Medical Scholars
For students who have excelled academically and who aspire to become doctors, Monmouth University offers a competitive program that ensures a seamless route from undergraduate study to medical school.
The Monmouth Medical Center Scholars Program is a cooperative, integrated program designed for students who wish to enter the medical disciplines of family medicine, general internal medicine, or general pediatrics.
During this joint eight-year undergraduate/medical school program, students progress directly from their studies at Monmouth University to medical school at Drexel University’s College of Medicine in Philadelphia.
Additionally, program scholars gain valuable experience at Monmouth Medical Center while they are undergraduates. They also have access to valuable information and personalized guidance through Monmouth University’s Pre-Professional Health Advisory Committee—including career counseling, testing preparation, and practice interview sessions.
How it works:
Students are selected into the program prior to their enrollment as first-year students at Monmouth University.
Students complete a four-year undergraduate degree at Monmouth while being prepared for medical school by Monmouth’s Pre-Professional Health Advisory Committee.
While at Monmouth University, students complete a preceptorship at Monmouth Medical Center, a teaching hospital located two miles from the University’s campus.
Upon graduation from Monmouth, students continue their studies at Drexel University College of Medicine, where the first two years of study are devoted to foundation courses in medicine. Drexel students benefit from the opportunity to interact with patients almost from day one.
The final two years of medical school involve clerkships at Drexel University clinical campuses in Philadelphia, and at locations in New Jersey. The first clerkship is at Monmouth Medical Center.
REQUIREMENTS
The Monmouth Medical Center Scholars Program should be considered only by those who are serious about careers in medicine. Candidates undergo a rigorous selection process. This program is open only to applicants who reside in New Jersey and are United States citizens or permanent residents.
To be considered for the program, scholars must have a combined critical reading and math SAT score of at least 1270 with neither individual score lower than 560 and a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
While a student’s academic profile is important, it is not the only factor in the selection process. Extracurricular and community service activities, leadership roles, and exposure to the medical profession are considered. The selection committees at Monmouth University, Monmouth Medical Center, and Drexel University College of Medicine also assess each candidate’s desire to practice family medicine.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Students interested in the Monmouth Medical Center Scholars program must complete both the Monmouth University application for admission and a Drexel University College of Medicine Supplemental Application. Both applications must be received in the Monmouth University Office of Undergraduate Admission by December 15.
EXPECTATIONS
It is expected that students admitted to Monmouth University as Monmouth Medical Center Scholars (MMC Scholars) will fulfill their commitment to complete the entire program. Admission to the Monmouth Medical Center Scholars Program ensures acceptance to Drexel University College of Medicine if you fulfill the obligations listed below while a MMC Scholar at Monmouth University:
GPA (Grade Point Average) Requirements:
- During the first three years at Monmouth University, MMC Scholars must maintain a minimum of a 3.45 grade point average in both science courses (biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics) and non-science courses. No single grade may be less than 2.0 ('C').
- The minimum grade point average for the fourth year must be at least 3.25.
MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) Requirements:
- The MCAT must be taken before matriculation to medical school and should be taken near the end of a student's third year of undergraduate studies.
- MMC Scholars must achieve a total MCAT score of at least 27, with no sub-score below 9, or a score of 30 with no subscore below 7. The student must also achieve an "M" on the writing portion.
Other Requirements:
- Two or more courses in the humanities such as ethics, philosophy, sociology, or anthropology.
- Satisfactory completion of a medical preceptorship at Monmouth Medical Center.
- Endorsement by the Pre-Professional Health Advisory Committee of Monmouth University.
Drexel University College of Medicine, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a highly selective institution of higher learning which admits approximately 250 students each year. Like Monmouth University, Drexel University College of Medicine prides itself on the personal attention and care provided by the more than 3,600 physicians and scientists who make up the faculty.
Students benefit from a comprehensive healthcare system that includes more than 2,600 hospital beds. While it is customary for medical schools to wait until the third year before allowing students patient contact, first year students at Drexel University College of Medicine are given the opportunity to interact with patients almost from day one. A variety of teaching methods are employed by the School's esteemed faculty including laboratories, small-group sessions, lectures, discussion groups, and clinical practice.
Students enrolled in the College of Medicine spend their first two years on the Drexel University Campus in Philadelphia. The campus, which opened in 1992, features lecture halls with sophisticated audio-visual equipment, a library, rooms for small group learning, a clinical learning laboratory that simulates doctors' offices and hospital rooms, computer facilities, a fitness center, and student lounges.
MONMOUTH MEDICAL CENTER
Less than two miles from the Monmouth University campus, Monmouth Medical Center is New Jersey's largest community teaching hospital. The Center has earned national, state, and regional recognition as a leader in the delivery of high-quality healthcare. Monmouth Medical Center offers healthcare services through 16 clinical departments with over 500 physicians and dentists. As a teaching hospital, the faculty/physicians are dedicated not only to providing quality healthcare, but to preparing the physicians of tomorrow.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL HEALTH PREPARATION
AT MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY
In addition to the Monmouth Medical Center Scholars Program, traditional pre-professional health programs are also offered. Graduates have gone on to advanced study in medicine, chiropractic medicine, podiatric medicine, public health, physician assistant, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and other allied health fields.
Interested students are encouraged to contact the Pre-Professional Health Advisory Committee at Monmouth University at 732-571-3687. The committee is made up of faculty members from the sciences who are available for consultations with students about their post-graduate plans. The committee provides students with information and counseling pertaining to course selection, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Dental Admissions Test (DAT), other tests, and the admission interview.
Recent Monmouth University graduates have attended the following institutions:
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Harvard University School of Dental Medicine
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- Tufts University School of Medicine
- Georgetown University School of Medicine
- University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
- University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
- UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine
- New York University School of Medicine
- University of Ohio Veterinary School
- University of Michigan School of Medicine
For more information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at Monmouth University for more information about the Monmouth Medical Center Scholars Program, or to request a Drexel University College of Medicine Supplemental Application. The office may be reached at 800-543-9671 or 732-571-3456.
