Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate – Montana State University

In September of 2005, MSU received approval from the Montana Board of Regents to institute a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate Program, through which students who have completed their bachelor’s level work at MSU or other four-year institutions may take the science courses traditionally required for application to medical and dental schools. These requisite courses – general chemistry, introductory biology, organic chemistry, introductory physics, biochemistry, and calculus - exist in the MSU curriculum, and are taught variously in the semesters and the summer sessions, thus ensuring a.) flexibility in scheduling for those pursuing such a program of courses at MSU and b.) an efficiency possible in program completion for those eager to move on to the medical school application process. Post-baccalaureate students completing 36 of the suggested 45 credits available will receive a Certificate of completion. Graduates of other Montana public colleges will be able to transfer in as many as 12 credits toward the certificate in the coursework listed below.

ADVISING

Post-bacc students will be advised in their curricular choices and medical school applications by Jane Cary, Director of Health Professions Advising at MSU. Ms. Cary came to MSU in this role in August 2004. Previously she had been Director of Health Professions Advising at Princeton University (eight years) and Amherst College (three years). Post-baccalaureate students who are carrying 12 credits or more for each of two semesters are able to have their medical or dental school applications supported by Ms. Cary and the faculty pre-medical committee with an evaluative letter to the medical schools. In addition, these students may avail themselves of access to shadowing and volunteering opportunities in the Bozeman community, and presentations by invited speakers about topics of interest to heath practitioners. MSU has a well-established record of success in placing students in medical and other health professions schools. In 2004, for example, 83% of those who applied to allopathic and osteopathic medical school were accepted, compared to the national acceptance rate of 47%.

LINKS TO MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Those eligible for the certificate and meeting certain GPA pre-requisites in their post-baccalaureate course work will be able to participate in linkages that MSU will establish with the Western medical schools, in which the schools will guarantee a number of admission slots to MSU post-baccalaureate students each year. One such linkage has already been established with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. That requisite GPA will be determined by the individual medical schools, though we would expect it to be at least a 3.5/4.0 in science coursework.

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid in the form of federal Stafford loans will be available to qualified applicants accepted into the Certificate program.

THE CURRICULUM

While post-bacc students may enter the program at any point, the following schedule is suggested for those Certificate candidates who need to fulfill all of the pre-medical requirements. Note that a “summer start” is recommended for efficiency in completion. All of the science courses have a laboratory component:

Summer sessions I and II:
CHEM 131-132 –General Chemistry I and II	4 cr. each
Math 181- Calculus and STAT 216 – Elementary Statistics	4 cr. each
Fall semester:
BIOL 214: Introductory Biology: Molecules to Cells	4 cr.
PHYS 205: College Physics I	4 cr.
CHEM 311: Organic Chemistry I	4 cr.
an elective
Spring semester:
BIOL 213: Introductory Biology: Cells to Organisms	4 cr.
PHYS 206: College Physics II	4 cr.
CHEM 312: Organic Chemistry II	4 cr.
an Elective
April MCAT (or April/May in '07)
Summer session:
BCHM 340 – Biochemistry	5 cr.
Total	45 cr.

APPLICATION

The application deadline for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program is April 30. Early application is encouraged, and applications will be evaluated as they are received. Candidates must be college graduates with at least a 3.0 GPA. Applicants will complete a Non-Degree Application from the MSU Graduate Admissions web site and will also submit a one-page statement about the development of your interest in the health professions. To initiate an application, click on Non-Degree Graduate Student and Teacher Certification Instructions & Application. Download an application and mail it, your undergraduate transcript(s), a $30 check made out to Montana State University, and your one page statement to Jane Cary (not the Graduate Admissions Office) at this address by the April 30 deadline:

Division of Health Sciences

308 Leon Johnson Hall

P. O. Box 173080

Bozeman, MT 59717-3080

Note: the "Non-Degree" option web site is in the process of being updated, so address any specific application questions to Jane Cary. She will personally notify applicants of their "official" acceptance into the Program.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ms. Cary is available to discuss the needs of potential post-baccalaureate and Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate candidates by phone (406) 994-1670, or e-mail: hpa@montana.edu. Potential students are also urged to peruse the Health Professions Advising web site at www.montana.edu/dhs/hpa. Information on the courses listed above may be found through the individual departments at http://www.montana.edu/level2/colleges.html.