MEDStart is an early admission program designed to accept students during their junior year of their undergraduate education.

The program allows students to enroll into the Medical University of Ohio’s College of Medicine program for the next academic year following completion of the four-year baccalaureate education.

The applicant must demonstrate motivation and enthusiasm for medicine as indicated from their volunteer and community service, medical related activities, leadership skills and/or research experiences. The MCAT is not required for acceptance into the program.

Who is eligible to apply?
To be eligible for the MedStart Program, the student must:

1. Apply to the program in the junior year of undergraduate studies
2. Have a minimum of one year of general chemistry with labs, one year of organic chemistry or physics with labs and one year of biological sciences completed at the time of application

An overall undergraduate GPA of 3.7 or higher with a science GPA of 3.5 or higher at the time of application is strongly recommended.

An ACT score of 29 or higher or an SAT score of 1250 or higher is strongly recommended.

What happens if you are accepted?
Students accepted into MEDStart will spend approximately two weeks on the MUO campus during the summer between the junior and senior undergraduate years.

Students will learn about such topics as diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease and breast cancer.

Opportunity for clinical time with preceptors, community volunteerism and social activities are also available.

The MUO Foundation will offer paid housing, for all those interested, on the campus of the University of Toledo.

A fee of $350 is required to participate in the summer program, and meals and transportation will be the student’s responsibility.

How do I apply?
Applicants are required to complete an AMCAS application and submit transcripts directly to AMCAS at www.aamc.org by November 1, 2006 for the 2008 entering class.

You will enter Early Assurance as your application type. The AMCAS service fee and the MUO application fee are waived.

Additional admission criteria such as letters of recommendation and the MUO secondary application must be submitted prior to January 1st.

Interviews will be conducted in December and January and applicants will be notified of acceptance into the program by the beginning of March. If not accepted, you still have time to register for the April MCAT exam.

Students applying to this program should only do so if they are willing to accept an offer of admission to the Medical University of Ohio at the end of their junior year. They will not be permitted to apply to other medical schools simultaneously since they are officially admitted into medical school at the start of the summer program.

If accepted into the MEDStart, students are required to attend the full two-week summer program at MUO.

The student is expected to maintain a GPA of 3.5 during the senior year of undergraduate studies.

A student who withdraws from the program after the commencement date shall be required to repay costs associated with this program. Currently those costs are in the amount of $1,500. This also applies to MEDStart students who fail to enroll in MUO for the next academic year, following graduation from an undergraduate college.

When considering application to the MEDStart, keep in mind that you should be fairly confident of your decision to participate in MEDStart and enter the Medical University of Ohio as a medical student, as you will not be permitted to apply to other medical schools.

Students accepted into the program will be required to resubmit the AMCAS application and transcripts for the 2008 entering class. The AMCAS service fee is waived.