An Inside Look at Postbac Programs

1
An Inside Look at Postbac Programs

• Joni Huff
• Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
• University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

2
Medical School Perspective

• General Statistics
• The Postbac Applicant
• Academic Factors
• Non-Academic Factors

3
General Statistics

• Nationally, the average age of students at
  matriculation (2003-2005) was 24 years old
• Average age of students matriculating to Pritzker
  in 2006 is 23.39 years old
• 15 matriculants (out of 106) are 25 years old or
  older
• Our youngest matriculant for 2006 is 21 years old
  and the oldest is 38 years old

4
Growing Trend

• Students with increasingly diverse interests
• Want time to explore something else before life
  ends and medical school begins
• May have tried to do too much in undergrad and
  grades suffered
• Overall, medical schools are very accepting of
  older studentssmall stigma if any

5
The Postbac Applicant

• Positive Attributes
• Greater Maturity
• More substantial life experience
• Strong work ethic
• More informed decision about medicine
• Academically ready

6
The Postbac Applicant

• Questions Raised
• Simply dissatisfied with present career?
• Has applicant actively explored medicine?
• Now academically ready?
• Jumping schools to avoid Real World?
• Tolerance for younger students? Overall humility?

7
Academic Factors to Consider

• Did applicant take at least 2-3 upper-level
  science courses per term?
• How rigorous was the program?
• How strong was the performance? Does it match
  undergrad performance?
• MCAT results in line with academics?

8
Non-Academic Factors

• Has this applicant really explored medicine?
• Has there been an opportunity to volunteer/do
  research?
• Can the applicant articulate WHY medicine?
• Is applicant able to balance academics and
  extracurricular activities successfully?
• Is applicant both a leader and a team player?
• Is applicant ready for financial
  responsibilities, especially if family is
  involved?
• How will age/financial burden affect residency
  choices?

9
Overall Advice

• Same rules will still apply to postbac applicants
  with regard to what we are looking for
• Commitment to medicine and academic readiness
  will be highly scrutinized
• Important to discuss/consider how life will
  change with medical school, esp. for
  non-traditional applicants with families
• Contact with students/alumni always helps