Considering pursuing a medical career? Check and see if the colleges you’re applying to offer medical school early assurance programs.
Pursuing a career in medicine is a big a commitment. Students have to complete pre-medical requirements on top of their major, take the dreaded MCAT, and then go through the medical school application process. If only there was a more streamlined process….
There is! Many medical schools work with their undergraduate universities to offer students the Early Assurance Program (EAP). While the EAP offers many perks (no MCAT!) and simplifies the medical school application process, it is by not any means “easy”. The process across all universities and medical schools is highly selective.
The purpose of having an early assurance program is to give high achieving students more flexibility and freedom to explore other areas of interest during their undergraduate academic careers. Students can take the time they’d have used to study for the GMAT and interview and multiple medical schools to study abroad, take more electives or challenge themselves with higher level science courses.
Each medical school’s process and eligibility differ, so here’s a list of the medical school that offer EAPs and their requirements:
1. Georgetown University School of Medicine
Georgetown’s Early Assurance Program offers Georgetown undergraduate students the opportunity to apply and to receive admissions to Georgetown’s School of Medicine at the end of their sophomore year.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Completed 4 semesters at Georgetown University
Students in any undergraduate college at Georgetown are eligible
Completed 4 of the 5 pre-med courses by end of May of sophomore year
One of the 4 completed pre-med courses must be organic chemistry
No MCAT exam needed
Minimum 3.6 GPA
Application Process:
Meet with Dean Canlas to determine if the program is a good fit for you
Attend SOM information session on EAP
Requests letters of recommendations
Complete 2-page application: Basic contact and personal information, information on your recommendation letter writers
Complete activities and experiences resume: Up to 15 experiences. Each experience needs to be categorized as paid employment – not military, community service/volunteer – medical/clinical, research/lab, teaching/tutoring, conferences attended, extracurricular/hobbies/avocations; etc. You’ll also be required to give a short description about each experience, including what you did and what you learned.
Complete 2-year plan: An outline of the coursework you plan to pursue during the remaining 2 years at Georgetown.
Complete proposal essay: An essay describing your 2-year plan. It should focus on your academic coursework, but can also include your extracurricular plans and commitment.
Interview with Georgetown SOM
Expectations of Sweeney Scholars (Accepted EAP students):
Must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.6
Earning a “C” or below in any course will disqualify a student from the program
Cannot withdraw from a major course
Any changes to the proposal and/or coursework relating to the proposal must be pre-approved by the School of Medicine
Unfortunately, transfers are not eligible for Georgetown’s EAP. The purpose of the early assurance program is to relief students from the pressure of the ordinary application process during junior and senior year, giving them greater flexibility to pursue higher level coursework and experiences.
Students accepted through the Georgetown EAP can still apply to other medical schools. However, they’d be required to take the MCAT and will immediately give up your EAP offer. Students who choose to do so can re-apply to Georgetown SOM as well. Non-acceptance to the EAP will not affect future applications to Georgetown SOM. Click here for more information about Georgetown’s EAP.
2. Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Wake Forest University’s early assurance program is only eligible to Wake Forest undergraduates who wish to pursue their medical studies at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Upon completion of the sophomore year, students may apply to Wake Forest SOM to attend after completing their undergraduate studies.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Minimum overall GPA of 3.5
Minimum science GPA of 3.5
Completed half of the following prerequisite courses: Chemistry 1 & II, Organic I & II, Comparative Physiology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry
MCAT exam is not required
Must be a permanent resident of citizen of the US
Application Process:
Use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) to apply
Contact Wake Forest SOM with AAMC ID# for permission to apply
Choose EAP application type on your AMCAS application
Deadline: November 1
Expectations:
Complete requisite courses during the remaining 2 years
Maintain minimum overall and science GPA of 3.5
Not apply to other medical schools
Wake Forest’s EAP is binding, so only students committed to attending Wake Forest SOM should apply. Note that non-acceptance to EAP will not affect any future applications to Wake Forest SOM. Click here for more information about Wake Forest’s EAP.
3. Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University offers early assurance programs to undergraduate students at DeSales University, Lehigh University, Moravian College, Muhlenberg College, Washington & Jefferson College and Temple University.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Completed 2 semester courses in Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics by the end of their third year
Minimum overall GPA of 3.6
Minimum science GPA of 3.6
No grade less than “B-”
50 hours of medically-related shadowing and/or experiences
50 hours of community service activities
Expectations:
Take the MCAT by May of junior year: minimum total score of 30, with no individual score lower than 9.
Minimum GPA of 3.0 for the last undergraduate year
Accepted students from DeSales University, Lehigh University, Moravian College, and Muhlenberg College will complete the second year of medical school and their required clinical clerkships at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem.
Accepted students from Washington & Jefferson College and Temple University have the option to select from the available clinical and regional campus options.
Unlike Georgetown and Wake Forest’s EAP, Temple’s early assurance program is a conditional offer on the MCAT they must take by the May of their junior year. There are also additional requirements on where students must do their clinical clerkship. For a better understanding of all the requirements and curriculum, contact your pre-health advisor at your undergraduate college. Click here for more information about Temple’s EAP.
4. George Washington School of Medicine & Health Studies
George Washington School of Medicine & Health Studies offers early assurance programs to GWU students, as well as 7 other undergraduate universities:
Chaminade University
Claremont McKenna College
Colgate University
Franklin & Marshall College
George Mason University
Hampden-Sydney College
Knox College
Randolph-Macon College
Rhodes College
Rowan University
Scripps College
St. Bonaventure University
University of Mary Washington Honors Program
University of Maryland - College Park
Eligibility & Requirements:
Minimum overall 3.5 GPA, no Cs or below in any science coursework
Apply during the second semester of their undergraduate sophomore year; transfers are not eligible
Students majoring in a science must minor in a non-science.*
SAT & ACT scores are required
No MCAT exam required
Application Process:
GWU students should apply directly to the Office of Admissions
Undergraduate students attending universities listed above must first be approved by their pre-medical advisor
Application + Interview at GW School of Medical & Health Studies
Submit 2-year plan and share academic goals for their remaining undergraduate years.
Expectations:
Must complete their undergraduate degree and requirements of the program
Program requirements must be maintained
Students are encouraged to take an MCAT review course and submit a practice exam score before enrolling medical school in August
Here are a more detailed list of requirements:
For GW Columbian College Students
For GW School of Engineering Students
5. Tufts University School of Medicine
Like other medical school schools, Tufts University School of Medicine offer the early assurance program to undergraduate sophomore students at Tufts. Additionally, the EAP is also offered to students interested in the Maine Track Program, a joint partnership between Tufts SOM and Maine Medical Center (MMC).
Undergraduate colleges that offer the EAP to the Maine Track Program are Bates College, Bowdoin College, Colby College and all University of Maine campuses. All applicants must also be undergraduate sophomores.
Eligibility & Requirements:
Minimum overall GPA of 3.5
Minimum science GPA of 3.5
Minimum “B+” grade in all courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, including labs
Minimum “B” grade in all other courses
Completed at least two semesters of Biology and General Chemistry, and one semester of Organic Chemistry by the end of sophomore year.
Three of the above courses must be completed by fall of sophomore year
AP credits for these courses do not count.
SAT score above 1300 & ACT Composite score above 30 are required.
No MCAT required.
Application Process:
Letters of recommendation
Application Essay
Activities & Experience Resume
Interview with Tufts SOM
Application deadline: February 1st
Students who are accepted through Tufts’ EAP are not required to make a binding commitment upon acceptance at the end of their sophomore year. Students will only be required to make a commitment during fall senior year. Students who choose to apply to other medical schools will lose their EAP offers but are welcomed to re-apply to Tufts SOM.
Interested in studying medicine in the future? Learn more about the different medical programs that are available. Early Assurance Programs are only one way of applying to medical school. Many universities also partner with their medical schools so high school students can apply directly for BS/MD combined programs. Be informed so you can make the best college decision for yourself.
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