How to Apply Successfully to Med School from Postbac Programs




Admissions Straight Talk show

Summary: <br> <a href="https://youtu.be/yt7RgkHDWuc"></a><br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> In this episode, the founder and former Director of San Francisco State University Postbac Programs and Accepted consultant since 2015 explains why the fastest way to medical school is slowly and carefully, and explores the advantages and disadvantages of applying to med school from a postbac program. [SHOW SUMMARY]<br> <br> <br> <br> Are you in a postbac program or specialized masters program? Are you wondering what are the nuances of applying to medical school from a postbac program?  You’re in luck, because that’s the topic of today’s episode - along with a healthy dose of excellent med school admissions advice for any med school applicant.<br> <br> <br> <br> An interview with Dr. Barry S. Rothman, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Biology, founder of SFSU Postbac Programs, and Accepted consultant for 8 years. [Show Notes]<br> <br> <br> <br> Welcome to the 526th episode of Admission Straight Talk. Are you ready to apply to your dream medical schools? Are you competitive at your target programs? Accepted's<a href="https://www.accepted.com/medical/med-quiz"> med school admissions quiz</a> can give you a quick reality check. Complete the quiz and you'll not only get an assessment, but tips on how to improve your chances of acceptance. Plus it's all free.<br> <br> <br> <br> Our guest today, Dr. Barry Rothman, is the former health professions advisor and director of San Francisco State University's pre-health profession certificate program which serves pre-med, pre-dental, pre-nursing, and other pre-healthcare students who are preparing themselves to apply to graduate programs in healthcare. This episode focuses on medical school applications, but since 2015, Dr. Rothman has helped Accepted's clients in all aspects of the application process to medical school and specifically those both applying to postbac programs and applying from postbac  programs. <br> <br> <br> <br> <a href="https://www.accepted.com/medical/free-admissions-consultation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><br> <br> <br> <br> Dr. Rothman, welcome to Admission Straight Talk. [1:54]<br> <br> <br> <br> Great, Linda, good to be here and good to have been part of the Accepted family for now eight years.<br> <br> <br> <br> Glad to have you as part of the Accepted family. How did you get involved in postbac programs and helping applicants from postbac programs apply successfully to medical school? [2:04]<br> <br> <br> <br> Wow, what a story. At San Francisco State, I've had three careers. Started out very research oriented, leading a postdoctoral fellowship at UC San Francisco, and then transitioning to SF State as a new faculty member and conducting lab research in a lab at SF State. Which I was quite successful at, but it didn't really make me super happy, and I decided to stop doing research and start teaching. I had quite a lot of experience teaching already, and so that made me happier. And then around 20 years into my time at SF State, my dean approached me and said, "How'd you like to be the health professions advisor?" And I thought, sure, it'll be an easy thing, no big deal.<br> <br> <br> <br> And so I naively said yes, and it took over my life. I just loved doing it. I loved working with the students. I actually had been teaching a molecular medicine class, so I was interested in medicine anyhow, and I just took it from there. The students were wonderful to deal with. We created a program that required a lot of political maneuvering through the academic senate, and after a whole year of processing we had a postbac program, a newly formed from zero postbac program.<br> <br> <br> <br> What are the different kinds of postbac programs, and whom are they for? [3:50]<br> <br> <br> <br> Sure. Well, actually there's a bunch of different kinds.