Hullo, everyone. I wanted to ask for some advice, particularly those situated in California.
I’m approaching my senior year in college as a pre-med student with all my classes in check and a minor in nutrition. I’ve got a ton of internships and such under my belt: a clinical research internship in the ER, another in the neuroimmunology department, a regular internship in two transplant clinics, an internship for my nutrition minor, and some other fun ones that aren’t super important (like being on the school committee for various things). I work at the campus police department, and am currently planning on being published twice this year: one for a biochemical protein folding paper and another for an independent project to the undergrad research journal. Bad news is, I’m looking at a 3.1 GPA.
I know that lots of schools would look at my other extracurriculars, but I want to feel comfortable applying for schools, 'cos shooting unlikely apps is costly. I’m pretty sure I want to go to a post-bacc program, especially the ones with linkage agreements.
I’d like to go to a program in Cali that people have had good experiences with, made it into med school, and wasn’t super costly.
Does anyone have any particular recommendations for post-bacc programs with linkage agreements with high rates? How can I make myself a better candidate for applying to post-baccs? (I haven’t taken the MCAT yet). Are there any websites with good ways of tabulating the characteristics of my options?
Thanks so much in advance!
If you’ve taken any pre-reqs already, if your degree will be considered a “science” degree, if you’re a non-URM, your chances of getting into a CA public school postbacc are slim. Getting into a private school’s postbacc may be possible, but unlikely, given that you probably have taken the pre-reqs already. Scripps is one of the few CA postbaccs that has linkages, but consider that they don’t accept folks with “science” degrees and that their enrollment is 15 per year. Yes, 15 per year. In my opinion, such programs with linkages are intended for superstars from other fields looking to switch careers.
A better option for you would be grade replacement for DO school applications. Retake courses with a C or lower, increase GPA to 3.3+, apply DO. If you don’t like the idea of DO, then the next option would be SMPs. Requirements for SMP admission might include the MCAT, which you’d have to take. As far as I know, CA does not have any SMPs. Some, but not all, SMPs guarantee an interview if you maintain a 3.x gpa in their program.
Bottom line - in my opinion, you’re not a good candidate for a postbacc. Grade replacement is an option. As is an SMP if you can hack it. I don’t know of any in CA. Why CA? Are you a CA resident? Are you seeking to move here? If so, why? It’s the worst state for in-state med school applicants, no better for OOS I would think.
I totally second Dull’s advice (Hi Dull!)
I would seriously consider options in other states as well.
Good luck.
- Dullhead Said:
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