{"id":466,"date":"2019-11-21T09:27:37","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T09:27:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/ma-biomedicine\/?p=466"},"modified":"2019-11-21T14:28:51","modified_gmt":"2019-11-21T14:28:51","slug":"does-being-a-non-traditional-student-save-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/ma-biomedicine\/2019\/11\/21\/does-being-a-non-traditional-student-save-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Being a Non-Traditional Student Save Time?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
by Claire Reilly<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There is a traditional \u201ccalendar year\u201d\nstudents primarily go through the educational system – August through May with\nclasses in the summer. Students tend to have the mindset that this is what I\u2019m\nused to, so this is what I will do. But, even though this is the norm, there\nare other options. EMU offers their students a chance to start their\nbiomedicine master\u2019s program in January. While it is non-traditional to start\ntaking classes in the spring semester, there are perks I want to share. Maybe\nthese benefits will make you think more about being a non-traditional student\nyourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Summers
\nLike most master\u2019s programs, the biomedicine master\u2019s\nat EMU is two years long. As a traditional student in this program, you have\none summer to squeeze in all the required courses, practicum, work on your\nthesis research, do your cross-cultural experience. Not to mention all the\nstuff that happens on the side, like taking the MCAT or DAT, applying to\nschools, or, I don\u2019t know, enjoying the summer?! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me? Starting in January allowed me to complete\nthese requirements in two summers instead of one. My first summer I spent\ncompleting the required coursework and practicum experience, while the second\nsummer I started collecting data for my thesis and went on a cross-cultural trip\nto Peru. Splitting the requirements into two summers was a huge benefit to me.\nIt allowed me more time to work over the summer, focus on my applications, and\nre-take the DAT. Trust me, having that extra summer allowed me to spread out my\nlist of to-do\u2019s as well as keep my sanity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00bd a Gap Year
\nLet\u2019s pretend you just entered the biomedicine program\nin 2019. Here a general overview of your timeline as a traditional student:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start <\/strong>Fall 2019 – Spring 2020 – Summer 2020 – Fall 2020 – End <\/strong>Spring 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question: when would you typically apply for\nyour professional school of choice? Well, if you want to complete the master\u2019s\nprogram before you apply to schools, and have a superb, new cumulative and\nscience GPA, you would then submit your applications in Summer 2021. You would\nnot start school until Fall 2022 – one year later \u2026 I can hear the weird\nSpongebob voice in my head. You\u2019re going to have to fill that gap year with\nsomething…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s pretend you are going to enter as a\nnon-traditional student:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start <\/strong>Spring 2020 – Summer 2020 – Fall 2020 – Spring 2021 – Summer 2021 – End <\/strong>Fall 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, same question: when would you typically\napply for your professional school of choice? Well, the summer after you\u2019ve\nfinished most of your coursework. Again, you will have a bomb GPA (of course),\nso you will apply in Summer 2021. You, too, will enter your professional school\nof choice in Fall 2022, BUT you only have \u00bd a gap year! I feel this is just\nenough time to get ready for your future without getting out of the school mentality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research…DONE!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The biomedicine thesis research is set up in\nsuch a way that we start working on our projects in the spring of our first\nyear, gather data and start our paper in the summer, and present our project at\nthe end of the following fall semester. But…you will then still have one more\nsemester to complete before you graduate…yikes. #senioritis<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me? Oh, after the second fall semester, I\u2019ll\nbe DONE. I will present my thesis in the beginning of December, take finals,\nand I will GRADUATE. I feel the thesis project is the essence of the program\nand it takes a lot of energy out of you. Conducting your own research, writing\na HUGE paper, and presenting your project to your peers is tough work. By the\ntime your thesis is finished, you are mentally finished. Being finished with\nthe whole program helps, too. #SpringForTheWin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you now see the perks of being a\nnon-traditional student?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is a traditional \u201ccalendar year\u201d students primarily go through the educational system – August through May with classes in the summer. Students tend to have the mindset that this is what I\u2019m used to, so this is what I will do. But, even though this is the norm, there are other options. EMU offers....<\/p>

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