Post baccalaureate Programs
For Students and Graduates Who Have Little or No Science Background
This is the most common type of post baccalaureate program. If you took almost none of the requisite courses required for admission to medical or other health profession schools while at Brown these programs are for you. They typically consist of all the basic science courses required for admission (the equivalent of one year with laboratory of general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, and physics). When applying to postbac programs you should consider the following:
- With whom will you be taking classes? Will you be taking undergraduate classes, open enrollment continuing education classes, or classes just with postbac students?
- Will you be eligible to receive a committee letter from the program? This is important since Brown can't provide its committee letter to graduates who have not taken science courses here (though we are happy to advise you about the process in general).
- Linkages -- many programs have linkage agreements with medical schools that can expedite your admission process.
- Advising -- Programs should be able to offer you access to individual advising about academic planning and the admission process.
Most of these types of post baccalaureate programs can be finished in one year though in many cases you will have a "glide year" in between completing your postbac courses and entering your health profession training program. Admission to postbac programs is moderately competitive and the process varies from program to program. You may need to take the GRE though a number of programs will accept your SAT scores.
Click here for a listing of postbaccalaureate programs in the United States.
For Students or Graduates Who Have Completed All Pre-Med/Pre-Health Courses But Wish to Strengthen Their Background
These programs are designed for individuals who have completed all pre-med/pre-health courses but would like to strengthen their credentials for admission. Most involve taking advanced courses either in a medical school or through a graduate unit of a university. Admission to these programs is also moderately competitive, requiring in many cases a minimum GPA of 3.0 (sciences and overall). Most require that you submit MCAT scores.