To Be...A Spartan MD

Another incoming fall means the end of an admissions cycle and the welcoming of another great entering class. With White Coat Ceremonies taking place across the nation, medical schools are now joined by a fresh batch of driven students.  Here at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , we welcomed first-year medical students at the White Coat and Matriculation Ceremony in August . More than 11,000 people applied to the medical school last year, a college-record and 48 percent increase since 2009. The college, in its first year hosting a virtual interview process , met with over 500 excellent applicants, ultimately admitting 190 new students.    Over 60 percent of the incoming class identified as coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, with nearly a quarter each identifying as underrepresented in medicine or from rural backgrounds, respectively. Those coming from low-income backgrounds and first-generation students often find strong resonance with the colle...