Post-baccalaureate Premed Programs

Another Chance for Those Who Have a Bachelor's Degree

May 27, 2009 John Wu

It is not too late to enter medical school even after graduation from college. Post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs help college graduates get into medical school.

Medical schools require that certain prerequisite undergraduate premed courses be taken to prepare and evaluate applicants for medical school. Along with MCAT scores and health related volunteer work, premed courses are used to determine who gets into medical school. Premed courses typically required are:

• One year of college level mathematics
• One year of Physics (with lab)
• One year of Biology (with lab)
• One year of General Chemistry (with lab)
• One year of Organic Chemistry (with lab)
• One half year of upper division Biology (with lab)

For those who have already graduated, taking premed courses can be a challenge. Many colleges and universities do not allow graduates to take more courses. Some may have tried taking premed courses in the past and have received low grades. Others don't have recent science and math background to begin taking premed courses. Post-baccalaureate premed programs make it possible for students to get into medical school at a later stage of life.

The Formal Postbac: Premed Program for Nontraditional Students

A few schools have a formal post-baccalaureate premed department for students trying to enter medical school after earning their baccalaureate degree. Formal post-baccalaureate programs generally cater to a specific population. Some are designed for high GPA career changers. Others are designed for those who need to improve their undergraduate grades before applying to medical school. A small number of post-baccalaureate programs are designed for underrepresented students of any background to enter the field of medicine.

Formal post-baccalaureate premed programs teach undergraduate premed coursework as well as upper division biology coursework. They also provide extensive medical school application advising as well as MCAT preparation courses. Finally, post-baccalaureate premed programs allows students with similar nontraditional backgrounds and goals to support each other. Although post-baccalaureate premed programs are generally very expensive, financial aid is available to soften the blow.

Just like with medical school, formal post-baccalaureate premed programs often have more applicants than spaces. GPA is the most important criteria in choosing who gets admitted to a postbac premed program. A list of formal post-baccalaureate premed programs can be found at the AAMC website.

The Informal Postbac: A Cheap, Low Cost Premed Program

Due to the high expense of post-baccalaureate programs, many choose to do their post-baccalaureate coursework on their own at a local four year college or university. Some colleges and universities allow members of the general public to enroll in their courses after matriculated students have had a chance to enroll.

The first two weeks of classes for informal post-baccalaureate premed students often involve wait lists and crashing classes. Although their enrollment status is uncertain for the first few weeks, most eventually get into the classes they need.

There is considerable debate as to whether it is acceptable to take premed courses at a community college. The answer depends on the policy of the medical schools each student is applying to. However, suspect community college coursework can often be validated with a high MCAT score and high grades in upper division biology courses.

Finish the Postbac Premed Program With a High GPA

The average GPA for successful applicants to medical school is around a 3.65 for allopathic (MD) schools and a 3.45 for osteopathic (DO) schools. Medical schools will not give older applicants a handicap just because they took the nontraditional post-baccalaureate route to medical school.

A post-baccalaureate premed program is usually a person's last chance in life to get to medical school. That last chance should not be squandered.

Readers who are interested in this article may also be interested in MCAT Preparation for Premeds and Informal Postbac Programs in California.

Reference:

Becker, Christian. The Official Student Doctor Network Medical School Admissions Guide. Mill City Press, Inc. (2007).

The copyright of the article Post-baccalaureate Premed Programs in Colleges is owned by John Wu. Permission to republish Post-baccalaureate Premed Programs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

The Goal of Every Postbac Premed Graduate