Category: Exploring The World of Post-Baccs

I began my search for the “perfect” post-baccalaureate program the summer before my senior year of undergrad (2016) and completed it in September/October 2018. This may seem quite lengthy, but I took ample breaks within that time to focus on more immediate academic and personal goals. So realistically, I probably had a year of dedicated time performing searches, picking apart every program that vaguely reflected what I was looking for, and contacting admissions offices for more information. It was tedious at times, but I believe it yielded the results I needed. It also opened my eyes to all the different options I didn’t know I had. That’s why I decided to write about this experience and provide you all with some tips on how to find the program that best suits you. Below are listed some key factors I considered when completing a search for a post-bacc program, in no particular order. It’s a bit lengthy but definitely worth the read!

Name of school and location

I admittedly did not place much weight on this part of the process. I was an eager pre-med student and knew I just needed a post-bacc to prove I was capable. The location and school name did not matter as much to me. As long as the program was credible, I felt I needed to keep an open mind so I wouldn’t miss out on a great opportunity. However, I know for some of my friends it did matter, so you’ll really have to reflect on this and see what works best for you. 

Would I do it differently now that I’ve been through the process?
Probably not, because keeping an open mind is what landed me where I am today. Otherwise, I likely would have chased what I thought I wanted and ignored the program that popped up as I scrolled through Instagram (true story).

Cost

Oh man, where does one begin when it comes to talking about cost in relation to a medical education here in the States. Let’s just say: Unless you come from an affluent family or miraculously find a sponsor or get a full-tuition/all-expenses paid scholarship, medical education is going to cost you a LOT of money. Therefore in looking at post-baccs, try to find ones that are relatively cheaper (or free!) so that your overall loans at the end of your medical education aren’t ridiculously high.

My goal was to stay on the lower end and spend as little as possible. It was fine if I had to pay for a post-bacc, but I was not going to destroy myself financially so I can get a seat in a class. With that being said I have a story…

I remember getting rejected by a program I at the time considered my #2. They then referred me to a longer program at their university which would put me an additional $100K in debt at the end of the program. To put it into context, that’s more than I owed in loans after 4 academic years and 3 summers of undergrad!! Before medical school loans, y’all!!! Can you imagine?! And because I was eager to resume my education and I was afraid I would get rejected from my #1 program, I ACTUALLY CONSIDERED IT!!!! But thank God for guidance because I shared my news with a doctor I was working with and they put it into perspective for me. These were her words: “For that amount of money, you could probably build an orphanage and get into medical school that way.” I was like whoa, you might be onto something….(And no I did not build an orphanage lol).

Moral of the story: Don’t let fear and desperation be the driving force when making decisions in this journey. Especially when money’s involved. Slow down. Take your time and consider all your options before you decide on a program, because there’s no guarantee that the amount the program wants you to pay will be well spent. So, please, play it smart!

Master’s or certificate/non-degree-granting post-bacc

Honestly, this was probably one of my biggest internal struggles when going through my process and narrowing down my options. I went back and forth with myself; did I want a Master’s degree or was I okay walking away from a post-bacc with no degree or, sometimes depending on the program, not even a certificate. Initially, I was all about the degree. There was no way a school was going to take my money (really, the government’s money) without handing me a diploma! 

In the end, I did what most of us are often afraid to do and just asked! I approached a handful of medical doctors with and without Master’s degrees and asked about their experiences. In ranking residents for their programs, did they favor applicants that had a Master’s vs those that didn’t? If the physician held this degree, did they feel it made a difference in their medical practice? And of course, did they feel like having a Master’s helped increase their pay in residency or when they became attendings? I had a resounding no for these questions, with one individual mentioning that it only affects pay if you have additional duties as a physician where you’re directly using your Master’s degree. But not if your only role is to be a physician.

Long story short, I felt I had heard enough to make my decision, so I finally broke down my personal belief that I needed a Master’s and became more open-minded to accepting a spot in a post-bacc program that didn’t grant even a certificate.

If you’re like me and were struggling with this decision for any of the above reasons, I hope this provides some clarity and makes your decision-making process a little easier. There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a Master’s or feeling like you need a degree if you’re going to spend money on courses! But as I’ve been saying, play it smart and think for yourself. And if you can save yourself a few thousands of dollars by going for a non-degree granting program that you will learn from and will help you get to medical school, don’t shut that door so quickly.

That’s it for Part I. Stay tuned for Part II next week… 🙂

In this post we’ll be exploring the different types of post-baccs that exist and how each one can benefit you specifically. I wanted to show you all that there are different options out there. However, as I always say, make sure you’re assessing your situation wisely before deciding on one. Let’s dive in.

DIY Post-Bacc

• As the name implies, this type of post-bacc is really dependent to you. There is no set structure with required coursework or, even, a timeline that you have to follow. You create and implement both as you see fit and as it works for your situation. I decided to go this route after completing undergrad. My process involved enrolling part-time at a local University (save some coins!) and taking more undergraduate science courses with the goal of increasing my sGPA. Thinking futuristically about medical school, I made sure that most of the courses I took during my DIY post-bacc were challenging and would showcase my mastery in science (i.e. Genetics). This worked out for me because being a Kinesiology major, I had not taken a majority of Biology courses so I had some room to work with. I had also already completed my prerequisites so I did not have to worry about that. But for those of you who haven’t, this is definitely a go-to and cost-effective option (I wish I’d thought about this during college, instead of forcing myself to take classes I wasn’t mentally prepared for). What I loved about this option was that it gave me the opportunity to add to my undergraduate GPA even after I had graduated with my bachelor’s. All while going at my own pace.

• Some things to consider: 
  • You can do this at any local University/College. This would help save money on room and board (assuming you live at home for free).
  • You’ll most likely be paying out of pocket. It’s true that financial aid can cover part-time undergraduate enrollment. However, since you should only be taking a handful of classes with this approach, I’d recommend using your extra time to work and pay off these classes yourself. You do not want to be in more debt than you need to once you’re accepted into medical school because that can bring in a lot of debt as well.
  • You won’t have a program director that could write you a recommendation letter after you’re finished with your classes. Due to this, I’d highly recommend getting to know your new professors and keeping in touch with any former professors who you feel could write you a strong letter of recommendation. This way, when you’re applying to medical school, you have old and new professors that can attest to your growth.
  • There is no certificate upon completion but, of course, your academic records are available to access and send to medical schools.

Undergraduate Post-Bacc

• This approach is more structured compared to the first. It will be an official post-bacc program under a school where you will be taking undergraduate coursework. I’ve seen many of these types of post-baccs that focus on completion of your pre-medical prerequisites. Therefore, if you are someone who obtained their bachelor’s in a science or non-science degree but did not complete your prerequisites at that time, this is a great option for you. In regards to GPA, you’ll receive a new undergraduate GPA while in the program. However, essentially, once you enter that GPA as an undergraduate post-bacc on AMCAS, it will combine it with your bachelor GPA to give you a cumulative undergraduate GPA. Much like with the DIY post-bacc.

• Some things to consider:
  • It’s a more expensive route. Since these are actual programs, they’ll include tuition and fees. Also, oftentimes, such programs are spread across the country and since there are labs, it’s mainly in person. This means you could have to move and pay room and board or off-campus rent as a result.
  • You’ll have a program director who could write you a recommendation letter following successful completion of the program. Or even if it’s not the director, some programs will have a board that will look at your records and write you one.
  • Depending on the program, you could get a certificate upon completion.

Graduate Post-Bacc

• Much like the undergrad post-bacc, this is also more structured. The main difference between the two lies in the type of classes you’re taking while in a program. So a student enrolled in a graduate post-bacc would be taking graduate-level courses. This will in turn give them a new, graduate GPA. It is important to remember that although this is a new GPA, it does not erase your undergraduate GPA. Schools will likely still look at your undergraduate GPA but if your graduate GPA shows significant academic improvement, it is more likely they won’t hold your undergraduate grades against you. I would ideally recommend this type of program to students who have completed their prerequisites and have a decent GPA but are unsure if they will be successful during a medical school application cycle. It would also be great for those who want exposure to graduate-level science coursework.

• Some things to consider:
  • Again, you’ll have a structured program that will allow you to make more connections and potentially get a recommendation letter from someone in your program.
  • Can be certificate or non-certificate granting.
  • You will get to take graduate-level coursework, in most cases similar to what medical students at that school take.
  • Graduate coursework costs money – a lot of it.
  • Most require an MCAT score to meet application requirements.

Exposure to medical school level coursework

This is truly a plus. In some programs you get to take classes alongside first-year medical students, giving you a glimpse of what it’ll be like. Most importantly, because of the exposure, you’ll learn how to study EFFICIENTLY – which (I’ve been told) is key to succeeding in medical school. 

A chance for a new or improved GPA

Depending on the type of postbacc you participate in, this can mean either increasing your undergraduate GPA or getting a new, graduate GPA. Either way is a chance for you to showcase academic improvement to medical schools. I will go into further details on these two possibilities in a later post 🙂

Possible matriculation into medical school

This is never a guarantee, but most programs have affiliations with their own or surrounding medical schools. Therefore, if you meet certain requirements, you may have a chance of gaining admission into an affiliated medical school. Such a sweet idea, but be ready to put in the work. Getting that seat will take a lot of hard work, some sweat & maybe even a few tears (guilty!).

More mentorship and guidance

Depending on the program, you may be assigned an advisor and/or have the opportunity to interact directly with the program director. You’ll also have a chance to meet alums from your program that will give you the ins and outs, so you don’t have to figure things out blindly. It’s a very humbling experience and it was one of the things I loved most about my program. 

The people you meet

This may sound cliche, but I think it’s underrated. Oftentimes these individuals are one of the few who can relate to your present situation 100%. Why? Because they’re going through the same workload as you & may even share similar struggles! The African in me wants to point out that you’re obviously not attending any school or program to make friends, but try to get to know some, if not all, of your classmates. You’ll be surprised at the support system you can find through them and vice versa.

Everyone’s reason is different, but here are some common ones that I’ve encountered. My own are included.

if you weren’t successful with the current application cycle.

Don’t let this discourage you. Depending on the type of program you’re looking for, a post-bacc could be a good plan B. Many people have received admission to medical school after completing & showing improvement with a post-bacc, so there is still hope for you.

if you do not feel adequately prepared to enter medical school without an introduction to the rigorous coursework.

This was one of my reasons & I’m glad I allowed myself the chance to explore this. By doing so, I felt I would be better preparing myself for when the opportunity came!

for academic enrichment.

For example, if you need extra coursework to redeem your academic record from undergrad (guilty!). This could also help you build a stronger foundation for the basic sciences.

if your MCAT score is lower than expected for the regular admission cycle, but meets post-bacc requirements.

Where one door closes, another one opens. There is more than one way to get into medical school. Don’t fall into the trap of assuming that all other paths are closed just because your MCAT score is not “good enough”.

if your MCAT score is lower than expected and you want to improve it.

Exposure to more science coursework can help you learn relevant MCAT material (especially for the Biology section). In general, doing a post-bacc can also help you gain better studying techniques before retaking the exam.

There’s no shame in identifying with any of these reasons. Whatever yours may be, own it and make it work for you! And if you need help, don’t be afraid to reach out! 🙂