VCOM New Post-bac???

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OLYWA

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What, if anything, does anyone know about this program?

There have been a few press releases issued that a program has been commissioned and/or is planned to start in Sept of this year...although there seems to be no info available about it. All of the press directs you to 'email the school' (which I've done to no avail) but that seems to be the extent of what they are willing to say at this point.

Anyone know anything about this program? Will it be simply a post-bac?...or maybe a SMP?...will there be a linkage agreement?????

OlyWA
 
i got an e-mail from the school about this post bac. when i called the school for more information, they said they are still compiling all the information together. last i heard, they were just adding people to a mailing list who are interested in the post bac, and will send out information in the next couple months regarding the program.
 
chandini786 said:
i got an e-mail from the school about this post bac. when i called the school for more information, they said they are still compiling all the information together. last i heard, they were just adding people to a mailing list who are interested in the post bac, and will send out information in the next couple months regarding the program.
Click to expand...


I just mailed my application in today... It's available at the VCOM website...
 
ive been getting emails about it too, but for 33k i think its a bit expensive for a postbaccalaureate, ill stick to the SMP's
 
It's a program that caters to both career-changers and academic enhancers:

The Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine is excited to announce our new one-year, pre-medical Post-Baccalaureate Program. The inaugural class will matriculate in August 2009.
The Program will be an excellent preparation for individuals who are changing careers to and interested in applying to an osteopathic (D.O.) or allopathic (M.D.) medical program and/or for graduating students who need to meet or strengthen the requirements for health professions schools. The Program at VCOM is a non-degree granting program offered to attract individuals from rural areas, low-socioeconomic status backgrounds, and underrepresented minorities.
The curriculum will include biomedical coursework, clinical and research experiences, professional skills workshops, and MCAT preparation.
Thank you for visiting the VCOM website to learn more about our new Post-Baccalaureate Program.



Here's the website:
http://www.vcom.vt.edu/post-baccalaureate/
 
I wish I could afford the $33,000 to attend this program :-(
 
I got in to the program...and I don't know how I'm going to pay for it if I decide to go...Has anyone else gotten an offer of acceptance?
 
There is no federal finacial aid..it must all come from private loans..
 
Has anyone accepted to attend this program? Also does anyone know how big the class is going to be? Thanks.
 
I have been accepted to this program..The admissions office told me they were going to have about 25 students in this first class..I don't know if I will go though..does anyone have any fin aid for the $30 k they are asking??
 
Congratulations for getting into the program. I am a Virginia Tech student and also have applied to the program. How did you get to know about your final decision. Did you get an email or a mail saying that you been accepted? I am still waiting to hear back from them. Really looking forward into getting into the program.
 
Tuition is $15k. I hope you guys don't make these type of mistakes too often.
 
For those of you that plan on attending this program where do you plan on living?? Thanks 🙂
 
What are the GPA and MCAT scores for people who get into the program. Response would be greatly appreciated!!
 
Congratulations True Doctor on your acceptance! I also got into the program and am looking forward to attending. Have you accepted your position yet?
 
I was reading the previous posts and I realized that there are a few people who have gained acceptance into VCOMs post bacc program. I would like to say congratulations to all of you on this accomplishment. Has anyone accepted there spots in the program and will be attending this program in July??
 
Thank you. Yes, I have accepted the position. What about you? How are you planning to fund??
 
Yes, I also have accepted the spot in the class and am looking forward to attending. I will be funding the program through loans. Have you already taken the MCAT? If not when do you plan on taking it???
 
I have not yet taken the exam but I am planning to. I am not sure if I should take the exam in August or September? Are you going to apply for the osteopathic schools for next year? Have you started filling out the AACOMAS 2009-2010 application yet?
 
Currently, I am signed up to take the September MCAT. I have talked to VCOM and I know they don't recommend us taking the exam until January because they want us to go through their MCAT prep course first. However, that is extremely late in the application cycle, so I will probably stick with the September date unless they insist on us taking it in January. As far as the AACOMAS application...I have not yet started filling it out. After reading the accepted student part of their website, they state that we will be having lunch meetings to discuss filling out the application and what not, so I was a little hesitant to start filling it out yet. Did you apply for this past year/have you filled out the application in the past? I applied last year for this falls incoming class and I am very interested in attending VCOM, so, yes, I will be applying to the osteopathic school. Also, how are you going about studying for the MCAT? What books are you using?
 
I am also planning to take MCATs in September since January is too late in the application cycle. I took a Kaplan course for MCATs. I have all the books from them. I will be using them to study for my MCATS. I have started on the AACOMAS application. Have you taken the MCATs yet? How did you do on them???
 
Hello all,

I was looking in to various post-bac programs. I was hoping if anyone could shed some light on VCOM's post-bac program. For those who have applied and sucessfully completed the program: please share your thoughts, pros and cons to the program, if it helped you get into a respectiive medical school, about the faculty, cirrculum, etc...

Thank you much!

Zenful Dragaon
 
I'd be interested on any details as well, mainly for personal curiousity.

It's a relatively new program, I think the first class of students should be finishing their program in the upcoming months (could be wrong). It seems on their website to favor URM applicants and students from around that region but again, don't quote me on this. Relatively expensive with a curriculum that is similar to other 1 year post-baccs such as LECOM.
 
I just applied to this program as well. If I get accepted, I don't how I can finance their tuition.
 
Hi,

My D was accepted to this program does anyone have any details on it?

The first class should be finishing. Any students want to weigh in on acceptances etc.?
 
My friend is actually finishing up the program now. A good number of students have already been accepted into VCOM's fall class for medical school. VCOM does require that you take the MCAT and achieve a decent score (most got at least a 20) in order to matriculate. Also, you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA for both semesters in their program. The professors are very intelligent and well mannered (some even have a good sense of humor). VCOM's staff definitely go out if their way to help their students succeed. They are having a bit of a crunch right now because they've over accepted for this fall's class, and in turn, have had to put a few of their post-bac's students on a wait list, but none of them should have a problem getting in for this fall. If you can, take the MCAT before you get into the post bac program. I heard that taking it while your in school is a bit difficult because of all of the demands of the program. I think the program is a great bridge from undergrad to medical school (many medical students that have attended a post bac tend to agree). Also, the school offers medical mission trip to the post bac students, which is super cool. This year they're going to Honduras. Definitely account for the funds in your loans if you want to take the trip. I applied and got an answer within 3 weeks of completing my app. I'm definitely looking forward to the experience and knowledge the program has to offer! Anyone else get a letter yet?
 
Thanks! JadedSunshine8,

Do you know how many students are in the post bacc?
 
So you guys consider it a waste of time apply to VCOM considering they over accepted students for the post bacc program?
 
No.. how did you get that from osteospero's post?

He/she implied that he/she thought it was a relatively bleak outlook that his/her application was finally complete as of today April 13 and that they had not yet looked at his/her application when they had already started their rolling acceptance as of January for only 40 spots. Say they started in January and it's now mid April, if they had only accepted 10 students per month they would already be full. I doubt that this would be the case but knowing that they haven't even looked at the application, seeing when they started reviewing applications, realizing how late it is... just isn't good seeing he/she only applied to this one program this cycle.
 
I obviously wasn't clear in my orginal post. The post bac class that attended this past yr is who is experiencing difficulty because this falls med 1st yr class is already full. As far as I know the post bac for this fall is still accepting apps, so def apply! Your credentials sound awesome. I'm sure you won't have any trouble getting in. Make sure your persistant about your app. Good luck. I hope to see ya in the fall.
 
So far almost all of the post bac yr1 students have gotten into this falls matriculating class, so for all of you who are debating as to whether or not apply or accept your acceptance into this year's post bac 2 class, I highly encourage you to get on with it (lol). Odds seem to be pretty awesome so far!
 
JadedSunshine8 said:
So far almost all of the post bac yr1 students have gotten into this falls matriculating class, so for all of you who are debating as to whether or not apply or accept your acceptance into this year's post bac 2 class, I highly encourage you to get on with it (lol). Odds seem to be pretty awesome so far!
Click to expand...

What's your source for this info? Did Herndon tell you that, or was it a student? (Currently trying to decide between MCV and VCOM's pb).
 
Does anyone know what the course schedule with credit hour break down for both semesters of the post-bacc program at VCOM is?

Accepted and attending VCOM-PB class of 2011.
 
JadedSunshine8 said:
So far almost all of the post bac yr1 students have gotten into this falls matriculating class, so for all of you who are debating as to whether or not apply or accept your acceptance into this year's post bac 2 class, I highly encourage you to get on with it (lol). Odds seem to be pretty awesome so far!
Click to expand...

Source or conjecture this is pretty obvious.

Are you planning on NOT getting a 4.0 in your post-bacc studies? Cuz you only have to have a 3.5 to walk in to VCOM's D.O. class as an M1.

I know you just answered "no" to this question. Of course you are planning to bust your butt and ace your classes. Just like the other 25 students that got in last year.

Therefore - I would assume that anyone that is serious enough to be going for a post-bacc would be serious enough to get a 3.5 or better and be accepted to the VCOM D.O. program by default. That does NOT mean that they will all be attending.
...unless, contrary to the schpeal on the website it does NOT make you a competitive applicant to other medical programs as well.

However, upon getting my acceptance letter I got in touch with the Dean's Of Admission at my top two choice for Fall 2011 (i.e. the two most competitive - EVMS, USUHS) to find out what they were gonna think if I went to VCOM's PB.
Here's the summary of what they had to say:
1) They don't know anything about VCOM's post-bacc program
2) But they said that really doesn't matter cuz if you send them a transcript of all A's in classes like Histology & Embryology, Medical Human Anatomy, etc... They could be from a community college and still work in your favor. However,
3) Because they ARE graduate level hard science courses in an organized curriculum, provided you have a strong (30+) MCAT and decent intangibles you are going to be a competitive applicant.

Also, some of you may be encouraged to know that the Dean of Admissions at EVMS, thinks very highly of VCOM in general, especially their rural outreach initiatives.

VCOM-PB 2011
 
This post above emphasizes what my personal theory.

You should attend an osteopathic SMP or post-bacc program if you are aiming to either enter that osteopathic school or other osteopathic schools.

If you are looking at allopathic schools and I'll use the example of EVMS, you are better of attending EVMS MedMasters or VCU's CERT program.

Much of the Adcoms opinions will be based off of their school/their own personal experience with said SMP if they are to place a preference or emphasis on that part of your application. Otherwise it will be treated more or less like if you took it at an informal post-bacc. Certain other emphasises will be placed on the institution where you completed said program and whether it is "well known" or "well regarded". This is also why during interviews, if you come from a new SMP you will most likely be asked a plethora of questions concerning it by interviewers. It is also why EVMS MedMasters and other programs often send a letter around for all of their students to other schools informing them of what MedMasters is and why successful students from the program are "competitive". It is also why Georgetown SMP is regarded so highly because it has had such a long history of sending their students into medical schools in the past that there have been many cases of precedents which pave the way for future Gtown students applying elsewhere after the program is over.

VCOM's post-bacc is quite new (only had one class completed so far with most re-entering VCOM from what it sounds like). VCOM itself is well regarded by all other osteopathic schools as a reputable institution and especially well regarded by schools with a rural medicine emphasis (WVSOM probably) and within the region.
 
jslo85 said:
This post above emphasizes what my personal theory.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

Although both USUHS's and EVMS's Director of Admissions and Dean of Admission (respectively) expressed that any organized curriculum holds more weight than informal self-directed studies. The Director of EVMS's Med-Masters concurs with this. And I don't think either of them have some vested interest in the success of VCOM's post bacc program - so I believe they were being as accurate as possible.

I know this is only two out of 200 something. But it still gives me more confidence that VCOM-PB can do more than get me into VCOM-D.O.
 
I emailed Jean earlier about the course information. She replied that it won't be available until closer to the beginning of the semester.
 
sayfrisko said:
I emailed Jean earlier about the course information. She replied that it won't be available until closer to the beginning of the semester.
Click to expand...

I got the same from Jean Herndon on the phone. Frustrating. I want to include planned course information in the initial submission of AMCAS and AACOMAS - I would think that VCOM would be sensitive to this. I still applaud their efforts to constantly improve their program and I understand the delay on course info.

AMCAS will allow you to put in classes without the number of credits - but at least two warnings appear telling you that the the AAMC, IRS, Secret Service, and Brock Samson are going to come after you to shake the information out of your pockets. I'm doing it anyway.

But AACOMAS will not let you list a course at all without a course number and number of credits. I'm tempted to guess. Is that falsifying my application? I mean, my volunteer hours are close estimates...
 
kalman921 said:
Is there anyone who is applying to VCOM's post bac program for that fall 2011 enterting class? :xf: I applied a few weeks ago and don't know when to expect a response. Is there anyone already in the program that can give some advice/info on it? I'm already accepted into another program but am really interested in VCOM and want to find out some stuff before deposit money is due! Thanks! 😀
Click to expand...


I applied to the program and it took me 3-4 weeks before I got an acceptance in the mail. I hope this helps answer your question. GOOD LUCK!
 
So, for the essay portion of this application, did you guys type it up and attach it? I keep calling to ask but no one ever seems to be available in the admissions office.
 
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