

The programs range from twelve to 24 months in length.

Others are unstructured and provide flexibility in course selection. Some of the programs are highly structured, meaning that the curriculum is pre-determined, and students do not pick any courses. Most boast high medical school acceptances rates for students who apply right after the post bacc, anywhere from 50-100% acceptance rate. Some programs require admission SAT of up to 1200/1600 or a GRE of 1750, ACT of up to 24 or a GMAT of at least 50%.

Others who may have excelled academically and may have initially considered other programs including a master’s degree, may opt for the graduate level to pursue thesis or course-based programs in their area of interest such as medicine, while also having the opportunity to engage in non-academic components of their applications such as shadowing hours, research or volunteerism. For example, those who may have struggled early in their undergraduate studies but want to pursue medicine may opt for the undergraduate programs given the opportunity to improve their GPA. The programs are both undergraduate and graduate level and may cater to different groups who are now considering medicine. The programs vary tremendously between schools and offer a range of different topics including nutrition, health care delivery, pharmacology and premedical programs. There are multiple programs across the United States that cater to career changers, some of which are associated with the medical school. These students may require additional coursework to boost their GPA to apply for medical school.Ĭareer changers provide MCAT support, medical school admissions sessions and usually include pre-requisites for medical programs for those who may have not initially considered medical school as their career choice. Lastly, there are others who may be considering a post bacc program to improve their GPA. These programs also provide additional supports in applying for medical school including interview preparation, pre-requisite courses to increase your MCAT score and application counselling. Other students may come from economically or educationally disadvantaged groups or visible minorities and certain programs cater to their economic needs with an aim of increasing visibility of diversity in medical school. There are particular programs that are catered to those changing career directions and provide MCAT support and/or academic advising for medical school. If this is your situation, you may not have completed all the necessary pre-requisites required for medical school or the MCAT. Some students enter university without considering medical school as their goal. It is important to check the medical programs you are interested in and determine if your GPA from graduate courses will be included in the calculation prior to enrolling in a graduate program for the goal of improving your GPA. Although your GPA may be improved by taking graduate level courses, not all medical programs include graduate level courses in their GPA calculation. For those with low GPA, it may be more effective to complete an undergraduate post bacc program as there is a higher likelihood to improve your GPA and potentially your science specific GPA should you complete a science post bacc program. Due to the variability of possible designations, these programs offer both undergraduate or graduate level courses. Post bacc programs are often one to two years in length and result in either a degree, certificate, master’s degree, or no additional designation. Are you wondering why med school prerequisites are important?

Post baccs can help you complete your prerequisites and improve your GPA. Post Baccalaureate programs are useful for students who have completed a bachelor’s degree, however, do not feel they are strong applicants to medical schools, vet schools, dental schools or nursing schools for a variety of reasons including low GPA and unmet medical school prerequisites, or desire extra time to devote to gaining experiences highly valued by medical school such as clinical work or research.
