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Longitudinal Assessment and Perceptions of Medical Post Baccalaureate Students

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Abstract

Incoming medical students arrive from diverse academic backgrounds and different levels of preparedness for the challenges of medical school. These students face major academic and lifestyle transitions in order to be successful in the fast-paced medical school curriculum. The goal of the medical post baccalaureate (PB) program at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is to prepare students (often with below-average grade point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores) for medical school course content and aid these students in the development of appropriate time-management and study skills. It was hypothesized that graduates of LECOM’s PB program would perform as well as their non-PB classmates. Analysis of longitudinal study data revealed that LECOM PB students matriculated medical school with undergraduate GPAs and MCAT scores significantly lower than their non-PB classmates. However, LECOM PB graduates performed statistically similar to non-PB classmates on their step 1 board examination, at the end of their second year of medical school. Additionally, survey results suggest that LECOM PB graduates perceived they were better prepared for multiple aspects of medical school compared to their peers. These findings suggest that a 1-year PB program, heavy in basic biomedical science, prepares students for academic and social challenges they will face in medical school.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Zachary Kwasnicka for early development of the survey, Nicky Bell for handling technical aspects of the survey, and Dr. Molly Johannessen for her helpful comments on a draft version of the manuscript. Finally, we would like to thank all of the students who participated in the survey.

Conflict of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1858 West Grandview Blvd, Erie, PA, 16509, USA

    Randy J. Kulesza Jr.

  2. Office of Institutional Planning, Assessment, Accreditation and Research, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, USA

    Walter Hu & Mathew Bateman

Authors
  1. Randy J. Kulesza Jr.
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  2. Walter Hu
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  3. Mathew Bateman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Randy J. Kulesza Jr..

Appendix

Appendix

Student Survey

What was the highest level of education you have completed?

  • BA/BS

  • LECOM Post Bacc

  • Other Post Bacc

  • Master’s

  • Doctoral

My program prepared me for the ______ of medical school.

  • Workload

  • Time commitment

  • Rigor

  • Stress

  • Type of thinking

  • Methods of evaluations

  • Ability to use resources effectively

  • Knowledge of available resources

  • Confidence to approach faculty

  • Study skills

  • Methods of instruction

  • Social environment

My program helped me develop ______:

  • Time management skills

  • Stress coping strategies

My program ______:

  • Was a valuable experience

  • Was an accurate representation of a medical school curriculum

  • Helped me gain entry into medical school

  • Prepared me for medical school

  • Helped me be successful in medical school

  • Made the transition to medical school easier

  • Developed my confidence in completing a medical curriculum

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Kulesza, R.J., Hu, W. & Bateman, M. Longitudinal Assessment and Perceptions of Medical Post Baccalaureate Students. Med.Sci.Educ. 25, 19–26 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-014-0075-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-014-0075-5

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