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Contact Information
University of New Mexico
School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center
Room #125
MSC09 5085
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
Phone: (505) 272-4766
Fax: (505) 925-6031
E-mail

Admissions Information and Requirements

General Information
The School of Medicine is publicly supported and has an implied obligation to train students who are likely to serve the State's expanding medical needs. For this reason, residents of New Mexico are given primary consideration for admission to the school. The university is also a member of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Therefore, secondary consideration is given to residents of participating states that at present have no medical schools (i.e., Montana and Wyoming). WICHE applicants and residents of other states (including former New Mexico residents) must have at least the average MCAT/GPA threshold as the last years entering class, to be given consideration for admission. The 2007 entering class average MCAT composite was 28 and the average GPA composite was 3.6.

The New Mexico Higher Education Department has established rules and regulations for tuition at The University of New Mexico. For example, nonresident members of the armed forces of the United States, while stationed on active duty within New Mexico, are exempt from nonresident tuition. All enrolled members of the Navajo Tribe who reside on the Navajo Reservation, as certified by the Navajo Department of Higher Education, will be assessed in-state tuition rates. Applicants should contact the New Mexico Commission on Higher Education at 1-800-279-9777 or follow this link for the residency brochure . For more specific information regarding UNM residency refer to the UNM registrar's webpage at http://www.unm.edu/~unmreg/residency2.htm . Foreign national applicants must be permanent residents of the United States and qualify for New Mexico residency to receive consideration for admission. In most cases, foreign nationals should have had at least two years of undergraduate or graduate studies at a college or university in this country to be considered for admission.

Early Decision Program (EDP)

The School of Medicine has reinstated the Early Decision Program for the 2009 application year. Current New Mexico residents who desire to apply only to The University of New Mexico School of Medicine may apply through the Early Decision Program. WICHE and non-resident applicants MUST apply through the EDP to receive consideration. EDP applicants must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) no later than June 13, 2008 so that scores will be available before the application deadline of August 1. Additional information on the Early Decision Program is included in the AMCAS application.

Premedical Requirements
The School of Medicine encourages applications from all interested students who meet the requirements given above, regardless of their area of academic study. Each applicant must complete the prerequisite courses listed below. In order for a course to be counted towards the fulfillment of a prerequisite for admission or matriculation, the applicant must obtain a grade in the course corresponding to 2.0 points or better (for most undergraduate institutions, this corresponds to a grade of a C or better). Exceptions to this policy may be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Committee on Admissions if an applicant has taken a more advanced course in the same subject and earned a grade corresponding to 3.0 points or better (for most undergraduate institutions, this corresponds to a grade of a B or better).

8 sem hours general biology or zoology including lab

8 sem hours general chemistry including lab

8 sem hours organic chemistry including lab

6 sem hours general physics

3 sem hours biochemistry

(Note: Combined organic chemistry/biochemistry courses are inadequate. The biochemistry course normally should be at the junior/senior level.)
The following steps may be taken to sharpen your competitive edge as a prospective medical student;

Complete 6-8 advanced biology courses with grades of A and B reflecting your ability to handle the rigorous Medical Degree curriculum

Establish clinical experience in New Mexico with an emphasis on provider/patient interaction and firm first hand understanding of the health care challenges of New Mexico.

Remain a New Mexico resident. Ensure you are registered to vote in New Mexico, have a New Mexico driver's license, and pay New Mexico state taxes if applicable. If your parents are claiming you as a dependent on their taxes, they must live in New Mexico.

Prior to taking the MCAT, and submitting an application to the medical school, complete at a minimum most of the above referenced pre-requisites.

Utilize a MCAT preparation course like Kaplan their website is: http://www.kaptest.com/oneoff/mcat-test-change/computer-based-mcat.jhtml
Prior to your interview, completion of all prerequisite courses (anything lower than a C, i.e. C- will result in disqualification from further consideration and result in cancellation of the interview) *NOTE: The only exception is Biochemistry, which although need not be completed prior to interview, however must be completed prior to matriculation.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to take courses in microbiology and anatomy/physiology prior to entering medical school. (The lecture portion of an anatomy course is normally adequate.) Other science courses that the student may find helpful in preparing for medical school include genetics, histology, cell physiology, immunology, and computer science. Advanced placement (AP) credit with scores of 4 or better is acceptable for the prerequisite courses in general physics, general chemistry and general biology. However, individuals exempted from the general biology prerequisite through advanced placement are required to take at least an equivalent number of college credits in more advanced biology courses with laboratory.

Applicants who do not major in biology and are attending the University of New Mexico might be best advised to obtain a minor in biology to fulfill their premedical biology prerequisites. It should be noted there are math and chemistry prerequisites for the biology core courses required for the biology minor. A second possibility would be for students to take two of the Biology Core Courses, Molecular and Cell Biology (Biology 201) and Genetics (Biology 202) in addition to Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II for the Health Sciences (Biology 237 and 238, respectively) with the associated laboratories (Biology 247L and 248L) and possibly Microbiology for the Health Sciences (Biology 239L). As a third possibility, Biology 203 and 204 are strongly recommended. Other recommended courses include Microbiology (Biology 239L or 351/352L), which could be substituted for the Anatomy and Physiology I & II (Biology 237 and 238) and Immunology (Biology 456).

Although there is no specific language requirement, competence in spoken and written English is necessary. A facility in conversational Spanish or a Native American language will be an advantage for students intending to remain in the Southwest.

In developing a premedical studies program, the student should keep in mind that a physician needs a broad educational background. Therefore, the student should not concentrate on the physical and biological sciences to the exclusion of the humanities and social sciences.

While applications from college juniors who have completed at least 90 semester hours are considered, only a very few with outstanding academic records have been accepted. The last several years, all accepted applicants have earned at least a Bachelor’s degree. Applicants are strongly encouraged to finish any degree programs they have begun prior to medical school matriculation.

Experiences
The Committee on Admissions meticulously reviews each type of experience in which every individual applicant to medical school has participated. The Committee believes that every applicant should reflect a vibrant interest in medicine demonstrated by clinical experiences with direct patient contact and knowledge of New Mexico's health care issues. The intent is to provide the applicant with the opportunity to prove to himself or herself and to the Committee on Admissions that medicine is the profession in which the individual whole heartedly wishes to study and work. This volunteer or possible work experience may be in a hospital or clinic setting, perhaps in a nursing home or hospice environment. It is up to each student to take initiative to locate their clinical experiences through interactions with the various volunteer offices of the local hospitals or through interactions with their professors, friends, family members etc... There is a plethora of summer programs around the country for research; however application to those programs begins during the winter months, long before the summer starts.

The Committee also examines the type of community volunteer activities in which applicants have been involved. The Committee believes that individuals who have participated in such activities are more likely to relate well to other people, an essential aspect of the physician-patient interaction.

Medical College Admission Test
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required of all applicants to this medical school. This exam assesses mastery of basic concepts in biology, chemistry (general and organic), and physics, facility with scientific problem solving and critical thinking, and writing skills. The skills and concepts tested by the MCAT are those identified by physicians and medical educators as prerequisite for the practice of medicine. The test is designed to encourage students interested in medicine to pursue a well rounded undergraduate study encompassing natural and social sciences and the humanities.

Information about the exam is provided in The MCAT Student Manual (published by the Association of American Medical Colleges) and at the MCAT portion of the AAMC web site, http://www.aamc.org/mcat. This information includes detailed descriptions of the content and cognitive skills assessed by the exam. It also provides examples of question formats used on the test and incorporates sample items with response explanations. A full-length practice test with a scoring key is available for purchase ($80.00) at your convenience at their website, http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/practicetests.htm. Questions regarding the MCAT Student Manual publication may be addressed to AAMC Publication Department (202) 828-0416 or FAX (202) 828-1123.

Questions about the MCAT should be directed to the Office of Admissions, The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5166, (505) 272-4766.

The University of New Mexico will NOT accept MCAT exam scores that are more than four years old at the time of application.


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