Combined BA/MD Degree 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.

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.

Eight years total. Most students will complete the undergraduate program in four 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.

The medical school portion of The Combined BA/MD Degree Program takes four years.

Students who are a part of the BA/MD Program may not apply to other medical schools. All BA/MD students are required to attend the UNM School of Medicine as stated in the signed Statement of Commitment.

28 students are accepted each year. An applicant wait list remains active until the first day of the UNM fall semester. Students who remain on the wait list after this point may be eligible for the MERGE Program.

The Merge Program is designed to address attrition at milestones in the undergraduate portion of the UNM Combined BA/MD Degree Program. The goal of the UNM BA/MD Merge Program is to maximize Program matriculation to UNM SOM and ultimately increase the number of physicians serving in New Mexico communities demonstrating the greatest need.

Class size is evaluated on a semester basis and at milestones set by the Program. As the Program faces attrition due to academics, change of heart, etc., we seek to replenish the class to a total of 28 students. Please keep in mind that attrition varies greatly from year to year, therefore the Program provides no guarantee of available positions. The Program will first attempt to fill rural positions with rural students and urban positions with urban students after which the goal will be to replenish the class to 28.

Eligible student(s) are assessed by BA/MD leadership after the student’s second semester of their sophomore year. In early June, a decision is made on whether applications will be required, or if leadership will instead use another form of acceptance (for example, a combination of wait list placement and cumulative GPA).

Students are notified of the decisions, and if accepted, given a time frame by which the Program requires a reply. Selected students who accept their offered position are eligible for all resources of the Program, including a reserved seat at the UNM School of Medicine!

Eligibility

To be eligible for the MERGE Program, students must meet the following criteria:

• Have accepted placement on the respective cohort wait list, determined by the UNM BA/MD Sub-Committee on Admissions and approved by the UNM SOM Committee on Admissions
• Be active at UNM during the semester of application
• Be in the second semester of their second year
• Have completed set Program milestones at time of application

Program Milestones

• Have completed the following courses:
  • Chemistry 1215: General Chemistry I
  • Chemistry 1215L: General Chemistry I Lab
  • Chemistry 1225: General Chemistry II
  • Chemistry 1225L: General Chemistry II Lab
  • Biology 301C: Molecular & Cell Biology
  • Biology 302C: Genes to Genomes
• Have achieved a 3.5 cumulative GPA at time of application
• Have achieved a 3.5 program milestone GPA (calculated by UNM BA/MD) at time of application

For more information please contact our office via email: HSC-CombinedBAMD@salud.unm.edu

Students who are not on their respective cohort wait list may not apply to/transfer into the program after their senior year in high school.

Students who were original applicants (New Mexico High School seniors who applied) and were wait listed may attend another institution for the first three semesters (Freshman year and first semester as a Sophomore), and still maintain eligibility for the MERGE program. However, they must have transferred to UNM for Spring semester of their Sophomore year in order to be considered as a candidate for the Fall of their Junior year.

• 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.
• Last Dollar Scholarship (supplemental scholarship that covers basic educational costs for the undergraduate portion of the Program).
• Personalized academic advisement with BA/MD specific advisors.
• Unique degree program that helps address the healthcare needs of New Mexico.
• A living learning community that encourages camaraderie and academic success.
• Supportive undergraduate experience that offers opportunities and seminars specifically designed for BA/MD students.
• MCAT prep course that is paid for by the BA/MD Program to ensure that students meet the minimum score required by the UNM School of Medicine.

Students will be encouraged to apply for residency in New Mexico, but it is not required.

No there is not. Students are allowed to pursue any area of medicine that interests them.

The goal of the program is to find students who have a sincere interest and commitment to staying in New Mexico 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.

No, the BA/MD program does not cover the cost to attend the UNM School of Medicine.

Estimated tuition and fees can be located at the School of Medicine: Office of Education.

Absolutely! While the curriculum is challenging, students are encouraged to pursue a rich and engaging undergraduate experience.

BA/MD students are not allowed to work during their first year in the program, but may work beginning in their second year.