For those of you that don’t know, I did a post-baccalaureate (post-bacc) program between my senior year of college, and medical school. A post-bacc premedical program is a post-degree program that typically consists of one to two years of science classes, and sometimes MCAT preparation, with a goal of preparing a student to matriculate into medical school. There are many of these programs throughout the country, however they all vary greatly. Each student looking into these programs should be aware of the financial cost, requirements, and terms of admission or any future admission into medical school.
There are a variety of reasons to apply for a post-bacc program.
One reason is to complete required science courses that were not completed in undergraduate college. Some students of course make a decision to enter medicine later in undergraduate school, and miss some of the opportunities to complete specific courses.
A second reason for choosing a post-bacc program is to improve a student’s GPA. We all know how important GPA is, for being accepted into medical school. There are so many things that can impact a student’s GPA throughout college- personal life challenges, a job or attempt to balance other things while attending school, difficulty with test taking, or simply challenges with one particular course or instructor. Most premedical students are well aware that one bad semester or course can affect a medical school application, and overall GPA or science GPA.
A third reason (and my personal reason) for choosing this type of post-degree program is to increase chances of admission to a specific medical school.
I believe my particular experience is unique. My overall GPA and science GPA were solid. My MCAT scores… not so much, pretty average to say the least.
I applied to approximately 15-20 medical schools across the country. I had received limited offers and these were in a location where I wasn’t thrilled to be relocating. I was offered information about Ohio State’s premedical post-bacc program and it seemed like a program that would be a good fit.
The program was one year, and consisted of basic science courses as well as an MCAT prep course followed by a requirement to retake the MCAT. There was a GPA and MCAT score requirement, and if both were met successfully, matriculation into The Ohio State University College of Medicine was inevitable.
No additional application. No additional interview. No strings attached.
When I attended my interview for the post-bacc program, it served as my medical school interview, and I could not have felt better about my decision to take the extra year and shoot for being a medical student at Ohio State, my dream medical school.
I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship that paid for this year of courses and preparation.
Keep in mind; this is not typical for most post-bacc programs throughout the country.
Government financial aid however can always be sought out, for those in need.
Why I think a post-bacc program is a good idea for some students (aside from the obvious mentioned above):
- It gives you a chance to take your time and really excel in the classes that will help you get into medical school.
- It can consist of a lighter course load, so you have time to focus on the study techniques you will need to perfect before starting medical school. Even if the course load is not lighter, it will be pre-medicine specific which most students enjoy more.
- This is a perfect time to really prep for the MCAT, and take a course (Kaplan or Princeton) if need be.
- This year is a great time to shadow and gain more experience in the various medical fields out there! For me personally, my post-bacc was at the same location as my medical schooling would be, so I spent a lot of time really getting to know the faculty and physicians. This proved to be very beneficial later in my training!
I hear many concerns from students about this being additional time that comes between them, and being a doctor. Rest assured, you will not look back as a practicing physician and regret this decision to take some extra time when needed. I promise you, that this one extra year did not ruin my life or impede my training or success in any way.
Please note again that all post-bacc programs are different and you should thoroughly do your research prior to making a decision to apply or attend. But I encourage you all to explore this option when exploring your options for medical training.
