post-baccalaureate programs

• The Post-Baccalaureate Program, University at Buffalo, SUNY School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
• Masters Programs at multiple institutions

In an effort to continue to expand pool of underrepresented minority, educationally and economically disadvantaged students in medicine the Associated Medical Schools of New York is supporting a Post-Baccalaureate program with two tracks.

The Post-Baccalaureate Program, University at Buffalo, SUNY School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

The goal of the UB Post-Bac Program is to expand the pool of underrepresented minority, educationally and economically disadvantaged students in medicine.

The Program objective is to identify strong students who are underrepresented in medicine, or those who are educationally and economically disadvantaged who will be successful in medicine with additional academic enrichment support.

The UB Post-Bac program is for students who meet the demographic criteria, have a 21 or higher on the MCAT, and are not accepted at any medical school.  Preference is given to New York State residents. 

Qualifying students are referred to the program through the admissions process at participating medical schools.  Once a participating medical school interviews a student, the school may decide to recommend the student to the Post-Bac program for additional enrichment.  If the student accepts his or her place in the Post-Bac program, and is not accepted to any other medical school, the student starts the program in July. 

The UB Post-Bac program can enroll up to 25 students.  While enrolled in the 12-month program, students receive formal mentoring, advising, and a tailored curriculum.  Students are not permitted to work while in the program.

Students are not charged tuition for the UB Post-Bac program; tuition is covered by UB. Students receive a stipend to cover living expenses and UB receives funding to cover a portion of the administrative costs.  The total cost per student, including in-kind tuition, administrative funding, and stipend, is over $40,000. 

Students are guaranteed a slot in the next class of the referring medical school as long as the student receives at least a ‘B’ in each course.  To ensure students return to the referring medical school, transcripts are only released to the referring school.

The following schools participate in the Post-Bac Program:

1. Albany Medical College
2. Albert Einstein College of Medicine
3. New York College of Osteopathic Medicine
4. New York Medical College
5. Stony Brook University Medical Center
6. SUNY Downstate Medical Center
7. SUNY Upstate Medical University
8. University at Buffalo, SUNY School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
9. University or Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Outcomes Data

In cohorts 1-18 (1991-2009; N=287):

• 70% (230) identify as Black/African American; 13% (43) of the students identify as Hispanic; 8% (26) identify as Puerto Rican; 5% (15) identify as Mexican; 3% (9) identify as Native American¹
• 93% (267) of students who completed the Post-Bac Program matriculated into the referring medical school¹

In cohorts 1-12 (1991-2003; N=197):

• 85% (156) of the students who matriculated into the referring medical school, successfully graduated from that medical school¹
• 56.3% (111) of the students have a family income at or below the national low income level¹
• 94.9% (187) of the students worked while pursing an undergraduate degree¹
• 62.3% (114) of the students pass the USMLE STEP 1 on their first try; of those who did not pass initially, 36.2% (25) passed on their second try¹
• 62.8% (115) of the students pass the USMLE STEP II on their first try; of those who did not pass initially, 17.6% (12) passed on their second try¹

In cohorts 1-11 (1991-2002; N=156):

• 10.1% (13) of students match in a family medicine residency¹ [12.3% national average^2,3]; 21.7% (28) in general internal medicine¹ [24.5% national average^2,3]; and 14% (18) in general pediatrics¹ [12.4% national average^2,3]^.
• 65.1% (84) of students enter into a New York State residency [44.2% State average]; 21.7% (28) at the same institution where they attended medical school. ^1,4

The data highlight key points about the Post-Bac students:

1. All of the students are from underserved in medicine, minority populations.  Most had to work during college, and many come from families at or below the national poverty line.
2. Most students who enroll in the Post-Bac program complete the program successfully, and successfully enroll in medical school and perform well.
3. While many Post-Bac students go into generalist specialties (family medicine, internal medicine, internal medicine- pediatrics, internal medicine- primary, pediatrics, and pediatrics-primary), they are not limited to the generalist fields.  Many Post-Bac graduates go on to highly specialized and competitive fields.  This is particularly poignant considering that without the Post-Bac program, none of the students would have been accepted into medical school.
4. More Post-Bac graduates match in a New York State residency program than other non-Post-Bac New York State medical school graduates.  The higher rate of staying in New York State may be due to the preference given to New York State students by the Post-Bac program.

Masters Programs at multiple institutions

The Masters’ programs are for students who are underrepresented in medicine, educationally, or economically disadvantaged and are not accepted at any medical school.  Preference is given to New York State residents.  Qualifying students are referred to a Masters’ program through the admissions process at participating medical schools, or once enrolled in a Masters’ program, schools may internally identify students they would like to offer admission to.  Different than the Buffalo Post-Bac program, students receive academic enrichment through a masters’ degree program. 

SUNY Upstate Medical Scholars Masters’ Program

The SUNY Upstate Medical Scholars Program is a 44 credit hour Master of Science in Medical Technology degree program.  Students are referred to the Program through the medical school admission process at SUNY Upstate.  Students have a guaranteed acceptance to SUNY Upstate Medical University as long as they have a ³3.25 cumulative GPA in the Masters Program and a ³23 MCAT score.  The curriculum has an emphasis in microbiology and includes a research thesis component and a mentoring component. 

New York Medical College Interdisciplinary Basic Medical Sciences Masters’ Program

The NYMC Masters Program is a 30 credit hour Master of Science degree program.  Students enroll in the Masters Program directly and are identified as potential medical school candidates in the second semester of the Program.  Once identified, students must complete the medical school admissions process (if they have not already done so) and maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the remainder of the program to gain acceptance to the medical school.    The curriculum has an emphasis on physiology and microbiology and includes a literature review or thesis component and a mentoring component. 

Stony Brook University Medical Center Physiology and Biophysics Masters Program

The Stony Brook Masters Program is a 30 credit hour Master of Science degree program. Students enroll in the Masters Program directly and are identified as potential medical school candidates while in the Program.  Once identified, students must complete the medical school admissions process (if they have not already done so) and maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the remainder of the program to gain acceptance to the medical school.   The curriculum has an emphasis on physiology and biophysics and includes a mentoring component.  Students can enroll in the 12-month no thesis program, or the 18-month program with a thesis requirement. 

References:

1. University at Buffalo, SUNY School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Post-Bac Program Research Team.  Increasing minority enrollment in medical school: the post-baccalaureate program in science and mathematics at the Associated Medical Schools of New York. 2008.
2. National Resident Matching Program, Results and Data: 1998 Main Residency Match.  National Resident Matching Program, Washington, DC.  1998.
3. National Resident Matching Program, Results and Data: 2006 Main Residency Match.  National Resident Matching Program, Washington, DC.  2006.
4. Association of American Medical Colleges. New York State graduation and residency entrance rates; 1995-2006. 2009.