Starting this fall, incoming freshmen at the University of Central Florida’s Burnett Honors College will be eligible for a 4+4 program that paves the way for their admission into the College of Medicine.
The Burnett Honors College Medical Scholars Program begins in August with 12 students who have been selected based on their high school academic accomplishments. They will periodically interact with the medical school throughout their undergraduate education and be guaranteed an admissions seat if they successfully complete the program and are approved by the Medical School Admissions Committee.
Participants must maintain a 3.75 grade point average and make a score of 32 on the MCAT exam and must also complete a research project and thesis. In many instances their thesis could be the linked to beginning of their Focused Inquiry and Research Experience (FIRE) that is required during the first two years of medical school.
College of Medicine Admissions Director REL Larkin said the program allows outstanding students to fully experience undergraduate education and develop their interests while attending educational programs and meeting medical school faculty and students. Eligible students will be interviewed between their second and third year of undergraduate education. If they successfully complete the interview and all of their medical school admissions requirements, they have a guaranteed spot in the medical school, without the necessity of further admissions interviews, and costly visits and travel to other schools. However, participants in the Medical Scholars Program are not required to enroll in the UCF College of Medicine.
“This lessens the interview stress and travel stress and time that medical school applicants feel and offers these outstanding students consistent interaction with the UCF College of Medicine throughout their four undergraduate years,” Larkin said.
During their undergraduate years, the Medical Scholars will receive personalized advising on their career of choice and have half- and full-day educational experiences in College of Medicine environments like the Anatomy Lab and Clinical Skills and Simulation Center. If they complete all of their requirements and choose to enroll in the UCF College of Medicine, the 12 students beginning the program this fall will be part of the class of 2017.
This program begins with admission to the UCF Burnett Honors College. Program details may be found on the Burnett Honors College web site http://honors.ucf.edu/