I know that we have had endless threads on post bacc programs but the purpose of this thread is to find out if any of our members are currently in, have been in or have been accepted to a "official" postbacc program such as SIUC's MEDPREP, Georgetown GEMS, Drexel's IMP or Pathway to Medical School, or any other SMP, master's degree or direct-entry post-bacc program for premeds. If so could you please provide a brief synopsis of the program, your personal opinion of the program and if you would or would not recommend it to others. Thanks! God Bless!

I was in LECOM's Post Bacc program. I didn't do it by choice but ended up there unwittingly. It is a great great program and is essentially "mini medical school" It is 4 nights a week from 6-9pm and covers just about everything we did in the first semester of medical school. It is an excellent prep course for those who need a little extra boost. I would say the 95% of those who do LECOM's post bacc and do well, are accepted into the medical school program.

I didn't do an "official" post-bacc program because of the cost and also because I didn't want to move and there were none offered in my area. I did more of a "casual" post-bacc program, though it was still called a post-bacc, but I took my courses however I wanted and there were no minimum or maximum credit hours, it was cheaper, and I still got full use of the pre-med advisory committee. The only main difference was there was no linkage between my program and a medical school. Still, I think this more casual program (which I finished in '04) was right for me. It took me a full year to finish all the courses and labs, full-time student.

I did an "MS/MD" program through my local college. My med school is split up into 9 different campuses for years 1 and 2, and the campus that I'm at let me do one year of post-bacc (full-time) and my first year of med school counted as year 2 - so after MS1, I got a master's degree!! For me it was a good introduction to med school - not because any of the material was relevant, really, but because I had been out of college for 6+ years.

I am a 29 yr old nontrad in the Boston area and starting a formal post bacc premed program in Spring of 06. From all my research and interactions, I gather that the advantage of a formal program is the premed committee and access to an advisor. The school that I go to does not have a direct linkage program to a med school but there are some that do - Tufts does. The admission criteria for these premed programs(that have a linkage) are far more stringent than those that do not. Tufts for instance, asks for a very high undergrad GPA and Boston University asks for a good GRE score in addition to that. I would look into the admission requirements for all the universities.
Usually schools that have a direct linkage program select only those candidates for their premed that they think have a good chance of getting into med school - hence the high GPA and GRE requirements. If you do have either, I would highly recommend going for a premed program. Some schools' (Tufts for example again) direct linkage also means that you can skip the glide year (the year after you give you take the MCAT and before you start med school) - that to me, is huge.
Hopefully I answered your question ?

I am beginning my postbacc program at columbia this semester so i can't really comment on it yet but i can give you a few details about the program. It is generally a two year program. The first year consist of chem 1 and 2 adn physics 1 adn 2 At columbia, you have to take Chem 1 as a prerequisite ot bio and (obviously!) organic chemistry, so you an only really being your full time studies in the fall. Having said that, I have been out of college (BA in econ no science courses undergrad) for about 6 years and so starting in about a week, I will begin taking a class at night called somehting like "preparation for college chem." I am assuming this will be like an intense high school chem class - but i don't really know?!?! Over the summer I will do the same thing, but for physics. Then in the fall I'll start classes full time. Interestingly, and I don't know if this is true of all postbacc programs or just this one, but when I start full time classes in the fall, I will be taking classes with the regular undergrad population. I was surprised to learn this as I thought they might just stuff all the postbaccs in some dark dingy classroom in the depths of the caampus somewhere - but really we just get grouped in with the undergrads. The second year is the Biology and organic chem year, as well as prep for the MCAT. I think the basic academic requirements to complete the columbia program are: 1 year chemistry w/lab, 1 year physics w/lab, 1 year bio w/lab, 1 year organic chem w/lab, 1 year math and 1 year english (though some reading/writing intensive courses in other subjects may fulfill this requirement). In addition, there is a clinical work requirement that is fulfilled by 120 hours of volunteer work. Also, you must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. Assuming you complete these requirements, the premed committee then "supports" your appplication to medical school. I think basically this means that your advisor writes you a good reccomendation letter. The premed advising supportof your application to medical school is one of the reason why I chose this program. Assuming you complete all the requirements and the committee supports your application, the acceptance rate to any medicalschool for the columbia postbaccs (on their first try) is 94%. I know that doing the postbacc program at columbia will be more expensive and take longer than it would at many other places, but I decide to go there anyway based on the strength of the program (i.e, acceptance rates, quality of education, advising programs)and the strong presense of a postbacc community both of students and advisors/faculty. I just know that for me, personally, i will feel much more comfortable in a structured program environment (with others in the same boat!!) that doning them all on my own. I will update this once I am further along in the program. Good Luck!

I am so glad someone brought up this topic. I just spend the better part of the night arguing with my boyfriend about my future and I'm almost considering giving up on my dream. I am a psyc major about to graduate and I would like to become a doctor. Besides worrying about age and balancing a family, I am really concerned about which path to take to medical school. The post bacc programs are pretty high on my list of options, but I'd like to know if it is worth it? They're pretty expensive I hear, and I'm already in debt from attending a private undergrad university. However, I feel a post bacc program may help me more than taking classes on my own at a junior college and I don't want to gamble on trying to get classes at a state school where I as a degree holding student, I will be the last priority when it comes to enrolling in the classes that I need.

Anyway, does anyone know the best option? Should I go ahead and try to do the pre reqs on my own, or try the progam? I really identify with Jen. I would feel more comfortable with structure and a set curriculum that the post bacc offers. I am also considered getting a master's and taking the pre reqs on the side to strengthen my chances of getting into medical school.

Also, Jen, I was considering Columbia. It is the only program outside of California that I was looking into. What was the application process like? Is it highly competetive?

I'd just like to give a shout out for Harvard Extension School post-bac pre-med program. (Actually the official name is the Health Careers Program.) I am in my third semester in the program and I think it's a great value for the cost. We pay $825 per semester per class. There is a sponsorship fee of $500 when you actually apply to medical school, and the program "sponsors" your application.

I've been told by the director of the program that the acceptance rate of students who obtain sponsorship by having a GPA of at least 3.0 and a certain MCAT score (I think it's 30) is 80-90%. The classes are all in the evening, and I have found it quite possible to work full time and take two classes, though it is by no means a pleasant existence. I also like the variety of students in the program, from just out of college humanities majors living at home to middle aged career switchers.

I assume that the more expensive programs, such as the one at Columbia, provide more structure and hand holding, and linkage to an MD program, whereas the HES program is kind of do-it-yourself, but I love the low cost. I think the courses are high-quality too, with many being taught by Harvard University professors. All of the instructors I've been involved with have been very good.

I hear the HES program is a great program as well. In fact, a friend who recently graduated from columbia's medical school really advised me to look closely at other programs (given the cost andtime it takes to complete columbia's program) and she strongly recommended HSE, Bryn Mawr, Hunter College and City College (both in NYC). And at approx. $800/per class, you really can't beat the price. If i lived in the boston area, HES would have been the way to go for me I think - especially considering you could just a take a bit longer to complete the program, but do it while employed full time, thus forgoing tens of thousands of dollars in loans. That is the one major downside of columbia for me - as being a full time student in NYC is especially hard given the high cost of living in NYC relative other places. It is going to be expensive for me to go back to get my prereq's done, and even more expensive for me to do them at columbia, but for me the structure, med school acceptance rates (very similar to those at HES) and ability to be a full time student dedicating all of my time to the program for the next two years are the main reasons why i am willing to incur the large amount of debt. Though it still scares me. A lot.

I think the type of program you chose is really based on the needs of each individual. I personally work better with a set structure, the comraderie of peers doing the same or similar programs and the guidance and hand-holding of advisors. (This could be becasue I went to a very small high school and a very small liberal arts college where the small community and handholding is the norm and now i am just used to it!!) however, i would be willing to bet that someone who did their undergrad at a large university or did their undergrad in a less traditional manner may not have the same personal preferences i do. I really think the decision is very specific to the individual and their needs - learning style, financial, location, family etc.

The application process to the columbia program was not difficult. You need to fill out an application - you can get it online, have your high school, college and any other post-grad institutions attended send your official transcripts to columbia directly adn have any standardized test you have taken reported to columbia directly as well. In addition there was a 500 word essay and an application fee of $60- i think. Overall it was pretty easy as you don't need to ask/rely on anyone for recommendations. I think website states that most of the peopel accepted to the program had an undergrad GPA of at least 3.0 (but i am not entiorely sure) and at an info session i think they said that about 50% of the peopel who applied are admitted to the program - but agani that statistic is from memory and i am not positive about it's accuracy. If you are at all interested i would say go for it and apply as the process itself is not all that difficult or time consuming. give it a shot and good luck!!

I go to the UW Madison and they don't have a post-bac program. I am just taking classes as I can but I met with the director f the adcoms committee for the med school and each semester she gets me an earlier enrollment date then the undergrads. I am in regular correspondence with her.

I need to work and can't do a full-time post-bac program because I just finished a grad program and am now paying back those loans and really don't want to take out any more. It will take me longer because I am taking the prereq's at my own pace (and expense) but the adcoms director said it doesn't matter how long it takes, if you are carrying a full "life" load in addition to classes. I look at it as gving me more time to build up my volunteer/shadowing and hospital experience.