Post-baccalaureate programs?

[fluztom18]

Hi everyone,

 

Has anyone taken post-baccalaureate programs to boost their chances of acceptance to American medical schools?

 

A comprehensive list of such programs can be found here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=346106

 

I'm considering all my options with what I can do with a cGPA of 3.45 and 34R MCAT (11P, 11V, 12B). I came across these 'Special Master's Programs' and was wondering if the same admission cut-offs and linkage rates apply to Canadians/Internationals.

 

Thanks!

[deathvvv]

Be VERY careful with SMP

 

2 strikes right off the bat

1) $$$$- it costs roughly 20k at least in tuition (for your case, you can just do one more year of undergrad in good ol Canuck land for 6-7k and pull your mark to 3.5X?, which is competitive for MD schools with your 34 MCAT)

2) SMP is do or die- many of them have a get one C and you are gone rule, meaning getting a C in one course out of 4 or 5 that you take prevents you from getting the "guarenteed interview"

 

With that being said, the only anecdotal evidence of a Canadian getting into a "linked" medical school is through the CMS SMP. The person is on SDN (claimed to be canadian) and after 1 year of their program got into RFU. I am not sure if him/her got into any other us schools.

 

But OP, with your stats, you should just apply. Check the accepted thread, another person here had stats similar to you (3.3/35?), got into 2 US MD schools.

[fluztom18]

Be VERY careful with SMP

 

2 strikes right off the bat

1) $$$$- it costs roughly 20k at least in tuition (for your case, you can just do one more year of undergrad in good ol Canuck land for 6-7k and pull your mark to 3.5X?, which is competitive for MD schools with your 34 MCAT)

2) SMP is do or die- many of them have a get one C and you are gone rule, meaning getting a C in one course out of 4 or 5 that you take prevents you from getting the "guarenteed interview"

 

With that being said, the only anecdotal evidence of a Canadian getting into a "linked" medical school is through the CMS SMP. The person is on SDN (claimed to be canadian) and after 1 year of their program got into RFU. I am not sure if him/her got into any other us schools.

 

But OP, with your stats, you should just apply. Check the accepted thread, another person here had stats similar to you (3.3/35?), got into 2 US MD schools.

 

Thank you for your input deathvvv.

 

I'm planning to apply to a bunch of MD schools this summer and will be doing a 5th year to boost my GPA. It's just that I want to have a solid back-up plan lined up, in light of my standard ECs and mediocre LORs.

 

I think it's feelitburn you're referring to. I'll send him a msg

 

Thanks!

[shikimate]

You know 3.45 is not bad for DO schools. You should give them a try before doing a masters.