How to Write a Personal Statement for a Postbac Program | Ask Dr. Gray: Premed Q&A Ep. 122

Should a postbac personal statement be written like a medical school personal statement? We also talk about formal postbacs vs. DIY postbacs, which one is better for your premed journey, and which classes to take.
Check out my book The Premed Playbook: Guide to the Medical School Personal Statement: www.amazon.com/Premed-Playboo...
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[@alphaspartan]

I did a DIY post-bacc and saved $15k over a traditional masters program and I got accepted to med school! My purpose for taking it was not to repair my GPA, but I did not have any science courses from my first degree. I also needed to work part-time so being able to pick and choose my classes and times was the only way it was possible for me to pursue medicine. It all worked out in the end. =]

[@laurenwilliams3703]

Hey! Quick question how did you do a DIY post bacc? How to apply for those?

[@alphaspartan]

@@laurenwilliams3703 it's not a special program or school. You just go to any college or university and take the required pre-req classes, like biology, chemistry, and physics. I personally reapplied to my undergrad alma mater as a second degree seeking student in biology, but I never finished the degree, I left after I got the necessary classes. Now I'm in med school. :)

[@laurenwilliams3703]

@@alphaspartan Oh so how did medical schools calculate that?

[@alphaspartan]

@@laurenwilliams3703 there's a separate section called Post-baccalaureate on your application and it counts as years 5+ of your collegiate education and GPA. It's Included in your overall GPA as well. If you have a bad gpa from undergrad, a good GPA in a post bacc could show an upward trend + slightly increase your overall GPA.

[@laurenwilliams3703]

@@alphaspartan okay thank you so much.

[@ShinySephiroth1]

My medical school of choice just added a "gap year" essay to their secondaries a few days ago, so this video came in right on time!

[@george5120]

I am old and retired now. But I wish this kind of resource was available when I was young and "pre-med", back in the late Seventies, but never accepted to medical school. For one thing, listening to Dr. Gray would have spared me frustration by teaching me early-on that medicine would be a poor career choice for me. By listening to Dr. Gray (except that he was not yet born), I would have fared better going into the alternate career of computer science earlier, rather than persisting at imagining myself cutout to be a doctor when I am not. One useful point that Dr. Gray said about gaining volunteer experience in healthcare, as an undergraduate in your youth, is that its purpose is to convince yourself that you want to be a doctor. That volunteer experience is not to convince a medical school to admit you. Big difference. Because if you have not convinced yourself that you want to be a doctor, then you cannot possibly convince an admission committee that they should let you.

[@user-ti2ph6qb1y]

Christ I needed this

[@deusexmagica]

thanks dr gray! after 6 years in the finance industry i am working on my app for a post bacc pre med program :) the prompt i got was a bit different from a medical school statement, they want to know why medicine vs why physician, and why now

[@jimmychoy8729]

Love the switch, I worked in finance for 4 years out of college trading equity derivatives. Just last September I handed my resignation and started my postbacc. Best of luck to you, its definitely a cultural shock.

[@alphaspartan]

@@jimmychoy8729 same, just got into med school this year. they love us career changers.

[@jimmychoy8729]

@@alphaspartan Congrats, that's amazing! How was your Journey, would love to take more about it

[@alphaspartan]

@@jimmychoy8729 it took longer than I thought. 5 semesters didn't sound like a long amount of time when I was leaving my first career behind, but that was 2 more years in school, plus taking the MCAT and an application cycle year. Now I've finally attained the covetted acceptance though, in a pandemic, no less. All I hear from M1's and M2's at my future school is how hard med school is and you hear from residents on KZbin that Med school is a breeze compared to residency programs lol. I'm a bit nervous but also excited because at the end of the day, my hard work will result in the benefit of my fellow man rather than just working for a paycheck, helping some corporation's bottom line. I actually was listening to JRE's Elon Musk interview/podcast at work when I heard Elon say "pick a career that makes you excited to get up and go to work in the morning" and that's when I decided to quit my career and switch to medicine. I can't say for certain if I'll truly be excited to go to work each morning as a doctor but at least my work has meaning beyond my own selfish desire for money and I think I'll actually make a positive difference in my community.

[@jimmychoy8729]

@@alphaspartan Props to you brother, looks like your hard work paid off. 👏 Honestly, I believe taking the first step to changing a career path is the hardest and following through the end. This is my second semester in my postbacc program and it has been changing. More so, on trying to gain clinical experience and studying for the MCAT. Sometimes I have thoughts on giving up but fellow non traditional stories like yours makes me see the light. Honestly, I don't think residency can stop you from becoming a doctor. Your drive and passion will prevail. Stay true to yourself. Hopefully, it'll be my turn next!

[@BoxOfCurryos]

How do you figure out what courses you need to take?

[@lyssbeth]

How do I get them to answer one of my questions? 🙏🏼

[@misshoornazbeauty9560]

Hello Dr. Gray, Is there a time limit on how many years my bachelors degree is valid to apply to med school? I’m planning on working a couple of years before applying to med school and I’m nervous I will need to re-take science class since my bachelors degree would be a couple years old by then. Thank you!

[@LilJbm1]

Your prerequisites never "expire" so how old your degree is would be irrelevant. Your MCAT score does expire however, so if you've already taken it you may have to retake it if your score gets to be, I think, over 3 years old.

[@alphaspartan]

@@LilJbm1 100% agreed on everything LilJ said. I would add though that any old pre-meds (like in their 40's or 50's) may need to take a few classes to prove to adcoms that they still have a student's spirit inside of them. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 years though? No.