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.

In 2008-2009 year, fourteen post-bacc students from all over the United States are enrolled in this program.

ADVISING

Post-bacc students are advised in their curricular choices and medical school applications by Dr. Sheila Nielsen-Preiss, Director of Health Professions Advising at MSU.  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 Dr. Nielsen-Preiss 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 2008, for example, 66% of those who applied to allopathic and osteopathic medical school were accepted, compared to the national acceptance rate of 43%.

FINANCIAL AID

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

THE CURRICULUM

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:

Please NOTE: The first summer of the program is a robust beginning. In order to succeed in Physics, we are finding that students should have taken the equivalent of pre-calculus, (or MSU's MATH 160) BEFORE THEY ARRIVE. It is also possible to take General Chemistry by itself the first summer, but that will mean three science courses and three labs together during the academic year.

APPLICATION

The application deadline for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program is March 31. Early application is encouraged, and applications will be evaluated in the order that they are received after October 1. Candidates must be college graduates with at least a 3.0 GPA. Applicants will complete a Non-Degree Application from the MSU Division of Graduate Education web site and will also submit a one-page statement about the development of your interest in the health professions. One-two recommendations, while optional, are encouraged from those who can speak to your motivation for medicine. To initiate an application, click here. You may either complete the online application and pay $50 or scroll down to Adobe Acrobat Application Forms, download an application and mail it, your undergraduate transcript(s), a $60 check made out to Montana State University, and your one page statement to Sheila Nielsen-Preiss, Ph.D. (not the Division of Graduate Education) at this address by the March 31 deadline:

Note: Address any specific application questions to Dr. Sheila Nielsen-Preiss. She will personally notify applicants of their "official" acceptance into the Program.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Dr. Nielsen-Preiss 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.

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 12/11/2008