Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

M.D. Admission

How can I find out the most current information regarding the progress of the UCF College of Medicine?
The best way is to visit the COM Web site at www.med.ucf.edu.

What are the minimum academic requirements for the UCF M.D. Program?
By the time of enrollment all applicants must have a bachelor's degree. To be competitive for an interview applicants should have an MCAT of at least 24 and both overall and science (BPCM) GPA's of at least 3.00.

Now that the program has preliminary accreditation, what is the initial step to apply to admission to the UCF M.D. Program?
The primary application is via the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) at www.aamc.org. Completing the AMCAS application will be the first step toward being considered as an applicant to the UCF M.D. Program.

When does the application process for medical school begin?
Most M.D. Programs which are accredited by the LCME use AMCAS as the initial application to the M.D. Program. AMCAS provides applicants with a single-source application for all participating M.D. Programs. The AMCAS application is usually available in May each year for completion and submission by the end of that calendar year. The AMCAS application must be submitted in the calendar year prior to the year that an applicant desires to attend an M.D. Program. For example, an applicant that desires to begin medical school in August 2009 may begin their AMCAS application as early as May 2008. Applications must be submitted by December 1, 2008, at the very latest for a Fall 2009 enrollment.

How can I prepare myself to become a competitive applicant for a seat in the M.D. Program?
This really begins during your freshman year of college, and sometimes earlier. It is important to work closely with your undergraduate advisors and Premed Advising Office. These resources will help you to understand academic requirements and also provide suggestions for constructing your academic program. Taking the proper courses in the proper sequence should allow you to be prepared to take the MCAT at the earliest possible time. Optimally, students will prepare to take the MCAT during the spring of their junior year in college.

Does the UCF M.D. Program plan to accept international students?
No. Because this is a state-supported program we are allowed to accept only U.S. Citizens and Permanent Resident Aliens with a “Green Card” in their possession. We will not be allowed to process any application that does not meet these requirements.

Will the UCF M.D. Program give preference to students who have completed degrees at UCF?
The UCF M.D. Program is a state of Florida program and will not give preference to applicants from UCF or any other academic institution.

What type of degree, if any, is required to enter the UCF M.D. Program?
To begin the UCF M.D. Program, all applicants will have completed at least a bachelor’s-level degree from an accredited U.S. institution.

Will the M.D. Program accept a foreign degree in lieu of a U.S. degree for the M.D. Program?
No. However, in rare situations where an applicant has completed a very high-level degree at a foreign institution, and shows extraordinary proficiency in the sciences, we may design a special academic program for that applicant to demonstrate appropriate levels of knowledge for success in the M.D. Program.

Is there any way that an applicant can enter the M.D. Program without taking the MCAT?
Unfortunately, no. All applicants for this program are required to take the MCAT exam within 3 years prior to acceptance into the program. For example, an applicant would have to take the MCAT in 2006, 2007, or 2008, to be eligible for consideration for the class beginning in August 2009.

I know that at least a bachelor’s degree is required, but is there specific course work that is also required?
Yes, the UCF M.D. Program will require specific course work as requirements to enter the program. While not yet finalized, we anticipate that we will be consistent with course work required by other M.D. Programs which are normally:

Biology with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
Chemistry with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
Physics with lab- 2 semesters/3 quarters
Organic Chemistry with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
College English – 2 semesters/3 quarters
College Math – 2 semesters/3 quarters

What bachelor’s degree is required to enter the M.D. Program?
The UCF M.D. Program will not require any specific bachelor’s degree major. We suggest that you major in an area that is of interest to you. If it is not a science related major, we strongly suggest that you use your non-major electives to take as many science-related courses as possible. This will help to show an admissions committee that you do have an aptitude for the sciences, and may help to prepare you for academic success in the M.D. Program.

Will the UCF M.D. Program accept CLEP and AP courses in lieu of the required course work?
While CLEP may help you to receive your bachelor’s degree, we will not substitute CLEP for required course work when considering an application for an interview. We may substitute AP course work for required course work, but we will expect to see additional in-residence course work in college in that discipline to indicate that you have, in fact, mastered that subject. For example if you had AP credit for Chem I, we would expect to see a solid grade in Chem II while in college; or, if you had AP credit for both Chem I and Chem II, we would expect to see you take an upper-level chemistry course in college and do well in that subject.

Will online degrees be considered in the application process for the UCF M.D. Program?
We highly value classroom interaction and therefore will not honor fully online degree programs for admission into the M.D. Program.

Will online course work be considered in the application process for the UCF M.D. Program?
We prefer course work based on in-residence classroom participation. In certain circumstances we may honor a limited amount of online course work usually not major related and not M.D. Program required.

Does the UCF M.D. Program plan to accept transfer students into their program?
A final decision has not yet been made. It is anticipated that this program will not accept transfer applicants for the initial few years as we gradually increase our entering class to a maximum of 120 students. Once a transfer student policy is implemented, it would probably mirror typical programs in that transfer students would only be accepted into the 3rd year of the medical curriculum.

Will student housing be available near the medical school?
Neither UCF nor the COM plan to provide on-campus housing to M.D. Program students at the Health Sciences campus at Lake Nona. Dean German is working with community leadership to ensure that adequate housing at a fair price is available to the medical students in the Lake Nona vicinity. We do not know the timeframe as to when housing in that area will become available, but there are several new apartment buildings that currently exist within a very easy drive from Lake Nona. Information about housing options will be provided to students at the time of their admission.

Will the UCF M.D. Program accept applicants who are currently participating in upper-level degree programs such as Master’s degrees, Ph.D. degrees, or other professional-level degrees?
Applicants who are currently accepted to a Ph.D. or other professional-level degrees are required to complete all degree requirements prior to matriculation to the M.D. Program. We highly encourage those accepted to a Master’s degree program to complete that program prior to matriculation into the M.D. Program.

M.D. Financial Services

Is it true that students in the charter class will attend medical school for free?
It is the hope of Dean German and the COM to provide all 40 charter class students with a full scholarship covering not only tuition and fees, but also living expenses. At this time, the fundraising efforts are in full swing and the goal for this initiative is $6.4 million.

What if the charter class fundraising goal is not attained? Will financial aid be available?
The administrative staff at COM will be developing options to help students finance their medical education in lieu of scholarships.

Will the medical school building at Lake Nona be completed in time to begin the fall 2009 charter class?
The first year of the charter class will likely be educated at the current COM University Tower Building adjacent to the main UCF campus. The COM has renovated sufficient space to provide for a quality experience. The Lake Nona complex is expected to be available beginning fall of 2010.

COM Faculty and Staff

When and where will the medical college/campus open?
The UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona, which will include the UCF College of Medicine and other health sciences, is being built in the Lake Nona community in south Orlando just east of the Orlando International Airport. The Burnett Biomedical Sciences building should be completed by summer 2009. The site (map) is just south of State Road 417 at a new interchange between Boggy Creek and Narcoosee roads.

What else will be located with the medical college?
The 50 acre UCF Health Sciences Campus at Lake Nona will include the College of Medicine and the Burnett Biomedical Sciences building. The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, a Veteran’s Administration hospital, Nemours Children’s Hospital and M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Institute will also call Lake Nona home, turning the area into a medical city.

Additional questions may be directed to medical@mail.ucf.edu.