By Akram
The M.D. and D.O. programs have offered students a high chance of getting into the med schools with high GPA and MCAT scores as they are critical for the med school attendees.
Some students meet these criteria in their first attempts, but some may take a few tries to complete this overall undergraduate average.
The MCAT score may not be so competitive to get you a spot in medical school.
These students look for different chances to better their scores, and there are many postbac programs that can help you get into medical school on your first attempt.
As an aspiring medical school student, the post-baccalaureate premedical program in California must be attractive to you. However, there are different myths that surround the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs, and you must check the prominent ones among them so that you can make an informed decision about joining one.
Let’s begin:
#Myth 1: Medical Schools View Applicants Unfavourably
Medical schools see applicants entering the diverse path toward medicine from different backgrounds.
However, there are many nontraditional students who have taken time between their matriculation into med school and their undergraduate programs. These are the main portions of students who get to enter med school. But the schools do not view applicants unfavorably.
In fact, there’s a certain degree of bias that’s evident in the election process. According to a recent research report by AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges), among 71.2% of students enrolling in med school in 2019, 51.8% are between 23 and 25.
This trend keeps on increasing every year.
#Myth 2: Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs Maintain Low Admission Standards
Rumor is there is a minimum competition for seats in the premedical programs, but that’s not true at all. Many such programs wish to accept students exhibiting the academic prowess required to gain admission to a medical school.
Hence, they select the participants based on their cohorts and help them increase their chances of getting accepted into an eminent medical school.
For example, Georgetown University’s special master’s program in Physiology demanded a GPA of 3.3 and an MCAT score of 510 for letting them enter the postbaccalaureate program. Students who were unable to score this mark were advised by the board to retake their tests and increase their chances of getting admitted.
#Myth 3: All Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs Have Similar Courseworks
There are different postbac programs that offer different kinds of coursework to help you get into med school. Some postbac programs may offer you the degree or certificate that helps you get into the program, and some programs allow you to dive deep into your chosen academic areas to enhance your concentration on the chosen program.
For example, if a student had trouble in his high school chemistry may get into a postbac program offering advanced biochemistry courses.
Or, he may get a chance to finish his master’s in pharmacology offered at the Tulane University School of Medicine.
Hence, you should focus on your weak areas of academic excellence and choose a postbac program accordingly.
#Myth 4: Postbaccalaureate Programs Guarantee Your Admission To Medical School
Nobody can guarantee that you will become a doctor no matter how good the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program is or how eminent the institution is. Your chances of getting into the med school increase parallel to your academic excellence.
For example, Georgetown University offers to interview 50% of its candidates for the med school, and among them, 15% get accepted to the program within the 10 months duration.
According to 2017-2018 statistics, The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine offers a Special Master’s Program where 96% of its students got admission into medical school. It means these kinds of programs improve your admission chances so that you can get into the med school.
Putting It All Together
There you go.
We have illustrated the prominent myths surrounding the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs, and you should evaluate these details before entering into a premed program.
If you are academically inclined, you may not need the help of a postback program to better your chances of getting admission into a med school. However, if your GPA and MCAT scores are not up to the mark, you may practice more and retake the tests.
It’s not like you get only one attempt to get into medical school, so there are numerous ways to try your luck here.
For further questions, reach us in the comment box below.
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