HOW DO I APPLY TO MEDICAL SCHOOL? 1) Take the MCAT exam in either April or August: Acceptance into UAMS in the past has generally required a total in the mid to high 20’s on the three parts of the MCAT exam that are scored by numbers. The writing portion of the test is more difficult to figure in, but the farther down the alphabet the better. 2) Down-load a copy of the electronic application form that is available from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Go to http://www.aamc.org and from there you click on student, applicant and advisor information. What you want is AMCAS-E. You can apply to as many medical schools as you like (and can afford) with the same form. (available June 1 to Nov 1) 3) Contact UAMS in Little Rock (www.uams.edu). The phone number for the admissions office is 686-5354. They will start a folder on you and will schedule a date for your interview. Their mailing address is College of Medicine, UAMS Office of Student Admissions, Slot 551 4301 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72205-7199 4) Arrange to get an official UCA recommendation from the Premedical Advisory Committee. You will receive a) a request for recommendation form that will identify the individuals you have selected to provide input into your recommendation and the schools to which you are applying and b) an individual evaluation form for each of the individuals you have selected. You should fill out the top, mark the appropriate line concerning confidentiality, and sign the form before taking it to the faculty member. You should have 4 to 6 of these. Select faculty members who know you well, who will give you a positive recommendation, and who articulate things well. At least 3 recommendations should be from science faculty members. It is helpful if you prepare a brief biography and give a copy to each of your references along with the form. 5) You can also arrange for individual recommendations from other individuals who know you well, such as family physicians, pastors, or work supervisors. Three is the maximum for UAMS. Remember that these are optional, not required, recommendations. 6) Start thinking about things like “Why do I want to be a doctor?” etc because someone will ask you questions like that. Don’t make up something you think will sound good; be honest with yourself.
For the fall of 2001 there were 324 Arkansas resident applicants for medical school. Seventy percent (70%) of entering class must be distributed between the 4 congressional districts (26 students per district). Average GPA = 3.65, Average MCAT = 27 (of those accepted originally). There are 15 people on the admissions committee: Two from each district, six faculty members, one at-large member. Call for interview after July 10 (to Nov 15) Students who defer must notify UAMS by May 15 to get back in the next year. There were 64 people on this year’s alternate list. Community Match: The community must be less than 15,000 people. $16,500 per year provided by the community and the state. There are 47 communities participating. Pick the city up front and they pick you. You must give back one year of service for each year of support. Failure to do so forfeits your medical license. Those who do a community match move to the top of the alternate list. Every student ever receiving a match has gotten into medical school. Rural Practice program is entirely state-funded and you don’t have to designate up-front where you will practice.