years? After you've already gotten ur Bio. I may be wrong but wouldn't it be faster/easier to just complete a post-bac, masters or special masters program? Yes it's expensive but so id medical school. Is your GPA too low to have any chances?

 

[GDTBATH16]

.

So you're doing an ENTIRE undergrad degree? another 4 years? After you've already gotten ur Bio. I may be wrong but wouldn't it be faster/easier to just complete a post-bac, masters or special masters program? Yes it's expensive but so id medical school. Is your GPA too low to have any chances?

No I'm not doing an entire 4 year degree. My CLS degree is considered a professional undergrad degree. It's only two years and it is a competitive admission process. I weighted the pros and cons and I felt it was the right choice for me. It's a rigorous program even though it's undergrad.


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[Nephrology4life]

Hi guys,
I also applied to this program, and I’m very anxious to hear back. Have any of you taken the MCAT yet? I’m a junior and I was planning on taking the MCAT this summer, but I’m not sure if that’s realistic with the way the program is set up.

 

[NSU2DDS]

Hi guys,
I also applied to this program, and I’m very anxious to hear back. Have any of you taken the MCAT yet? I’m a junior and I was planning on taking the MCAT this summer, but I’m not sure if that’s realistic with the way the program is set up.

Heyy! I was told by the program directions that no one would have time to study for an MCAT/DAT at all! They told us to make the decision before applying to the program if whether we would take the MCAT/DAT before or after participating in the program because we would one percent NOT have time to study both.

 

[GDTBATH16]

Hi guys,
I also applied to this program, and I’m very anxious to hear back. Have any of you taken the MCAT yet? I’m a junior and I was planning on taking the MCAT this summer, but I’m not sure if that’s realistic with the way the program is set up.

I was told the program offers advising and discounts on MCAT material and tests. You should wait to see if you get in and take advantage of the benefits they have to offer.


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[GDTBATH16]

Don’t know if y’all have seen this. It has been posted on the main page.


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[rosa1]

Omg! Now I am really anxious! Thanks for posting this GDBATH16.


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[whosehousedawgshouse]

Hey guys!

A potential applicant for next year here! Just wondering why you all would choose this program over other summer programs? It's my understanding that the program helps you with studying for the MCAT. Anything else?

And best of luck to everyone!!!

 

[rosa1]

Hi whosehousedawgshouse,

I personally chose to apply for this program because I have had a couple of friends who have done it and are now in medical school and dental school. They all received interviews at UNC and several other places. Plus, it is a great way to show adcoms that regardless of any academic struggles you may have had in the past you do have the ability to handle a medical school curriculum.

UNC is also one of my dream schools and although this program does not offer a guarantee interview to UNC SOM or UNC dental school, it is a great way to increase your chances of getting invited to interview.

I heard that they do offer some MCAT test prep, but I was also told by the admissions department that they do not advise studying for the MCAT while doing this program. With that said, I think the program can be a great way to strengthen your knowledge of basic sciences and help you get started on your preparation to take the MCAT.




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[Nephrology4life]

I also agree with rosa1. This is a great program to indicate to you on whether you are ready for medical/dental school yet. I honestly have been waiting to apply since my freshman year. I not only want to apply because of all of the positive feedback that I have heard, but also because I want to truly know if I am ready for medical. It’s very nerve-racking to hear back because a lot of people apply to this program.
My advice to you would also be not to apply to the program unless you feel like you are ready for it, because if you don’t do well then you just hurt your chances of getting into UNC.

 

[NSU2DDS]

I want to do the program for the reasons @rosa1 said as well some others. I’ve never been able to take part in summer programs because my kids were always out of school during the summer and my hubby was deployed. Now that he’s stationary, I really have an opportunity to really focus on school. On average, I’ve always been a B student because I just don’t have the time to study as much as I’d like. But now, I can really add the extra time to study and know the my babies are well taken care of. So for me, this program would give me the opportunity to really prove to myself and dental schools that I’m ready for admissions. Needless to say, I’m nervous and excited at the same time!

 

[Ween]

Im getting nervous too...nine more days until we hear something back

 

[Vladimir7]

Getting nervous too haha!

2 Questions for y'all. What are your plans if you get rejected? Are you applying to Med School this cycle as well?

 

[Ween]

Getting nervous too haha!

2 Questions for y'all. What are your plans if you get rejected? Are you applying to Med School this cycle as well?

If I get rejected, I plan to study really hard for the DAT again and apply to dental school in June.

 

[NSU2DDS]

If I get rejected, I’m going to see if they will speak to me about what I can improve on my application and then go from there. I’m taking my dat the first week of May. Depending on what UNC says and my scores, that’s what will determine if I apply to dental schools in June.

 

[GDTBATH16]

I’m finishing my post-bac, so I’ll finish my last year and reapply next summer. After my post-bac, I plan on working at a hospital lab. I’ll study for the MCAT while I work.


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[Akewataru]

I plan to apply to the MED program in about two years. Are you guys applying to this program the same summer you are sending out applications for medical school or the year before? If you have taken the MCAT before the program do they take that into admissions consideration?

 

[NSU2DDS]

My application to the MED program happened to coincide with when I decided to reapply to dental school. I didn’t know such a program existed until Mr. Polk came to my school.

 

[rosa1]

If I get rejected, like NSU2DDS said, I plan on asking them if they can give me some feedback on what I need to do better for next time. Then I will apply again next year. I am actually not applying to medical schools this cycle so I have some time to improve. Also, if I get rejected I plan on studying for the MCAT and taking summer classes.

To answer to Akewataru,

I haven’t taken the MCAT yet, but I think that even though you don’t need an MCAT to apply, if you have taken it and did well, it will probably be favorable to you, because it shows that you have a solid knowledge of the basic sciences and that you can also do well on standardized tests. I don’t know if not having a good score can influence your chances of being accepted to the MED program but since is not a requirement I don’t think it should be the reason why they reject an applicant.


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[Akewataru]

To Rosa1,
Oh I forgot mention, thanks for digging up that Academic Medicine article. Only the abstract was available from the link, but I plan to pull the full article with my school’s e-journal subscription. I was planning on doing 4-6 months of test prep for the MCAT (extended due to my work schedule) so for timing purposes I was wondering whether I should take it in the fall before applying or after applying in the winter/spring before AMCAS opens. I guess I’ll figure things out in 2019/2020

NSU2DDS: So are they just exposing you to what the MCAT/DAT is going to be like? On highlights page they mention MCAT/DAY exposure, but on the tenative scheldule I don’t see where they could do it unless they preempt one or more of the classes sessions for a full length exam. I remember in previous years the program used the Saturday session for MCAT/DAT review. I guess they changed that because perhaps the students didn’t come away as prepared as they would have liked and that time could have been better served for program content review?

To GDTBATH16,
Clinical lab science is a great science degree since much of the curriculum overlaps with a Biology degree. Are you doing it at UNC? There’s a one year CLS post-bacc program at Carolinas College of Health Sciences in Charlotte, NC. The pay afterwards is quite comparable to what other allied health professionals get at the bachelor’s level once you get ASCP certified. Also, scheduling for med tech’s can be very flexible. I work in anatomical pathology as a Histotechnologist and it has allowed me great a deal of financial independence that most pre-meds just don’t have.

To all,
I hope you guys get in! I’m excited for you all! Hopefully someone carries the torch and does a 2019 post. I definitely want to do the 2020 application post.

 

[Vladimir7]

I work in anatomical pathology as a Histotechnologist and it has allowed me great a deal of financial independence that most pre-meds just don’t have.

Wait what exactly is this and how did you obtain it haha? I worked briefly as a scribe and will continue post MED ( if I get in) but scribing barely pays living wage.

 

[GDTBATH16]

To GDTBATH16,
Clinical lab science is a great science degree since much of the curriculum overlaps with a Biology degree. Are you doing it at UNC? There’s a one year CLS post-bacc program at Carolinas College of Health Sciences in Charlotte, NC. The pay afterwards is quite comparable to what other allied health professionals get at the bachelor’s level once you get ASCP certified. Also, scheduling for med tech’s can be very flexible. I work in anatomical pathology as a Histotechnologist and it has allowed me great a deal of financial independence that most pre-meds just don’t have.

.

I’m doing my CLS degree at ECU. I have my biology degree from UNC. I hope to get certified and work while I study for the MCAT. Glad to hear someone knows about this degree. I didn’t know about it until after finishing my biology degree. Good luck to everyone. With only one week left, we should be getting a decision soon.

BTW, Last year the decisions were delayed. High number of applicants and low number of faculty. We heard back on a Saturday and it was in April. Hope we don’t get to wait too long this year as well.


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[Ween]

How come the deadline was extended? Was there a low number of applicants, you think?

 

[GDTBATH16]

How come the deadline was extended? Was there a low number of applicants, you think?

Do you mean this year? The extension was because the deadline fell on MLK day and the office was closed. So they realized students wouldn’t be able to turn in their documents.

That’s what I assume BUT it did fall on a holiday.


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[Ween]

Do you mean this year? The extension was because the deadline fell on MLK day and the office was closed. So they realized students wouldn’t be able to turn in their documents.

That’s what I assume BUT it did fall on a holiday.


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gotcha

 

[Vladimir7]

Y'all seven more days. @GDTBATH16 I finally know what that means "Great Day to be a Tarheel". Sucks what happened during march madness, but nothing beats virginia's lost. That's going down in the history books

Another question for y'all: What type of Dentist / Physician do you hope to become? My top 3 are Anesthesia, Onco, and FM

 

[NSU2DDS]

Y'all seven more days. @GDTBATH16 I finally know what that means "Great Day to be a Tarheel". Sucks what happened during march madness, but nothing beats virginia's lost. That's going down in the history books

Another question for y'all: What type of Dentist / Physician do you hope to become? My top 3 are Anesthesia, Onco, and FM

At this point, I am focused on becoming a General Dentist. This has been long road for my family and I, and I just want to be able to enjoy them for awhile. But maybe.....just maybe, I could see myself as a Periodontist later down the road. In either case, I do want to work as a faculty member at a dental school.

 

[GDTBATH16]

Y'all seven more days.

[B]Another question for y'all: What type of Dentist / Physician do you hope to become? My top 3 are Anesthesia, Onco, and FM[/B]

My top 3 in order are Pathology, Anesthesiology, and otolaryngology. I’ve considered International Radiology.

At the moment I’m just trying to enter medical school. It’s been a long journey for me as well.


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[rosa1]

Y'all seven more days. @GDTBATH16 I finally know what that means "Great Day to be a Tarheel". Sucks what happened during march madness, but nothing beats virginia's lost. That's going down in the history books

Another question for y'all: What type of Dentist / Physician do you hope to become? My top 3 are Anesthesia, Onco, and FM

I have done a lot of neurobiology research so I am definitely interested in neurology, pediatric neurology and I also like FM, dream/ reach one would be neurosurgery, but as others have said, right now I just want to get accepted to any medical school.

I am also open to anything since I have heard some people’s interests change once they go through the clinical rotations.


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[determined293]

For those of you applying, have you already taken the MCAT? Planning on applying this coming cycle? If not, what's the plan?

 

[Vladimir7]

@determined293 taking it in ~9 days! April 6th! Planning on applying in June. You?

 

[Ween]

Good Luck Everyone!!!