VCU Postbacc Fall 2008

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Any of your SMPers get accepted into the medical school there yet? =P
Updates plz! xD
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not sure if anyone on the forums applied before doing the program. i know one guy from north carolina that got into NC med schools after doing well in the fall semester.
 
KiwiBruin said:
Any of your SMPers get accepted into the medical school there yet? =P
Updates plz! xD
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We have one person who got into Wake Forest, East Carolina, and UNC Chapel Hill. Suffice to say, he's not doing the program anymore since he got into med schools.
 
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I'll be applying for this go round...
I applied last year, didn't get in, been going to VCU undergrad classes in Bio dept., getting a 4.0. Hopefully that changes the minds of the admissions people over last years decision.
Anyway, it appears that the program has completely changed for this coming year. It appears to be a single program instead of 6, it has a MCAT training course, and costs a whole lot more ($22000 in and out of state). Check out the website to see what I mean.
http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/graduate/premed_cert/index.html
 
wow!!!! i knew they were gonna change the program, but i didn't think it was going to happen for this fall. no more Drug Dependence, that sucks. fall semester is going to be brutual. Getting that 4.0 in the program is gonna be hardddddd.
 
anyone know when the application deadline is? My gf is thinking about applying for this year. I'm not sure if it is too late or not. Thanks!
 
last year was around june. i would suggest sending in your application by april.
 
Are most of you hoping to get into VCU or just improve your records overall?
If you get that 3.5 GPA for the guaranteed interview, how likely are you to get accepted? any data from previous year's class?

Thanks~

P.S:
I think they upped the GPA recommend to 3.0. I remember seeing like 2.8 before...
 
I asked about that 3.5 GPA
That's pre-program, your undergrad GPA, not what you get in the program.

I got really excited seeing that on the website, too bad it doesn't apply to performance in the program.
 
why would you do this program if you have a 3.5 gpa??? i would be doing a program with a higher linkage. in addition, the ave gpa matriculant for MCV/VCU SOM is 3.5-3.6 and 30/31 mcat.
 
Rockfish said:
I asked about that 3.5 GPA
That's pre-program, your undergrad GPA, not what you get in the program.

I got really excited seeing that on the website, too bad it doesn't apply to performance in the program.
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Are you sure? o_0
Why would they put it on their website then... makes no sense...
Are they implying they want 3.5+ candidates to apply to their SMP? >_>
 
Here's the wording I used and the response from the program director, his answers were inside my question in bold

"Lastly I noticed the availability of a guaranteed interview with the medical school if certain criteria are met. Is the GPA requirement for grades obtained in the program No or for undergraduate grades submitted for admission to the program? Yes"
 
man. they made the program harder and didn't include any incentives to do this program.
 
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Frankly i find the new requirements ridiculous.
 
It isn't possible to do what you have done anymore. 4.0 nowadays is a guarantee interview, at best.
 
Hey all I plan to apply in fall 2009, anyone else? Just by reading all the posts it seems very intimidating, but I recognize it's what you put in to it.
 
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hung said:
It isn't possible to do what you have done anymore. 4.0 nowadays is a guarantee interview, at best.
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I doubt the number of people who have gotten a 4.0 has gone up drastically. Just based on the number of people who get a 4.0 i would be surprised if people had trouble getting in after a 4.0.

Even when I was doing it, there was one guy who got a 4.0 and didnt get in because he was a bit of a pompous ass during the interview.
 
It felt like everyone and their momma got 4.0 last semester. Biochem curve was down to 80/81%. Physio had 24-26 As, taking out the nursing students, almost 20 ppl aced physio. Also you hear stories or speculations of people that 4.0 and not getting in, probably sub-30 mcat.
 
To anyone who switched to the masters program, how was it and was it worth it? I want to to the cert program and then transition to the MS, but a little unsure.
 
Basically the second year is just research. If you want a masters, great. This program allows you to bridge into the masters.

Wow, i am surpised the biochem curve was so low. Remember though that some of the As from physio were PhDs and masters students. I would guess (with absolutely no proof) that only a handful got a 4.0. Those who did will most likely get in either this year or the next provided their MCAT is not abysmal. A lot of the anatomy kids who got As in biochem and physio will get Bs in histo. Strange enough, this will look worse than those who took a gut class as their third class and got an A in that too.
 
Instatewaiter said:
Basically the second year is just research. If you want a masters, great. This program allows you to bridge into the masters.

Wow, i am surpised the biochem curve was so low. Remember though that some of the As from physio were PhDs and masters students. I would guess (with absolutely no proof) that only a handful got a 4.0. Those who did will most likely get in either this year or the next provided their MCAT is not abysmal. A lot of the anatomy kids who got As in biochem and physio will get Bs in histo. Strange enough, this will look worse than those who took a gut class as their third class and got an A in that too.
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Honestly after talking to people around here I think it's better to be an Anatomy student who got all A's but a B in histo than a Biochemistry student with all A's. The name of the department seems to matter a lot since Anatomy consistently gets way more people in than the other departments. Leichnetz tries so hard to help his students get in that the lack of support from Biochemistry is ridiculous. Whitehurst-Cook even told me that they always take majority Anatomy students each year. Thankfully, they're changing the program so it isn't so unbalanced.
 
Like someone said before: you get out of it what you put into it.
 
people will start getting acceptances after the spring semester...i'm sure instatewaiter will agree, thats typically what will happen..
 
Doc D LoveIt said:
To anyone who switched to the masters program, how was it and was it worth it? I want to to the cert program and then transition to the MS, but a little unsure.
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I have talked to dozens of admissions committee reps and deans of admission and ALL of them say to only get a master's degree if it is something you are really interested in. In other words, don't just do it because it's available. I know a girl who did that last year and ended up having to do research on something that is very uninteresting (to her). However, if it is a topic that you are VERY interested in, do it. Adcoms will be able to tell if you did it "just because" or because you really wanted to. Hope that helps.
 
Can someone point me to the personal statement info? The application doesn't mention anything about it...
 
As of now, I know of two people that are doing the program right now and got acceptances to MCV for this fall. Both UVa alumns, VA instate, Physio department, 4.0 last fall. Coincidence???

Update: The new director told me that the guarantee interview applies to students that finish the certificate program with a 3.5 gpa and fulfill the other requirements. As of now, the guarantee only applies to new incoming students for Fall 2009. He also mentioned that applicants with sub 3.0 undergrad gpa will be considered if the rest of their application is good (strong lors, good mcat, extra curriculars). Hope this info helps those applying or considering about the program.
 
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hung said:
As of now, I know of two people that are doing the program right now and got acceptances to MCV for this fall. Both UVa alumns, VA instate, Physio department, 4.0 last fall. Coincidence???

Update: The new director told me that the guarantee interview applies to students that finish the certificate program with a 3.5 gpa and fulfill the other requirements. As of now, the guarantee only applies to new incoming students for Fall 2009. He also mentioned that applicants with sub 3.0 undergrad gpa will be considered if the rest of their application is good (strong lors, good mcat, extra curriculars). Hope this info helps those applying or considering about the program.
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Dr. De Felice also told me the same thing. I submitted my fast track review and apparently I will hear back this week or the next (fingers crossed ya?). Anyways, I'm new to this thread, best of luck to everyone.


Cheers,

A.
 
atran017 said:
Dr. De Felice also told me the same thing. I submitted my fast track review and apparently I will hear back this week or the next (fingers crossed ya?). Anyways, I'm new to this thread, best of luck to everyone.


Cheers,

A.
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I'm submitting mine hopefully tomorrow, when did you submit your fast track? I'm trying to get an idea of how fast this "fast track" is
 
Rockfish said:
I'm submitting mine hopefully tomorrow, when did you submit your fast track? I'm trying to get an idea of how fast this "fast track" is
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Submitted last week on wednesday....it should take about 1 to 2 weeks depending on the volume.

A.
 
Doc D LoveIt said:
Hey all I plan to apply in fall 2009, anyone else? Just by reading all the posts it seems very intimidating, but I recognize it's what you put in to it.
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Right now I'm weighing my options and trying to decide if the program would be a good fit for me...or if I'm a suitable candidate. Has anyone heard back from the "Fast Track" review yet?

(Disclaimer: first ever SDN post)
 
lecheingris said:
Right now I'm weighing my options and trying to decide if the program would be a good fit for me...or if I'm a suitable candidate. Has anyone heard back from the "Fast Track" review yet?

(Disclaimer: first ever SDN post)
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Just received some "good" news from VCU like 20 mins ago......now it's a matter of deciding between which programs.......


Cheers and best of luck to everyone,

A.
 
Ps. does anyone from the program know if VCU provides MCAT review? It says this on the website: "On-campus training for standardized tests is also offered, providing the student with the necessary resources to improve his or her competitiveness among other applicants." which I suppose can be interpreted as MCAT review.
 
I heard some good news as well from the fast-track review...

I am seriously considering attending VCU this upcoming fall, however, I have a few questions. Is your course schedule dictated by the dept. you choose, or are you able to pick and choose a list of courses from that department. If someone could clarify that I would greatly appreciate it.
 
jbru3423 said:
I heard some good news as well from the fast-track review...

I am seriously considering attending VCU this upcoming fall, however, I have a few questions. Is your course schedule dictated by the dept. you choose, or are you able to pick and choose a list of courses from that department. If someone could clarify that I would greatly appreciate it.
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Also interested on hearing the answer to this....
 
So I've started my Graduate application for VCU, although I'm really apprehensive; does this have to be submitted prior to sending in your materials for the FTR? I'd hate to go through the time/money/etc. for the application if they're able to say "come back next year" just by glancing at my current stats.

Cheers for the good news!
 
lecheingris said:
So I've started my Graduate application for VCU, although I'm really apprehensive; does this have to be submitted prior to sending in your materials for the FTR? I'd hate to go through the time/money/etc. for the application if they're able to say "come back next year" just by glancing at my current stats.

Cheers for the good news!
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No, you do not need to submit any fee regarding the FTR. Essentially, I submitted a completed formal grad app+fast track app (PS)+AMCAS+CV+references to the FTR. I believe they take your FTR application to the committee which then decide if you are good candidate for the program....then you do the formal app with fees, transcripts, etc.

It takes about 2 weeks or so for you to hear feedback from the FTR (positive or negative) which should give you a clue whether to apply or not. If you get a good review, all you need to do is submit the grad app to the grad admissions+fee+transcript then relax.

Hope this helps,

A.
 
jbru3423 said:
I heard some good news as well from the fast-track review...

I am seriously considering attending VCU this upcoming fall, however, I have a few questions. Is your course schedule dictated by the dept. you choose, or are you able to pick and choose a list of courses from that department. If someone could clarify that I would greatly appreciate it.
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http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/graduate/premed_cert/certcurriculum.html

The program is no longer by departments. It is now one program with 3 required courses and elective courses to fulfill the min 27 credits requirement. Mammalian Physio (Fall) will be at 8am-9am M-F. Biochem (Fall and Spring) will be 1pm-2pm M-F. The elective courses are scheduled to accommodate these core classes. There are elective courses that fit between the gap between physio and biochem and there are others that will be after biochem. To answer your question, you pick the remainder of your schedule based on which electives you pick.
 
atran017 said:
Ps. does anyone from the program know if VCU provides MCAT review? It says this on the website: "On-campus training for standardized tests is also offered, providing the student with the necessary resources to improve his or her competitiveness among other applicants." which I suppose can be interpreted as MCAT review.
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They are planning out the MCAT review for incoming students right now.
 
Thanks to everyone who is taking the time to answer questions for next year's incoming class...

That being said, I have another question regarding the coursework in the CERT program.

Is any of the coursework identical to or taken with the first-year medical students? For example, are the physiology course and biochemistry course the same for the students in the CERT program as they are for those in the M1 curriculum? If you could please let me know when you get a chance I would greatly appreciate it...Thanks
 
The mammalian phys course is the same as in medical school. So is neuroanatomy.

biochem in the cert program actually goes into mored depth than medical biochem and has a more research focus. You learn more about research techniques than the cursory overview that you get in medical school.

unless they have changed it, histology is much harder in the cert program than in medical school. The cert one only uses microscopes while the medical one is digital. The microscopes are a pain b/c you have to fumble with finding the crap you want in the microscope instead of having a nice, labeled slide on digital media.

In medical school though the courses move faster. For instance, in the cert program neuroanatomy lasts around 3.5 months. In medical school you get 5 weeks
 
just got my "good news" email from Ms. South at the Fast Track, i sent her my information on Feb 27th and heard back a few hours ago, so a pretty short turn around for those who are wondering how long that process takes
 
I have sent in all of my official application materials after being approved in the Fast-Track process. I was told that the turn around would be around 2-3 weeks. I hope to hear some good news soon, as I would love to attend VCU this upcoming fall. I think the program sounds terrific. Is anyone else in the same position? Has anyone received a formal acceptance to the program yet? I would appreciate any commentary that anyone would be able to offer. Thanks.
 
If you got approved and applied this early, you shouldn't fret. VCU isn't big on advertising outside of VA so most people are from VA and the application pool isn't too big.
 
hung said:
If you got approved and applied this early, you shouldn't fret. VCU isn't big on advertising outside of VA so most people are from VA and the application pool isn't too big.
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Hey Hung, did you cheer for UCLA or VCU? :smuggrin:
Hopefully your life isn't too busy to watch 2 hours of basketball! =D
 
I am actually not a VA in-state student, I am from New York. Hopefully, that does not change things too much. Is the admissions committee preferential towards in-state students? The other thing that concerns me about my application status is that I am currently completing my final pre-medical prerequisite course (Organic Chemistry II), even though I have already taken the MCAT. I was approved without the completion of this course through the fast-track and I hope that I can be still be accepted to the program before the end of the semester and the completion of this course so I can begin to make plans for this upcoming fall.

As a question to anyone who is currently in the program or is familiar with it, can a student be accepted to the program without the completion of all the pre-medical prerequisite coursework at the time of application. However, it will be completed before enrolling in the fall if accepted. I would appreciate any insight anyone is able to offer.

Thanks...
 
UCLA for the win. Silly people around me were picking VCU to upset. Spring semester feels more managable than Fall so there were plenty of time to enjoy the game.
 
Hey I was just wondering if anybody else who is applying for Fall 2009 admission has submitted their completed official paperwork. I got my paperwork in as fast as possible after I was deemed a good candidate through the fast-track review process. My application was complete about a week ago, and I was told that the process would take about 2-3 weeks...

I was just interested to see if anybody else who is hoping to attend to CERT program in the fall is in a similar situation (waiting for a final admissions decision), or if anyone has already been accepted and has committed to attending VCU in the fall. Thanks...
 
jbru3423 said:
I was just interested to see if anybody else who is hoping to attend to CERT program in the fall is in a similar situation (waiting for a final admissions decision), or if anyone has already been accepted and has committed to attending VCU in the fall. Thanks...
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I was complete on 3/10 according to the graduate office. Still waiting for an official "yes" to follow up the fast-track review's approval.
 
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