Early Admission to Medical School

To be a competitive applicant and to remain eligible if you are conditionally accepted via the Medical Scholars Program, you will need to meet certain academic benchmarks.

GPA & MCAT

• • Your cumulative and science GPA must be at a 3.75 or higher
• • You must take the MCAT and earn a score of 512 or higher 

If you pursue the MSP: Early Matriculation

You must take the MCAT by March of your Junior year of undergraduate study, and we must receive your scores by April 30th. 

If you pursue the MSP: Early Assurance

You must take the MCAT by March of your Senior year of undergraduate study, and we must receive your scores by April 30th. 

You are encouraged to plan and take the MCAT when you feel confident that you can score 512 or higher. If you do not make the score the first time, you may retake the test, but keep in mind the deadlines above. Additionally, consider that the Admissions Committee may view more than two attempts at taking the MCAT less favorably. Talk to your advisors and the Pre-Health office for guidance and resources.

These are firm requirements established by the Medical School Admissions Committee and align with the Miller School of Medicine competitive standards. Students are encouraged to strive for excellence in their academic engagements, meeting and exceeding these benchmarks to maximize opportunities for scholarship at the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

Coursework

The Medical Scholars Program aligns its coursework requirements with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. You may visit the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Admissions website for more details on required and recommended courses as you prepare for medical school.

The list of courses recommended and required for the Miller School of Medicine, is expected to prepare you for the rigorous curriculum that you will encounter in medical school. We are unable to offer individual counsel on specific courses, but we encourage you to connect with your academic advisor at the undergraduate level, and with the Pre-Health office to track your courses. We encourage you to review the AMCAS applicant guide as you plan coursework with your academic advisors. Also, you should consider the knowledge base you will need to successfully complete the MCAT.

The Medical Scholars Program (MSP), is designed for applicants who are early in their undergraduate career at the University of Miami, and are actively engaged and contributing in the undergraduate and pre-health community. Students are invited to apply to the program at the end of their Sophomore year at the University of Miami. Before applying, consider the following:

• Applicants must have Sophomore standing at the time of the application.
• Applicants should have completed four consecutive semesters of enrollment at the University of Miami.
• If applying to the MSP: Early Matriculation track, applicants must have at least two semesters of enrollment left to complete at the University of Miami.
• If applying to the MSP: Early Assurance track, applicants must have at least 4 semesters of enrollment to complete at the University of Miami.
• Applicants plan to remain continuously enrolled at the University of Miami while in the program.
• Applicants plan to remain actively engaged in the University of Miami undergraduate and pre-health community while in the program.

The Medical Scholars Program (MSP) is a pathway to early matriculation or early assurance for eligible University of Miami undergraduate students. The application will be open to all students at the University of Miami who meet the Eligibility criteria (see above) and wish to apply. Please review the requirements and reflect on your interests when deciding to apply to the Medical Scholars Program (MSP). Remember that this is a competitive program, and each year the number of applicants and accepted students varies. The Admissions Committee will review all applicants holistically, considering achievements, engagement, and contributions to the University of Miami community.

The Medical Scholars Program (MSP) application will be electronically available via the Allied Health Central Application Service (AHCAS). We encourage you to connect with the pre-health office and review this website for updates. 

Application Process Overview

There are multiple steps involved in the application process and you should review all requirements when deciding to apply.

Step 1 (Prior to Conditional Acceptance)

At the end of your Sophomore year, you complete the MSP application. During this MSP application step, your application will be reviewed and you may be invited to an interview. Selected students will receive Conditional Acceptance to the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, contingent on completion of all program requirements in their selected MSP track. 

During this process, you will be required to submit:

• Two letters of recommendation from professors who have taught you. At least one letter of recommendation must come from a science faculty that has taught you.
• Unofficial Transcripts from the University of Miami
• Application fee: The AHCAS charges an application fee of $70. This is not a UM Miller School of Medicine fee, and there is no waiver available at this time. 

Step 2 (Conditional Acceptance)

Assuming you went through Step 1 and received a conditional acceptance via the Medical Scholars Program, you will be required to submit a medical school application to the Miller School of Medicine, on the AMCAS site. This application will be due in the Fall of your Junior year. Instructions and deadlines will be enclosed in your acceptance letter.

During this process, you will be required to submit:

• One letter of good standing from the Pre-Health office at the University of Miami
• Official Transcripts from the University of Miami

Step 3 (Conditional Acceptance)

After you submit your medical school application on AMCAS during the Fall of your Junior year, you will receive the Miller School of Medicine's Secondary Application. The Miller School of Medicine's Secondary Application with all supporting documents will be due in Spring term of your Junior year. Instructions and deadlines will be enclosed in your acceptance letter. The UMMSOM application fee will be waived for MSP applicants. 

Step 4 (Conditional Acceptance)

Take the MCAT and score 512 or higher. If you are in the MSP: Early Matriculation track, you must take the MCAT by March of your Junior year, and we must receive your scores by April 30th of that year. If you are in the MSP: Early Assurance track, you must take the MCAT by March of your Senior year, and we must receive your scores by April 30th of that year.

Step 5 (Acceptance and Matriculation)

The Admissions office will review that you have met all academic and professional standard requirements, and that you remain eligible for acceptance and matriculation in your first year of medical school. You will be required to submit a report of your academic and extracurricular engagement, and evidence of good standing at the University of Miami as part of this review. 

If you are in the MSP: Early Matriculation track, the review is conducted in the Spring term of your Junior year, as you are expected to matriculate following the successful completion of your Junior year. If you are in the MSP: Early Assurance track, the review is conducted in the Spring term of your Senior year, as you are expected to matriculate following the successful completion of your Senior year. 

When you apply and are conditionally accepted to the Medical Scholars Program (MSP), you are committed to following through with the program's requirements. If your plans change, you may withdraw from the program. Withdrawal instructions will be enclosed with your acceptance letter.

If you are conditionally accepted via the MSP: Early Matriculation track, your withdrawal deadline is April 30th of your Junior year.

If you are conditionally accepted via the MSP: Early Assurance track, your withdrawal deadline is October 1st of your Senior year 

While you are in the Medical Scholars Program, you are not able to apply to other medical schools, but when you communicate your intent to withdraw, you will be released from MSP and would be able to apply to MSOM or other medical schools in the regular application cycle. You should consider that your withdrawal timeline has an impact on your ability to apply to other programs promptly, and you should communicate withdrawals as early as possible.

Conditionally Accepted students in the Medical Scholars Program (MSP) may REQUEST a deferment to extend their 3‐year undergraduate experience to 4 years. This request must be formally submitted in writing to the Office of Admissions at the Miller School of Medicine by December 1 of your Junior year. Deferment instructions will be included with your acceptance letter.

You are encouraged to discuss the implications of deferment with your academic advisor, considering the following:

• Requests for deferment are subject to review and approval.
  
• You may request a deferment to engage in unique growth opportunities, academic or scholarly advancement. Exceptions will be made for military service. 
  
• You may request a deferment if you experience special extenuating circumstances that prevent you from meeting the established timeline. You should include evidence of circumstances in your request. 
  
• You may not request a deferment for the sole purpose of academic remediation (GPA/MCAT)
  
• You may request a deferment only once.
  
• All deferments once granted, are irreversible.

If your request for deferment is approved:

• The deferment is granted for one year only.
  
• You must maintain an active AMCAS application during your deferment period.
  
• You will be unable to apply to any other medical school while you are in the Medical Scholars Program, and this includes the deferment period. 
  
• Scholarship or financial aid monies will not be fixed during the deferment period and will be re-evaluated when you return from deferment.
  
• You will be required to submit a report and log of the experiences engaged during your growth year, including a recommendation letter from a preceptor/advisor related to your experience. 

As a reminder, you may choose to apply to the the MSP: Early Assurance track if you determine that you cannot meet the accelerated timeline of the MSP: Early Matriculation.