One of the most common types of postbac program is the Academic Enhancer. These are designed for individuals who have completed all or most pre-med/pre-health courses but whose GPA is not as strong as it needed for admission. Some of these programs offer undergraduate courses while others involve taking advanced courses either in a medical school or through a graduate unit of a university. These may lead to a Masters degree or in some cases a certificate. 

Admission to these programs can be fairly competitive, requiring in many cases a minimum GPA of 3.0. Many require that you submit MCAT scores but would also take GRE scores. If you have not yet taken the MCAT, opt for the GRE if possible. You should take the MCAT after you strengthen your preparation through the postbac program if this test isn't required.

These types of postbacs are designed for students who took almost none of the requisite courses required for admission to medical or other health profession schools during their undergraduate education. If you had not planned on a career in medicine and therefore do not have the necessary courses, a career changer program could be a good option. These programs typically consist of all the basic science courses required for admission.

One important distinction between these programs is that they can be offered in a structure or unstructured. In the structured format, students enter as a cohort and take the classes together while also having access to an advisor who will help with the application process. In an unstructured format students simply take the courses they need when they are offered and navigate the process of applying on their own. There are also programs that have different levels of structure, so be sure to determine which will work the best for you and then find the program that meets your needs.

There are also these programs may be of interest to students who already have a strong academic background but find intrinsic value to earning a Masters degree in medical science or a similar topic. There are a number of these types of programs and they are offered in a wide range of fields. Most are one-year non-thesis programs that provide courses in topics related to medicine. Some students use these as academic enhancers to help increase their overall GPA but many others enroll in them to pursue a topic of interest or to help prepare them for medical school. 

There are also a number of postbac programs across all types that specifically aim to provide an opportunity for applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in the health professions. You can search specifically for these programs on the AAMC database of postbac programs. Some programs require the MCAT and are specifically for individuals who have already taken the MCAT and may have already applied to medical schools. If this isn't your case, it's not advisable to take the MCAT in order to get into a post-baccalaureate program.

Many postbac programs can be finished in one calendar year, although some are two years in length. It is important to consider that even in a one-year program, you will have a gap year before entering a health professional school as you will likely apply at the completion of your postbac program- typically at the end of the spring semester. 

Many postbac programs describe affiliations or linkages with specific medical schools. An affiliation is simply a relationship between the postbac program and the medical school and does not guarantee any special treatment for postbac program graduates. A linkage is usually a more official agreement with a medical school. Some linkage agreements provide guaranteed interviews or acceptances to graduate from the program. However, each of these is different and there may be additional conditions you need to meet to qualify for the linkage benefit so be sure to research it carefully. 

Many programs offer individual advising to students in the program to help support them with academic planning and the admission process. However, some of the unstructured programs do not offer this. This may be an important consideration as you navigate the application process where an advisor can be especially helpful.

The costs of these types of programs vary greatly so you will need to research carefully. Financial aid through FAFSA is typically limited to programs that lead to a degree so if you are relying on federal financial aid, this may be an important consideration for you. 

If you still need to take the MCAT or if you have a score that you would like to improve, you should consider enrolling in a program that provides MCAT preparation assistance. 

Successful applicants to health professional school typically have clinical experience, research experience, and community service as part of their preparation. Some postbac programs will offer all or some of these experiences as part of the program so if you find that you are in need of these, you may want to consider programs that offer these opportunities in addition to the academic work.

Admission to postbac programs is moderately to rather competitive, and the process varies from program to program. You may need to take the MCAT or GRE, though many programs will accept your SAT scores. You will likely need a minimum GPA of 3.0 and some programs have higher requirements. 

As you look at different postbac programs you need to ensure that they offer the classes you need to meet your goals. If you are a career changer, you will need undergraduate level courses that fulfill the requirements for the health professional school you plan to attend. If you are looking at an academic enhancer program, you will need courses in the biomedical and biological sciences to better prepare you for professional school and also to indicate your ability to perform well in those topics. If you already have a large number of courses in the biomedical sciences, be sure that the postbac program has a wide variety of courses so that you are not simply taking the same courses again.

There is a great deal of variation in the types of students in any particular postbac program. In some programs, you will be taking classes along with undergraduates who are also fulfilling their requirements while in others, you will only be in classes with your cohort of other postbac students. Some postbac programs are open to graduate students in a wide range of fields so you will be taking classes with many different students while others have a special cohort of graduate postbac students with whom you will take all of your classes. There are also programs that enroll you in classes with other medical school students who are in their first year of classes. Each of these student populations has advantages and disadvantages and you just need to decide which is the best option for you.