What is a Post Bac Program?
A post-baccalaureate program is for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree, and are interested in a health professions career. They need either to finish pre-requisite courses and/or need to improve their academic standing for a more competitive professional school application.
What Types of Post Bac Programs are Available?
Essentially there are two different types of programs for students hoping to attend medical or dental school:
- Basic Sciences: This type of program is for students who have not completed the basic requirements for medical school. Generally this is for “career changers” who have decided to pursue medicine. The coursework can be done in a formal post-bacc program or individually at a local university.
- Advanced Sciences/GPA Boosters: This type of program is designed for students who were science majors or have completed the basic science requirements. These are for students who:
- want to stay academically engaged during a gap year while applying to medical or dental schools.
- need to raise their GPA to become a more competitive medical school applicant.
How Do I Get In?
Selection criteria vary around the country. Most programs require at least a 3.0 GPA and sometimes a minimum MCAT, DAT or GRE score. Applications for the fall semester are usually due by March of that year. Check with individual programs so as not to miss deadlines.
How Do I Find a Progam?
The Association of American Medical Colleges maintains a convenient and searchable database of most of the Post Bac programs available across the country:
http://services.aamc.org/postbac/
The Lewis Katz School of Medicine Postbaccalaureate Program
One year program
Minimum overall GPA: 3.4
Minimum science GPA: 3.4 (BCMS)
https://medicine.temple.edu/education/postbac-program
Temple University College of Science and Technology Postbaccalaureate Program
Minimum overall GPA: 3.2
Minimum science GPA: 3.2
https://postbac.cst.temple.edu/