What program to enroll in? What to do in the mean time?

[Great Satchmo]

First off, I have looked into these programs and done some reading, but I am still not entirely sure what step to take. I will access a pre-med adviser where I work soon, but I'd like some input from here first.

So I applied to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs this past cycle, and I graduated in May with my B.A. in psych (nearly a minor in computer science). I have a 3.6 overall, 3.8/3.85 last 2 years/in major. I scored 620v 650q and 5.5 (I believe, it was ~90%tile for the verbal and writing) on the GRE. During undergrad I had 2 RAships, 1 TA (for abnormal psych), board member for Psi Chi, volunteer work with Autism Speaks, an undergraduate research grant, conference presentation, co-author on a textbook chapter (in the Health Psychology Handbook), and have 2 papers in the works. I also spent about 2 months full time tutoring/teaching small groups of low SES-youth, mild learning disabilities, using a cognitive model.

Now I am a full time research assistant at Stanford, I have 2 PI's so I am working on a project that has to do with health behaviors and social/environmental influences, and then I'm working on developing an intervention for behavior change and health behaviors. I should hopefully be able to gain some more publication in this job before the next application cycle. They both surround health issues, mostly public health and epidemiology as well as social influences on health.


I want to go into medicine but I lack all of the pre-reqs, thusly I am looking at a career-changer post-bacc program, but I will need all of the courses.

I plan on volunteering at the hospital soon (orientation comes up in a week or two), and hopefully shadow following that.

I really want to focus on programs that give me the best shot at schools and linkages, but also have the most support (my self-efficacy in bio/chem is low due to a lack of experience with them) to ensure I have all of the tools necessary to be successful in the program and ensure I make it to med school.

I'd like to see if I can find the 1 year programs (I've seen a number that take care of all the pre-reqs in a year including a summer) that will fit my needs. Where should I look?

What can I do now to be a good candidate at the better post-bacc programs?

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[Great Satchmo]

Also, a concern I have is cost. I am willing to incur the debt to ensure I go to a program that has the highest likelihood of my successful entry to medical school. I don't really care where the school is as long as its the best for me.

However, I don't have $50k sitting around, so this will all have to be through loans. I need a program that can make sure I can find the funding necessary for the year without working (I want to focus on class).

 

[Isoprop]

I'd like to see if I can find the 1 year programs (I've seen a number that take care of all the pre-reqs in a year including a summer) that will fit my needs. Where should I look?

as you said, post-baccs with linkages are probably the best bet for you.

http://services.aamc.org/postbac/
click on undergraduate; all for degree type; career-changers for special program focus.
you can narrow your search by state also.

you are most interested in the "affiliations" with med school that will tell you about linkages. i would also look into programs that may not have linkages but offer mcat prep into the program (with a high post-bacc GPA and a high MCAT, you would have a good chance at a lot of medical schools).

What can I do now to be a good candidate at the better post-bacc programs?

your biggest weakness is your lack of clinical experience. other than that, enjoy yourself because you're in for a rough few years.

 

[fireflygirl]

First off, I have looked into these programs and done some reading, but I am still not entirely sure what step to take. I will access a pre-med adviser where I work soon, but I'd like some input from here first.

So I applied to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs this past cycle, and I graduated in May with my B.A. in psych (nearly a minor in computer science). I have a 3.6 overall, 3.8/3.85 last 2 years/in major. I scored 620v 650q and 5.5 (I believe, it was ~90%tile for the verbal and writing) on the GRE. During undergrad I had 2 RAships, 1 TA (for abnormal psych), board member for Psi Chi, volunteer work with Autism Speaks, an undergraduate research grant, conference presentation, co-author on a textbook chapter (in the Health Psychology Handbook), and have 2 papers in the works. I also spent about 2 months full time tutoring/teaching small groups of low SES-youth, mild learning disabilities, using a cognitive model.

Now I am a full time research assistant at Stanford, I have 2 PI's so I am working on a project that has to do with health behaviors and social/environmental influences, and then I'm working on developing an intervention for behavior change and health behaviors. I should hopefully be able to gain some more publication in this job before the next application cycle. They both surround health issues, mostly public health and epidemiology as well as social influences on health.


I want to go into medicine but I lack all of the pre-reqs, thusly I am looking at a career-changer post-bacc program, but I will need all of the courses.

I plan on volunteering at the hospital soon (orientation comes up in a week or two), and hopefully shadow following that.

I really want to focus on programs that give me the best shot at schools and linkages, but also have the most support (my self-efficacy in bio/chem is low due to a lack of experience with them) to ensure I have all of the tools necessary to be successful in the program and ensure I make it to med school.

I'd like to see if I can find the 1 year programs (I've seen a number that take care of all the pre-reqs in a year including a summer) that will fit my needs. Where should I look?

What can I do now to be a good candidate at the better post-bacc programs?

A couple of quick tips:

1) Check out the website that Isoprop gave you. It'll give you a start in terms of what your options are. Some of the best programs include Goucher and Bryn Mawr. Other good programs are Penn and Harvard but Penn has a series of weaknesses (PM me if you need more info) and Goucher and BM are strong in that they really prepare you for what you absolutely need to know for med school and the MCAT but they are intense.

2) Don't worry about getting the volunteer work under your belt for the application. If you want to do it to make sure you are going in the right direction, by all means do so. However don't worry that you need to start now to build up your med school application. You will have plenty of time later.

3) In terms of funding, check out private loans or the financial aid options at the school you are interested in or end up going to.

4) Look into post bac programs that have strong ties (ie linkage programs) with schools that you might be interested in. In this way, BM, Goucher, and Penn are really strong. I didn't know about linkages until my 2nd semester in at my post bac and had I known, I would have done things so differently and I would have saved myself a year.

5) Take it SLOW. DO NOT rush into things. Make sure you find the right program for you and that you know what you are getting into. And do not try and rush through the program either to get into med school. One year programs are often stressful and leave many students hurting in their grades or MCAT scores. I personally witnessed 8 out of 9 students that had conditional acceptances at Jefferson lose their acceptances because they tried to get through Penn's post bac in one year. Going back to school for a career changer has its own emotional and academic trials, espcially if you have had limited exposure to science since high school (I was an Ibanker in a previous life). You have to know that you want this bad enough and always have the big picture in mind, espeically for the rough times.

Good luck and PM me if you need any advice!

 

[Great Satchmo]

One of my concerns for the 2 year programs is cost. I will not have any parental help with this, and I am not going to be paid enough in the time until pre-med post-bacc matriculation to put away anything substantial. 2 years of loans to largely live off of and also pay the ~$20-30k tuition per year, plus associated costs is big. I understand med school incurrs a lot of debt, but I don't know that I can get the loans and go as deep in debt as I would for a 2 year program (unless the school offered me significant help through scholarship, research assistantship, teaching assistantship, etc).


I've looked through a lot of the list in the past year in consideration. I may be applying to Goucher, and possibly a few others really soon (did the Ph.D. apps, so I know the general process and can do a decent job fairly quickly, plus I have my GRE's sitting around already).

I am in Palo Alto, so I thought about Mills, but it seems like a 2 year unless I get some classes right now. At this point though, I'd rather find the right program regardless of location. I'll definitely apply to Goucher, probably Bryn Mawr, and I'll have to look for other 1 year programs with linkages and high levels of student support.



Where other than Goucher and BM are 1 year programs that have high levels of support and good linkages?


Also, does my profile look like a competitive application (I have no idea what post-bacc programs get in the way of applications)?

 

[moneduloides]

Along with Goucher and BM I recommend applying to Scripps - as far as support/environment goes they seem to be the best of the best.

 

[Great Satchmo]

Along with Goucher and BM I recommend applying to Scripps - as far as support/environment goes they seem to be the best of the best.

Isn't Scripps a 2 year program?

I'm not 100% against a 2 year program, but the nearly doubled cost is gonna hurt really badly without any parental support.

 

[moneduloides]

Isn't Scripps a 2 year program?

I'm not 100% against a 2 year program, but the nearly doubled cost is gonna hurt really badly without any parental support.

No, Scripps is a one year program. You're probably thinking of Mills.

 

[Great Satchmo]

No, Scripps is a one year program. You're probably thinking of Mills.

I'll have to check into the program more deeply, I skimmed over it a while back I seem to remember.



I'm open to suggestions though, as much as I research the programs from their own pages, I still highly value people's opinion who have real-world experience with the program.

 

[Great Satchmo]

So I've looked into a few of the programs in my free time (haha, free...*sigh* damn non-paying work, I hope these publications pay off).

I plan on definitely applying to:

Scripps
Bryn Mawr
Goucher


Where else? From what I understand, these are all very competitive programs. What other places are in that arena, I feel like 3 applications is far too few to send out.

What other 1 year programs have very high levels of support and success in preparing career changers do people recommend?


I put out ~8 apps for Ph.D's last year, and found that 10 is a pretty good number when applying to schools.

 

[sharona1121]

If you take Chemistry over the somewhere at another institution, you can go to Mills and finish the other three over the course of one academic year. That's what I was told and therefore I am applying to Mills...

Some let you finish in two summers and one academic year...for example Tufts.. I think JHU is the same way. Those might be worth looking into. I think they are decent/good programs.

In terms of linkages, Columbia has agreements with a lot of great schools...but it is two years and very expensive!

Hunter is two years but has linkage agreement with Cornell. IT's competitive but a pretty good program.. very cheap...