What is a Post-Bac?

[fattymangox03]

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can someone explain to me what a post-bac is, how to go about getting into a program like this and where? i've heard that students who do not do exceptionally well in their science courses or have a low mcat score usually apply to a post-bac and then enter med school. i'm confused! any explanation would be very helpful 🙂

 

[lainey234]

A post-bacc is something you do after completeing an undergrad degree. Like you said, it is usually done by people who did not perform very well the first time around (i.e. me 🙂 ).

Couple of choices: Some schools have a formal post-bacc program you can apply to. These are often kind of expensive and can be somewhat difficult to get into - requiring minimum gpas. The other choice is to do an informal post-bacc where you just enroll at an institution, take or retake all the pre-requisites you need and then apply to med schools.

I suppose each route has it's advantages but for me no schools nearby offered a formal post-bacc so the choice was an easy one.

 

[gotmeds?]

A post-bacc is something you do after completeing an undergrad degree. Like you said, it is usually done by people who did not perform very well the first time around (i.e. me 🙂 ).

Also for people who were not pre-meds in college (e.g. me).

 

[epigastric]

The post-baccalaureate forum on SDN has both an excellent guide to programs already compiled (see the sticky at the top of the forum) and great advisors. Lots of current post-bac students lurk there to answer questions.

 

[eekonomics]

A post-bacc is something you do after completeing an undergrad degree. Like you said, it is usually done by people who did not perform very well the first time around (i.e. me 🙂 ).

Couple of choices: Some schools have a formal post-bacc program you can apply to. These are often kind of expensive and can be somewhat difficult to get into - requiring minimum gpas. The other choice is to do an informal post-bacc where you just enroll at an institution, take or retake all the pre-requisites you need and then apply to med schools.

I suppose each route has it's advantages but for me no schools nearby offered a formal post-bacc so the choice was an easy one.

In my post-bacc, no one was taking the courses the second time around. I think, in fact, that they specifically did not accept people who did this into the (admittedly more formal) program. Everyone decided on medicine later in life, and needed to take the requisite coursework. Some places, though, like UCSF if I remember correctly, specifically offer post-bacc opportunities to disadvantaged minorities who are looking to improve their application (i.e. who have already been unsuccessful through one round), and this actually includes more MCAT tutoring, etc., than coursework.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I remember that each med school has a policy as well about whether they accept repeated coursework. So I'd be wary about the prospect of starting tabula rasa - most schools I applied to discouraged second-time-around coursework unless 10 years or so had elapsed since coursework and application.

 

[lainey234]

So I'd be wary about the prospect of starting tabula rasa - most schools I applied to discouraged second-time-around coursework unless 10 years or so had elapsed since coursework and application.

Yay - for once it turns out being old is a good thing

 

[Critical Mass]

I think that post-bacc generally refers to undergrad classes taken after you've already earned a degree, typically to finish pre-req's for med school.

There are some places that have organized premedical post-bacc programs for people who are re-applying, and there are also SMP's that let you get a sample of medical school without being fully admitted.

The plus of staying undergrad is that it continues to contribute to your UG GPA. Grad GPA isn't really considered much in med school admissions. The plus of the SMP is that you get a head start on med school. Ask braluk about that one.

 

[postbac25]

I did the Columbia post-bac and they were extremely clear that the program was not remedial- that is if you took the sciences the first time and did not do well, the program was not for you. I am not too sure how other schools treat previous science coursework, but generally the post-bac is reserved for people who decided later on that they were interested in medicine or for those who may have known that they wanted to purse health related professions but never took the pre-reqs.

I highly recommend a post-bac if you are now discovering your interest in medicine. But do your research carefully and choose a school that will allow you to get the best grades and scores possible. If you need lots of prof contact, you might consider a smaller school where undergrads and pre-professional students are the priority. That way you have better access to profs and they may invite you, rather than a grad student, to work on their research. Smaller classes also mean that the profs get to know you- which is really important since you need them to write letters of rec to the premed committee.

Good luck!!