Answers to commonly asked questions can be found below. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please contact us.
About the Program
- What distinguishes the University of Virginia from other Post BACC Programs?
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- Weekly 1.5 credit US Healthcare seminar taught by practicing MD/MPH regarding healthcare infrastructure, bioethics, and social determinants of health
- Small cohort (30-35 students) that move through a structured academic program in a collaborative learning environment
- Two full-time professional advisors with over three decades of pre-health advising and medical school admissions experience combined
- Established relationships with UVA Health System and Charlottesville Free Clinic to provide clinical volunteering opportunities throughout the post bacc program
- What courses are included in the UVA Post BACC Program?
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Our curriculum includes the basic science courses required by most medical schools in order to be eligible for admission, in addition the weekly US Healthcare seminar taught by a practicing physician. For more details on the specific courses, please see details about the curriculum on the program page.
- I have taken most of the science courses included in your curriculum, but I want to improve my grades. Am I a good candidate for UVA?
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Our program considers “career-changer” students who have an excellent undergraduate GPA but have not taken the pre-medical pre-requisite courses. If you have already completed a number of the classes included in our curriculum within the past five years, you may want to consider an “academic enhancer” post bacc program offered by other institutions.
- Can I customize my course schedule and/or repeat any previously taken science courses?
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We occasionally make exceptions for students to repeat previously taken science courses if they were completed more than five years ago. However, the collaborative cohort experience is important to us, so we want students to follow the standard course schedule as much as possible. Any course substitutions will be limited and considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Are the classes exclusively offered to Post-BACC students or will there be UVA undergraduates taking these courses as well?
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The general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry lectures will be offered exclusively to post bacc students, while biology and physics lectures are shared with undergraduates at UVA. All post baccs are enrolled in the same biology and physics lecture sections. During the fall semester, the biology professor hosts a weekly post bacc only discussion session and additional review sessions are offered in physics. All labs have only 24 students per lab and most are integrated with UVA undergraduates. However, a significant percentage of each lab will be post bacc students.
- What clinical opportunities are available to UVA Post BACC students?
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The UVA post bacc program has established strong relationships with the UVA Health System, Charlottesville Free Clinic and UVA Population Health who provide post bacc students the opportunity to volunteer, shadow and interact with patients and healthcare providers in various clinical and community settings. In addition, Dr. Powers, the medical advisor, arranges one-on-one or group shadowing experiences within a variety of medical specialties either at UVA’s medical center or in the surrounding community.
- How will UVA's Post BACC students prepare for the MCAT?
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Students will be provided with MCAT preparatory materials created by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) including access to full-length practice exams, quiz banks, and other content materials. In addition, based on alumni feedback, students are guided on how to wisely use academic breaks as well plan for the spring semester to be fully prepared to take the MCAT exam at the end of the program.
- What is your students' success rate in gaining entry to medical school?
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Over the past fifteen years, 95% of our alumni have gained acceptance into a wide variety of medical schools across the United States. Please see the student experience page for an abbreviated list of medical schools that have accepted and/or matriculated UVA’s post bacc students.
- Do you consider applicants who wish to go to veterinary or dental school?
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Although we have occasionally had students pursue other health professions upon completion of the post bacc program, we strongly prefer students who are committed to enrolling into medical school.
- Is it possible to have a job while enrolled in the program?
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Due to the full-time course load and accelerated nature of this program, students are encouraged to commit to focusing on their academic endeavors, and therefore do not work during the post bacc program.
- What types of advising and support do UVA's Post BACC students receive during the program and beyond?
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- Two full-time professional, experienced Pre-Med Advisors (MS/MA) are exclusively dedicated to the post bacc cohort.
- Individualized counseling appointments and advising workshops regarding all aspects of the medical school admissions process including essays and mock interviews.
- A Medical Advisor (MD/MPH) who coordinates physician shadowing and mentors students through their own medical career explorations.
- Dedicated Academic Director (Ph.D. Biochemistry) to provide additional academic support and advice.
- Experienced faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences who hold office hours and have teaching assistants as additional resources.
- Math Boot Camp is incorporated into Orientation to help refresh and hone math skills prior to the program.
- A comprehensive MCAT prep package at no additional cost to the student.
- An alumni network of former post-baccs willing to offer advice, support, and guidance throughout the school year and admissions process.
- Continued advising and support throughout glide year(s).
- When do students start and end the program?
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The program begins in early June with two summer sessions of General Chemistry lectures and labs. The program continues in the fall and spring semesters with students completing the post bacc program in May.
- How many students enroll in the program each year?
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Each year, 30-35 students enroll in UVA’s post bacc program.
- What is the age range of the cohort?
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The average age range is 22-40, but varies based on enrollment from year to year.
- What is the cost of the program and what financial aid is available?
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See details on tuition, fees, and financial aid. Please note that federal financial aid is only available for fall and spring semesters.
- What housing options are available?
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Post bacc students are adult-learners with a wide variety of personal and family needs; therefore, students secure their own housing within the Charlottesville community. Many students choose to live within walking distance of Main Grounds out of convenience, however, commuter parking is available for those who opt to live further from campus.
- What is a post BACC pre-med program?
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The Post Bacc Pre-Med Program is a full-time, one-year, residential program designed for individuals with exceptional academic records who have not fulfilled the pre-med prerequisites as an undergraduate and seek the science background necessary for application to medical school and a future career in medicine. The program is not remedial. It is intended for those with strong undergraduate academic records who lack the required science courses for medical school admission.
- Will successful program completion guarantee that I will be accepted into medical school?
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Admission into medical school cannot be guaranteed. However, it is anticipated that students who have done well in the Post Bacc Pre-Med Program and on the MCAT will achieve success in applying to medical school. Our program has a 95 percent acceptance rate to medical school.
- What is the "glide year" and will I receive any assistance during this period?
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The glide year is the period of time following the completion of the program and prior to your entry into medical school. During the glide year, Post Bacc Pre-Med faculty and staff are available to assist you in completing your medical school application and secondaries.
- Will I enjoy similar privileges as degree seeking students at the university?
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You will enjoy the privileges of degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students, including access to exercise facilities and the Medical School's library.
- What sort of faculty support or guidance can I expect to receive? I really want to succeed.
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Advisement is an important element of the program. Program faculty and staff continuously support you as a student. University offices and services have been aligned to advise you regarding every aspect of medical careers and admission to medical school. In addition, the Post Bacc Pre-Med program immerses you into the practices of medicine through volunteer work, shadowing, mentoring, and also provides a course on the U.S. HealthCare System.
- What can I expect the curriculum to be like?
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The curriculum consists of the pre-med science courses needed for medical school admission. Specific courses include biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics and all associated labs.
- Can I start this program at any time? How long does it take to complete this program?
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This program has one defined start date. The program is approximately 12 months in length starting each June with summer classes and labs.