*COVID-19 UPDATE*

FAQ’s

1. : Many classes were moved online and/or to mandatory Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) grading due to COVID-19. Is there a limit to the number of prerequisite lectures and labs I may take online or for Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)?
   The University of New Mexico School of Medicine (UNM SOM) Committee on Admissions is aware of the disruption in coursework for many current students as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that there may be no choice but to take lecture and lab courses online due to COVID-19. For the 2023 Admissions Cycle, We will consider prerequisite lectures/labs that were converted to online during the Spring 2020 semester. Additionally, we will continue to permit online lectures/labs through Spring 2023. Please note, however, that we highly encourage applicants to take classes in person. In addition, while letter grades for prerequisite coursework are still preferred, we understand the difficulty this may pose for many. In regard to Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail, we highly encourage applicants to obtain a letter grade for all required prerequisite courses if given the choice. Applicants that received Credit/No Credit or Pass/Fail grades in lieu of a letter grade for prerequisite courses during the Spring 2020 through Spring 2022 semesters/quarters, will have an opportunity to explain their circumstances for which the prerequisite courses are completed outside our guidelines. The committee will review this information and it will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis.

2. How will the CR/NC grade impact my grade point average (GPA)?
   Grades of CR/NC do not affect the GPA. Courses taken for CR/NC will be identified and the committee be informed that one or more courses were taken CR/NC, but no grade will be factored into the overall GPA.

3. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most prerequisite labs have only been offered online. Will online labs be accepted? Should I wait to take it in person? Which would look better on my application?
   Yes, online labs will be accepted. We understand that there may be no choice but to take labs online due to COVID-19. For future admissions cycles, we will accept labs taken online for the semesters/quarters affected by COVID-19 until Spring 2023. The committee will not give preference to taking labs in person versus taking them online.

4. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will the MCAT be waived as a minimum requirement?
   No. An MCAT score is still a requirement for admissions consideration. 

5. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals and clinics have greatly reduced clinical shadowing opportunities. Although I do have some hours, it is not as many as I anticipated. What would be considered an acceptable amount of clinical shadowing hours to support my application? If I am unable to get those hours, how will this affect the review of my application?
   There is no minimum number of clinical shadowing hours required to apply to the UNM SOM. Applicants are evaluated based on their knowledge, the quality of their experiences and how they can articulate those experiences. Additionally, the Committee on Admissions will consider virtual experiences for future admissions cycles. Review the Virtual Online Experiences page for a few resources for online shadowing opportunities. 
6. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I am not able to begin my new clinical/volunteer/research experience until after I submit my AMCAS application, will I be able to make any changes or updates to my application to include these new experiences?
   No. The AMCAS application does not allow updates to the clinical/volunteer/research experiences after submission. There are limited changes that can be made to the primary AMCAS application post submission. For a list of the approved post submission changes, please visit the following AAMC website: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/amcas-postsubmission-actions/. If you are able to continue or begin a new experience after your application has been submitted, we recommend that you discuss it during your medical school interview.

7. Will I have an opportunity to describe how COVID-19 has impacted my 2023 application?
   Yes, there will be a question in the secondary application that will allow applicants to describe how COVID-19 has affected their pathway to medical school and describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers that COVID-19 may have presented for them.