CCNY introduces accelerated Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate program

The City College of New York is pleased to announce a new accelerated Post Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate (PBPHC) Program. 

PBPHC is a program for career-changing individuals who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and are seeking to enter the medical field. Students will be able to complete the academic prerequisites for admission to most medical schools in less than 18 months and at a competitive price. 

Post-bac students will also have many individualized services at their disposal, including assistance in clinical and research experience placement and guidance through the medical school application process.

The inaugural cohort of students will begin classes in October 2021.

“We have an incredible tradition of excellence in scientific research and teaching at City College. Throughout our history, we have proudly educated students for careers in medicine and that success continues to this day,” said Susan L. Perkins, Martin and Michele Cohen Dean in CCNY’s Division of Science.

She added: “Offering this new, accelerated certificate program to individuals who have a non-scientific background, but who are driven to pursue their dreams of attending medical school is a natural next step for us. We are excited to embark on these efforts this fall with our first cohort.”

The program is broken down into six sessions with an optional seventh session, where students will have the opportunity to get ready for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) with an intensive prep course. Maria Lima, associate dean for research at the CUNY School of Medicine at CCNY served on the board that revised the MCAT and will bring her expertise to the MCAT prep course.

The COVID-19 pandemic played a role in the inception of the PBHC program.

"What COVID-19 has brought to the forefront in medicine are the profound healthcare disparities in communities across this country,” said Belinda Smith, director of CCNY’s Program in Pre-Medical Studies.  “What is clear is that we need an engaged, concerted, and diverse healthcare workforce to address those healthcare disparities.  What is also clear is what post-bac’s bring to the profession of medicine -- passion, motivation and enthusiasm.” 

“We look forward to working with the next evolution of physicians, drawing upon the established undergraduate science education offered by the Division of Science, in tandem with a well-regarded and well-established pre-med advising office,” Smith added.

About the City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.