Will a Masters Degree Help?

[ehraihcn]

I have a BS in biology (just graduated). For most of my college career, I thought of a PhD as my goal (hoping to do research), but in the past few months have realized that it's not really what I want out of life and that the medical field is much more in line with my hopes for my future.

BUT, that means I don't really have the "standard" application for med school. My GPA isn't terrible, but it isn't stellar (~3.3 sGPA), I took the MCAT somewhat rushed (mistake) and got at 27, and I have almost no clinical experience to speak of. Obviously I'm not currently what a med school wants, and I realize that. This post is about what I can do to turn myself into a viable applicant; and not even for a top-tier med school...

Before I graduated, I met with the pre-health adviser at my university, who explained my less than great standings to me. She recommended either changing my goals (PA, or DO, or Carib. med schools) or getting a masters degree, which would act to bolster my GPA and give me time to get plenty of volunteer time in, as well as properly study for and retake the MCAT.

So what do you think? Is this a viable option? I was hoping to do a masters in neuroscience (because it's very interesting to me), but I don't know if med schools would look favorably upon it, as it's not strictly medically based.

Also, do you have any other suggestions of what I could do to make myself into a better applicant? I recognize that right now I'm NOT prepared to apply to med school, so don't waste your time telling me that...there's no need to be mean.

Also, I should add that the majority of the low classes which contributed to my GPA came from a single semester, which was quite bad due to medical reasons. My semesters before and afterwards were pretty decent; so it's not that I'm a piss-poor student.

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[red doctober]

I think a SMP masters would be more of a benefit to you than a traditional MS.

 

[ehraihcn]

I think a SMP masters would be more of a benefit to you than a traditional MS.

Yes, but hypothetically, if I completed the SMP, and went on to med school and decided it was too tough or just not for me, the SMP wouldn't really mean anything, would it? Effectively I would drop back to just my BS.

I guess I would prefer to get a traditional MS simply because it gives me a fall back point... but is that a bad idea?

 

[SilverCat]

I think a SMP masters would be more of a benefit to you than a traditional MS.

+1

Nobody cares about grades from a traditional master's program. There's serious grade inflation, which everyone knows about--case in point, in every course in my master's program, 1/2 the class gets an A, while the other half gets a B, and one or two will get a C. That won't cover you undergrad GPA.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

I think a SMP masters would be more of a benefit to you than a traditional MS.

Without an MS I never would have been accepted. SMP is really more for people who haven't met prereqs. But some let you take classes with actual med students. Not all SMPs are like this though. The only SMPs worth it IMO are ones that are at actual med schools, and they are just as hard to get into as med school due to limited spaces. Otherwise, I'd advise you to do a non-thesis master's. The thesis could prolong you more than you want to be there. Look for a program that allows to complete by exit examination, that way you get the grade boost but aren't handcuffed to a thesis project.

 

[Darcy Austen]

I don't know, I did a year long masters program and got in, as did three of the four applying in my program. It can help if you can play it up right.

 

[SilverCat]

Yes, but hypothetically, if I completed the SMP, and went on to med school and decided it was too tough or just not for me, the SMP wouldn't really mean anything, would it? Effectively I would drop back to just my BS.

I guess I would prefer to get a traditional MS simply because it gives me a fall back point... but is that a bad idea?

If you decide to forego med school, I don't think an MS will bolster your credentials that much. I hear enough about that from the MPH students struggling to find jobs right now to pay off their massive loans ( and my school's one of the top MPH schools in the country).

 

[red doctober]

Yes, but hypothetically, if I completed the SMP, and went on to med school and decided it was too tough or just not for me, the SMP wouldn't really mean anything, would it? Effectively I would drop back to just my BS.

I guess I would prefer to get a traditional MS simply because it gives me a fall back point... but is that a bad idea?

Well, that's tough to say because if you really want to go to med school, doing well in an SMP will do much more for your chances than a MS will. The reason is that MS programs require all students to maintain at least a 3.0 average to stay in good academic standing (read: rampant grade inflation.) If you did decide to do something else like go into research, an SMP isn't going to do you any good and would basically be a waste of ~$50K. I think you need to decide: if you're serious about med school, do the SMP, but if you want to do something else, do the MS or try for a PhD program.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

+1

Nobody cares about grades from a traditional master's program. There's serious grade inflation, which everyone knows about--case in point, in every course in my master's program, 1/2 the class gets an A, while the other half gets a B, and one or two will get a C. That won't cover you undergrad GPA.

Grades form a traditional master's are exactly what got me in. Most of the courses I took were the same upper division courses that undergrad seniors or juniors could take, so there is no difference in inflation. You could compare most of my grad classes to upper division undergrad classes. MPH is different than MS, definitely don't do MPH. That will not help. On the interview trail I saw many traditional M.S. students though.

 

[red doctober]

Grades form a traditional master's are exactly what got me in. Most of the courses I took were the same upper division courses that undergrad seniors or juniors could take, so there is no difference in inflation. You could compare most of my grad classes to upper division undergrad classes.

From your handle I'm guessing MS-Physiology at Michigan? This is a type of masters program that would be the best of both worlds: a true MS but also one that med schools like.

 

[Arbor Vitae]

From your handle I'm guessing MS-Physiology at Michigan? This is a type of masters program that would be the best of both worlds: a true MS but also one that med schools like.

lol no, my handle refers to the arbor vitae that is the white matter of the cerebellum. it's also a type of tree. I just did regular MS in cell bio.

 

[ehraihcn]

From your handle I'm guessing MS-Physiology at Michigan? This is a type of masters program that would be the best of both worlds: a true MS but also one that med schools like.

So then what types of true MS programs would med schools like? I mentioned neuroscience, but I could do something else if it would be better...

 

[Arbor Vitae]

So then what types of true MS programs would med schools like? I mentioned neuroscience, but I could do something else if it would be better...

They seem to like hard science programs, so I'd think neuro is good, along with physiology, cell bio, biochem, molecular bio, etc... Those type of hard biomed sciences seem to be looked upon favorably. Especially if you can take upper division courses to prove that there won't be 'master's grade inflation.' That type of inflation tends to happen in strictly grad courses with no undergrads.

 

[red doctober]

lol no, arbor vitae is the white matter of the cerebellum, also a type of tree. I just did regular MS in cell bio.

Well regardless, there are MS programs like Michigan's that might be a good fit for the OP's goals. OP, you should check out this section: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=71

 

[ehraihcn]

Well regardless, there are MS programs like Michigan's that might be a good fit for the OP's goals. OP, you should check out this section: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=71

Ah, thank you!

 

[red doctober]

So then what types of true MS programs would med schools like? I mentioned neuroscience, but I could do something else if it would be better...

I think Mt. Sinai has a program that might suit your goals: http://icahn.mssm.edu/education/graduate-school/degrees-and-programs/ms-in-biomedical-sciences

 

[Benedictus123]

You asked about things you can do to improve your chances of acceptance. I think number one would be to retake the MCAT, but give yourself way more time to prepare and study. I bet you could break a 30 if you tried, and that would help a ton. Also, spend some time now getting volunteer/clinical exposure. How can you possibly say you want to be a doctor if you've never shadowed, or seen what a hospital is like, or talked to patients? It helps a lot to do stuff like that, and you've got time now to focus on that part of your application.

 

[SavantFtw]

Shadow, volunteer in clinical setting & nonclinical, research, learn how the typical hospital functions.