Hello,
I wanted to post this to let those know who are applying to this program my experience. I have a low gpa but a decent MCAT so this program was exactly what I needed, under the impression that I did well in the classes. I am not trying to scare anyone away from this program this is my personal opinion and you can feel free to disagree. From other students in the class that have excellent GPA but low MCAT this program may not be the smartest option. Several of my friends in the program either applied to schools as early as possible and got acceptances by September or they just retook the MCAT and were immediately given interviews and acceptances at numerous schools.
For me however, I needed the coursework so if you have a low GPA this program is a smart choice. But, understand that this program has several flaws. The Philadelphia campus curriculum is a lot better. A lot more hands on from what I have been told. So your first semester ( your on trimester) you will take 2 classes. The first will bea class that involves Biochemistry, molecular and cell biology all in one. This was a tough course. best advice: memorize power points dont open or even get the book. Do well on research paper at end, this brought the average up and helped many pass the course. The next course has a title like biomedical modeling. The professor is brilliant, very smart and unique perspectives about physiology. The class...BAD. Ridiculous. you start by giving small presentations about minor topics: ficks law of diffusion, laws of motion etc. your in groups of around 5 for this. Then he lectures on some topics for second exam. Then you do group presentations for the rest of the time. What are the topics? ANYTHING YOU WANT. So, people did physics of golf, roller-coasters, skydiving, sexual partner selection factors, how to pick a diamond ring for future wife..etc. Utterly the most pointless med school prep..and its a shame because this professor really is great, his views on classes not.
Second trimester was difficult but not impossible. You'll take a anatomy course that is called human gross anatomy but you will never encounter a cadaver, i am told in philadelphia you do ? This class had an awesome professor. He throws no curve balls tells you exactly what is important and what isnt, avg exam around 88. This class was a gimme. Next class is embryology taught by a former orthopedic surgery who knows his stuff. Has an accent, Romanian, but he will expect the same from you as he does from med students which was a welcome change from being treated like a shunted nephew. This was a difficult course but he was very generous in tossing unfair questions and several that a good percentage of students missed.
I just started my final semester and am taking neuroanatomy and physiology. The neuroanatomy seems like it is pretty tough course, alot of information follows text almost word for word. The professor tests an operational knowledge and not memorization so clinical style questions that you have to analyze situations and so forth. The last class is physiology taught by the same professor that did biomedical modeling. This class I feel is vital to med school except that again instead of the awesome physiologist teaching the course he assigns group presentations for the whole course. So, you get a group, he gives you 3-4 chapters out of a medical physiology book and you have to prepare a presentation that lasts a class period and half. You make up practice and exam questions that he can use for exams. Groups pass questions around so there is no curve or fair chance if everyone knows all the group questions. The class is being taught by your peers so instead of focusing on facts, examples and clinical situations your going to be stressed about giving a 3 hour lecture on a topic that your not an expert in. Im not trying to rant and rave here, but honestly I dont want to hear students try to tell me about differential pressures in different chambers of the heart and all other aspecs of the cardiovascular system. I really want the awesome professor who has clinical experience to talk about senarios, case studies and pull from the text what is important and what is not. But, he refuses to do it this way. So this course is taught more like an MBA class than a science class.
Overalle I enjoyed my experience here at GA-PCOM and it did what I intended it to do. If I had to do it over i probably would have looked more into the philly campus because of the curriculum and better opportunities that would be available. Apart from the curriculum my class had SEVERAL problems with the administration, mainly admin staff. They have a problem of not interviewing Biomeds until now pretty much. So the students that dominated this program didn't get interviews until march. They announced that they would do early interviews for certain qualified candidates: 24 with 8 across the board and 3.3 GPA, but there was a mix up and these never happened. I personally realized I was not going to be interviewed until March so I didn't turn in my secondary I was accepted elsewhere and never did turn it in.
Ok I hope this post was informational and didn't offend anyone. This was not my intention. I have a great deal of respect for the faculty and staff at this school and dont want this to be taken as just someone who is complaining about whatever they can .
but be 
