Health Professions Advising

There is no single “correct” path to medical, dental, or veterinary school.  Some students have the idea from a very young age that they want to pursue the health professions, and are engaged in the courses and health-related activities all along.  Others make the decision much later, sometimes well into their undergraduate years or even beyond, shifting gears from other arenas that may not have been health or science-focused.  Some pre-health students have consistently strong undergraduate academic records, while others require an additional “boost” from courses taken after graduation.  And, some are members of minority groups under-represented in medicine, and wish to develop leadership and clinical experience designed with a focus on diversity. Post-baccalaureate (“post-bac”) pre-health programs and courses have emerged as a viable option for many pre-health students.  There are three main types.  For a detailed description of these programs, see our handout Post-Bac Paths.

The Association of American Medical Colleges' Post-baccalaureate Premedical Programs is a searchable database that enables you to search according to program type and other program characteristics.  This is the most comprehensive list of programs available.

Post-Bac Night Audio File • November 28, 2011
Featuring:  University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, Bryn Mawr, & University of Pennsylvania

The following list of programs is by no means complete, but included here are programs where some of our alumni have found success.  Most of them are also programs that have existed for some time.

Bennington College Post-bac Premedical Program is for students who have excelled in an undergraduate program in an area other than science and now wish to acquire the prerequisites necessary to apply to medical and other health-related professional schools. Their post-bac students are both recent college graduates and experienced professionals from many backgrounds.

Bennington’s program is one year and begins and ends in June, completing the basic requirements for medical school and other health profession tracks. ♦

Bryn Mawr offers highly motivated career changers who never took the premedical courses the opportunity to complete an intensive, full-time preparation for medical school in one year. The home of one of the nation’s oldest, strongest, and most respected post-baccalaureate premedical programs, Bryn Mawr achieves a consistent medical school acceptance rate of more than 98 percent. ♦

The Columbia University Post-baccalaureate Premedical Program is the oldest and largest program of its kind in the United States.

With an internationally recognized faculty, Columbia's commitment to post-baccalaureate premedical and prehealth students is proven by a an average placement rate of 90 percent of our graduates in American medical schools. ♦

The goal of the Office of Professional Studies in the Health Sciences is to help accomplished students gain new knowledge in the biological sciences so that they may be better positioned to enter medical or other health professional schools or the job market in related fields. The programs have been assisting students in reaching their professional goals since 1981, with well over 1,000 students entering more than 75 percent of the U.S. allopathic medical schools and nearly all of the U.S. osteopathic schools. ♦

Since 1975, Georgetown University School of Medicine has conducted a special program leading to a Masters of Science degree in Physiology.  This program, called The Special Master's Program (The SMP), is tailored to college graduates who wish to strengthen their credentials for application to U.S. medical schools. The Georgetown Special Master's Program is the first and longest running program its kind.  Georgetown offers several other types of post-bac programs, including the Premedical Certificate Program and the Georgetown Experimental Medical Studies Program. ♦

Supportive, rigorous, and challenging, the Goucher Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program provides preparation for men and women dedicated to changing their lives—and touching the lives of others—by pursuing a career in medicine. ♦

As Harvard University’s primary resource for continuing education for a century, Harvard Extension School offers an open and comprehensive academic curriculum, with courses and programs to meet the interests and needs of a diverse public. ♦

The Johns Hopkins Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program prepares recent college graduates and "career-changers" for admission to medical school. Designed to meet the needs of talented individuals from a multiplicity of backgrounds, this program is right for you if you've compiled an excellent academic record in college, have never applied to medical school, are committed to serving others, and have the ultimate goal of entering the medical profession. ♦

The post-baccalaureate programs at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Liberal and Professional Studies (LPS) give you access to an Ivy League education as you prepare to go farther intellectually, academically, and professionally. ♦

The Scripps College Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program prepares students for admission to medical school. The women and men in the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program are a diverse and interesting group characterized by intelligence, motivation, maturity, and commitment to increasing their own knowledge and life possibilities. The program is not meant for students wishing to retake the prerequisite science courses to strengthen their grade point average or MCAT performance. ♦

Tufts Post-baccalaureate Premedical Program provides the opportunity for college graduates who have not yet taken the sciences to prepare for entrance into a health care profession of their choice.  A concentrated program of study, supplemented by a network of personalized advising and support, gives Tufts students the needed advantage when applying to competitive medical schools and other health professions graduate programs. ♦

The Hayward Genetics Center at Tulane University Health Sciences Center provides a One-Year Masters Degree Program in Human Genetics.  This program is designed to give graduates an in-depth understanding of the rapidly advancing field of human genetics and help prepare for careers in the health sciences. ♦

The University of Vermont Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program has successfully helped students like you pursue medical, dental, veterinary, pharmacy, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, physical therapy and other health professions. Our program provides the necessary resources and guidance to help you acquire the undergraduate science prerequisites. Although the Post Bac Premed program is a rigorous one, it offers flexibility with the option of a one or two year program designed exclusively for your needs, previous experience and interests. ♦

The University of Virginia Post-Baccalaureate Premedical program is a one-year program designed for college graduates with strong academic records who have made a late decision to pursue a career in medicine.  The University’s Post-Bac Pre-Med program will enable you to complete the science courses needed to be eligible for medical school admission. ♦