Bryn Mawr

Bryn Mawr's highly selective post-bac program is great if you are a career-changer or have not completed your basic premed requirements.

This post-bac program is designed for those who have excelled academically during their undergraduate schooling and have now decided they want to make a career in medicine.

This program was established in 1972 and is highly regarded in the medical community, you will be surprised to learn that over the past five years more than 98% of program graduates have been accepted to medical school. They take pride in being highly selective, yet are very supportive of those who are able to gain entry into their post-bac program.

Program Focus

Bryn Mawr is strictly for individuals who have not taken the basic premed requirements, are deciding on a new career or who have been outside of school for over five years minimal. This post-bac program is not for premed students who need to boost their academic credentials, instead Bryn Mawr is for individuals who have a Bachelors degree and did very well academically at their respective college or university.

Structure

One great aspect of the program is you will be able to complete all of the premed requirements in twelve months. Essentially, you will carry a full-time load of courses which includes: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. This means you will be taking approximately three science courses with their associated laboratories each semester during the regular academic term, and if needed, a two semester science course with laboratory during the summer session. The program offers two start dates one for the fall and another is summer admission.

Summer Start Date

• General Chemistry or
• Calculus (optional)

Fall & Spring Semesters

• Biology
• Organic Chemistry
• Physics
• Take MCAT in spring

Optional Extra Summer Session

• Biochemistry (optional) or
• Calculus (optional)

Fall Start Date

Fall & Spring Semesters

• Biology
• General Chemistry
• Physics

Summer Session

• Organic Chemistry
• Take MCAT in summer

Eligibility

This post-bac premedical program is highly selective and you cannot have taken the MCAT or completed your premed requirements. Students should obtain their Bachelors degree by the time they enroll in the program and have superior grades. You will be pleased to know the program has a consortium with fifteen medical schools allowing you to eliminate the glide year (you'll be able to attend medical school directly after completing the program).

Admissions

As you can tell, Bryn Mawr has very high admission standards. You will be assessed on your academic record at both the undergraduate and high school level. Generally, accepted students have a 3.0 GPA and standardized test scores consistent with this level of performance.

The admissions committee will be interested in your motivation for a career in medicine, your career history, volunteer activities and health care experiences. Also, letters of recommendation will provide further insight about your capabilities to perform in their post-bac program.

One novel aspect of the admission process is an interview is required. The interview is only given to applicants who pass the initial screening. Since not everyone can travel to the campus, which is located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, telephone interviews can be granted and it will not adversely affect your chances of admission.

Applying early is the standard rule. Bryn Mawr uses a rolling admission process and they will accept applications until the class is filled. Typically, a class consists of approximately 70 students. Therefore, they encourage application materials be received by February for the upcoming Fall term.