Are you a Non-Traditional Student?

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• Are you a Non-Traditional Student?

Med school
?
?
?
TIME OFF
NON-TRADITIONAL
COLLEGE
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Non-Traditional Students

• Alternative Pathways to Medical School

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Facts about the Non-Traditional Student

• A definition any student who does not go
  straight to medical school after graduating from
  college
• Growing percentage of students entering medical
  school have taken one or more years off before
  matriculation
• The 2009 University of Pennsylvania School of
  Medicine entering first year class
• 62 are non-traditional students
• Average age at matriculation is 23 (Range 21-28)

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Why take time off?

• Pursue a passion
• Improve credentials for application
• Change career to medicine
• Mature and grow as a person

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What can I do before applying to medical
school?A few examples

• Research
• NIH
• http//www.training.nih.gov/student/preirta/previe
  wpostbac.asp
• Travel/ Global Experiences
• Unite for Sight
• http//www.uniteforsight.org
• Community Service Work in the US
• Teach for America
• http///teachforamerica.org
• Other Types of Employment
• Academic Enhancement
• Post baccalaureate program
• Another degree

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What should I keep in mind while taking time off
before medical school?

• Get letters of recommendation
• Stay in touch with professors to ensure they have
  submitted (or are in the process of submitting)
  their letters for you
• Get recommendations from Post Baccalaureate
  program, graduate degree professors/administrators
  , supervisor/research advisor after graduation
• Describe worthwhile experiences after graduation
  in your application
• Be aware of deadlines
• Take MCAT on time
• Apply early in the application season

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Are there programs which can help me become a
competitive medical school applicant?

• Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Programs assist
  students prepare for medical school after having
  received their bachelors degrees
• Types of Post-Bac programs
• 1. Changing career to medicine
• 2. Completing science requirements
• 3. Enhancing academic record
• Post Baccalaureate Web Site http///services.aa
  mc.org/postbac/

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In addition to the Post Bac programs are there
others?

• Graduate degree programs might be another
  alternative.
• Make sure the degree program has biomedical
  science courses, because admissions committees
  want to see if you can handle a lot of these
  types of subjects
• MPH might also be a path, but first discuss this
  type of degree with your pre-health advisor
  and/or medical school admissions directors,
  because its important that you can demonstrate
  your facility with biomedical science.
• Attempt to earn as many As and Bs as possible!

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Questions?

• Contact Us
• Chrystal Webb, MS2
• cwebb_at_mail.med.upenn.edu
• Lauren Mathews, MS2
• malau_at_mail.med.upenn.edu
• Michael Rey, MS2
• mrey_at_mail.med.upenn.edu
• Aida Bounama, MS2
• aidab_at_mail.med.upenn.edu