1. What is the B.S./M.D. Program?
It is an accelerated route, in two phases, to become a physician. The program is a consortium at both phases. Phase I is two or three years at The University of Akron, Kent State University or Youngstown State University. Phase II is at NEOUCOM (in Rootstown, OH about 25 miles east of Akron) and is a standard four-year medical school. Students do their clinical clerkships at the hospitals in Akron, Canton and Youngstown.
2. Who can join this program?
High school students and people with no college credit after graduation from high school, who enjoy and excel in math and science. It is also important to be sure that you want to be a physician.
3. Is there a residency requirement?
A. Students from any state may apply. However, since all of the consortium schools are Ohio Public Schools, we give absolute preference to Ohio residents.
The mission of NEOUCOM is to train primary care doctors to practice in Ohio.
B. Students must be permanent residents of the United States to be eligible for the program. Verification of permanent residency requires that you provide your alien registration number and a copy of your alien registration card
at the time of your application.
4. How are the students selected for this program?
There are two steps in the admissions process:
A. Selection of students to be interviewed.To be admitted to the BS/MD Program, a student must first be selected for an in person interview on the UA campus. The selection of students to be invited for an interview is based on academic credentials, extracurricular activities and other information provided in the student application. Students need at least a 3.5 unweighted grade point average. While there is no absolute minimum for ACT/SAT scores, for the last several years only students with at least a 26-27 ACT or 1170-1210 SAT* total/composite score were offered an interview. We accept ACT or SAT scores and will use the highest total/composite score despite the number of times the exams are taken. We do not accept or use SAT II scores.
*SAT Total is Verbal/Critical Reading + Math.
B. Final selection into the program. The second part of the selection process is the interview. To be admitted to the BS/MD Program, a student must first be selected for an in person interview on the UA campus. The interview is 30 minutes at The University of Akron and involves a two or three-person panel. The panel usually consists of one area physician and one or two University of Akron faculty or staff. See #10 below for the interview dates and times.
5. What should I do now as a high school student to increase my chances of being accepted?
A. You need to be good in math and sciences and like people. The things to do now are to take as much math and science as your high school offers.
B. You should develop your people skills. Take non-science courses and get involved in activities. These activities can be anything that interests you. Do not limit yourself to science type of activities. You want to be well rounded and have a variety of interests.
C. Volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes and places such as summer camps or soup kitchens.
D. Shadow your family physician or a physician you meet while volunteering at a local hospital.
E. You need to want to be a physician and know why you want to be one.
6. How many students are in the program?
There are 35 students selected for the program each year at each of the consortium undergraduate universities.
7. Are there criteria to stay in the program?
Yes, you must have a 3.0 science/math grade point average after the first year to automatically continue in the program. You must have a 3.1 science/math grade point average to automatically take a third year in the program. You must have a 3.2 science/math grade point average, a 3.25 overall grade point average and earn the national average on the MCAT (usually 8 in each section) to be promoted to the medical school after two or three years. If you have both a 3.5 overall and science/math grade point average, you can earn a composite MCAT of 24 with only one score of 7. The sections of the MCAT are Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences (Physics and Inorganic Chemistry) and Biological Sciences (Biology and Organic Chemistry). The three sections are scaled on a 1-15 scale with 15 being highest.
8. When does the program begin?
The undergraduate program begins in June of the summer after graduation from high school. For reference, the 2008 UA BS/MD Program began June 9, 2008. Students take two summer sessions and enroll for about 15 credits total in both sessions. The entire program takes two years and three summers. If a student does the program in three years, the student still begins in the summer after graduation and it takes three years and three summers.
9. When should I apply?
For the class starting in June 2009, there are two admission opportunities:
A. For the Early Action admission, applications (including test scores) are
due to NEOUCOM by October 1, 2008.
B. For Regular Notification admission, applications (including test scores)
are due to NEOUCOM by December 15, 2008.
It is the applicant's responsibility to make sure that all of the required admissions materials are received by NEOUCOM by the deadline. To check on the status of your admission materials, call NEOUCOM at 330-325-6270.
10. When are the interviews and when will the interview invitation letters be mailed?
For the class starting in June 2009, The University of Akron interviews for
Early Action admission are scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2008 between 9:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.
The interviews are by invitation only. Interview invitation letters will be mailed October 29, 2008. Letters of acceptance into the BS/MD Program via Early Action will be mailed January 16, 2009.
For the class starting in June 2009, The University of Akron interviews for
Regular Admission are scheduled Sunday, March 1, 2009 between 9:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.
The interviews are by invitation only. Interview invitation letters will be mailed February 2, 2009. Letters of acceptance into the BS/MD Program via Regular Admission will be mailed March 20, 2009.
11. Do I apply to each university separately?
No, there is one application to apply to all three undergraduate universities. To apply to the program, complete the online application found at www.neoucom.edu, Prospective Students, High School Students. The application is generally posted around August 1st. If you have any questions about completing the online application, contact NEOUCOM at 330-325-6270. The application cost is $40 for one university; $70 for two universities; and $100 for all three universities.
12. How much does the program cost?
A. Phase I - The University of Akron.
Since Phase I is accelerated, students take 19 to 24 credits/semester and take 15 credits in the summer. Therefore, tuition/year is more than for a traditional four-year program. However, since the time in the program is short, there is a financial savings in housing. The cost includes summer, fall and spring tuition, fees and living in the residence halls.
The cost for an
Ohio Resident BS/MD student in 2008-2009 is about $32,087. The cost for an
Out of State Resident BS/MD student in 2008-2009 is about $51,550. NEOUCOM and the consortium Universities are Ohio state-assisted institutions. As such, we give preference to Ohio residents.
B. Phase II - NEOUCOM.
First year medical student’s charges for 2008/2009 are as follows: Tuition and fees are $29,846.70. Miscellaneous expenses (books, supplies, computer, room &board, transportation and personal) is approximately $22,210. There are no residence halls at NEOUCOM, therefore a car is necessary. Non-Ohio Resident Surcharge for first year is $27,861.
