Medical Schools: Early Assurance Programs
A version of this blog post was written for Student Doctor Network in August, 2014; updated 2/2020
The coursework and activities demands on premedical students have been slowly increasing over the last few years. The release of the new MCAT 2015 requires a broader knowledge base including courses in psychology and biochemistry. This has begun to limit the ability of potential medical students to pursue interests outside of these requirements. This can make for a very homogenous applicant pool.
This is inspiring a trend towards medical schools loosening up on their “prerequisite” courses and now only having “expectations”. This is also the motivation behind some early assurance programs (EAP).
EAPs are extremely competitive programs allowing undergraduate sophomores and juniors who are dedicated to a future in medicine to apply early to medical school. This may include skipping the MCAT examination. Advantages for the applicant include decreasing their premed requirements, allowing the pursuit of outside interests, and less stress. Advantages for the medical school include securing a top-notch student early and attracting a more "interesting" and "diverse" student population.
Most of these programs are only offered to certain undergraduate schools affiliated with each specific “early assurance” program. However, a small handful of programs are open to any student at any 4-year undergraduate institution.
Although you may get to skip the MCAT, don’t be fooled, these programs are very competitive. Typically programs have specific requirements for overall and science GPA and a minimum baseline GPA of 3.5 or higher, minimum ACT/SAT scores and a demonstrated dedication to medicine based on extracurricular and other activities. There are also strongly recommended prerequisite science courses. For example, the MedStart program acceptance rate in 2016 was 14% with an average GPA of 3.87, avg SAT 2207, avg ACT of 33.
The application process may be through AMCAS or individual to the institution but overall is very similar in nature to the traditional medical school application. Typically you will need to include experiences, a personal statement, several letters of recommendation, and potentially a committee letter. Some schools require you to be selected by your pre-health advisor. Application deadlines vary so it is important to carefully read the requirements of each individual program.
There is wide variability on the percentage of each medical school class that is selected through each early assurance route. The ICahn School of Medicine plans to accept up to half of its entering class through the EAP, in contrast, the Geisel School of Medicine typically accepts 5 applicants/year through an EAP. If accepted, applicants are expected to reply within a short time period (often 2 weeks) and admission is usually binding. You are required to maintain your GPA throughout the remainder of your undergraduate education as a condition for admission. Non-acceptance to an EAP does not prevent you from applying through the traditional route.
Some programs also offer a specific curriculum specifically for the accepted students. For example, the University of Toledo Medstart Program requires a 2-week program on the Health Sciences campus the summer between your junior and senior years. The ICahn School of Medicine offers a summer enrichment program to achieve competency in cell biology, biochemistry, and genetics. The University of Florida Junior Honors program is unique in that it is an accelerated 7-year program. If you apply from an outside institution it requires that you transfer to the University of Florida for your junior year. There are two pathways: biomedical science or rural and underserved medicine. At the completion of your junior year, you are required to complete a thesis research project and are integrated into the first year of medical school. At the completion of that year, you receive your Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Florida.
Programs open to ANY undergraduate student include:-
University of Toledo Medstart Program
ICahn School of Medicine Flex Med Program at Mt. Sinai
University of Florida Junior Honors Program
Limited eligibility programs include:
Wake Forest EAP: Wake Forest undergraduates only
Georgetown EAP: Georgetown undergraduates only, does not include transfer students.
George Washington School of Medicine Early Selection: Open to current GW students, as well as, the following contractual programs: Chaminade University, Claremont McKenna College, Colgate University, Franklin & Marshall College, George Mason University, Hampden-Sydney College, Knox College, Morgan State University, Randolph-Macon College, Rhodes College, Rowan University, Scripps College, St. Bonaventure University, University of Mary Washington Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park
Tufts Medical School: Tufts University sophomores only
Tulane Creative Premedical Scholars Program - For Tulane students who want to pursue humanities, arts and social sciences. They do not require the MCAT.
Maine Track at Tufts Medical School EAP: This program is for individuals who are legal residents of Maine or have strong ties to Maine who plan to practice rural medicine; eligible schools include Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College and University of Maine.
Michigan State EAP: Preference given to first-generation, low-income high school graduates who want to work with underserved populations. Eligibility includes Alma College, Aquinas College, Bay College, Calvin College, Grand Rapids Community College/Grand Valley State University, Hope College, Kettering University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University, and the University of Michigan-Flint. Application is the junior year and MCAT is required.
University of Cincinnati ROSE (Research, Observation, Service, & Education) Program: Eligibility is for Ohio residents and certain Indiana or Kentucky counties with Ohio reciprocity. Once accepted you spend two consecutive summers conducting research at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine becoming a junior expert. The MCAT is required.
Drexel College of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes Drexel University students and high school seniors applying to Rosemont College (this program will be ending with the 2016-2017 cycle).
University of Rochester EAP: Eligibility includes Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Carleton College, Colgate University, CUNY Hunter, Hamilton College, Haverford College, Middlebury College, Swarthmore College, Williams College, Xavier University of Louisiana
Albany Medical College EAP: For the University of Albany undergraduates who express interest in freshman year.
Brody School of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes students at East Carolina University in the Honors Program.
Temple University School of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes Temple University, DeSales University, Lehigh University, Moravian College, and Muhlenberg College will complete the second year of medical school and clinical clerkships at St. Luke's University Hospital in Bethlehem. Bucknell University or Juniata College will complete the required clerkships at Geisinger Health System. Washington and Jefferson Early Assurance matriculants can select from available options. Students must be nominated by their undergraduate premedical advisor.
Loyola Stritch School of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes Loyola University Chicago.
Boston University Early Medical School Selection Program: Program emphasis is on underrepresented minorities. Eligibility includes the following partner schools: Chaminade University, Clark-Atlanta University, Dillard University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, North Carolina Central University, Spelman College, Tougaloo College, University of the incarnate Word, University of Texas at El Paso, University of the Virgin Islands, Virginia Union University. The summer term after your sophomore and junior year is spent at BU, as well as, the final undergraduate year.
Geisel School of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes Middlebury College and Dartmouth college students.
Penn State College of Medicine EAP: Eligibility includes Penn State Behrend students and Penn State Schreyer Honors College Students.
University of South Carolina - Greenville Early Acceptance Program - Eligibility is for honor students at University of South Carolina
NEW 2020 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley:
Eligibility is for undergraduates accepted to the Honors program. Apply as a high school senior.
