Combined BA/MD Degree Program
General Information
Q. What are the goals of the UNM BA/MD Program?
- There are two main goals of this program:
- Help address the critical physician shortage in New Mexico by providing educational opportunities to those students who are most likely to return to the state to practice medicine. (The majority of NM counties are federally designated as being medically underserved.)
- Encourage greater diversity of students trained as physicians. (See School of Medicine (SOM) Admission Policy http://hsc.unm.edu/som/admissions/policy.shtml
- Students who accept a position in the BA/MD program are required to attend the UNM School of Medicine and to sign a Statement of Commitment to these goals. (http://hsc.unm.edu/som/combinedbamd/docs/BAMDCommitment.pdf)
Q. How long is the BA/MD Program?
- Eight years total.
- Most students will complete the undergraduate program in four years.
- Accommodations may be possible for those who finish the undergraduate curriculum in three years. Note: If a student completes the undergraduate curriculum in three years, they are not allowed to enter the School of Medicine early, but will be encouraged to pursue additional coursework and/or other interests during their fourth year. They will transfer to the medical school with their class after the fourth year.)
- Medical school portion is four years.
Q. Once accepted into the UNM BA/MD program, are students allowed to apply to other medical schools?
- No
- Students are required to sign a Statement of Commitment to attend UNM School of Medicine.
Q. How many students are accepted?
- 28
- An applicant waitlist remains active until the first day of the UNM fall semester.
Q. Can I transfer into the BA/MD Degree Program?
- Given the specialized curriculum of this program, we CANNOT accept students from other two or four year institutions.
Q. What are the benefits of the BA/MD Degree Program?
- Reserved seat at the UNM School of Medicine – consistently recognized by
US News & World Report as one of the top-ranked programs in the nation.
- Supportive undergraduate experience that offers opportunities and seminars specifically
designed for BA/MD students.
- Camaraderie with BA/MD peers and medical students.
- Unique degree program that helps address the healthcare needs of New Mexico.
- Supplemental scholarship paid for 4 years.
Admission
Q. To be eligible to apply for the Combined BA/MD Degree Program a student must:
- Be a New Mexico resident at time of application.
- Be a current New Mexico high school senior (high school seniors outside of NM who are enrolled members of the Navajo Tribe and live on the Navajo Reservation are also eligible).
- Have an ACT math sub-score of 22 or better; or a SAT math sub-score of 510 or better. Scores must be achieved prior to the November 15 application deadline. (SAT II subject test scores are not accepted.)
- Have a personal commitment to pursue a medical career in New Mexico's rural or underserved areas.
Q. When is the application deadline?
- BA/MD application must be submitted by November 15th by 11:59 p.m.
.
- Application materials (i.e. UNM Incoming Freshman Scholarship application,
6th semester transcript, ACT or SAT scores) MUST be postmarked or submitted electronically by November 15th. Late documents are not accepted,
and the application will be considered incomplete.
- Applicants must also complete a UNM Admissions application (http://www.unm.edu/preview/na_online.htm) and UNM Incoming Freshman Scholarship application (http://www.unm.edu/~schol/) by November 15th.
Q. When are my ACT/SAT scores due?
Q. What factors are considered for acceptance to the program?
- The Combined BA/MD Degree Program considers all aspects of an applicants background, experience and academic progress including:
- Academic excellence (ex: GPA, ACT/SAT scores, college-prep courses, honors/AP coursework)
- Community involvement & volunteer service
- Medically-related experience
- Commitment to practice medicine in New Mexico
- Honors and awards
- Extracurricular activities
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal statement
- Interview
Q. What classes should I have taken in high school?
- Take as much math and science as possible. (Students must be ready to take Math 180 which is college algebra or higher.)
- For high school juniors: It’s important to take challenging courses.
Q. Will there be interviews?
- The BA/MD Admissions Committee will interview all applicants who have
achieved a minimum Math ACT sub-score of a 22 or a minimum SAT Math sub-score
of a 510 prior to the November 15th application deadline.
- Interviews take place in Albuquerque from early December through late March.
- Final decision will be made by the first week in April.
Undergraduate Curriculum
Q. What are my undergraduate degree options?
- There are three options available
- Arts & Science Major (choice of any major, i.e. Biology, English, Anthropology …)
- Health, Medicine and Human Values major with a Health, Humanities and Society concentration
- Health, Medicine and Human Values major with a Biomedical Sciences concentration
Q. Do I have the option to earn a Bachelor of Science degree?
- Yes, with Option I and coordinating with the BA/MD Advisor.
Q. Do I have to take the MCAT?
- Students must achieve the minimum MCAT score accepted by the School of Medicine.
- Curriculum for the BA/MD students includes an MCAT prep class to prepare them for the test.
Student Support Services
Q. Are there scholarship and financial aid packages available?
- Yes, during the undergraduate portion of the program. Students are required to apply for the UNM incoming freshman scholarships and any additional scholarships for which they are qualified. All students must fill out the FASFA application.
http://www.unm.edu/~finaid/fafsa.html Once their scholarship and financial aid package is known, additional BA/MD funding will be added to cover the students’ “basic” educational undergraduate costs (i.e. – tuition, fees, book allowance, and housing). This funding total does not include extra/spending money.
- Medical school costs are not part of the BA/MD scholarship and financial aid package.
Q. Will BA/MD students be required to live on campus?
- Students live on campus (in the same dorm) for their first two years.
Q. Who will be my mentor?
- The mentorship program is ‘tiered.’ Students will first be assigned a peer mentor, then a medical student mentor and then a School of Medicine faculty mentor.
Q. May I participate in extracurricular activities in college?
- Yes! While the curriculum will be challenging, we want students to have a fun and engaging undergraduate experience.
Q. May I work?
- Students are not allowed to work during their first year in the program.
- Students are allowed to work beginning their second year in the program.
Q. What kind of support services are provided?
- Academic Advisor specifically assigned to BA/MD students.
- Peer, medical student and faculty mentoring.
- Specialized tutoring and supplemental learning through Center Academic Program Support (tutoring center).
- Living and Learning Community. (http://housing.unm.edu/future/living.htm )
- Seminars open exclusively to BA/MD students.
- MCAT preparation course.
Medical Education:
Q. Will I be required to do my medical residency training in New Mexico?
- Students will be encouraged to apply for residency in New Mexico, but it is not required.
Q. Is there a required medical specialty?
- Students are allowed to pursue any area of medicine that interests them.
Q. How long do I have to practice medicine in NM after I finish residency?
- The goal of the program is to find students who have a sincere interest and commitment to staying in NM to practice medicine, particularly in the rural and/or medically underserved communities. All students are required to sign a Statement of Commitment to stay in New Mexico to practice medicine. (http://hsc.unm.edu/som/combinedbamd/docs/BAMDCommitment.pdf )
