CHM Admissions Updated Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Winter/Spring Coursework for Current and Future Applicants

These continue to be very unusual times. As such, we recognize that the COVID-19 crisis is life-disrupting for everyone and that colleges and universities are navigating this crisis in varying ways.

Note: This post was updated on 5/13/20

Winter/Spring 2020 Grades

Many of our current and future applicants are facing uncertainty about how 2020 winter and spring courses will be graded, including coursework that is traditionally considered prerequisite or recommended for many medical school admissions processes.

The challenge for medical school admissions committees is that accurate and specific information is always preferred. When committees are faced with ambiguity, their bias may factor a “Pass” grade on par with a “C/D” or “2.0/1.0” rather than a higher grade. So, if you have an option to proceed with a letter grade for prerequisite coursework, many schools (including the College of Human Medicine) would prefer this option. For those of you in which a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade is rendered for any of these courses, CHM will accept that course grade without bias.

We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize that there may be several advantages and disadvantages when considering your grading options. We also recognize that every applicant has his/her/their own set of strengths and areas for growth. Maintaining a healthy mentoring/coaching relationship with your prehealth adviser will be key as you proceed with decisions about your Winter/Spring 2020 coursework.  If you do not have access to a prehealth adviser, please contact the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.

2020 MCAT

We understand and empathize with those who’s scheduling of the MCAT exam have also been disrupted.  Rest assured that CHM Admissions remains in close contact with the AAMC MCAT team and are impressed with their responsiveness and commitment to making sure that everyone who wants to take an MCAT exam for the upcoming cycle will be able to do so.  Please monitor MCAT and coronavirus updates and additional test-taking times/dates throughout the summer.

If future MCAT testing dates are added into the fall months, CHM Admissions will accept scores from any exam date extended into October and November.

Activities

The College of Human Medicine has a long history of approaching admissions decisions holistically and in a way that balances our focus well beyond academic metrics. We understand that the pandemic may have also interrupted various activities that would have helped you provide additional support to your application.  CHM Admissions would encourage you to convey these disruptions in your application for our committee to consider—activities section, personal statement, secondary application—wherever best for you.

We would also encourage you to be prepared to update the committee about any disrupted activities throughout the 2020-21 AMCAS cycle as long as your application is still being considered for an interview.  Please submit any activity updates in a PDF document following AMCAS activities section format guidelines along with your name and AMCAS ID by email to: chm.mdadmissions@msu.edu.

Onsite tours and programming

Due to public health concerns, CHM has suspended onsite programing and campus tours.  Should a window of time open in which your personal and public health and safety can be maximally assured, we will reimplement these opportunities for our active applicant pool.  Please return to this website for updates and details. 

Interviews

Given the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus behavior and public health experts’ projection models, your health and safety remain our number one priority.  After weighing the anticipated risks and benefits of onsite CHM programming and interviews, CHM Admissions anticipates implementing online programming and interviews for the entire AMCAS 2020-21 application cycle given the unpredictable behavior of the novel coronavirus.  CHM Admissions is confident that our programming and interviews will remain helpful and informational to and for everyone.  We look forward to further developing this interactive online experience!

Final Comments

The COVID-19 pandemic presents several complex challenges.  For some of you, the challenges may be minimal.  For others, they may seem and/or be insurmountable.  Medical school admissions processes strive hard to create assessment strategies that are fair and equitable for everyone.  The novel coronavirus ignores fairness and equity.  For some of you, this might affect your ability to put forth the best application possible.  Medical school admissions offices (including ours) are working hard to create flexibility and understanding as they develop admissions policies and processes for this coming application cycle.  For most medical schools, the applicant pool will remain highly competitive even with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please maintain healthy relationships with your prehealth advisers.  Keep an open mind.  Be receptive to feedback.  Apply to medical school if you believe your application is competitive.  If not, please wait to apply when you’re standing on more solid ground.  The application process is expensive.  And understand that there is nothing fair about our current public health crisis.  A robust and healthy dialogue with your prehealth adviser will help you determine if you are ready to apply.

With PLUR,

Joel Maurer, MD
Assistant Dean for Admissions

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