**Rate your SMP & Postbac**

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IUPUI MS Non-Thesis in Biology

Classes: For the most part, the classes are actually quite fair. Some classes are extremely heavy on the information, but even those classes are very reasonable when it comes to how they test.

My only complaints about the classes:
- Plant Bio and Molecular Biology are complete waste of time if you are a pre-med.
- Physiology is a class I suggest avoiding. Professor wont post the slides and any attempts at taking pictures of slides are not allowed. It is quite detrimental to learning. She also has 10 question essay exams which dont cover 60% of the material.

Advising: This brings me to the biggest complaint I have with this program. That is Dr. Bard. He is an awful advisor. He is always in a rush to get you out of his office and is really generic in advising you. He refuses to let students pick their own classes by saying you cant sign up for certain ones despite having the pre-requisites. As a student, who paid $15000 for a semester, it was an absolute insult.

Structure: The order of classes being offered and insufficient information for students about classes offered in the program is what stands out. For example: Immunology 697 is offered in the fall and Immunology 50_ is offered in the spring. However, none of us knew that it would be offered in the spring, until class sign ups midway through the semester. Even having an immunology background, it was hard to start off in Immunology 697. On top of that, even if you wanted to take Immunology in the spring, the adviser refused to let you. Why they didnt offer them in the reverse order befuddles me. The lack of a course catalog is also insanely stupid. If students knew what classes are offered and when, it would be much better in terms of how we take classes.

Final thoughts: If you are an out of state student, AVOID this program. It is not worth the $30,000. I read that if you do this program, IU will consider your application. That is only true for in-state students. I was rejected before I could update them with my grades.

If you are an in-state student, this program is a fairly good deal. You have to work hard in some classes. In others, its just a bunch of BS work which pad your grade. If you know how to plan your classes, its easy to get at least a 3.5

Be warned, if you are a person who needs recommendation letters or opportunities for resume building, this program is not for you. Bard is an awful adviser and most of the research opportunities, TA positions are given to the MS Thesis students. You should only do this program if you have great resume but are lacking in GPA.

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Anyone with any information on Touro University COM Nevada's MS in Medical Health Sciences?
 
I am in the program and I have a few issues with this post.

I will write a full review for the program soon.

By all means, go ahead. But I don't understand people's negativity with this program considering I know of myself and many others who have gotten into school by doing great in this program.
 
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University of Rochester Post Bacc Pre Health - 2011

1) The Pros
- Reputation of the U of R
- Smart and motivated students in classrooms
The Cons about the Post Bacc Program
- Unavailability of the advisor
- The advisor doesn't seem to know about the admission process more than anybody who is ambitious enough to go back to school to be a doctor.
- I gain nothing from paying the tuition for this program vs a lower tuition for non-matriculated student
- The difference in the cost is for the pre-health committee letter, which could be easily replaced by 2 letters of rec. from science professors. So if you can do this (go ask for the letters from the professors) by yourself, I'd suggest that you just take classes as a non-matriculated student and save the money to take extra classes to boost your application.
- If you are not residing in Rochester, I'd highly recommend that you go to a different program. There are plenty out there that allows you to take classes as non-matriculated students (lower tuition) and still provide you with the pre-health letter (University of Buffalo, Colorado http://advising.colorado.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=115,...)
- After completing the pre-req science classes (typically 2 semesters + 1 summer), if you want to take additional classes at the U of R, the program still makes you pay the post-bacc rate (yeah, even if you want to take a dance class for fun...) instead of the non-matriculated rate. How ridiculous is that???
- I personally withdrew from the program after the first semester when realizing that I gained nothing from paying extra, and that I had no faith in the ability of my advisor to write me an outstanding letter.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
Itro to BIO 1 and 2, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Intro to Neuroscience

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program
All the cons I posted above.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

- If you have to stay in the Rochester area, work your way to dental/med school on your own by taking classes via the Office of Part-time studies instead of enrolling in this program. Save the extra money for extra classes or personal statement editing service.

- If you are not residing in Rochester, I'd highly recommend that you go to a different program. There are plenty out there that allows you to take classes as non-matriculated students (lower tuition) and still provide you with the pre-health letter (University of Buffalo, or Univerisity of Colorado http://advising.colorado.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=115,... )

5) Tips for students applying to your program
- Refer to item 4) above

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
- I haven't applied yet but I withdrew from the program because I don't think it would help. Your GPA and DAT score are the determining factors.

7) Anything else you'd like to add
- Do not attend this program

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

I can't choose zero, so I'll choose 1.
 
anyone have a review for Wash Us post bacc program ? Thanks!
 
Can someone please help me with deciding or give your opinion on these two masters program :
I got into MA in biomedical science at Midwestern and MS in human nutrition at columbia university. I am pre dental. Graduated from umd december 2010. Applied for 2012 cycle did not get in anywhere And got waitlisted to one school. My cum gpa is 3.1 and DAT AA 19. I believe my gpa is problem so that is why I was lookig into masters program then reapply with masters and new dat scores. Which program I should go for ??
 
Can someone please help me with deciding or give your opinion on these two masters program :
I got into MA in biomedical science at Midwestern and MS in human nutrition at columbia university. I am pre dental. Graduated from umd december 2010. Applied for 2012 cycle did not get in anywhere And got waitlisted to one school. My cum gpa is 3.1 and DAT AA 19. I believe my gpa is problem so that is why I was lookig into masters program then reapply with masters and new dat scores. Which program I should go for ??

Not the nutrition one.

And I think cGPA and DAT are both low. I think the magic number for DAT is 20 (any dental student feel free to correct me) and you are low on that, AND you are low on GPA - so two red flags equals poor app cycle.

You need a retake of the DAT too
 
Yeah I was planning on retaking DAT too. But you think the ma in biomedical science program would be good way to overcome my low GPA? Like if We assume I do really well in those classes. Also thank you so much for your input.
 
My younger sister decided to make a career path change, and to pursue a career in medicine. She applied to programs all over the country, and against my husband's suggestion, (he is an ER physician in the Bay Area, who attended NYU med) she made Hunter her top choice. She prepared her application on time, and as her other acceptances (and rejections) came in, she held out hope for Hunter. At some point in February, she realized it had been quite some time with no word from Hunter. For days and weeks she called them to request information on when they expected to have an answer. Yesterday, April 18, 2012, she received an email which was titled "HAVE YOU DECIDED YET?"

The body of the email said "MAKE YOUR DECISION BEFORE MAY 1ST!" and went on to say that she was running out of time to let Hunter know if she'd like to attend the program, and contained links to how to decide, and send in her deposit of $100. She was so relieved and so excited, and so proud. She told her friends, family, and boyfriend, and then we made plans to get together and make a decision as to where she would go. She was confused as to why she hadn't received a formal acceptance letter, but she knew that they had been behaving in a fairly unorganized and scatterbrained manner each time she would call. The email was received after hours, so this morning, she called to inquire as to the formal acceptance letter and was told that THE EMAIL WAS INADVERTENTLY SENT, to her as well as to a host of other post bacc hopefuls, and that she in fact was NOT accepted to the program.

I tried calling the office to speak with Peggy, the director, and was told by an extremely rude receptionist that the email was not a formal acceptance letter, it was a mistake, and to just deal with it, more or less. My sister was offered a spot in the liberal arts program, where she can take the same courses, but it is not the formal program. This was an incredibly unprofessional and unbelievable situation. Hunter calls itself an educational institution, but they have just completely messed with an entire group of people's futures.

In conclusion, STEER FAR AWAY FROM HUNTER. They are a ridiculous bunch.
 
Yeah I was planning on retaking DAT too. But you think the ma in biomedical science program would be good way to overcome my low GPA? Like if We assume I do really well in those classes. Also thank you so much for your input.
Thats what its designed to do...
 
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Hello SDN!

This is my very first post. Ok, so I'll get straight to the point, I'm currently finishing up my third year as an undergrad at Santa Clara University in California. I'm getting a BA in Chemistry and minoring in Public Health Science. My cGPA as of right now is exactly 3.175.. This is mostly due to my freshman year (I was a slacker back then). I have really good ECs, and haven't taken the MCAT yet but I'm determined to do well. Anyways, so I decided to apply to a post-bacc program in next Feb to southern California UC's (namely Irvine, San Diego, and Lost Angeles) and also Loyola, U. of Southern California, and Western University of Health Science. So my question is, would it be smart to still apply to an MD/DO school (knowing my chances are low) while applying to the post-bacc? And what are my chances of actually getting into the post-bacc? Anyone has any idea :)

GREATLY APPRECIATED!
 
Hello SDN!

This is my very first post. Ok, so I'll get straight to the point, I'm currently finishing up my third year as an undergrad at Santa Clara University in California. I'm getting a BA in Chemistry and minoring in Public Health Science. My cGPA as of right now is exactly 3.175.. This is mostly due to my freshman year (I was a slacker back then). I have really good ECs, and haven't taken the MCAT yet but I'm determined to do well. Anyways, so I decided to apply to a post-bacc program in next Feb to southern California UC's (namely Irvine, San Diego, and Lost Angeles) and also Loyola, U. of Southern California, and Western University of Health Science. So my question is, would it be smart to still apply to an MD/DO school (knowing my chances are low) while applying to the post-bacc? And what are my chances of actually getting into the post-bacc? Anyone has any idea :)

GREATLY APPRECIATED!
0 chance for MD right now. Over 2 standard deviations below average, which essentially means you have next to no chance. Unless you are working 3 jobs to support your entire family, cured cancer, won a nobel prize, etc etc you get the point

DO chances are slightly higher.

Firstly, get As from now on. Thats the most important thing, and then, you will probably need an SMP, not a post-bac program where you take undergrad classes. Cali doesn't have many SMPs to begin with and fewer vetted established ones.
A lot of Cali kids come east to Georgetown (a friend who finished up there and is now in med school with me said about 50% of his class was from cali)
 
Firstly, get As from now on. Thats the most important thing, and then, you will probably need an SMP, not a post-bac program where you take undergrad classes. Cali doesn't have many SMPs to begin with and fewer vetted established ones.
A lot of Cali kids come east to Georgetown (a friend who finished up there and is now in med school with me said about 50% of his class was from cali)

So are you saying his GPA is too low for a postbac? I think a postbac with undergrad classes would help greatly, but what do I know
 
So are you saying his GPA is too low for a postbac? I think a postbac with undergrad classes would help greatly, but what do I know
Depending on where it finishes - yes it will prob be too low. Assume the OP finishes with a 3.25, another year of ugrad classes will raise the cGPA to 3.3? 3.35 at best? Diminishing returns at some point. Getting straight As from now on might change the picture a bit.

*edit - some quick math showed a 4.0 year for 30 credits would take the OPs GPA to 3.38, assuming they have 90 credits already done and no other weirdness in their app (aka repeated classes). 3.38 is a tough number, another year of postbac ugrad combined with a good 31+ MCAT will get the OP in outside of Cali. A 29/30 MCAT won't carry as much weight and an SMP still might be needed after the year of post-bac ugrad classes*

At 3.3-3.35, you still aren't competitive for med school, more than 1 standard dev below average for MD. And def not getting into any Cali MD schools with that. Their avg is even higher.

So yes, a year of post-bac ugrad classes is prob not worth it - esp if the end goal is to go to a cali med school (MD) school

DO is always an option if you get into the 3.3 range
 
At 3.3-3.35, you still aren't competitive for med school, more than 1 standard dev below average for MD. And def not getting into any Cali MD schools with that. Their avg is even higher.

So yes, a year of post-bac ugrad classes is prob not worth it - esp if the end goal is to go to a cali med school (MD) school

DO is always an option if you get into the 3.3 range

So at a 3.3 gpa, my only hope is scoring a 33+ MCAT and attending an SMP? I was hoping a year of upper division science A's at a California state college and a strong MCAT would allow me to avoid an SMP. I would ideally apply to only allopathic schools. Thoughts?
 
So at a 3.3 gpa, my only hope is scoring a 33+ MCAT and attending an SMP? I was hoping a year of upper division science A's at a California state college and a strong MCAT would allow me to avoid an SMP. I would ideally apply to only allopathic schools. Thoughts?
I didn't say that

With a 3.3 cGPA and a 33 MCAT, you can throw out some hailmarys to MDs, but make sure you u have an early app, flawless LOR, and stunning ECs (everyone thinks they do, which really means everyone has average ECs). Also don't expect much love from Cali schools. And you may still get no interviews.

A cGPA of 3.3 and an average MCAT (30-31) means you need an SMP IMO.

Also, the key phrase you said was "a strong MCAT" - its a pet peeve of mine the number of people who think they can walk in and get a 35+. Some do, most don't - its just statistics. A strong MCAT isn't that easy to get.

Love or hate the MCAT - its the great equalizer
 
I didn't say that

With a 3.3 cGPA and a 33 MCAT, you can throw out some hailmarys to MDs, but make sure you u have an early app, flawless LOR, and stunning ECs (everyone thinks they do, which really means everyone has average ECs). Also don't expect much love from Cali schools. And you may still get no interviews.

A cGPA of 3.3 and an average MCAT (30-31) means you need an SMP IMO.

Also, the key phrase you said was "a strong MCAT" - its a pet peeve of mine the number of people who think they can walk in and get a 35+. Some do, most don't - its just statistics. A strong MCAT isn't that easy to get.

Love or hate the MCAT - its the great equalizer

I see what you're saying. But an SMP is not going to really help my chances for a California MD school right?? My actual goal is to gain a residency in California anyway.
 
I see what you're saying. But an SMP is not going to really help my chances for a California MD school right?? My actual goal is to gain a residency in California anyway.
It might - I am sure there are people in your shoes who went to a solid SMP, got a good MCAT, and then went back to cali for med school. Its just harder and you have to a flawless app otherwise
 
IUPUI PPNT
1) The Pros and Cons of their program
Pros:
-It is not too expensive
-I like Indianapolis, so the location is great. There are lots of opportunities.
-Most of the faculty have been very willing to discuss things and explain things
-Tons of libraries to study at
-All sorts of research happens on campus
Cons:
-Advising is completely inadequate (That said, many of the faculty are more than willing to mentor you and help lead you down the right path)
-Many of the students are in the competitive pre-med mindset and are particularly unkind.
-Parking is not the greatest

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
Molecular Bio- This class is by far the most scientific. It is definitely a challenge, but is completely doable. The professor isn't the greatest at lecturing, but as a person he's pretty awesome and can clear up any of your questions.
Plant Molecular-This professor is awesome. It seems like plant molecular would be a waste of time, and yes, you will never use the information again, but he was incredibly engaging and I learned a lot in class.
Physiology-I would suggest avoiding this class, but it is an easy A. As said before, her "essay" tests cover less than 60% of the material. I quote essays, because one of the answers was yes and I got full points for putting yes, which is not an essay. Remember if you take this class, less is more. Answer the question and do not put anything else down. The biggest problem I had with this class was during the first semester when the teacher switched throughout the semester. It was hard to determine what was important to study.
Developmental Bio-I did not enjoy this class. I thought I would enjoy the class and gain some valuable knowledge from this class, but the only thing I gained was sheer and utter frustration. It is also hard to get an A. I worked harder in this class than any except regenerative.
Endocrinology-Memorize and regurgitate. For those of you interested in veterinary school, he is actually a veterinarian.
Molecular Biology of Cancer-This is only offered every other year. His first two exams were literally the most fair exams I have ever had. The amount of effort I put into studying was exactly what I got out of the class. The final however pulled some more minor details out of the readings and figures within the readings. I however am fascinated by cancer and did very well in the course. If you are interested in cancer, it will probably be a great fit for you.
Immunology-I am not particularly fond of the professor, but I can definitely see
Regenerative Medicine-This class takes after the second exam to get truly interesting and is an incredibly difficult course. That said, it is possible to get an A. It just takes lots of work. You need to buy the book and you need to read it.
Molecular Genetics of Development-This was probably one of my favorite courses that I've ever taken. It is one that requires regular studying as he gives quizzes, but it is entirely possible to get an A without killing yourself. It's also incredibly interesting since it is all about genetic disorders.

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program
I wish I would have known not to take developmental bio and that I would have taken sensory systems and developmental neuro instead.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
If you do intend on doing neuro courses-I would highly suggest taking both of them. Dev neuro has been incredibly difficult for my friends who were not in sensory systems

5) Tips for students applying to your program
Study consistently. Those I have met who crammed (except for a couple of the classes) did not do well.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
I will let you know if I get in. I am applying this year for the first time.

7) Anything else you'd like to add
If you still need volunteer hours, there are so many opportunities for you to get involved in the nearby areas. The school itself is your greatest resource as they are well known for their community involvement.

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
Despite the inadequate advising, I truly believe I have benefited from doing the program, so I'd have to give it a 5.
 
The Program I did was at Missisippi College,
I am thoughroughly pleased with it.

I feel like if you go there willing to work then the reward will be great.
You take shelf tests, there is a new gross anatomy lab, they teach pharmacology in addition to Med Phys, Neuroanatomy, Gross and Histo, and Dr. Estess is a Medical School Graduate, and Dr. Baldwin took all the Medical School pre-clinical courses when he was getting his Ph.D.

Dr. Baldwin also teaches Medcial students at UMMC where I am taking him now again!!!!
Yes I got in lol, so my rating of the MC program is 10 out of 10!!!
 
I am writing this a month or so after I've finished the BU MAMS (Master of Arts in Medical Sciences) program. Although some students have the option of specializing in Clinical Investigation (earning them MACI), and others may opt to even continue onto the MPH degree after too, the majority of students are MAMS.
I had many questions before applying and enrolling. Hope the following may answer some of yours. Feel free to message me if you have more specific questions, and I'll get to them when I can. I'm currently answering questions for accepted and incoming MAMS students, and many of their questions and the answers I've given to them are below.
The following information is from my experience only. Besides the acceptance statistics, nothing else is from the BU administration. If some of the information conflicts with what you know, please let me and everyone else know as well so that it benefits everyone!


1. The pros and cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes difficulty, competitiveness, other students, building/classrooms/facilities, etc.)
I'll get the cons over with first.
- Although I enjoyed most of the classes a great deal, I wished that there was more of a selection of courses. However, this is a pro as well, because you end up being in the same classes as your friends, which gives some much needed mutual support and encouragement.
- Pathology (see below section)
- Advisors sometimes give conflicting advice on which classes to take, and how to improve your AMCAS application. The bottom line is, each person has his or her own opinion, since that is exactly what you are asking for: an opinion. If an advisor takes an interest in your application and specifically requests you as an advisee (you don't usually find out whether this is the case), you're in good shape. Make sure you see them often. You won't be brown-nosing, although it may feel like that to people who aren't used to seeing their advisors. Don't be the kiss-ass either. It is incredibly transparent who is actually interested and engaged, and who isn't. They're not stupid, so don't offend them by assuming they are.
- You'll have no life. If you're here because you partied your butt off in college (guilty), there'll be none of that here. You'll be dating Biochemistry and Physiology, so be prepared to invest the time to get the happiness you're looking for. Expect to spend all day, every day (yea, even weekends) at the library or at home. If you manage your time extremely well, you'll have time to cook a few times a week (not during exams), do your laundry once a week, and even work out every day to keep yourself sane. However, I did manage to find the time to go out on one day per weekend (skipping exam weekends, of course!), and even twice a weekend during second term, I would suggest doing so only if you're happy with your understanding of the material. Spending my Saturday hung-over and looking like a pajama wearing drowned-rat, and trying to memorize the Pentose Phosphate Cycle isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but I went out to keep motivated, and because I knew that I had the time to. If I felt pressured by the course material, I'd be at the library that weekend. It's as simple as that.
Pros!
- Very rewarding. I'm in medicine because I love this ****. The science and biology behind the human body is awe-inspiring. The amount of knowledge I've come out of this program with always surprises me. The core classes are built so well that everything ties into everything else without being repetitive. The fact that Physiology requires an understanding of the material rather than just knowledge of the material encourages motivated learning. You'll need that in order to deal with the massive amount of information.
- Fun. Yea, that's right! I actually had a lot of fun with these classes. Although I've always liked all things science, I really had a blast. Intellectual curiosity is well rewarded.
- Great learning environment. The professors are genuinely interested in the material, since many of them are PhDs who devote their life to their area of study and love motivating students and helping them understand the difficult concepts.
- Professors are always available for you, and are very happy to schedule office hours, whether to help you understand material or to offer you advice. I've never been one to see professors after class because I've always thought it to be akin to kissing ass, but it's really not. If I had questions, I would rather have them answered and answered well rather than risk not understanding it for the exam.
- Location: there are a bunch of restaurants and delis around, along with two gyms, one smaller and cheaper, the other being the opposite. The neighborhood across the main Massachusetts avenue is pretty rough, but there aren't many incidents involving students. It's a hospital. There are cops. Bad guys stay away from cops. That isn't to say there won't be lost-looking people in hospital gowns asking for change or a cigarette sometimes. Back Bay is relatively close, and is a great area to live in. If you can afford Newbury street or areas nearby, do so! It's close enough to walk to school (15-20 minutes), next to THE shopping center in Boston, and is also next to the river park, which offers a great running route.
- Buildings: not run down, not squeaky-aseptic clean either. The janitorial staff does a great job, so there's nothing to complain about. Many of the classrooms have projectors hooked up to a computer that students are allowed to access, along with a plethora of blackboards to write out your notes on. There's even one room with a 54-inch television. Taking a dinner study break and watching some TV on a big screen is a great way to let out some steam.
- Competitiveness/people: I came into this program thinking it would be cut-throat and very competitive, since everyone wants to get into medical school very badly. Awesomely, that wasn't the case. Because people are here due to something not exactly perfect on their record, (whether it be a drunken arrest, institutional action, low uGPA, or low MCAT), we're all on the same page. In addition, the classes aren't curved. If you get a 92, that's an A, regardless of how well or how badly others do. My fellow classmates were all friendly and helpful, and all willing to share tips. Maybe it was just this class year, but I think that my fellow classmates made this entire experience much more bearable, and even fun. I was also expecting not to make any friends, just because I didn't expect to have the time to. That's completely wrong! Make friends and meet people. Although it's only classes for a year, I'm glad I didn't just hide in my library cubicle after sitting alone in class.

2. The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
The academic year is divided into two terms. The first term is composed of Biochemistry, Physiology, and a third class chosen from among a list. Students typically elect to take Histology or Physiology. The second term is more flexible, and students typically take Physiology (second term), Pathology, Biostatistics, and Immunology if they feel up to it. Biostatistics can also be taken during the first term, and not everyone takes Immunology.

- Biochemistry
o Extremely difficult. It is divided into three units, each requiring its own focus and different methods of study approach in order to master the material. The first exam is very MCAT passage-like, and requires a great deal of knowledge of application. The second exam is mostly biochemical pathways, and requires a great deal of memorization. The last is a combination of the two.
o The class is very well-run, and the instructor gives great advice on how to study and approach the different units of material.
- Physiology (two terms)
o Challenging, but rewarding. This class is the application of principles learned in general chemistry and physics during college as applied to the human body. Exams also change from unit to unit, and vary in the amount of knowledge application versus memorization, but the material must be understood through and through in order to perform well. Despite the high degree of difficulty, I feel like I have learned a great deal after having taken this course. Understanding how much chemistry, physics, and biology goes into the simple act of taking a breath is extremely satisfying. We're all nerds here! Let's not pretend that the fact that the human heart beats every second for eighty plus years doesn't make us all hot and bothered.
o Like Biochemistry, the course is run very very well. The syllabus is invaluable, and it will take pre-reading, attending class with (literally) full attention, and re-reading a few times to get that A you are looking for. There are about five or six lecturers, all of whom are fantastic. There are also weekly labs, where there is clinical application of the physiology material, along with a quiz. This also helps you keep on top of the material and prevent you from being swamped in the end if you're the type to wait until the last moment to study, which you should never do for these classes. You are also allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade, so there is a bit of wiggle room.
- Histology
o Hands down, most fun class I've ever taken, ever. All the slides are virtual, meaning that someone has stained and prepared slides, and used a camera and computer to take 1X, 10X, 20X, and 40X pictures of every part of every slide composing every part of the human body. Many of the tissues have multiple types of stains to illustrate certain structures of a cell or organ.
o This class was recently changed from a previous syllabus and teaching methods, but WOW. Great and knowledgeable professors, and very well taught. They start from the basics, and each succeeding unit builds upon the previous. It is fast paced and exciting.
o My class schedule was as follows: lab once a week on Tuesdays, and lecture twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Honestly lab was my favorite part of the week. Maybe it was because the material was just so damn cool, or that my friends were all in the same lab. Whatever. The class rocked.
o There were weekly quizzes on lecture and lab material, which made sure you were up to speed on everything each week. There are three lecturers who rotate, one of whom will be your lab instructor. You don't want to be behind in this class. Not even for a few days. There were two exams, each with a written portion and practical portion. You are allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade in this class as well.
- Pathology
o I disliked this class a great deal. The syllabus was extremely disorganized, with a great deal of extraneous and unrelated information. Lecturers vary from being dreadful to funny and dynamic. This class is extremely detail focused, with zero to no application of learned material. I spent time memorizing Hurthle Cell Carcinoma, and all we knew for the class was that it was composed of Hurthle cells, but it's the only thing we knew HA. The pathogenesis, cellular aspects, and disease pathway were non-existent. There isn't exactly enough time for you to look up facts about the disease to help you integrate it into a hierarchy to help you understand many of the diseases either. I spent most of my time studying for this exam by memorizing things like the genetic loci, affected organs, and prognosis of obscure pediatric diseases .
o Although it sounds like I'm complaining a great deal (and I am), the bottom line is that this class isn't structured. There's no base of information upon which to build, and no particular rhyme or reason to the facts you need to know for the exam. It's all just a bunch of random facts. Some units are incredibly easy, simply because the lecturer gave great explanations, with other units being near impossible to understand because the lecturer slaps over a hundred slides of each and every single bit of information about their specialty.
- Biostatistics
o Laughably easy compared to the rest of the classes. It's your typical introductory statistics class. If you can do arithmetic you can get an A in this class. The lecturer's slides are very informative but repetitive. I would normally never encourage anyone do this for this program, but feel free to begin studying three days before the exam. You'll do just fine. It's a two-credit course, compared to the six monstrous credits of Biochem.
- Immunology
o I didn't take this class, but from what I've heard from my friends, it's a lot of memorization but still rewarding. It'll give you a big leg up in medical school too. However, the two credits are crammed into a few weeks during second term, and ends right as you should be really focusing on the final exams for your other classes. Not pleasant, but doable.

3. Something they wished they knew coming into the program.
The awesome people in the program.

4. Tips for students applying to your program
I applied in July, because I didn't really find out about SMPs until a few weeks prior. I highly suggest being honest in your essay. Feel free to use your personal statement, but I basically said the following: "I really ****ed up in undergrad. I still want to be a doctor, even though my grades make me look like an idiot, but I'm ready to get down and dirty, and I've got what it takes to be a doc. Just give me a chance to prove it." I wouldn't suggest everyone go this route, because I had some stuff to back this up. I did well on the MCATs before I applied to this program (whereas most take it after the program is finished), and worked in a lab for a year and a half before applying. I also had previous lab experience, so I had at least something to show that I'm dedicated.
In short? Be yourself.
Also, I strongly encourage you to express your interest in this program if you are applying and are not sure if you'll be accepted. The staff is extremely supportive and responsive.

5. Did it help you get into medical school/dental school etc.?
Submitted a few weeks ago, so we'll see!
I ended up applying to 31 schools. Updates to come!

6. Anything else you'd like to add.
Tips to do well in this program
- Make study groups! Especially for the first term, which is absolutely more difficult than the second. Although you may think you understand the material just fine, your study group members may offer different ways of thinking about a topic, or focus on parts that you didn't think were important. Fact is, everything's important. If it's taught, it's fair game on an exam. I had a study group weekly for Histology and Physiology at the very least, because both required a great deal of understanding of the material, and even more application. Simply memorizing everything won't help with those two classes, especially the latter.
- Always go to class. Although it may be difficult to commute if you live far away (not-so-subtle hint to try and find somewhere nearby), sitting in class and having the instructor tell you what they think is important is priceless. Sitting at home watching a recorded lecture isn't the same.
- Figure out what you did wrong in undergrad, and fix it. Mine was not attending class. It was a slippery slope, since it's so easy to resort to studying for everything at the end. You simply CANNOT do that here.
- Pre-read for classes. Doing so will save you time from taking notes on things that are self-explanatory, and allow you to know where to put extra bits of focus while listening in class to difficult-to-understand concepts. Re-write your own notes for each lecture after class (either the afternoon after or the day after; any longer and your brain loses a great deal of the things retained in lecture). Review for quizzes. Review for exams. The more times you go through the material, the better your grade will be.


7. A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 being the best (full recommendation))

For all of the reasons listed above, it should be obvious! 5.


8. Some commonly asked questions from incoming students to the program.

How many students are in the class? How many are accepted to BU School of Medicine each year?
- The class is about 180 people. Around 140 apply to the medical school at BU, and around 75 get interviews. 30-35 pear year end up becoming accepted to BUSM.

Is the coursework the same as that which the medical school students take?
- The material and syllabi are exactly identical to the medical school. However, M1s are on a systems-based approach to the material, so they learned the material on a different time schedule. There are a few different classes. For example, we don't take anatomy. In addition, all lectures (with the exception of Immunology) are composed of solely MAMS students.

Are there tutors available?
- There are TAs for each class, and private tutors as well, most of whom are students (either M1/M2 or MAMS second year) that had A's in their respective classes.

What about the thesis? What do people generally do for that?
- You have the option of either doing a library or lab thesis. The former is a review of literature on a selected topic, and is generally finished in a month or two. Students who decide to finish the program in one year go with this option. The latter will take at least half a year in a laboratory, and you will be including your own research data in the thesis. This is generally what students who take the two-year track do. The second year does not involve classes, and will only require registration fees. Tuition for the one-year and two-year tracks are essentially identical.

Are the MAMS students guaranteed a spot in medical school if they can get a certain GPA?
- MAMS students are considered in a separate applicant pool when applying to medical school. No student's application wil be skipped over, even if they are under the general applicant GPA/MCAT cut off. However, there is no officlal ‘linkage' with the medical school. However, you can expect to get an interview if you receive a 3.7 or over (NOTE! That is MY estimate, and by no means the official number). Whether you get in after is completely up to you.

When do students volunteer? And do they have time to do so?
- Students are not encouraged to volunteer during the first term, as the time requirements from coursework are enormous. You won't have time to do much else. Although a few people may have the time to do so, the choice is still yours. I wouldn't recommend doing so. Most students find volunteering opportunities during their second term, since the amount of free time between the two terms is practically day and night.

Do students typically apply to medical school during the first or second year?
- The vast majority of students apply during their second year. By applying the first year, you're subjecting yourself to primaries, secondaries, and interviews, all the while taking the most difficult classes with the least amount of free time. If one of these takes time away from the other, your entire application will suffer. I have just finished the program in May, and am therefore applying during my second year. However, a few students did apply during their first year and were accepted. I've a friend who did just that and is now in the BUSM entering class of 2012.

If after all that you're interested to see whether doing well at this program will help you dig yourself out of a crappy uGPA (crappy as in sub-3.0), feel free to click on my profile and look at my other thread I started before I applied to this MAMS program. That will have my old and new stats.

Hope this has helped some people. Good luck to everyone applying!
 
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Great post tpsreport! May I ask you to share your stats?
 
I have just graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a BA in Biology
My cGPA: 3.71
I did research for 2.5 years, earning Distinction in my Major and I graduated with high honors.
I worked in a hospital in SB for about a year and did other clinical colunteer work for a couple summers
My GPA would honestly be higher but I slacked my first and second year, and finisehd my senior year with straight A's in all bio classes.
I am taking the MCAT July 25. My app is already in and my score is listed as pending.
I think I will do well because I have been scoring 33+ on AAMCS.
I have been accepted to a USC masters in global medicine, and waiting on Rosalind Franklin and columbia SMP programs.

I have two questions that have been really stressing me out and I hope someone can help:
1) Will my app which will be completed on August 25 put me at a competitive disadv?
2) Should I even do a masters program?????? I wanna chill out for a year if these scores can get me in..

THANK YOU
 
I have just graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a BA in Biology
My cGPA: 3.71
I did research for 2.5 years, earning Distinction in my Major and I graduated with high honors.
I worked in a hospital in SB for about a year and did other clinical colunteer work for a couple summers
My GPA would honestly be higher but I slacked my first and second year, and finisehd my senior year with straight A's in all bio classes.
I am taking the MCAT July 25. My app is already in and my score is listed as pending.
I think I will do well because I have been scoring 33+ on AAMCS.
I have been accepted to a USC masters in global medicine, and waiting on Rosalind Franklin and columbia SMP programs.

I have two questions that have been really stressing me out and I hope someone can help:
1) Will my app which will be completed on August 25 put me at a competitive disadv?
2) Should I even do a masters program?????? I wanna chill out for a year if these scores can get me in..

THANK YOU
Who in the world have you been talking to, that you think you have a low GPA? Are you kidding me? Go play.
 
Can any current please comment on UNT's SMP? I would really appreciate it!

When I talked with the dept at UNT they said that doing the SMP will not satisfy the remaining science credits for applying to Med school. Therefore this would simply be a GPA booster rather than what I consider a traditional post bac.
 
When I talked with the dept at UNT they said that doing the SMP will not satisfy the remaining science credits for applying to Med school. Therefore this would simply be a GPA booster rather than what I consider a traditional post bac.
Exactly. That's what an SMP is: a GPA booster. That's what all SMPs are.

You can't do grad work to get the prereqs done. SMPs are grad school.
 
Cincy SMP

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)

Pros:

-Cost. Tuition seemed roughly comparable with other programs but COL was cheap and if you go on to med school in Ohio you can get a jump on in-state tuition in med school.
-We got to take a large amount of real med school classes, including histology and gross anatomy labs. As I go off to med school next year I really feel as if I have a full year of med school under my belt, not a year of grad classes with some med school sprinkled in.
-Competitiveness, although this could also be a con. It sure seemed like a lot of us in the SMP program struggled to get As, but if you did well in a course it meant you legitimately would have been in the top 15-25% of the M1 class. The question is, will this be appreciated by adcoms? I can't really answer that, but I hope they start to figure it out.
-We had a small class of about 30 kids and, with our shared study room, we really got to know each other. After we made it through the unrelenting awfulness of Fundamentals of Medical Science we managed to go out or play sports somewhat regularly. I think it was kind of like boot camp, where a shared hardship brought us all together.
Cons:
- Those classes were tough, man. It would be very hard to go through this year with what is a traditionally "good" grad GPA. I think that goes for every SMP, of course, but it's worth keeping in mind, you bright eyed future SMPers out there. Unless the medical schools you're applying to are willing to do their research about SMPs and your program in general, your 3.0 GPA taken by itself might not look so hot. True, an average first-year medical student would have earned a 2.0, but they might not bother to find that out.

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

-Graduate Medical Physiology I/II: A bunch of phys courses from the old curriculum (Cardio, Renal, Resp, Muscular, GI, and some other ones) using secure tests and compared with a historical average.
-Fundamentals of Medical Science: Biochem, Pharmacology, Mol Bio, Genetics/Genomics, Embryo (will be next year). This was our first class with the med students and it was intense. I studied like ten hours a day every day.
-Anatomy of the Clinical Exam: Mostly radiographic anatomy, osteology and surface anatomy. We went into the Gross Labs sometimes for this class but that was unnecessary.
-Human Growth and Devo: Embryology, Development, Psych, Sexuality, Reproduction. Another class with the med students, with a cool feature: there were integrated gross anatomy labs that went along with the reproduction part of the block. Mostly what I remember about this course is hating the psychology part.
-Immunology and Infection: This block's being dissolved and integrated into other blocks so it's not important, but it featured memorizing a ton of bugs, antibiotics, and clinical presentations.
-Translational Science, Statistics, Seminar, Thesis, etc: These were small filler courses that we didn't take with the med students. They were for the most part a lot easier.

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program
- Come out the gates strong! Yeah you don't want to burn out but on the other hand most interviews have been handed out by the time christmas break rolls around. That means that those first two classes are your SMP resume, what you are going to need to use to get a interviews. Study your ass off early and coast when you get acceptances.
4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program
- There are some pretty sweet study rooms that the department of physiology have, which your program is allowed to use. My favorite were the conference rooms on the first and fourth floors of CARE/Crawley that have floor-to-ceiling windows. Ask Jeannie for the key.
5) Tips for students applying to your program
- Don't be a recluse. If constantly being around other students stresses you out or gives you anxiety that's ok you can go study on your own, but you really need to at least check in with your fellow masters students regularly. There's always some guy who's got study materials or maybe a hot tip on what's "high yield", and maybe if you're struggling with a concept they can explain it. Also don't be afraid to ask the ex-masters students for tips on the courses. They took them last year, after all. There should be at least 6 of them in the M1 class.
6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?
Yeah. I applied before the program to ~30 schools and got one interview and 0 acceptances. Then I applied during the program and got 3 interviews and 2 acceptances. My OSU interview was late enough (like mid march) that I'm pretty sure I got it by sending in grade updates. Then I got in off the waitlist right after sending the final update.
7) Anything else you'd like to add
Dr. Banks, the program director, is the best.
8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)
If you are a good candidate for an SMP (High MCAT, low GPA and your app doesnt have an easy-to-fix problem like a lack of clinical experience/shadowing) then I think this is just about the best SMP. So I would say 5. BUT I think that all SMPs are overpriced and risky, and not right for everyone. Think very carefully about this decision.
 
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What was the required MCAT score once you have finished the one year course to get the acceptance for med school?
 
are you asking me, sheila? Cincy doesnt have any official cutoffs for guaranteed interviews or acceptances.
 
I am also a recent Cincy SMP student, and I wanted to add that small class size also made it easier to get to know some of the M1's and faculty. Because there were only about 30 of us, we were combined with the medical students for lectures and some of the small groups. All the faculty were very friendly and more than willing to help or talk. Many of the M1's would often send out study aids, and we were often invited to the medical school social events, which were a nice break to have time to time. Like DCBFan said, the classes are tough, so use (and share!) every resource you can get your hands on, but the material is definitely relevant, and I certainly feel better prepared for medical school. Another little non-academic factor that I enjoyed is that there is a decent-sized gym in the basement of MSB, the building in which all of your classes will be, which very convenient if you wanted to get a quick workout in between classes or studying. Overall, my experience was similar to DCBFan's, and if you are set on doing an SMP, I would highly recommend Cincinnati.
 

Rosalind Franklin BMS

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)


Pros:
- Classes (except for your track classes) are the same exact classes that the M1's are taking. BMS and M1's attend the same lectures and take the same tests (M1's take a bit more subjects though) and are graded on the same M1 curve.
-All lectures are recorded and easy to download. I stopped going to class after the 2nd week, it saved me a lot of time
-Guaranteed interview at CMS
-Ability to get different master's degree in your track classes
-Lots of former BMS students are now M1's, 2's etc. and are willing to give advice or help you out

Cons:
- Class size is huge - unless you are one of the proactive kids that meets with every professor or is in every club you are not going to get any kind of personalized attention (this might be a pro for some people)
- A/B/C/F grading scale. If you get a 89.8 you are stuck with a B, the same as someone who scored a 80.2.
- I think some of the tests are arranged kind of poorly and some classes like CMCB only have about 100 questions total for the entire 5 credit class. Easy if you do poorly on 1 test to get a B or even a C.
- North Chicago is garbage. The place sucks. I guess its good for studying but i hated it
- Tuition is really expensive and like any SMP the year is stressful


2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

CMCB, Biochem, Physiology, Neuro, Topics in Physio and your track classes

You basically take CMCB and Biochem in the fall, Physio from winter to spring and Neuro during the last 6 weeks of the year. Topics in Physio (Tips) you take year round. Your track classes, (almost everyone takes HCAM are really easy and generally require discussion board posting and a few essays)

CMCB - hated it, just don't like the subject. Doesn't help that the entire course is about ~100 questions so there is not much room for error
Biochem - good class, everything is organized
Physio - the meat of the year, 14 credits. The material is a lot but very interesting and relevant
Neuro - I was burned out by time neuro swung around. I got behind which is a big no-no. DO NOT fall behind in neuro because everything is directly related and the anatomy portion of the class is cumulative.
TiPs - Kind of interesting, test questions were easy, almost repeats of previous tests

One good thing is that you don't really have to go to any labs (histo, anatomy) so you can focus just on concepts and not on rote memorization

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program

Everyone says get straight B's and you are fine. Don't do this...do everything in your power to get A's. This year is going to be stressful and you don't want to ever feel like you are in danger of failing a course and you want to be in the first batch of students that get acceptances. Don't leave anything up to chance. Also - the people who got in first round seemed to be the ones who were very active on campus. So even if you don't have time, get to know professors and don't be a stranger to faculty or administration

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

Make sure that your GPA is the only thing lacking in the program. You do not want to be taking the MCAT or volunteering or even filling out secondaries once school begins. I filled out my AMCAS a bit late and was filling out secondaries all of August and September ( I applied to a ton of schools). They weren't necessarily bad but on top of schoolwork it felt horrible. Avoid doing anything else during the year because when you are not studying you should be relaxing and taking time off.

Also, get your studying down pat. I did pretty poorly during the first month and was in danger of getting a C in CMCB. I only scraped a B by getting a perfect score on the last test. This was after I finally got over my pride and met with the academic retention center to go over my study habits. Don't do what other people do - do what works for you. If you work well with groups then study in groups, if not study by yourself. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help - because if you ask for help too late...then its exactly that, TOO LATE. You want to do well on every portion of the program and don't be afraid to seek resources or help.

Also - take time for yourself. Even though the program is stressful you are doing less than the regular M1's. Take time to relax, don't cram (essential in making sure you don't get burned out). Go out have fun (even though North Chicago sucks)

5) Tips for students applying to your program

Apply early and email them/call them to show interest. They often choose people who want to come

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?

Had 3 MD interviews (not including CMS interview and acceptance) . Decided to go to another MD school because i liked curriculum/mission better (also was cheaper).

7) Anything else you'd like to add

This is a last resort - if you do poorly in this program it is extremely hard to rebound. If you are an introvert like me, still make friends. They are essential in helping you get through the year as well as sharing resources and keeping you up to date with the classwork (I never went to lecture). The entire year is almost like an audition for CMS. If you are personable, nice and do well in the program, obviously they will want to accept you. If you are an ass, inappropriate to any staff or faculty, even if you do well in the program, you won't get in. These people owe you nothing - they don't have to accept you. They have thousands of qualified applicants who didn't need an SMP to get into med school. Do not become entitled and work hard the entire year. These grades do matter - if you get into the med school these will count for your preclinical med school GPA.


8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

Solid 4
 
Keck School of Medicine at USC - Master of Science in Global Medicine (MSGM)

1) The Pros and Cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes, difficulty, competitiveness, other students, buildings/classrooms/facilities, etc..)


This has been long overdue.

Pros:
- Take the majority of first year, first semester classes with the M1's (none of the labs, thought)
-All lectures are recorded and easy to download.
-All classes taught by very accomplished medical school faculty that care about helping you in any way they can
-Ability to choose electives in many topics within global medicine (not just basic science classes)
-Actually come out of it with a usable degree
-Vast majority of students end up matriculating at an MD or DO school the year of or following the program
-Opportunity to shadow in LA County hospital (Amazing experience)

Cons:
- Director of the program is not responsive or involved with the students
- Do not get to take anatomy or anatomy lab
- No guaranteed interview at USC following the program
- Only a quarter of your units will be taken alongside the MD students
- Tuition is really expensive and like any SMP the year is stressful


2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

Core principles systems 1 and 2 (basically a grouping of all first semester med school classes like Biochem, Histology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbio, etc.)
- Study like your life depends on it because it does
- Professors are great, for the most part, but there is a lot of material so I would skip class often to study and just watch the video later
- Both classes last half a semester. The first one has 1 test that determines your entire grade. The second one has 2 tests (midterm and final).

Required Global health classes for the clinical track (Intro to Global Health, Global Epidemiology)
- Sometimes these classes seemed boring, but the information was really important and I am extremely glad I took these
- Each class requires 2 tests and at least 1 presentation

Disease themed classes (HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, STDs, NTDs, etc.)
-These were entire classes dedicated to the issues surrounding 1 disease
- The class was graded the same way the global health classes are
- Very interesting, but more difficult than the main global health classes

Other Classes
- Global mental health was graded similarly to the disease classes (one of the best classes I've ever had)
- Medical Spanish (did not take it, but heard it was excellent)
- Healthcare in Taiwan (study abroad in Taiwan for 2 weeks - did not take but heard it was amazing)

You basically take CMCB and Biochem in the fall, Physio from winter to spring and Neuro during the last 6 weeks of the year. Topics in Physio (Tips) you take year round. Your track classes, (almost everyone takes HCAM are really easy and generally require discussion board posting and a few essays)


3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program

I think I was prepared for this. I got all A's and did a lot of great things. I guess the only thing I wish I knew was that living on campus was a bad idea. It's good first semester because all you do is study study study, but I felt trapped second semester. The surrounding area is dangerous, so going off campus without a car isn't a good option.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

Study as much as you need to in order to get A's, but that alone will not get you into medical school. I recommend getting involved on campus while in the program (as long as you can keep your grades up). Also, make SURE to get a good MCAT score. That is definitely what hurt my application this year. This program will work best as an SMP for people with undergrad GPAs of 3.3-3.5 that want a solid edge for their application. It was obvious that the addition of this masters degree to an app with slightly below average stats greatly increased the number of interviews people received. Also, don't apply unless you have interest in global medicine.

5) Tips for students applying to your program

Show them you're interested! There's no interview for this program, so it would help you to be in contact with the staff.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?

I think it definitely helped for getting the interview, as well as standing out during the interview. I had 6 DO interviews by the end of August, declined interviews at 2 and was accepted to the remaining 4. I was also offered an interview and accepted to 1 MD school that is the perfect fit for me. I know other people doing really well in the interview process after the program, as well.

7) Anything else you'd like to add

This is a last resort - if you do poorly in this program it is extremely hard to come back from it. Form a study group. It will be invaluable to your success. Also, like I said, get involved. Getting involved will make the experience exponentially more valuable. The program offers you access to the wonderful resources of Keck medical school. Use them!


8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

As purely an SMP, 3. As a program overall, 4.5.
 
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ModernAlchemist, were the students competitive at all? You say there were study groups, so I imagine not? Also, you have pretty good stats, so I am not surprised you got so many DO interviews. :D
 
ModernAlchemist, were the students competitive at all? You say there were study groups, so I imagine not? Also, you have pretty good stats, so I am not surprised you got so many DO interviews. :D

It was a mix. Most were just excited to work together and learn about medicine/health. There were a few people that were really cut-throat, but they learned quickly how much of a disadvantage they were at by not being part of the nurturing environment.

Thank you for the compliments! In actuality, my GPA is actually a bit higher than on my profile. Also, the MCAT score on my mdapps is a result of averaging 2 MCATs and mixing up the scores. I did so to maintain a little bit of anonymity. If you want to know my real stats, I don't mind PMing you.
 
Can anyone tell me about NYU's College of Dentistry biology/oral biology track? Or if you know anyone that has taken this?
 
Hello,

I'm wondering whether anyone can give me advice about which SMP I should apply to.
I have a 3.1 cgpa and a 2.2 sgpa, MCAT 26O. I don't know if I should retake it or go into my school's post-bac.

Extracurriculars:
1000+ hours of volunteering at a hospital, 100hrs shadowing.
4+years of clinical research including summers.
Volunteer at kids camps
Volunteer translator
 
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Hello,

I'm wondering whether anyone can give me advice about which SMP I should apply to.
I have a 3.1 cgpa and a 2.2 sgpa, MCAT 26O. I don't know if I should retake it or go into my school's post-bac.

Extracurriculars:
1000+ hours of volunteering at a hospital, 100hrs shadowing.
4+years of clinical research including summers.
Volunteer at kids camps
Volunteer translator.

Why is your GPA so low?

And let me be clear, my intent is not to put you down in any way, I'm just wondering why, because I think it's a really important question for you to address before you continue down this path. Otherwise I think you might have a lot of difficulty later on.

Once you get that out of the way, yes you should definitely retake but only after you do a post bac or smp or something. You may have a tough road ahead.
 
Why is your GPA so low?

And let me be clear, my intent is not to put you down in any way, I'm just wondering why, because I think it's a really important question for you to address before you continue down this path. Otherwise I think you might have a lot of difficulty later on.

Once you get that out of the way, yes you should definitely retake but only after you do a post bac or smp or something. You may have a tough road ahead.

Thank you for replying! I'm in no way bragging I promise. I attended an Ivy where science classes are intense. I know Med School is harder of course! It took me all of freshman year to figure out how best to study while taking care of a younger sibling and working during my "free time". Things picked up a bit sophomore year but then junior and senior year sciences were much better. I know it's a very long road. But I really want this. So, I've been looking into Post-bacs that would help me continue on this long path.

My sibling is older now so that helps. I'm a lot wise (I hope) and I know how to study. Any other advice?
 
Has anyone gone through Mount Sinai's PM Track for the MSBS program, who would be willing to review it?
 
would anyone be able to give a more updated review of all of the Illinois programs? like midwestern, loyola, etc? the rosalind franklin review was great! thanks in advance!
 
Would a SMP or Postbacc help me or hurt me?

My numbers:

cGPA: 3.44
sGPA: 3.42

MCAT 31R (10PS 10V 11B)

6 years of research in including almost 2 years after graduating from college.
Volunteered at a pediatric unit for about 70 hours.
Volunteered at an international hospital for an entire summer (full-time~300 hours)
Shadowed Internist (~40 hours)


I submitted my AMCAS late (early September) but I applied to over 30 schools. Finished all of my secondaries by the end of November. So far I haven't gotten any interviews. Should I consider enrolling in a SMP or Postbacc to enhance my application? Or should I just apply earlier and broader? Or should I do both? How well do I need to do in a SMP or Postbacc to stand out to adcoms? I'll appreciate any constructive feedback. Thanks!
 
Wrong thread, man.


Would a SMP or Postbacc help me or hurt me?

My numbers:

cGPA: 3.44
sGPA: 3.42

MCAT 31R (10PS 10V 11B)

6 years of research in including almost 2 years after graduating from college.
Volunteered at a pediatric unit for about 70 hours.
Volunteered at an international hospital for an entire summer (full-time~300 hours)
Shadowed Internist (~40 hours)


I submitted my AMCAS late (early September) but I applied to over 30 schools. Finished all of my secondaries by the end of November. So far I haven't gotten any interviews. Should I consider enrolling in a SMP or Postbacc to enhance my application? Or should I just apply earlier and broader? Or should I do both? How well do I need to do in a SMP or Postbacc to stand out to adcoms? I'll appreciate any constructive feedback. Thanks!
 
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