I am writing this a month or so after I've finished the BU MAMS (Master of Arts in Medical Sciences) program. Although some students have the option of specializing in Clinical Investigation (earning them MACI), and others may opt to even continue onto the MPH degree after too, the majority of students are MAMS.
I had many questions before applying and enrolling. Hope the following may answer some of yours. Feel free to message me if you have more specific questions, and I'll get to them when I can. I'm currently answering questions for accepted and incoming MAMS students, and many of their questions and the answers I've given to them are below.
The following information is from my experience only. Besides the acceptance statistics, nothing else is from the BU administration. If some of the information conflicts with what you know, please let me and everyone else know as well so that it benefits everyone!
1. The pros and cons of their program (structure of the program, learning environment, cost, location, faculty, classes difficulty, competitiveness, other students, building/classrooms/facilities, etc.)
I'll get the cons over with first.
- Although I enjoyed most of the classes a great deal, I wished that there was more of a selection of courses. However, this is a pro as well, because you end up being in the same classes as your friends, which gives some much needed mutual support and encouragement.
- Pathology (see below section)
- Advisors sometimes give conflicting advice on which classes to take, and how to improve your AMCAS application. The bottom line is, each person has his or her own opinion, since that is exactly what you are asking for: an opinion. If an advisor takes an interest in your application and specifically requests you as an advisee (you don't usually find out whether this is the case), you're in good shape. Make sure you see them often. You won't be brown-nosing, although it may feel like that to people who aren't used to seeing their advisors. Don't be the kiss-ass either. It is incredibly transparent who is actually interested and engaged, and who isn't. They're not stupid, so don't offend them by assuming they are.
- You'll have no life. If you're here because you partied your butt off in college (guilty), there'll be none of that here. You'll be dating Biochemistry and Physiology, so be prepared to invest the time to get the happiness you're looking for. Expect to spend all day, every day (yea, even weekends) at the library or at home. If you manage your time extremely well, you'll have time to cook a few times a week (not during exams), do your laundry once a week, and even work out every day to keep yourself sane. However, I did manage to find the time to go out on one day per weekend (skipping exam weekends, of course!), and even twice a weekend during second term, I would suggest doing so only if you're happy with your understanding of the material. Spending my Saturday hung-over and looking like a pajama wearing drowned-rat, and trying to memorize the Pentose Phosphate Cycle isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but I went out to keep motivated, and because I knew that I had the time to. If I felt pressured by the course material, I'd be at the library that weekend. It's as simple as that.
Pros!
- Very rewarding. I'm in medicine because I love this ****. The science and biology behind the human body is awe-inspiring. The amount of knowledge I've come out of this program with always surprises me. The core classes are built so well that everything ties into everything else without being repetitive. The fact that Physiology requires an understanding of the material rather than just knowledge of the material encourages motivated learning. You'll need that in order to deal with the massive amount of information.
- Fun. Yea, that's right! I actually had a lot of fun with these classes. Although I've always liked all things science, I really had a blast. Intellectual curiosity is well rewarded.
- Great learning environment. The professors are genuinely interested in the material, since many of them are PhDs who devote their life to their area of study and love motivating students and helping them understand the difficult concepts.
- Professors are always available for you, and are very happy to schedule office hours, whether to help you understand material or to offer you advice. I've never been one to see professors after class because I've always thought it to be akin to kissing ass, but it's really not. If I had questions, I would rather have them answered and answered well rather than risk not understanding it for the exam.
- Location: there are a bunch of restaurants and delis around, along with two gyms, one smaller and cheaper, the other being the opposite. The neighborhood across the main Massachusetts avenue is pretty rough, but there aren't many incidents involving students. It's a hospital. There are cops. Bad guys stay away from cops. That isn't to say there won't be lost-looking people in hospital gowns asking for change or a cigarette sometimes. Back Bay is relatively close, and is a great area to live in. If you can afford Newbury street or areas nearby, do so! It's close enough to walk to school (15-20 minutes), next to THE shopping center in Boston, and is also next to the river park, which offers a great running route.
- Buildings: not run down, not squeaky-aseptic clean either. The janitorial staff does a great job, so there's nothing to complain about. Many of the classrooms have projectors hooked up to a computer that students are allowed to access, along with a plethora of blackboards to write out your notes on. There's even one room with a 54-inch television. Taking a dinner study break and watching some TV on a big screen is a great way to let out some steam.
- Competitiveness/people: I came into this program thinking it would be cut-throat and very competitive, since everyone wants to get into medical school very badly. Awesomely, that wasn't the case. Because people are here due to something not exactly perfect on their record, (whether it be a drunken arrest, institutional action, low uGPA, or low MCAT), we're all on the same page. In addition, the classes aren't curved. If you get a 92, that's an A, regardless of how well or how badly others do. My fellow classmates were all friendly and helpful, and all willing to share tips. Maybe it was just this class year, but I think that my fellow classmates made this entire experience much more bearable, and even fun. I was also expecting not to make any friends, just because I didn't expect to have the time to. That's completely wrong! Make friends and meet people. Although it's only classes for a year, I'm glad I didn't just hide in my library cubicle after sitting alone in class.
2. The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.
The academic year is divided into two terms. The first term is composed of Biochemistry, Physiology, and a third class chosen from among a list. Students typically elect to take Histology or Physiology. The second term is more flexible, and students typically take Physiology (second term), Pathology, Biostatistics, and Immunology if they feel up to it. Biostatistics can also be taken during the first term, and not everyone takes Immunology.
- Biochemistry
o Extremely difficult. It is divided into three units, each requiring its own focus and different methods of study approach in order to master the material. The first exam is very MCAT passage-like, and requires a great deal of knowledge of application. The second exam is mostly biochemical pathways, and requires a great deal of memorization. The last is a combination of the two.
o The class is very well-run, and the instructor gives great advice on how to study and approach the different units of material.
- Physiology (two terms)
o Challenging, but rewarding. This class is the application of principles learned in general chemistry and physics during college as applied to the human body. Exams also change from unit to unit, and vary in the amount of knowledge application versus memorization, but the material must be understood through and through in order to perform well. Despite the high degree of difficulty, I feel like I have learned a great deal after having taken this course. Understanding how much chemistry, physics, and biology goes into the simple act of taking a breath is extremely satisfying. We're all nerds here! Let's not pretend that the fact that the human heart beats every second for eighty plus years doesn't make us all hot and bothered.
o Like Biochemistry, the course is run very very well. The syllabus is invaluable, and it will take pre-reading, attending class with (literally) full attention, and re-reading a few times to get that A you are looking for. There are about five or six lecturers, all of whom are fantastic. There are also weekly labs, where there is clinical application of the physiology material, along with a quiz. This also helps you keep on top of the material and prevent you from being swamped in the end if you're the type to wait until the last moment to study, which you should never do for these classes. You are also allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade, so there is a bit of wiggle room.
- Histology
o Hands down, most fun class I've ever taken, ever. All the slides are virtual, meaning that someone has stained and prepared slides, and used a camera and computer to take 1X, 10X, 20X, and 40X pictures of every part of every slide composing every part of the human body. Many of the tissues have multiple types of stains to illustrate certain structures of a cell or organ.
o This class was recently changed from a previous syllabus and teaching methods, but WOW. Great and knowledgeable professors, and very well taught. They start from the basics, and each succeeding unit builds upon the previous. It is fast paced and exciting.
o My class schedule was as follows: lab once a week on Tuesdays, and lecture twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Honestly lab was my favorite part of the week. Maybe it was because the material was just so damn cool, or that my friends were all in the same lab. Whatever. The class rocked.
o There were weekly quizzes on lecture and lab material, which made sure you were up to speed on everything each week. There are three lecturers who rotate, one of whom will be your lab instructor. You don't want to be behind in this class. Not even for a few days. There were two exams, each with a written portion and practical portion. You are allowed to drop your lowest quiz grade in this class as well.
- Pathology
o I disliked this class a great deal. The syllabus was extremely disorganized, with a great deal of extraneous and unrelated information. Lecturers vary from being dreadful to funny and dynamic. This class is extremely detail focused, with zero to no application of learned material. I spent time memorizing Hurthle Cell Carcinoma, and all we knew for the class was that it was composed of Hurthle cells, but it's the only thing we knew HA. The pathogenesis, cellular aspects, and disease pathway were non-existent. There isn't exactly enough time for you to look up facts about the disease to help you integrate it into a hierarchy to help you understand many of the diseases either. I spent most of my time studying for this exam by memorizing things like the genetic loci, affected organs, and prognosis of obscure pediatric diseases .
o Although it sounds like I'm complaining a great deal (and I am), the bottom line is that this class isn't structured. There's no base of information upon which to build, and no particular rhyme or reason to the facts you need to know for the exam. It's all just a bunch of random facts. Some units are incredibly easy, simply because the lecturer gave great explanations, with other units being near impossible to understand because the lecturer slaps over a hundred slides of each and every single bit of information about their specialty.
- Biostatistics
o Laughably easy compared to the rest of the classes. It's your typical introductory statistics class. If you can do arithmetic you can get an A in this class. The lecturer's slides are very informative but repetitive. I would normally never encourage anyone do this for this program, but feel free to begin studying three days before the exam. You'll do just fine. It's a two-credit course, compared to the six monstrous credits of Biochem.
- Immunology
o I didn't take this class, but from what I've heard from my friends, it's a lot of memorization but still rewarding. It'll give you a big leg up in medical school too. However, the two credits are crammed into a few weeks during second term, and ends right as you should be really focusing on the final exams for your other classes. Not pleasant, but doable.
3. Something they wished they knew coming into the program.
The awesome people in the program.
4. Tips for students applying to your program
I applied in July, because I didn't really find out about SMPs until a few weeks prior. I highly suggest being honest in your essay. Feel free to use your personal statement, but I basically said the following: "I really ****ed up in undergrad. I still want to be a doctor, even though my grades make me look like an idiot, but I'm ready to get down and dirty, and I've got what it takes to be a doc. Just give me a chance to prove it." I wouldn't suggest everyone go this route, because I had some stuff to back this up. I did well on the MCATs before I applied to this program (whereas most take it after the program is finished), and worked in a lab for a year and a half before applying. I also had previous lab experience, so I had at least something to show that I'm dedicated.
In short? Be yourself.
Also, I strongly encourage you to express your interest in this program if you are applying and are not sure if you'll be accepted. The staff is extremely supportive and responsive.
5. Did it help you get into medical school/dental school etc.?
Submitted a few weeks ago, so we'll see!
I ended up applying to 31 schools. Updates to come!
6. Anything else you'd like to add.
Tips to do well in this program
- Make study groups! Especially for the first term, which is absolutely more difficult than the second. Although you may think you understand the material just fine, your study group members may offer different ways of thinking about a topic, or focus on parts that you didn't think were important. Fact is, everything's important. If it's taught, it's fair game on an exam. I had a study group weekly for Histology and Physiology at the very least, because both required a great deal of understanding of the material, and even more application. Simply memorizing everything won't help with those two classes, especially the latter.
- Always go to class. Although it may be difficult to commute if you live far away (not-so-subtle hint to try and find somewhere nearby), sitting in class and having the instructor tell you what they think is important is priceless. Sitting at home watching a recorded lecture isn't the same.
- Figure out what you did wrong in undergrad, and fix it. Mine was not attending class. It was a slippery slope, since it's so easy to resort to studying for everything at the end. You simply CANNOT do that here.
- Pre-read for classes. Doing so will save you time from taking notes on things that are self-explanatory, and allow you to know where to put extra bits of focus while listening in class to difficult-to-understand concepts. Re-write your own notes for each lecture after class (either the afternoon after or the day after; any longer and your brain loses a great deal of the things retained in lecture). Review for quizzes. Review for exams. The more times you go through the material, the better your grade will be.
7. A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 being the best (full recommendation))
For all of the reasons listed above, it should be obvious! 5.
8. Some commonly asked questions from incoming students to the program.
How many students are in the class? How many are accepted to BU School of Medicine each year?
- The class is about 180 people. Around 140 apply to the medical school at BU, and around 75 get interviews. 30-35 pear year end up becoming accepted to BUSM.
Is the coursework the same as that which the medical school students take?
- The material and syllabi are exactly identical to the medical school. However, M1s are on a systems-based approach to the material, so they learned the material on a different time schedule. There are a few different classes. For example, we don't take anatomy. In addition, all lectures (with the exception of Immunology) are composed of solely MAMS students.
Are there tutors available?
- There are TAs for each class, and private tutors as well, most of whom are students (either M1/M2 or MAMS second year) that had A's in their respective classes.
What about the thesis? What do people generally do for that?
- You have the option of either doing a library or lab thesis. The former is a review of literature on a selected topic, and is generally finished in a month or two. Students who decide to finish the program in one year go with this option. The latter will take at least half a year in a laboratory, and you will be including your own research data in the thesis. This is generally what students who take the two-year track do. The second year does not involve classes, and will only require registration fees. Tuition for the one-year and two-year tracks are essentially identical.
Are the MAMS students guaranteed a spot in medical school if they can get a certain GPA?
- MAMS students are considered in a separate applicant pool when applying to medical school. No student's application wil be skipped over, even if they are under the general applicant GPA/MCAT cut off. However, there is no officlal ‘linkage' with the medical school. However, you can expect to get an interview if you receive a 3.7 or over (NOTE! That is MY estimate, and by no means the official number). Whether you get in after is completely up to you.
When do students volunteer? And do they have time to do so?
- Students are not encouraged to volunteer during the first term, as the time requirements from coursework are enormous. You won't have time to do much else. Although a few people may have the time to do so, the choice is still yours. I wouldn't recommend doing so. Most students find volunteering opportunities during their second term, since the amount of free time between the two terms is practically day and night.
Do students typically apply to medical school during the first or second year?
- The vast majority of students apply during their second year. By applying the first year, you're subjecting yourself to primaries, secondaries, and interviews, all the while taking the most difficult classes with the least amount of free time. If one of these takes time away from the other, your entire application will suffer. I have just finished the program in May, and am therefore applying during my second year. However, a few students did apply during their first year and were accepted. I've a friend who did just that and is now in the BUSM entering class of 2012.
If after all that you're interested to see whether doing well at this program will help you dig yourself out of a crappy uGPA (crappy as in sub-3.0), feel free to click on my profile and look at my other thread I started before I applied to this MAMS program. That will have my old and new stats.
Hope this has helped some people. Good luck to everyone applying!