Using Med School as a Post-Bacc Program

[Hawkeye7685]

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I am in the process of applying to dental school now but I don't think my GPA is strong enough to get me in. I just recently learned about the possibility of a post-bacc program but it is too late to apply to any in my area.

But, I recently learned of a Bahamian medical school that doesn't require the MCATs and has sessions starting in both September and January. Would it be a good idea to go there for a while and re-apply with my new med school grades? I figure there really isn't a better sign of whether a person can handle a dental school workload then med school since the classwork is just as demanding minus all the hard lab work. Plus I figure if I don't get into dental school and MD is a good fall back. Any suggestions?

 

[rewJW]

I would say no, that the adcoms would say "Why bother applying to dental school if you're already in med school?" and really question your intentions ... or something along those lines.

 

[DDS1386]

How would you be able to attend interviews while in med school in the Bahamas? It's not really like undergraduate where you can just pick up and leave for a few days on 4 or 5 occasions during the fall.

 

[efficient]

Not a great idea.

 

[Hawkeye7685]

Well if I were to apply right as AADSAS opens up I can expect to get the majority of my interview requests before I return to the Bahamas. If I got five interview requests I'd just leave. As for dental schools being biased, couldn't I simply explain what had happened in my personal essay. They're supposedly read each time.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

Many people also don't realize that a lot of med students actually don't attend class. A lot just go over lecture slides and video podcasts. I would say it is doable. If you can persuade them that you are serious about dental that is.

 

[Albuterol]

dont do it...check out the postbac forum for programs in the united states which offer med school classes for people with low gpas looking to prove themselves. georgetown smp, evms med masters, boston university mams, tufts, nymc, nova...there are plenty of in-state options which will look a million times better than some offshore school which may not even be accredited in the US.

 

[SugarNaCl]

No way! Terrible idea, honestly. Big mistake.

 

[Cymbidium]

I agree with everyone else. This may actually end up hurting your chances.

On a side note, I find it interesting that you want to use med school as a back up to dental school! Times are changing!

 

[REH]

Something you might want to consider in making this decision is the fact that any coursework completed outside the U.S. or Canada will be considered foreign and not factored into your AADSAS GPA calculation. If part of the reason you are doing this is to raise your GPA, be forewarned that it will not have the desired effect. You would be better served attending a recognized post-bacc or SMP in the United States. Just my $0.02...

REH