Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Linkage Programs

As we’ve mentioned in this blog series, some post-bacc programs and SMPs offer linkage programs. These allow students to skip their “glide year” between their post-bacc program or SMP and medical school, and matriculate into an affiliated med school the fall after their current program ends. Linkage students’ applications to affiliated schools essentially go to the top of the pile. 

Here’s the rub, though: You can only apply to one of the affiliated schools, and if admitted, you’re expected not to apply to more schools within that year and commit to attending the school that accepted you. So, you really only want to do linkage if you are dead set on a certain medical school. 

If this still sounds good to you: Linkage programs can be sweet back door entrances into a university's medical school (or an affiliated university's medical school), provided you do well in them. Students who absolutely nail their linkage SMP or post-bacc courses might automatically be offered conditional acceptance to their medical school if they meet certain criteria. Notice the words “conditional” and “certain” here, they’re doing a lot of work. Schools don’t like to say the word “guaranteed,” even if you rocked the house. 

We know of a non-client who completed his linkage SMP with the required GPA and thus earned his interview at his school’s medical program…but he was then waitlisted. He ended up getting in, but for a minute there, there was a real possibility that he was going to have to apply the following year. That wouldn’t have been the end of the world, though. Schools like to point out that “most” SMP graduates do get into medical school if not during their program, soon afterwards.

If this has spiked your curiosity, find out if your top school has a linkage program, what affiliates it has, and what unique benefits it offers. Here is a little info on just a few linkage programs we like:

• Bryn Mawr’s post-baccalaureate premedical program connects to one dental school and 16 medical schools, including the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Boston University’s School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. The school reports that the post-bacc program’s linkage option is quite popular—and successful. “Bryn Mawr has early acceptance arrangements with more medical schools than any other [post-bacc] program, and we have the longest-standing relationships with many of these consortial/linkage schools,” writes Glenn Cummings, Director of the Bryn Mawr Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program. As for the program overall, the school boasts that “over 98% [of students] are accepted to medical school.”

• University of Virginia's pre-med post-bacc graduates have a 95% acceptance rate to medical schools across the country. In addition to teaching the sciences, the program requires students to take a course on the U.S. healthcare system and facilitates volunteering and shadowing experiences. Their linkage program connects to George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences and University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine.

• Columbia’s post-bacc premed program is housed in its School of General Studies and offers linkage to New York University’s Medical School, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Weill Cornell’s Medical College, and eight other programs. If you want to find out more about their various linkage opportunities, Columbia regularly hosts online events.

• Tufts MBS program is a SMP that offers a MS in Biomedical Sciences—and linkage to Tufts School of Medicine’s MD Program. (That’s a lot of acronyms!) On average, 54 linkage applicants from the MBS program get an interview at Tufts each year. Thirty-seven of those students are typically accepted into the school of medicine. Says the school, “MBS students who apply to the School of Medicine's MD program get preferred consideration for interviews and will be carefully and holistically reviewed. This is regardless of if they meet the specific MBS Linkage criteria.” Linkage aside, according to Tufts, most of the MBS class can expect a leg up into medical school. They report an “80+% admit rate to medical school (vs. the 7% national average)” and a “60% interview rate at Tufts University’s School of Medicine for the MD program (vs. 10% from the general applicant pool).” MBS requires a thesis and “in lieu of a traditional thesis defense, MBS students must have their thesis formally approved by their mentor and identified readers,” according to the school. Students can complete the program in one year or two, if they want to extend their clinical work in the community or complete a lab-based thesis.

• Some DO programs offer linkage too. Barry University’s Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences is a non-thesis SMP meant to prepare students for medical or dental school or Biomedical Sciences PhD programs. You can earn acceptance into the program even if you don’t have all your premedical requirements yet. In the program, you might find yourself doing research work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Institute of Health (NIH), or the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Successful completion guarantees an interview at Barry University’s School of Podiatric Medicine (POD) or an affiliate school, which are: the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), and the Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM).

Related:

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: An Overview

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Special Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Special Master’s Programs

Like an undergraduate post-bacc program, Special Master’s Programs (SMPs) are one or two-year programs (typically one-year) designed to help you prepare for medical school. 

SMPs are for people who completed the pre-medical curriculum...but maybe could have done better. We also know of SMP applicants who had fine grades but were bad test takers and had low MCAT scores. Attending a SMP can show commitment to studying medicine and serve as proof that you’re a capable student. 

These programs are also great for folks who simply feel underprepared for the medical school environment because SMPs offer a med school-esque experience. You might even take courses alongside medical students and be able to pick their brains. 

There’s more than just science courses to SMPs too: Morehouse has a one- and two-year Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS), which offers an MCAT prep course (not every SMP does), scribe training, and courses covering systemic racism to prepare underrepresented students for what they may encounter in med school and the medical field. The MSMS programs also provide matriculants with both a faculty and student advisor. Notes Morehouse: “As of the 2021 graduating class, the Post-Baccalaureate and MSMS degree programs have graduated 160 students with 88% of them entering health professional schools (134 to MD, three to DO, two to PA, one to DDS, and one to PhD programs).”

You might choose your SMP because it is under the same metaphorical or actual roof as your ideal medical school. You’ll have the chance to do some strong on-campus networking, always a plus when interviewing. And SMP students’ med school applications get special notice at the school they’re attending.

Georgetown has the oldest one-year Master of Physiology program built for aspiring medical students in the country; 50% of its students are accepted to medical school while still in the program. And 85% of its graduates are accepted to medical school within two years of completing their Master's degree. SMP students at Georgetown have an advantage when applying to Georgetown School of Medicine (GUSOM). “Many SMP students apply to [GUSOM] while in the program,” notes the school. “The SMPs are pulled out of the general applicant pool and are reviewed separately. GUSOM highly values students from the program and typically interviews half of the class. Of those interviewed, typically half are offered acceptance.”

The AAMC has a detailed list of 311 post-baccalaureate and SMP programs, and if they have linkage affiliations, it notes the schools they’re affiliated with. You can search by school, state, and public or private institution.

Related:

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: An Overview

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Linkage Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Master’s Programs

A Master's program, like one of Chemistry, Physiology, or Public Health, can bolster a weaker transcript. And because some Master’s programs involve research and a thesis, a strong performance shows your ability to thrive in an in-depth program. Of note, your Master's GPA counts separately from your undergraduate GPA. 

A client of ours pursued an MS in Human Nutrition. Her goal was to learn more about public health nutrition and use that experience to apply to medical school with not only a stronger transcript but deeper knowledge of an area of great interest to her.

If, like our client, you're eager to expand your knowledge of a specific area or better prepare for a competitive and collaborative environment, earning an advanced degree might be for you. A Master's program can also hook you up with a helpful mentor. 

As mentioned in the post-bacc blog, Princeton University offers a short list of post-bacc and master’s programs that highlights elite schools. 

Related:

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: An Overview

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Special Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Post-bacc programs are one- and two-year certification programs (you don’t earn a degree, but rather a certificate) and are ideal for folks who are making a career change or need to enhance their academic record. 

If you have not satisfied the course requirements for medical school, you must earn a post-bacc. (Or at least do a self-styled post-bacc experience, in which you take the courses missing from your undergrad transcript.) Career changers typically lack multiple med school course requirements; the clients who we’ve worked with who have attended post-bacc programs were all career changers. Post-bacc programs are also an option for those who tanked some classes early on in their college career or re-applicants who have some room for academic improvement. A post-bacc counts towards your undergraduate GPA like a fifth year of college. Some post-bacc programs offer MCAT prep too.

There are post-bacc programs that are full-time or part-time and/or offer night classes, making it easy to continue to gain clinical experiences between now and when you matriculate to med school (a must no matter what else you do). 

You can get briefed on the details of many-a-post-bacc-program by using the AAMC's Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs database. Some post-bacc programs (and Special Master’s Programs) offer linkage programs—we’ll explain that further in a bit—and this database will tell you what schools those programs are affiliated with, if any. Princeton University offers a shorter list of strong post-bacc and master’s programs that is tremendously helpful.

Related:

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: An Overview

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Special Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Linkage Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: An Overview

If you don’t think you’re ready to apply to medical school (or you’ve been rejected), you may be considering a post-baccalaureate certification, a Master’s program, or a Special Master’s Program (SMP). Maybe you’re even specifically looking for a post-bacc or SMP that offers a linkage program. Or you might not know why you’d pursue any of that! No matter the case, read on, because, in this blog series, we’ll explain the difference between these offerings and what you should think about before pursuing them. 

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let us say this: If your undergrad GPA is strong, you have done enough science coursework, and you feel ready for medical school, you don't need to take on the added expense of another program before med school. They are cash- and time-consuming. 

Cost is just one of the reasons that these programs are known as “high risk, high reward.” They can give you an advantage in getting into medical school, especially at the one that houses the program. But not doing well in such a program is a devastating look. These programs are challenging, so if you’re not ready for med school, you might not be ready for them, either. 

The value of pursuing a post-bacc certification or an advanced degree before medical school is subjective. These programs offer a great way to mature and expand your knowledge—but they are definitely not a guarantee that you will get into a medical school.

Related:

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Post-Baccalaureate Certification

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Special Master’s Programs

Earning Another Degree or Certification Before Med School: Linkage Programs

Need Clinical Experience? Consider a Medical Scribe Position.

If you’re a pre-med on the hunt for some high-quality clinical experiences, medical scribing could be an excellent fit. This paid position can help you to develop a strong network of provider relationships, gain an excellent foundation in medical terminology, observe clinical decision-making first-hand, and learn about the daily work and challenges of life as a physician. 

The work. Medical scribes serve as assistants to a physician (or multiple physicians) taking notes and charting patient encounters, inputting documentation into the Electronic Health Record (EHR), responding to patient questions and messages as directed by the physician, locating health records, and even researching information as requested by the physician. Scribes play a key role on a medical team as they free up the physician to focus on patient interactions while the scribe takes responsibility for administrative tasks. Scribes work closely under the supervision of a physician and do not have independent decision-making responsibilities. They work across a variety of specialties, including but not limited to: Emergency Medicine, Oncology, Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Pain Management.

The training. After obtaining the position, medical scribes receive between a few weeks to a month of training in preparation for the position. This training is typically paired with a period of shadowing a fellow medical scribe. Even with this onboarding, most scribes feel overwhelmed early on in the role due to the steep learning curve. Scribes need to learn the styles and preferences of the physicians that they work alongside, including their preferred charting methods, as well as the EHR system and the new terminology. 

The benefits. 

• Medical school admissions committees view scribing favorably. A scribe’s work demonstrates their commitment to a career in medicine by showing that they have an intimate understanding of the work of a medical provider. They will gain foundational medical knowledge and experience that will be useful throughout medical school and may ease the transition between their undergraduate and medical studies, and inform their future career path.

• Scribes can gain experience within a specialty, including a more thorough understanding of the challenges that physicians in those roles face. 

• Scribes will have the opportunity to develop a wide network of provider relationships, some of whom may be willing, and able to write detailed recommendations based on their work alongside of them.  

• Scribes will demonstrate their ability to thrive on a team. Scribes must learn to work well with a variety of physicians who will each have a different style. They will also learn to deal with stress and be proactive in asking questions and picking up information quickly, which will benefit them as a medical student, resident, fellow, and attending physician.

Related: The Must-Knows if You’re a Premed Considering EMT Training

Prospective Law School Students: Do You Need a Break?

Prospective law students often wonder if they should take time off between finishing their undergraduate work and applying to law school. While there is no one size fits all answer, the trend shows that many law schools are expecting and even rewarding students who take at least a brief interlude prior to starting school. Within the class of 2019, the majority of matriculants among the most competitive law schools did report a gap prior to starting law school; among the top ten ranked law schools by U.S. News and World Report, the percentages of incoming classes showed that between 60 and 80 percent of incoming students took at least one year off. Harvard and Yale were among the highest percentages at 80 and 82 percent respectively.

While, it isn’t necessary for all students to take a gap year, it can be a beneficial use of time for the following types of applicants:

-        Those with a general interest in the study of law, but without experience in the day-to-day operations of a law firm and/or those who do not yet feel comfortable selecting a career path within the legal industry

-        Those who have a passion they would like to pursue, who can spend some time in the field to confirm law school is the right next step to help them achieve their goals

-        Those who need to enhance the competitiveness of their application with additional experiences and insight into their future goals

-        Those who may benefit from a year of earnings prior to taking on the financial burden of law school

-        Those interested in working at a firm post- law school, as prior work experience can be looked upon quite favorably by hiring managers

For prospective students who do wish to take a gap year, there are many jobs and activities that may improve their resume, provide clarity, and ultimately bolster their candidacy in the application process. We’ve listed a few ideas below:

-        Management consulting/investment banking: If a future applicant has a passion for business and hope to work in corporate law, they can increase their understanding of the work by spending time at a consulting or investment banking group.

-        Policy analysis/research: With an interest in constitutional or immigration law, working directly in this space can provide them experience with relevant stakeholders, as well as the eventual ability to speak to their future goals more specifically within their law school application. It may also help them more strategically select law school programs that will best position them to do the work they love.

-        Non-profit work: If they have identified an interest in public interest law or just in gaining professional skills quickly, working for a non-profit organization could be a sound next step. Typically, nonprofits have lean workforces and, as a result, even recent college graduates are asked to work outside their comfort zone to acquire new skills. Further, it is important to note that some organizations like Teach for America have relationships and scholarship programs with select law schools.

-        Paralegal/legal assistant/legal administrator: For those interested in learning more about working within a law firm, this type of experience will broaden a candidate’s understanding of the day-to-day life of a lawyer and will also likely show meaningful commitment to both law schools and future legal recruiters.

While it isn’t necessary to take a gap-year between undergraduate and law school, if you do, it is of vital importance to spend your time thoughtfully and productively.  It may seem appealing, in those months after college, to solely focus on LSAT and application preparations.  But remember, admissions committees will be looking very closely. Meaningful and productive work will help you to construct a narrative that will bolster your story as an applicant and positively contribute to the dynamic of your law school class.