by Mary Mahoney
The Basics of Postbac Programs: What You Need to Know
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 academic profile isn’t as competitive as it needs to be; your GPA or MCAT score needs attention; you’re low on clinical, volunteer, or research hours; or you’re a career changer (in need of more time to study basic sciences, offset low grades, or update them since graduating), a postbac could be just right for you.
A postbac can be an ideal way to regroup, focus, or demonstrate commitment to your goal of becoming a doctor. Postbacs are legitimate ways to improve your candidacy for your future in medicine.
Any student who would like to can benefit from completing a postbac master’s program or earning a postbac certificate.
Let’s jump right in and determine whether a pursuing a postbac is the right path for you, which type of program would be a good fit, and what steps you need to take to get started.
Eight Postbac Benefits
Completing a postbac program or coursework can help you with all of the following:
1. Fulfilling 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. Improving your GPA (cumulative and science)
Some students take additional science courses to improve their academic record.
3. Boosting your MCAT score
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 postbac programs include MCAT prep as part of their curriculum.
4. Generating more activities
If you need to participate in more health-oriented clubs, shadowing, clinic(al) 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, including research.
If you choose to pursue postbac courses individually (non-matriculating, supplemental, and/or repeating classes at a local or online college) rather than attending a formal program, arrange supplemental activities and opportunities early so you can maximize the number of hours you can complete in your gap year while taking courses.
5. Securing impressive letters of recommendation
The additional coursework you complete (with stellar grades) will provide opportunities for you to request letters of recommendation from your new science professors.
6. Strengthening your team-building skills
Including your postbac program or coursework on your med school 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, that research and collaboration are areas of depth brought about by steady academic progress (note that you need to have achieved competitive grades and a strong MCAT score). Ideally, “team building” research experience results in publication. Many postbac students achieve publication by the end of their program.
7. Building your confidence
Taking additional classes and excelling in them will boost your confidence. If you find yourself struggling, ask for help. Enlist the help of tutors and study groups. Balance your schedule, including making time to unwind and exercise.
8. Continuing to grow and mature
By taking additional time to prepare for medical school, you will gain more life experience and therefore approach your professional education with greater maturity and more clearly defined goals.
Additionally, most postbac programs’ application requirements mirror those of the AMCAS and AACOMAS applications. Therefore, writing a postbac application is good practice for what’s ahead and can reduce the anxiety that tends to accompany completing the medical school application.
The Types of Postbac Programs Available
There are multiple types of premedical postbaccalaureate programs. They are all designed to assist students with matriculating in medical school, but they provide varying levels of support and target different parts of the application.
Single-Focus Programs
This type of program allows students to concentrate exclusively on improving their academic record or taking 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.
Multifocus 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 medical school 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.
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 guaranteed an interview or a seat in the following year’s M1 class without needing to submit a medical school application.
Getting Accepted to a Postbac Program
The following tips can help you formulate an effective strategy for applying to postbac programs.
1. Do your research on each program’s requirements.
Before applying to a program, check its website to confirm that you fulfill all of its basic requirements. You don’t want to spend 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, faculty or staff members give presentations about their program, often providing inside information that is not available on the program’s website. Sometimes, students will host a panel to answer any questions prospective applicants at the workshop might have. In addition to being a valuable source of information, these events are an opportunity to network.
3. Request letters of recommendation early.
The most common reason that students’ applications are not given serious consideration is that they are missing letters of recommendation. Recommenders often need significant time to write and submit their letters, so you want to be sure that you give them plenty time to . Request your letters early. It can also be helpful to explain your reasoning for taking a postbac route to medical school and to provide some basic information about what you accomplished while working with your recommender to refresh their memory and make writing their letter easier.
4. Use all the space available.
Check the word or character limits on all essays and use the maximum amount of space allowed. Using only half the allotted word limit for your essay(s) could make you look lazy, inattentive, or both (read our next post in this series for more advice on writing your postbac application essays).
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.
Securing Strong Letters of Recommendation
Your letters of recommendation (LORs) can make a strong impact on the admissions committee, potentially making or breaking your review. Given their importance, you might feel concerned that you do not have much control over them. However, how you request your LORs, and from whom, can ensure that you will get the best letters to support your application’s success.
1. Request your LORs as early as possible.
Approach your potential recommenders as early as you can to request letters from them. 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 strategically.
Request letters only from professors in whose classes you earned A grades and/or from mentors with whom you established a strong rapport. Make a thorough list, and think carefully about who knows you very well and is therefore in the best position to write about you knowledgeably. If you have only a couple of names on your list, start going to office hours and networking to find a suitable mentor. Reach out sincerely to favorite professors if it has been a while since you’ve worked together.
3. Request your letters in person, if at all possible.
It is always best to request LORs face-to-face. Doing so will demonstrate the respect you have for the person and how much this opportunity means to you. When you request the letter, look the person in the eyes. Based on the person’s response, you can then provide them with the materials they need.
4. Prepare a letter packet.
Prepare a packet for each LOR 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 recommendation. If your recommender is not familiar with or confident about writing a letter for a medical school applicant, feel free to share this resource with them: How to Write a Letter of Recommendation for Medical School: Nine Tips for Recommenders.
Be sure to always send a thank-you note/email to your recommenders after they submit their LORs, and thank them again after you’ve been accepted to medical school.
Next Steps
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 25 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 25 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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