Post Baccalaureate Premedical Program to begin in January 2010

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) has established a Post Baccalaureate Premedical Program (PBPM), scheduled to begin in January 2010, for those with an undergraduate degree in science or engineering who are interested in enhancing their skills before applying to medical school.

"We're excited to offer students another option in pursuing a career as a medical professional," says Sheldon M. Schuster, PhD, KGI's president. "Whether or not the PBPM students go on to medical school or choose a career path in the healthcare industry, this program will give them the skills needed to serve the global community."

Applications are currently being accepted from those who have already applied to medical school and been denied, as well as those who are a few courses shy of being ready to apply to medical school, says PBPM faculty advisor M. Ian Phillips, PhD, DSc, FAHA, who is the Norris Professor of Applied Life Sciences and director of the Center for Rare Disease Therapies at KGI.

"We offer prospective students a program with exceptional faculty attention, a focus on helping them attain their goal to enter the medical profession, and the opportunity to learn about business practices that will serve them now and as a medical professional," says Phillips.

The program is also designed so students can continue on at KGI after receiving their PBPM certificate and complete the Master of Bioscience (MBS) degree.

KGI's focus on research, education, and professional training in the life sciences is particularly valuable to those who desire admissions to medical school, says Phillips. "And because we are part of the highly-regarded Claremont Colleges, undergraduate courses can be easily taken at any of our sister institutions (including Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer, Pomona and Scripps)," he adds.

The PBPM program offers a flexible curriculum designed so that students can improve MCAT scores and raise GPAs while gaining business school experience. In addition, KGI's strong ties with the biosciences industry allows students to meet leaders in the field, as well as pursue studies that will help set them apart from other medical school applicants.

Coursework will include Biology of Disease, Clinical Pharmacology, Rare Diseases, Ethics, and Medical Devices, among others. And KGI's team-based approach to learning will sharpen team skills -- an asset PBPM students will find valuable not only in medical school but also as healthcare professionals, Phillips says.

PBPM students also will receive help applying to medical schools, including assistance with completing essays and preparing for admissions interviews, according to Phillips, who has been a professor at three medical colleges and taught more than 3,000 medical students.