Post Bacc Programs: Pre-Med
Many students who apply to medical school question whether they will be attractive candidates for admission committees because they have been out of school for a while, have taken a limited number of science courses as undergraduates, or need extra course work to improve their science grade point averages. "Post-bac" programs-- meaning "after the bachelors degree" -- provide extra coursework that may help to increase their chances of being accepted by a medical (or other health professional) school.
The Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) provides opportunities for recent college graduates to spend a year engaged in biomedical reserach at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This program targets the growing groups of talented and promising college graduates who, for a variety of reasons (e.g. financial constraints, desire for practical research experience, etc.) have decided to postpone application to graduate or medical school. It is intended to provide opportunities for the early training of minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Types of Postbaccalaureate Programs
There are several post bac programs that serve either "career changers" or students who need to enhance their performance in the sciences. Students should research specific programs to assure an appropriate match.
- View a list of over 80 Post Baccalaureate Programs in the United States.
Enhancement Programs: There are three main types of enhancement programs. First, there are formal, structured programs with rigorous admissions policies. Completing this type of program greatly increases your chances of getting into medical school. Second, there are formal programs that are less structured and less selective, and their success rate is not as high. Third, there are extremely "loose" programs that often look more like continuing education classes or classes offered to "special students" that rarely offer pre-med advising. You should talk with a pre-health advisor to plan the best route to take in enhancing your candidacy.
"Special Masters" Programs: Some students pursue a master's degree in medical sciences. These programs target students who intend to pursue medicine, rather than academics. The coursework combines medical school courses and advanced/graduate science coursework. Outstanding work in these programs can be very appealing to the admissions committee and may improve your success in medical school.
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center offers a 1-year Medical Pharmacology Program for students who were not accepted into medical school.
Special Programs for Minority/Disadvantaged Students: Underrepresented students of color and economically disadvantaged students may benefit from post bac programs. For students who have studied at predominantly "majority" institutions, they offer the opportunity to take pre-med courses with a larger number of their peers in a supportive and challenging atmosphere. For example, Creighton University offers a post-bacc program for disadvantaged students. Although many programs encourage underrepresented and low income students to apply, each needs to assess what program is best for her/him.
For insight into the various kinds of post-baccalaureate programs, check Syracuse University's comprehensive listing of post-bacc programs.
Post-Baccalaureate Programs for Dentistry: Most post-baccalaureate programs accept individuals applying to dental schools, even though the majority of participants are focusing on medicine.
For programs that are dentistry-specific, see:
INDEPENDENT POST-BAC WORK
If you are doing post-bac work on your own rather than through a formal program, you should consider:
- Access to labs
- Access to pre-med advising
- Do you have the same access to professors/faculty as "regular" students?
If you are considering a post-bac program, consider:
- Timing of program: How long is the program; how will it fit into your long-range plan?
- Academic environment: Is it an academic environment that will or should minimize your stress? Are there classes with undergrads and what are the implications of this? What is the reputation of the school? How do students from the school do when applying to medical school?
- Diversity of the post-bac population
- Support systems
- Level of competition
- Does the program have collaborative relationships with medical schools?