To Be...A Spartan MD

While the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) has been a standard of the medical school admissions cycle, additional testing on top of academic metrics has more recently begun to show value as institutions aim to assess applicants more holistically and equitably.  To better provide care for patients in an ever-evolving health care industry, the next generation of doctors must understand far more than chemistry and human anatomy.  The College of Human Medicine began requiring in 2021 that all candidates take the Casper Test, an open-response situational judgment test administered online. Innovative responses to educational imperatives have been an important trait of the college, extending that spirit to the admissions office.  The college, for instance, was one of the initial medical schools in the U.S. to implement the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) as part of its interview process and has continued with the effort now for close to a decade. So, including a situation...

A special feature of content on the College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions website highlights an important partnership, as the college continues to seek beneficial collaborations and pathways to help guide students from disadvantaged, underserved populations to medicine. The College of Human Medicine Admissions Office has partnered with the Charles Drew Science Scholars Program in the College of Natural Science since 2014. The Medical Preparation Opportunity allows undergraduate students from underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds interested in med school and other pre-health/pre-professional routes the opportunity to participate in preparatory programming, mentoring, and possibly even early assurance pathways.  Students from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to be underrepresented in medical education. Programs like these help offer equitable access to these pathways and, ultimately, to make medicine more representative. A number of students have successfully ma...