University of Toledo SMP Review and General SMP Info

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UniversityofToledoMSBS

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Disclaimer: I am a medical student who went through an SMP, I wrote this to give to other students who were considering SMPs (specifically the University of Toledo's MSBS program). Many students had very similar questions. I thought I would post it here in the hopes that it would be helpful to others. I am not employed by the University of Toledo nor did I get paid for this, I just went through the program so I thought I would share my experience and why I chose that program. It has also recently gone through some changes, all info is up to date as of 2016.

What is a Special Master’s Program?

A Special Master’s Program (SMP) is a 1 or 2 year Master’s program with medical related coursework designed to help pre-medical students demonstrate academic ability to help them gain entry into medical school.

Who should consider an SMP?

SMPs are great for students with lower than average science GPA. It can be difficult to raise your GPA after taking so many courses in your undergraduate institution, so starting from scratch with a new program gives you a chance to report a new GPA entirely made up of science coursework. It can also be useful for students with lower than average MCAT scores who need time to retake the MCAT. The science courses you take during your SMP may help prepare you for the MCAT, but most do not schedule dedicated MCAT study time, so you will have to carve out the time yourself.

SMPs are also useful for non-traditional students who wish to give medical school a trial run. Some SMPs include classes alongside medical students which allows the student to directly gauge how they would fare if they were a full time medical student. The University of Toledo’s MSBS program incorporates 12 credit hours of medical school coursework alongside first year medical students (M1s). This means that you are in the same lectures and take the same exams as the M1s.

How to get into an SMP

SMPs such as the University of Toledo’s MSBS program consider applicants that have a lower than average GPA (typically 2.5-3.0) and/or MCAT (490-500), but demonstrate a passion for healthcare through volunteering, shadowing, or healthcare related work experiences. A good personal statement for an SMP would include why you are interested in medicine and medical school specifically, what you hope to gain from the program, and what you would bring to the program and medicine in general.

The application cycle is rolling and opens around October of the previous year. As with medical school applications, earlier submissions are always better, but students are accepted up until the first day of classes.

How will an SMP help you and your application?

An SMP is a great way to demonstrate academic ability and participate in activities that will round out your application. This includes research, volunteering, and shadowing. When applying to medical school during your SMP year, remember that medical schools will probably only get to see your performance and activities in the fall semester and early spring. Continuing your activities during the spring semester will give you a chance to contact schools with updates such as new volunteer experiences and publications. This may help your application stick out from other students which is important since not all applications are even reviewed for consideration. If the SMP you are attending has a medical school that it communicates with, that school will be able to see your progress through the program and possibly delay your decision until you have completed the program, giving you a chance to have more completed coursework and activities considered with your application. The University of Toledo College of Medicine (UTCOM) conducts spring interviews specifically for students completing the MSBS program.

One consideration when deciding between SMPs is internal and external acceptance rates. Very few SMPs have good internal acceptance rates, but most have greater than 50% external acceptance rates, meaning that they do help students get accepted to medical school somewhere. Acceptance rates to UTCOM from the MSBS program have historically been over 50%, with the most recent class acceptance over 60%.

Why the University of Toledo’s MSBS program is different

The University of Toledo’s MSBS program is a 1 year, student centered program, offering both medical school coursework and graduate level coursework. The medical school course is offered in the first half of the fall semester so that it can be reported to medical schools as soon as possible. The graduate coursework has been specifically designed to build on pre-med coursework and prepare you for the didactic years of medical school. It also focuses on the most important part of step 1, which is the first part of the licensing exam taken before you apply to residencies, and arguably the most important part of your residency application. They believe that if students perform well in their courses and on the step 1 exam, it will allow them better opportunities for their future practice.

The program also includes a built in research project beginning in the fall semester and ending the following summer with a research colloquium at which you will present your work. This is great for students who may have not had the ability to participate in research during their undergrad years or would like more research experience and publications. This is also an opportunity for students to gain one on one time with a faculty mentor, which is important for career development and a quality letter of recommendation.

There are also many opportunities for shadowing and volunteering as the campus is set at the University of Toledo medical center. Many MSBS students get involved in the local free clinic, reading programs, and hospital volunteering alongside medical students. Overall, this program is designed to provide you with the tools you need to strengthen your medical school application and prepare you for the rigors of medical school coursework.

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I guess my next question is--do you receive credit for M1 classes that you took as a SMP student, or would you have to retake them?


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I guess my next question is--do you receive credit for M1 classes that you took as a SMP student, or would you have to retake them?


Sent from my iPad using SDN mobile
You get credit for the class and don't have to retake them. Also in MSBS you get a letter grade (A B C) vs the medical students get a pass, high pass, or honors. The letter grade will show up on your transcript but no one really cares about your M1 and M2 grades and no one has had a problem with this. It's a great confidence booster to be on par with with M1s and you get to make friends with people who will be in the class above you and get advice on classes and whatnot.
 
Well they removed the links for the application site and facebook. Look in any other thread about UTCOM MSBS and you will find them in the comments. Or you can just google it, it should pop up right away and it's fairly straightforward.

Anyone applying to the program or thnking about applying, feel free to message me with your questions and I'll try to be as helpful as I can!
 
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