Program

Q: I hear the program is highly competitive and rigorous. Does this result in significant student attrition?

A: It is true that the Postbac Premed Program at Columbia University is a highly competitive program and that the challenges of a premedical curriculum at Columbia are significant. That's why the admissions process to the Postbac Premed Program is comprehensive and highly selective.  All students admitted to our program possess the academic strength to be successful applicants to medical school. The average GPA for an entering class to our program is, historically, approximately 3.65; the mean sat score is 1390. This means that the students enrolled in our Postbac Premed Program are some of the best and brightest students in the country. 

Nonetheless, there is a modest amount of attrition from our program.  The number of students who begin our program and choose to leave to pursue other ventures in life is minimal—fewer than 15 students a semester of the 480 currently enrolled, which translates to less than five percent in any given semester. In most cases, students who choose to leave our program have made this decision because of unrelated factors affecting their lives: family considerations, health issues, job choices, or a decision to pursue a path other than medicine are all examples.

To be eligible for committee support, students must consistently maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Occasionally, we dismiss students for failure to meet this expectation or to otherwise make academic progress, generally after having communicated our concerns, advised them how to improve their records, and given them an opportunity to do so; such actions are never taken lightly, but it is an important part of our counseling and advising on the extremely competitive medical school admissions process. On average, fewer than five students per term are dismissed for academic reasons. This relatively low number is a testament to the strength of our students, faculty, and advisors. 

Q: Can I complete the program in one year or less?
A: Program length is determined by a variety of factors. Please see the Accelerated Sequence page for more information.

Q: May I take fall and spring coursework such as pre-calculus and pre-chemistry during the summer?
A: All preparatory coursework, including pre-calculus, pre-chemistry and basic physics is offered during at least one of the summer terms.  Though we put strict requirements on what science coursework can be taken during the summer terms, in light of how some medical schools see 6-week summer courses, the prep courses are allowed.