Do all med and osteopathic schools require a glide year prior to starting? Being a realist, I know that it is only one more year, and for those of us who have started late, in reality what is one more year? But, also on that same “realistic” line of thought, it is another additional year of interest on undergrad loans as well as one less year of being able to serve as a doctor, and of course, one less year of income as a doctor. While I could be working during the glide year, my belief is that schools would look more favorably on people who are continuing studies during their glide year. This, of course, means additional $ for school during that time.
Thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to offer some first-hand knowledge in this area.
Larry
I don’t think reqiured is exactly the way to look at it. It’s more of a timing issue. You need to have prerequisites and an MCAT exam ready for the application year. The MCAT is only given in August and April. Most people try to complete all of their pre-requesite science classes before taking the exam. If you have already taken the pre reqs and the MCAT then applying for the 2005 matriculation is feasible. What you can’t do is apply now for 2004 matriculation because it is closed. It really depends on where you are at in the cycle. Some good options if you need to take the prereqs are post bac programs with linkages. At these schools (Bryn Mawr is one), you can take an intensive year of science, an April MCAT and possibly matriculate in the fall. These are typically expensive and difficult programs but they shave a year off what many people (like me) chose to do.
I hope that helps.
The other thing is that there’s no reason you can’t work during glide year. Sure, spend some time volunteering in a clinical setting, maybe take one or two classes if that works with your work schedule–in other words, do SOMETHING to demonstrate continued interest and community involvement. But that something doesn’t have to be full-time school.
It’s a lot like described above. A glide year is mostly used by people (like me) who did not have their pre-reqs. Since I had a degree already, I just needed those eight classes.
Most traditional students finish their pre-reqs during their junior year and thus can apply to med school during their senior year, while taking a lot of the non-pre-req electives. Since I had my degree already, I did not need to take any more classes, so I had a glide year. During my glide year, I worked full time since I had done medical volunteering during my post-bacc year. By chance the job I got was as a tech in the same hospital unit where I had volunteered. I also took one class (biochem) just to get a leg up for med school.
Hope this helps,
Tara
I think the only way to avoid the glide year is to do a formal post-bacc program that offers linkages (Bryn Mawr, Goucher, Columbia, etc.) and well getting into the linkage school. One of the things is that most of these linkage schools are private and there is not really an option of going to state school, but I think what your point about a lost year in terms of physician wages is valid. Sure, one can work during the glide year, but that time will be spent studying for the MCAT, applying to schools, hopefully interviewing, some volunteering…you’d need a really flexible job and frankly, you probably wouldn’t make as much as a physician (once residency/fellowship is all said and done). Not that it should deter your dreams if there is no linkage available to you or no linkage school that fits what you’re looking for. But these are valid things to think about and you should take them into account when thinking about how to go abou this.