Those students who decided after college to apply to medical school have the option of fulfilling their requirements with a post-bac program.

Standards:  It is important to know the various types of programs available to you. Do not assume that doing a post-bac program at XYZ will automatically improve your chances of getting into XYZ's medical program. Unless you have an agreement with a school to matriculate into the medical program, you should pick a program based on its merit.

Post-Baccalaureate Questions to Consider:

1. How long has your program been established?
   
2. Do I need a minimum GPA or MCAT score to be eligible? (you may have not taken the MCAT at this point so you would not be eligible for these programs)
   
3. Is an MCAT preparatory component offered?
   
4. Are programs certificate or degree granting?
   
5. Do the programs offer credit which may go toward a graduate degree?
   
6. Does the program require students to take classes with a medical school class which can show your ability to compete with medical students?
   
7. How many of your students matriculate into medical school?
   

Enhancement Programs: Students who have completed their pre-medical requirements and want to improve their science G.P.A., should consider an enrichment program.

• An enhancement program could be valuable over a master's program due to the nature of the curriculum. A majority of the enhancement program courses are considered BCPM courses. In master's programs (M.P.H or masters in biology), not all the courses may be declared as BCPM courses when calculating your science G.PA so it is important to look at the AMCAS classifications before enrolling.  
  
  
• If the curriculum is graduate curriculum, it is important to assess whether the grades will go towards a graduate science GPA. Some schools look at the graduate science G.P.A separate from a undergraduate science G.P.A others average all the science coursework together.  Regardless of AMCAS's policy, some schools have their own formula for looking at applications.
  
  
• If you have applied to medical school and found your scores were not competitive, ask the schools the amount of improvement needed.  Many will have a conversation with you to discuss your application. Some schools will specifically state that you need 60 semester hours of basic science courses to improve your GPA to show you are competitive. In these instances, an enhancement program could be valuable.
  
  
• If you only need to take a few science courses and you need to improve your MCAT score, a few courses at a university may suffice.
  

Class Size:  Most pre-meds complete the pre-requisite courses over four years, in a post-bac you are completing the work in one year.  Large class size may make it difficult to receive proper instruction. Also, you will need a recommendation from your basic sciences instructors so you must have opportunities to interact with the faculty. Find a suitable program that caters to your individual needs.

Master's program vs Post-Baccalaureate: A master's program in the sciences (i.e. physiology and microbiology) may not offer pre-med counseling to help improve your complete application for medical school. Also a master's program may concentrate on a particular science field which may not be appropriate for a future medical student. Also, some programs in a master's degree may not qualify for your BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math) GPA.  On the flip side, a master's program could provide you with a distinctive background in a particular subject area. Receiving a master's degree with high grades could make you a more viable candidate to medical schools because you mastered upper level science courses and you took classes with students seeking an advanced science education. (similar to the background of student's entering medical school)

Post-Baccalaureate Programs

Certificate Granting
Agnes Scott College, American University, Brandeis University, Columbia University, Drexel University, Duquesne University
Mills College, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, University of North Florida, Wake Forest University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fances Perkins Program, Penn State University, Rockhurst University

Non-Certificate Program
Bennington College, Creighton University School of Medicine (Educational and Financially Disadvantaged), Loyola Marymount University, University of Southern California

Undergraduate, Certificate Program
Assumption College, Boston University, Bryn Mawr College, Drexel University, Fisk University, Goucher College, Johns Hopkins
Scripps College, Tufts University, Worcester State College

Undergraduate, Non Certificate Granting
Avila University, Bennington College, Cleveland University, Dominican University, East Tennessee State University, Iowa State University, Lamar University, Loyola University of Chicago, Manhantanville College, Rider University, Rutgers University, San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Santa Monica Community College, Seattle University, State University of  New York, Texas Christian University, UC Davis School of Medicine, UC Irvine College of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles,  University of California, San Francisco,  University of Califorinia, San Diego, University of Massachusetts, University of Miami, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, West Chester University

Master's Programs (Post-Baccalaureate)
Dartmouth's Center Master's in Science, Drexel University Interdepartamental Medical Science Program, Georgetown University

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