Bennington Postbac Premed Program
Postbac in the Spotlight
We’ll kick off 2017 with a Postbac in the Spotlight story. Hope everyone had wonderful holidays! Here’s Edward, postbac ‘17’s story:
A long-term Los Angeles resident, Edward’s desire to prepare for medical school within an intimate class setting, and a single year, drew him to the hills of Vermont for the Bennington Postbac Premed Program. Edward has worked as a pastor for the past 18 years and is also concurrently finishing a PhD in Systematic Theology on the topic of human flourishing in the contemporary world. Eager to serve others in a practical and holistic way, Edward is pursuing medical training to deepen his ability to impact people’s lives both here and abroad. Edward describes his journey to Bennington and experience with the program, thus far, in his own words below.
Why become a doc?
“As a college student at UC San Diego, I was in a hurry to get out into the world and make a difference. Immediately after graduating, I spent a few years in Asia working with the poor trying to help break generational cycles of poverty by mentoring and educating the children of impoverished families. Upon returning to the States, I continued that work as a pastor to the best of my ability. But the longer I worked with people, the more I came to see my need for deeper understanding to genuinely help people find wholeness and wellbeing in their lives. My burning quest to be a better resource for the wellbeing of others was one of the key factors that led me to this medical path.
“The other major factor that galvanized my resolve to become a physician was the work of some of my close friends who have gained access to the most remote places and states in the world because of their medical proficiencies. As a result of this access, their ability to make an impact for lasting change in these societies is very real—certainly beyond what I can currently offer. I believe that a medical degree will open many doors in my work to help others.”
Why Bennington?
“The Bennington program was my first choice! I hadn’t taken a math or science class in 20 years, and I was looking for a program that would offer lots of personal time with professors. I was primarily attracted to the small class size, where I would be encouraged to ask lots of questions. And the one-year completion timeframe sealed the deal for me.”
Favorite part of the program?
“The small class and intimate setting of the Bennington program has truly met my expectations. Even with a few undergraduates in our classes, our classes have remained very small and personal. Contrast that with my undergrad years where some basic science courses had 500 students at a time, and lab time was strictly limited with little personal help provided. Other postbac programs I considered boasted of small postbac cohorts during the summer, but once the fall semester came around, the postbacs would be placed in classes dominated by undergrads. At Bennington, all of the classes feel designed with the postbacs in mind and the postbacs are the dominant presence in the classroom. There are just so many opportunities to use the labs, ask professors for support, and work with fellow students. I don’t feel like just a number at Bennington.”
Most challenging part of the program?
“Although the summer session was very intense, I liked focusing on just one class at a time (chemistry). I found the fall semester to be more challenging, as we took three classes at once. Physics, in particular, was a completely new topic for me that required a very different problem-solving approach than the absolute focus needed for PhD work. Physics requires a more flexible approach that takes some time and practice to master. Although that aspect of physics was challenging, I loved it because it was such a stretch from the way I had programmed my mind to operate for years. I believe it will better prepare me for the future with a variety of problem-solving techniques in my back pocket.”
Plan for Field Work Term and glide year?
“I will primarily be writing a chapter of my dissertation during the field work term and completing my PhD during the glide year, as well as spending time with my wife and four children.”
Pearls of wisdom for others considering this path…
“If it is your dream to become a physician, then you should find a way to do it. Being in my early forties, it is rather late to pursue this path. But I will bring a wealth of previous experience and perspective to my practice, and if I get to practice for the next 25 or 30 years, then it’s absolutely worth it. Because it is my lifelong passion to help others find wellbeing in their lives, I anticipate I will do that until my very last breath on this good earth.
“In order to succeed in a postbac program you need to love learning, and challenges, and be self-motivated. For somebody who is willing to grab hold of opportunities, Bennington offers a depth that is unique.”
www.bennington.edu/academics/graduate-postbac-programs/po...
Postbac in the Spotlight
We’ll kick off 2017 with a Postbac in the Spotlight story. Hope everyone had wonderful holidays! Here’s Edward, postbac ‘17’s story:
A long-term Los Angeles resident, Edward’s desire to prepare for medical school within an intimate class setting, and a single year, drew him to the hills of Vermont for the Bennington Postbac Premed Program. Edward has worked as a pastor for the past 18 years and is also concurrently finishing a PhD in Systematic Theology on the topic of human flourishing in the contemporary world. Eager to serve others in a practical and holistic way, Edward is pursuing medical training to deepen his ability to impact people’s lives both here and abroad. Edward describes his journey to Bennington and experience with the program, thus far, in his own words below.
Why become a doc?
“As a college student at UC San Diego, I was in a hurry to get out into the world and make a difference. Immediately after graduating, I spent a few years in Asia working with the poor trying to help break generational cycles of poverty by mentoring and educating the children of impoverished families. Upon returning to the States, I continued that work as a pastor to the best of my ability. But the longer I worked with people, the more I came to see my need for deeper understanding to genuinely help people find wholeness and wellbeing in their lives. My burning quest to be a better resource for the wellbeing of others was one of the key factors that led me to this medical path.
“The other major factor that galvanized my resolve to become a physician was the work of some of my close friends who have gained access to the most remote places and states in the world because of their medical proficiencies. As a result of this access, their ability to make an impact for lasting change in these societies is very real—certainly beyond what I can currently offer. I believe that a medical degree will open many doors in my work to help others.”
Why Bennington?
“The Bennington program was my first choice! I hadn’t taken a math or science class in 20 years, and I was looking for a program that would offer lots of personal time with professors. I was primarily attracted to the small class size, where I would be encouraged to ask lots of questions. And the one-year completion timeframe sealed the deal for me.”
Favorite part of the program?
“The small class and intimate setting of the Bennington program has truly met my expectations. Even with a few undergraduates in our classes, our classes have remained very small and personal. Contrast that with my undergrad years where some basic science courses had 500 students at a time, and lab time was strictly limited with little personal help provided. Other postbac programs I considered boasted of small postbac cohorts during the summer, but once the fall semester came around, the postbacs would be placed in classes dominated by undergrads. At Bennington, all of the classes feel designed with the postbacs in mind and the postbacs are the dominant presence in the classroom. There are just so many opportunities to use the labs, ask professors for support, and work with fellow students. I don’t feel like just a number at Bennington.”
Most challenging part of the program?
“Although the summer session was very intense, I liked focusing on just one class at a time (chemistry). I found the fall semester to be more challenging, as we took three classes at once. Physics, in particular, was a completely new topic for me that required a very different problem-solving approach than the absolute focus needed for PhD work. Physics requires a more flexible approach that takes some time and practice to master. Although that aspect of physics was challenging, I loved it because it was such a stretch from the way I had programmed my mind to operate for years. I believe it will better prepare me for the future with a variety of problem-solving techniques in my back pocket.”
Plan for Field Work Term and glide year?
“I will primarily be writing a chapter of my dissertation during the field work term and completing my PhD during the glide year, as well as spending time with my wife and four children.”
Pearls of wisdom for others considering this path…
“If it is your dream to become a physician, then you should find a way to do it. Being in my early forties, it is rather late to pursue this path. But I will bring a wealth of previous experience and perspective to my practice, and if I get to practice for the next 25 or 30 years, then it’s absolutely worth it. Because it is my lifelong passion to help others find wellbeing in their lives, I anticipate I will do that until my very last breath on this good earth.
“In order to succeed in a postbac program you need to love learning, and challenges, and be self-motivated. For somebody who is willing to grab hold of opportunities, Bennington offers a depth that is unique.”
www.bennington.edu/academics/graduate-postbac-programs/po...