You know you want to become a doctor, but you also realize that you’re not quite ready for medical school. Whether that’s because your profile isn’t as competitive as it could be, or because you simply just need more time to study basic sciences to determine whether this is truly the right path for you, or because you’re a career changer, a postbac could be your ideal starting point for your future in medicine. In fact, any student who would like to become a more competitive applicant to medical school can benefit from completing a postbac program or postbaccalaureate coursework.
Let’s jump right in and determine whether a postbac is a solid plan for you, which programs would be a good match, and what steps you need to take to get started.
- Ten postbac benefits
- What types of postbac programs are available?
- Six tips to help you get accepted to a postbac program
- Postbac program letters of recommendation that will get you accepted
Ten postbac benefits
Postbac programs or coursework can help you with all of the following:
1. Fulfill your premed prerequisite requirements
Some students take additional coursework to complete the required prerequisite courses to apply to medical school. If you’re a career changer, there are postbac programs that offer classes and services specifically for you.
2. Improve your GPA (cumulative and science)
Some students take additional science courses to improve their academic record.
3. Boost your MCAT scores
If you have a low MCAT score, simply retaking the MCAT – after completing a prep course – might be the best approach for you, unless you need assistance in other areas as well. Many programs include MCAT prep in their curriculum.
4. Generate more activities
If you need to participate in more health-oriented clubs, shadowing, clinic volunteering, community service, or research to strengthen your application, consider pursuing a program that offers what you need. Most formal postbac programs offer a variety of opportunities and activities.
If you choose to cull your postbac courses (non-matriculating, supplemental, and/or repeat courses) rather than attending a formal program, arrange activities and opportunities early so you can maximize how many hours you clock in your gap year.
5. Write strong application essays
Often, programs provide support in outlining, drafting, and finalizing your application materials. Sharing your personal statement draft with the writing center on your college campus can also be helpful, if you do not have the support of a formal program. For more advice, see How to Write a Perfect Postbac Admissions Essay.
6. Secure impressive letters of recommendation
The additional coursework that you complete – and earn stellar grades in – will provide opportunities for you to request timely letters of recommendation from your science instructors. Faculty in formal postbac programs can also provide these letters.
7. Strengthen your team-building skills
Including your postbac program or coursework on your application boosts your candidacy because it indicates that you thrive on teams in a classroom setting. Taking lab classes or completing research will show the admissions committee that teamwork is a strength of yours, as long as you achieve positive results, with high grades or publications.
8. Build confidence
Taking additional classes will boost your confidence, as long as you excel academically. If you are struggling, ask for help. Don’t give up on yourself!
9. Grow and mature
By taking additional time to prepare for medical school, you will be gaining more life experience and therefore approaching your professional education with more maturity and more clearly defined goals.
10. Evaluate your profile
By evaluating the strength of your primary application, realistically and kindly, you can identify the areas you would like to strengthen. Hopefully, this list will provide you with the evaluation criteria to locate ways in which you can change and improve. By using your energy to become a stronger applicant, you can avoid the self-doubt and uncertainty that often accompanies the decision to apply to medical school. Focus on the areas of the application that you have control over, and do your best!
What types of postbac programs are available?
There are many different types of premedical postbaccalaureate programs. They are all designed to assist students with matriculating in medical school, but they provide different levels of support and target different parts of the application.
Single-focus programs
This type of program allows students to concentrate only on improving their academic record or taking the premed requirements. This option is great for students who already have an extensive record of long-term service in multiple areas but who simply need to demonstrate that they are ready for the rigorous curriculum of medical school.
Dual-focus programs
While taking coursework, students in dual-focus programs are encouraged to participate in research, clinical, or volunteer work. This combination allows students to strengthen their academic record as well as their activities section. Students often take coursework only part-time in these programs, which frequently provide outstanding opportunities in community outreach or research.
Multi-focus programs
This type of program provides the most comprehensive level of support – often in multiple areas. Depending on your needs, this might significantly increase your success in the application process. The programs might help with general advising, class selection, study skills, academic achievement, MCAT preparation, and activity opportunities, as well as the application process. Each program is unique in its structure and strengths. This is a more comprehensive option.
Linkage programs
Some postbac programs have linkage agreements with their own or other medical schools. This means that if a postbac student meets the criteria for linkage (usually a GPA of 3.6 or above and a minimum MCAT score), they are automatically offered an interview or a guaranteed seat in the following year’s M1 class. Generally, linkage programs are highly selective, so be sure to submit a stellar application.
Which one is for you?
Postbac programs, just like medical schools and applicants, differ. First assess your needs and what you want to accomplish in a postbac program. Then, look for programs that provide what you seek. This approach will most effectively enhance your chances of medical school acceptance. to learn more about working with an admissions expert to create a winning postbac application strategy.
Six tips to help you get accepted to a postbac program
The following six tips can help you formulate the best strategy in applying to a postbac program and avoid the most common mistakes postbac applicants make.
1. Do your homework.
Before applying to a program, be sure that you fulfill all its basic requirements, which are often listed on the program’s website. There’s nothing more frustrating than spending hours on an application, only to find out that you are not eligible for the program because of a technicality.
2. Attend informational workshops.
At these events, the program’s faculty or staff provide presentations about their program. They can provide inside information that is not available on the website. Sometimes, students in the program host a virtual panel, answering any questions that prospective applicants might have. This is a valuable source of information and an opportunity to network.
3. Request letters of recommendation early.
It can take a while for your letter writers to submit their recommendations. Be sure that you give them enough time to write you a great letter! Request your letters early. The most common reason that students’ applications are not given serious consideration is that they are missing letters of recommendation.
4. Submit required materials by the deadlines.
To be successful in any application process, it’s critical that you meet all the deadlines for required materials. If there is any confusion about a deadline, contact the program staff and double-check the dates. Give yourself enough time. Meet those deadlines.
5. Complete all sections of the application.
If there is any confusion as to whether a section of the application might be optional, be sure to ask for clarification. Yes, it is okay to contact the program administrator with a clear question or two, just don’t overdo it, and of course, be polite. Often there’s an email address or phone number on the program’s webpage. This is a great opportunity to get to know the people who will be working with you during the program.
6. Use all the space available.
Check the word or character limits on all essay sections and use the maximum amount of space allowed. Writing an essay that uses only half the allotted word limit will make you look lazy, or inattentive, or both (read our next post in this series for more advice on writing your postbac application essays). A thorough, thoughtful application demonstrates your interest in the program.
You can also schedule a free consultation to learn more about working with an admissions expert to create a postbac application that gets you accepted.
Postbac program letters of recommendation that will get you accepted
Your letters of recommendation (LORs) can strongly influence the admissions committee that reviews your postbac application. They can make or break your review. Given their importance, you might feel as though you do not have much control over them. However, how you request them, and from whom, can ensure that you will get the best letters to support the success of your application.
1. Create a timeline.
Set a timeline for yourself that includes all the deadlines for your application materials. Request your letters of recommendation as early as you can. Most professors are not easily accessible during the summer months or toward the end of each semester or quarter. The earlier in the term you can secure your letters, the better.
2. Choose your letter writers carefully.
Request letters only from professors in whose classes you earned A grades and/or mentors with whom you established a strong rapport. By making a list and thinking carefully about who knows you best and is therefore in a better position to write about you knowledgeably, you’ll be ensuring that you receive strong letters. If you have only a couple of names on your list, start going to office hours and networking to find a suitable mentor.
3. Request your letters in person.
It is always best to request LORs in person. This way, you can demonstrate by your actions how important the opportunity is to you. When you request the letter, it’s best to look the person in the eyes and ask, “Would you be willing to write a strong letter of recommendation to support my postbac application?” Based on the person’s response, you can provide them with the materials they need.
4. Prepare a letter packet.
Prepare a packet for each letter writer that includes a copy of your personal statement, a copy of your resume or CV, and any other information they might need to write you a strong letter. If your recommender is not familiar with or confident about writing a letter for a medical school applicant, feel free to share this useful link: How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Medical School: Nine Tips for Recommenders.
Don’t forget the holistic, big picture: your LOR strategy
Following these guidelines will help you formulate a successful strategy in gathering the types of letters that will lead to your acceptance. Be confident, and focus on each small goal you set for yourself in your strategy. Even the most intimidating professors were students once who also had to request letters from their mentors.
And always send thank-you notes to your recommenders!
What’s next?
You’ve decided that a postbac is a wise move for you. Now it’s time to create an application that will get you ACCEPTED. Schedule a free consultation and collaborate one-on-one with an expert advisor who will work with you to create your winning postbac application.
Dr. Mary Mahoney, PhD, is the medical humanities director at Elmira College and has more than 20 years of experience as an advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. She is a tenured English professor with an MFA in creative writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a PhD in literature and writing from the University of Houston. For the past 20 years, Mary has served as a grad school advisor and essay reviewer for med school applicants. Want Mary to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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