This program is designed to enrich the educational experience for highly qualified students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who are interested in a career in healthcare and demonstrate the aptitude and the likelihood for meeting the healthcare needs of our Commonwealth’s underserved populations. The goal of the program is to improve patient outcomes and reduce health disparities by developing a pool of diverse students aspiring to careers in healthcare. The recruitment process will begin in high schools statewide. Students will enter enrichment programs when they matriculate as undergraduate students at one of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) campuses (UMass Amherst, UMass Boston, UMass Dartmouth or UMass Lowell). This first phase of the Baccalaureate MD pathway program, which will extend across the four year undergraduate experience is designated the Pre-Medical Scholars program.

The next phase of the program will draw from the pool of students in the Pre-Medical Scholars programs at each of the four campuses. Students with a strong academic background will be offered assured admission to the UMass Medical School (UMMS), at the end of their second year of undergraduate work. These selected students will be UMMS Medical Scholars. Assured admission means the student will be accepted into UMass School of Medicine if the student maintains a strong academic standing and fulfills all standard early admission requirements. Phase one and two will run concurrently for the last two years of a student's undergraduate career (see diagram below).

Reaching out to our broad community of students across our undergraduate campuses will assure diverse participants in our UMMS Medical Scholars program. Increasing diversity among our UMass medical students will promote an educational climate that will both foster the cultural competency of our educational community and assure that our medical students are dedicated to our institutional mission of service, with an adequate number of our students focusing on primary care and on serving those populations most in need across our state.

BaccMD F.A.Q.

How does the program work at a glance?

Please Click here for a diagram of academic progression

When will the Pre-Medical Scholars and UMMS Medical Scholars program begin?

The program’s planning phase began in 2010 with student recruitment and program implementation in 2011.

Is the Pre-Medical Scholars and UMMS Medical Scholars program for me?

We encourage the participation of highly qualified high school students from diverse backgrounds who are motivated to meet the health care needs of our state, with a focus on those populations and communities that are medically underserved. For more information on meeting the health care needs of the medically underserved, go to:
Aspiring docs.org ; HCOP (Boston http://www.hcop.umb.edu/ and Pioneer Valley http://www.pvhcop.com/) ; AHEC(http://www.umassmed.edu/ahec/index.aspx) SNMA (http://www.snma.org)

What should I do to be a part of the Pre-Medical Scholars and UMMS Medical Scholars program?

Visit our websites listed below and contact your high school guidance counselor or health professions advisor on your UMass campus.

What are benefits of the Pre-Medical Scholars and UMMS Medical Scholars program?

The Association of American Medical Colleges reports the dividend for diversity is “if we in academia are to achieve excellence in education, patient care and research, we need to carefully consider the pivotal roles of a diverse student body, faculty and leadership in reaching this goal.”

What is the goal of the Pre-Medical Scholars?

The program is intended for all students at the undergraduate UMass campuses who plan a career in medicine and will continue to provide these students with an enriched curriculum and advising system designed to improve their chances at securing acceptance to a school of medicine and to assure their success in medical careers. This program is designed to form a cohesive learning environment among all such students in the University of Massachusetts and to provide them with opportunities for intercampus activities.

What is the goal of the UMMS Medical Scholars program?

To support the educational mission of the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, the UMMS Medical Scholars program is designed to preselect those highly qualified undergraduate students who show particular promise for a career in medicine and in serving the health care needs of the Commonwealth, with a particular focus on primary care in rural, inner-city or other underserved areas; as well as those students with competencies and experiences that will enable them to care for the culturally diverse populations within our state.

What are the admissions criteria for the UMMS Medical Scholars Program ?

The School of Medicine admissions committee considers consistent criteria for all applicants to UMass Medical school. The School of Medicine admissions process is designed to promote the school’s mission by offering a quality, accessible medical education to those qualified residents of our state who will best serve the Commonwealth's health care needs through medical practice, public service, education, and research.

A number of factors are carefully considered in the review of applicant's qualifications and in the selection of a matriculating class that will represent a broad and diverse spectrum of individuals, backgrounds and interests. These factors include but are not restricted to the following:

prior academic performance including performance on standardized tests
content and breadth of scholastic preparation
service activities which indicate an ability to work with people in a "helping" role
certified legal residency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
diversity of experience in a variety of areas including professional or educational experience, family or cultural background, and avocation activities
extracurricular accomplishments
oral communication and interpersonal skills
written communication skills as determined by academic performance, standardized testing, and materials submitted in the application package
achievement in scientific research and/or medically-related service
evidence of motivation and preparedness for medicine; attributes and values deemed necessary for physicians, including: honesty; altruism; compassion; flexibility; maturity; intellectual curiosity; self-awareness; ability for self-directed learning; ability to work as a member of a team

What is the next step? I'm interested!

If you have not yet graduated from High School, then your next step is to contact the admissions department of one of the University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses and let them know you are interested in applying to their campus.

If you have just been accepted or are already enrolled at one of the University of Massachusetts undergraduate campuses, then contact your pre-health or pre-med adviser to let them know you want to become a UMass Pre-Medical Scholar!