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Communicating with the Office of Admissions
Community Campuses
Becoming a Competitive CHM Applicant
Premedical
Course Requirements
Letters of Evaluation
CHM Application Deadlines
Early Decision Program (EDP)
Accept
Alternate
Referred to ABLE
Unsuccessful Application
Non-Michigan Resident Admission
Canadian Citizen Admission
International Applicant Admission
Transfer Admission
MD Medical Scholars Program
(BA-BS/MD Program)
LANE Scholars Program
Postbaccalaureate Program (ABLE)
Combined Degree and Dual Degree Programs
Rural Physician Program (RPP)
Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable
(Including International Settings)
Financial Aid
Obtaining Michigan Residency
Electives for International Medical Students
Residency Programs for International Medical Students
Contacting Dean's Offices, Clinical Campuses,
Departments
MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
Other MSU Programs
Most of our communication with applicants is done by email; therefore it is vital that you edit your AMCAS application if your email address changes. AMCAS will no longer process and distribute email address changes; those are now the responsibility of the applicant. Go to the AMCAS website and log into your application to make your change.
If your email address, mailing address, and/or phone number changes, you need to edit your AMCAS application immediately. This is particularly important since the majority of our correspondence to applicants is sent by email. AMCAS will not make changes and submit them to schools for you — you must make the changes yourself.
Q: I can't find the answer(s) to my question(s) on your website. May I ask my question(s) via email?
A: Yes. Email your question(s) to MDadmissions@msu.edu.
Q: Can I schedule a meeting with with an admissions counselor?
A: Yes, we have admissions counselors available to meet with prospective applicants to discuss plans for becoming a competitive applicant. However, our counselors are not available to meet with a current CHM applicant to discuss the applicant's chance of acceptance to the college.
To make an appointment with an admissions counselor, send an email request to MDadmissions@msu.edu. Plan for your meeting to take place well before you submit your application, so you have sufficient time to implement the strategies and recommendations you and the admissions counselor develop.
It is expected that you will have seen your school's premedical advisor and read the Premedical Handbook and Self-Assessment Guide prior to your appointment.
Q: I understand that CHM is expanding to Grand Rapids, Michigan. How will that affect me?
A: The MSU Board of Trustees has endorsed a plan to develop a new, four-year medical school: the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine - West Michigan Medical School. Our partners are Spectrum Health, St. Mary's Hospital, the Van Andel Research Institute, and Grand Valley State University.
Beginning with the class entering in 2007, the class size was increased from 106 to 156. Fifty of these students will be placed in Grand Rapids for years two through four (2008-10). The remainder of the class entering CHM in 2007 will go to one of our other clinical campus sites: Flint, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saginaw, or Marquette (Rural Physician Program) for years three and four (2009-10). The same protocol would apply to students entering in 2008 and 2009.
The four-year educational experience in Grand Rapids is slated to begin in 2010, when we have recruited faculty, arranged for training sites, have a suitable practice plan arrangement in place, and are operating a medical school building. The size of the class entering the four-year school in Grand Rapids is anticipated to be 100 students, bringing the total seats for the College of Human Medicine’s entering class to 200. We are excited about the variety of educational settings and opportunities that are opening up for our students.
Q: I want to spend years two through four at the Grand Rapids campus. Do I need to submit an additional or different application to be considered for the group of 50 students who will spend years two through four in Grand Rapids?
A: No, there is no additional or different application for the Grand Rapids campus. All applicants who are accepted to CHM will be given the opportunity to indicate their choice(s) of placement — Grand Rapids for years two through four; Flint, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saginaw, or the Upper Peninsula for years three and four. Your preference is taken into consideration; however, final assignments to the Grand Rapids campus or any of the other community campuses, are made by CHM.
Q: What is meant by "Community Campus?"
A: MSU CHM differs from many medical schools in that there is no University Hospital. As a community-based medical school, the College of Human Medicine is uniquely positioned to provide students with comprehensive training in clinical settings that most closely parallel the environment in which many physicians practice. Students spend their first year or two years on the main MSU campus, located in East Lansing, Michigan. The remainder of their CHM education is spent at one of six community campuses located throughout the state: Grand Rapids for years two through four or Flint, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Saginaw, or the Upper Peninsula for years three and four. Led by a Community Assistant Dean and CHM faculty, each community program is aligned with area hospitals and outpatient facilities that join Michigan State University in creating a rich educational environment for students. The curriculum and evaluation is the same in all communities. All community programs offer electives in both specialty and subspecialty areas. Research opportunities are also available.
For more information about our community campuses, click here.
Q: How do students get assigned to a community campus? Do I get to choose my community?
A: All accepted applicants will have the opportunity to indicate a preferred community if they wish. These preferences will be taken into consideration as community assignments are made; however, the CHM Community Placement Committee makes the actual community placement decisions. Accepted applicants will receive their community assignment prior to matriculation.
Occasionally, students have a particular need for a specific community assignment. There is a process for special consideration for placement based on an individual student’s documented special need.
Community assignments may be subject to change after initial assignment due to various factors (changes in the student’s life circumstances, openings occurring as students enter an extended curriculum, etc.). A process for review and reconsideration of community assignment is available to matriculated students.
Q: How can I prepare myself for applying to the College of Human Medicine?
A: Learn about CHM and its mission. A major focus of our mission is to educate primary care physicians interested in working with underserved populations (rural, inner city) within Michigan. In support of this, students spend their third and fourth years of medical school at one of five community campuses located throughout the state.
The following publications will help you become familiar with what CHM is looking for in an applicant, as well as assist you in assessing how well CHM fits with your medical career goals:
Q: What are your GPA and MCAT cut-offs?
A: CHM uses a mission-based assessment of applicants that strongly considers nonacademic variables. We aim for a class with GPA and MCAT scores approximating the national average of accepted students (3.5 GPA, 10 or above MCAT). As we welcome disadvantaged and nontraditional students, our average GPA and MCAT profile is slightly below that. We take into consideration research findings that demonstrate that students with MCATs below 8 and GPAs below 3.0 have a greater risk of academic difficulty. Disadvantaged students with this lower academic profile may be interested in our postbac program, the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience (ABLE). ABLE is not a postbaccalaureate prep program, but rather a conditional acceptance to medical school. This program reviews disadvantaged students who have applied directly to medical school through the AMCAS application service and are interviewed for regular CHM admission. There are no separate ABLE application procedures. Students who show promise for medicine yet may lack the science background required to perform optimally in medical school can become candidates for the ABLE Program. These applicants are referred by the CHM Committee on Admissions to the ABLE Selection Committee. The ABLE Selection Committee then makes the final student selections for the ABLE Program.
Q: May I submit additional academic or activities information that does not appear on my AMCAS application?
A: We trust that the AMCAS application you initially submitted is representative of your academic abilities and activities. We would be happy to accept additional information from you at the time you are invited to interview, or if you are placed in the Alternate pool.
Q: Does CHM run Criminal Background Checks (CBCs) on applicants to CHM?
A: No, CHM does not run CBCs on applicants at this time. However, you are required to disclose any adverse institutional action(s), felony conviction(s), other criminal conviction(s), or any pending criminal charges on both the AMCAS application and the MSU Professional Application.
You will be subject to multiple CBCs throughout your professional career, beginning with some medical school training sites. We encourage you to run a CBC on yourself to discover what it contains, and to correct any errors. Failure to disclose any adverse institutional action(s), any felony conviction(s), other criminal conviction(s), or any pending criminal charges is considered falsification of the application and can result in dismissal from medical school.
Q: Does CHM require drug screens as part of the admissions process?
A: At this time CHM does not require a drug screen for entering students. However, you can expect required drug screens several times during your medical training, as well as throughout your professional career.
Q: I was an unsuccessful applicant to CHM. Will the Office of Admissions help me develop a plan for reapplying?
A: Yes, the Office of Admissions is pleased to assist applicants planning to reapply to CHM in developing a strategy for becoming a more competitive applicant. The Self-Assessment Guide was created to assist you in this process.
First, critically assess your application in light of the Self-Assessment Guide. Consult with your premedical advisor and other mentors for assistance in analyzing your application. Then develop and follow your strategy for becoming a more competitive applicant based upon what you learn. Begin to implement this strategy immediately!
Once you know that you have not been accepted to any of the medical schools to which you applied, that you intend to reapply to CHM, and that you remain unsure of how to improve your application, you need to submit your completed ASAP to the Office of Admissions via postal mail. Dr. Christine Shafer, assistant dean for Admissions, will review your application and ASAP and provide you with feedback about your preparation by email, postal mail, or a scheduled meeting or conference call. You must submit the Self-Assessment Guide in order to receive any feedback about your reapplication.
Q: Do applicants who were alternates in previous years receive special consideration when they reapply?
A: No. Upon reapplication, former alternates are reviewed with neither preference nor prejudice.
Q: Do family members of CHM, MSU alumni, or MSU faculty receive special consideration when applying to CHM?
A: No. All applicants to CHM are evaluated on their own merit.
Q: Do applicants who also apply to the Rural
Physician Program or the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable Program get special consideration when
applying to CHM?
A: No. All applicants to CHM are evaluated on their own merit during the regular
admission process. Applying to the Rural Physician Program (RPP) or the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable Program (LMUV) does not give an
applicant any advantage in the application process. Only after being admitted
through the regular admission process will admission to the RPP or LMUV be considered. If you are not interested in the RPP or LMUV programs
do not apply to either of them in anticipation of preferential treatment of your application.
Q: Do applicants who earned degrees at Michigan State University or other Michigan colleges/universities get special consideration when applying to CHM?
A: No, we do not give preference to a particular undergraduate college or
university. However, because we give preference to Michigan residents, a large
part of our class is filled with undergraduates from Michigan State and the
University of Michigan, as a substantial number of applicants are both Michigan
residents and students at MSU or U of M. When choosing an undergraduate college
or university, consider what you can afford, where you feel at home, and which
schools offer excellent premedical advisement and programs.
Q: What are the CHM premedical course requirements?
A: Premedical course requirements are minimum requirements that must be fulfilled prior to matriculation at CHM. Requirements are:
Completion of a baccalaureate degree at an accredited US or Canadian undergraduate institution.
Completion of one year of course work in each of the following areas, with no final grade below a 2.0:
General/Inorganic Chemistry sequence, including at least one laboratory;
General Biology sequence, including at least one laboratory;
Organic Chemistry sequence, including at least one laboratory;
General Physics sequence, including at least one laboratory;
Writing or Composition, may include "Writing in the Major" classes;
Humanities/Social Science courses that focus on psychological and social theory, individual and/or group behaviors, or comparative cultures. Recommended courses include anthropology, cultural studies, economics, ethics, psychology, sociology, women's studies, and philosophy.
Mathematics through college algebra or statistics and probability. The mathematics requirement may be waived with Advanced Placement [AP] credit for Statistics and Probability, Calculus 1, or freshman mathematics placement above college algebra.
Completion of one upper-level (junior- or senior-level) biological science course from within the following areas: biochemistry, cell biology, embryology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, or physiology. Additional courses in these areas are advised.
We accept AP and CLEP credit to meet requirements. Please note that lab credit will still be required. Applicants may meet lab credit with the lab sections of more advanced science courses or practical experience, such as documented relevant experience in a research lab.
Q: Do you require or prefer that I take my premedical course requirements and undergraduate courses at specific colleges or universities?
A: Undergraduate course work must be completed at an accredited US or Canadian four-year college or university. Community college courses are acceptable if the course(s) is accepted by an accredited four-year US or Canadian undergraduate institution as transfer credit. There is no requirement as to how recently your undergraduate courses or premedical requirements were completed; however, more recent course work or advanced study in the basic sciences is preferred. There is no preference of where you complete your premedical courses, as long as they're completed at an accredited US or Canadian undergraduate institution.
Q: Does CHM accept premedical course requirements taken at community colleges?
A: We will accept courses from community colleges if the course(s) is accepted at an accredited four-year US or Canadian undergraduate institution as transfer credit. To verify if a specific course is accepted at MSU, visit the MSU Transfer Admission website and view the Transfer MSU Credit Equivalency System.
Q: Does CHM accept premedical course requirements taken at Canadian colleges or universities?
A: We will accept courses from accredited Canadian universities that belong to the Association of University and Colleges of Canada. A one-year Canadian course is recognized as fulfilling our one-year course series requirement, if a lab component is included with the science requirements. We consider Grade 13 OAC English along with writing-intensive courses toward the fulfillment of our English/Writing requirement.
Q: Does CHM accept premedical course requirements taken at international colleges or universities?
A: Only in very rare circumstances. Note that all applicants must complete an undergraduate degree at an accredited US or Canadian four-year college or university prior to matriculation. If you completed any required premedical courses outside of the US, those courses must be accepted as transfer credits by the US or Canadian accredited educational institution where the baccalaureate degree was earned. Any required course that does not transfer to the "home" school must be verified for equivalence to US or Canadian course work by one of the following organizations:
If the organization’s findings are not accepted by a four-year accredited US or Canadian undergraduate college or university for the completion of a baccalaureate degree, applicants must submit the credentialing organization's findings to each respective department at MSU for an equivalency determination of our premedical requirements at the time of application. A baccalaureate degree completed at any undergraduate institution other than a four-year accredited US or Canadian college or university will not be accepted as the fulfillment of our undergraduate degree requirement.
Q: Are my grades competitive?
A: Your grade point average is only one component of your application to CHM. Competitive applicants are well prepared. The Committee on Admissions is consistent in recognizing the national cumulative science GPA of 3.5 or higher as being competitive. Applicants with lower GPAs must compensate for these lower grades with exceptional strength in other components of their application.
For more information:
Q: Does CHM prefer one academic major/degree over another?
A: No. The Committee on Admissions does not prefer one degree over another. Approximately two-thirds of any entering class will have earned theoretical science degrees, but other students will have earned degrees in engineering, nursing, English, music, art, religion, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, business, and other areas.
Q: If I have elective credits to take, in what areas should they be?
A: CHM welcomes applicants with broad liberal arts backgrounds who have taken courses to expand their understanding of diverse individuals and groups. Courses that heighten your reasoning ability, problem-solving skills, and professional development are also good choices. Advanced science courses in cellular and molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, physiology, genetics, statistics and probability, and embryology may aid the applicant on the MCAT and in basic medical science courses.
For more information:
Q: Does the College of Human Medicine require the MCAT?
A: Yes.
Q: Where can I get the MCAT registration packet?
A: MCAT registration is online only. For complete information, visit the MCAT website.
Q: What are the oldest MCAT scores CHM will accept for the 2008 application year?
A: CHM does not accept any MCAT scores older than four calendar years. For the entering class of 2008 we will not accept scores older than April, 2004.
Q: I'm applying through the Early Decision Program. What date must I take the MCAT by to apply for the 2008 application year?
A: If you are applying through the Early Decision Program, the last date you can take the MCAT exam is June 15, 2007.
Q. I'm a regular applicant. What date must I take the MCAT by to apply to the 2008 application year?
A. If you are applying as a regular applicant, the last date you can take the MCAT exam is September 16, 2007.
Q: Will you consider MCAT scores from exams taken after September 16, 2007?
A. The only applicants for whom later MCAT scores may be considered are those who were designated as Alternates for possible admission to the class entering 2008, if and when the Committee reviews those applicants.
Q: Are my MCAT scores competitive?
A: MCAT scores are only one component of your application. Competitive applicants will have prepared well and done their best on the MCAT. The Committee on Admissions is consistent in recognizing the national average or higher scores in the four MCAT categories: Verbal Reasoning - 10, Physical Sciences - 11, Biological Sciences - 11, Writing Sample -Q.
For more information:
Visit the MCAT website
Consult with your school's premedical advisor
Q: Where can I get an AMCAS application?
A:The AMCAS application is only available for completion online. The application should be available for completion in May, 2007. You can submit your 2008 application to AMCAS on or about June 1, 2007.
Q: What is the earliest date I can submit my transcripts to AMCAS for my 2008 application?
A: On or about June 1.
For more information:
Visit the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website
Q: What are CHM's requirements for letters of evaluation?
A: Letters of evaluation from individuals who know you well assist the CHM Committee on Admissions in developing an overall portrait of you as an applicant to the medical school. CHM requires a minimum of three letters, though as many as five letters are accepted. Letters should come from a variety of individuals who have known you in different settings. Letters must be written on letterhead stationery, or provided with detailed contact information for the author. They should be written by professionals who know you well and can attest to your abilities. At least one letter should be from a professor who can evaluate your science reasoning and performance. One letter should address your interpersonal experience and behavior. If your college writes a committee letter, please ask the committee to send the College of Human Medicine the letters from each of your faculty evaluators, if available.
We encourage applicants to submit letters of recommendation electronically, through a confidential credential file management service such as VirtualEvals or Interfolio. This will result in faster processing of your application materials.
Submit written letters, if requested, to:
CHM Office of Admissions
Michigan State University
A-239 Life Sciences Building
East Lansing, MI 48824-1317
Q: When should I apply to CHM for the entering class of 2008?
A: While your AMCAS application can be submitted for verification in early June, the College of Human Medicine encourages you to submit your best application to AMCAS. This may mean that you will want to wait until you complete summer clinical experiences or research projects, or receive summer grades. However, be aware that other medical schools do operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
CHM has a semi-rolling admissions process. Acceptances are made in stages, but applicants are given the same consideration no matter when they apply (as long as the application deadline requirements are met). Some applicants will receive notification early in the application process, and others won't find out their final status until the end of the cycle.
The deadline to apply to CHM is November 15, 2007.
Q: If I took the MCAT after June 1, should I wait until I receive my scores to submit my application to AMCAS?
A: We do not recommend waiting for your MCAT scores before submitting your AMCAS application, as this can delay processing of your application to CHM.
However, the College of Human Medicine encourages you to submit your best application to AMCAS. This may mean that you will want to wait until you complete summer clinical experiences or research projects, or receive summer grades. However, be aware that other medical schools do operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once we receive your verified application from AMCAS, the Office of Admissions will send you an email message with instructions on paying a Secondary Application Fee. Pay your fee and complete your Secondary Application as soon as possible. That way we can begin reviewing your application as soon as we receive your MCAT scores.
Q: What is the latest date I can submit my 2008 AMCAS application and still be considered by CHM?
A: November 15, 2007. Applications received by AMCAS after this date will not be accepted by CHM.
Q: Do you give extensions of the CHM November 15 AMCAS application deadline?
A: Only under special circumstances concerning late receipt of transcripts by AMCAS. Email your request for an extension to MDadmissions@msu.edu.
For more information:
Visit the AAMC website
Q: What is the application deadline to apply to the entering class of 2008 through the Early Decision Program ?
A: To be considered as a CHM EDP applicant, you must take the MCAT exam no later than June 15, 2007 and submit your application to AMCAS no later than August 1, 2007.
Q: Does CHM have a MD/PhD program?
A: Yes. CHM offers the combined MD/PhD degree to a few academically talented and highly motivated students accepted to the College of Human Medicine (CHM).
Q: I have been accepted to CHM. What happens now?
A: Confirm your place in our entering class by sending a written acceptance of admission (email is fine) within two weeks of the date you receive your acceptance letter to MDadmissions@msu.edu. An advanced enrollment deposit in the amount of $100 is also required.
If you receive multiple acceptances and decide to attend a school other than CHM, please notify our office immediately at (517) 353-9620 or MDadmissions@msu.edu. If you withdraw your acceptance in writing (regular mail or email) by May 15, 2008, your deposit will be returned.
Requests to defer entry to the 2009 class should be submitted promptly. If you are granted a deferral, you must withdraw your application from all other schools to which you applied.
Please keep us informed of changes in your mailing address, email address, and/or telephone number. You will receive additional information throughout the next several months from the Offices of Admissions, Academic Programs, and Student Affairs and Services.
Q: I have been designated an Alternate. When might I be accepted? Can you tell me my rank? Can I do anything to enhance my application?
A: If you are placed on the Alternate list, your file will remain under consideration for acceptance until we notify you of a change in your status. Although some alternates are accepted throughout the year, most alternates who are eventually accepted find out in late May or June, as applicants with multiple acceptances withdraw their applications. One year, we offered acceptances to all of our alternates, another year to just one. Alternates have been admitted into CHM as late as two days prior to the start of Prematriculation and Orientation Week.
Alternate files are not ranked, and are reviewed whenever the number of accepted applicants falls below the entering class size.
As explained on Interview Day, alternates may send a letter or email expressing continued interest in CHM. Alternates may also augment their file with an update of grades, activities, or an additional letter of recommendation showing attributes that may not be described in the letters currently on file. We ask that alternates who have been accepted at their school of choice notify us so we may conduct the selection process as efficiently as possible.
Q: I was referred to the ABLE program. What does this mean?
ABLE, the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience, is an exciting and effective enrichment program for applicants from a disadvantaged background. The Admissions Committee believes these applicants may make a valuable contribution to the class and the profession but may also be at some academic risk. ABLE participants are offered conditional admission to CHM for the following year that is based on successful completion of the program.
Applicants who have been referred to ABLE should receive more information and an opportunity to indicate their interest sometime in April. If you are recommended as a potential candidate to the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience (ABLE), a final decision on your application will be made by the ABLE Review Committee by May, 2008.
If you are accepted into ABLE and successfully complete this postbaccalaureate program, you are guaranteed regular admission to the Fall 2009 entering medical school class. If you are not accepted into ABLE, the application process is complete and no further consideration will be given to your application.
Q: I was not accepted into CHM. What happens now?
A: If you are an unsuccessful applicant to the College of Human Medicine,the application process is complete and no further consideration will be given to your application. Decisions made by the Committee on Admissions are final, and there will be no further discussion with Dr. Shafer, Committee members, or Admissions staff members regarding the current application . However, there are steps you can take to become a more competitive applicant if you intend to reapply to CHM in the future.
If you are not accepted to CHM and you anticipate being a reapplicant, we encourage you to carefully review and evaluate your application. We recommend that you follow the procedure outlined in the Self-Assessment Guide section of the Premedical Handbook and Self-Assessment Guide. Initiate your plans for improvement as soon as possible.
Unsuccessful applicants may complete and submit the Self-Assessment Guide for review and have it returned with comments. Advising or conference call appointments are available for unsuccessful applicants who:
have completed and submitted their Self-Assessment Guide;
have been rejected from all other schools; and
have not yet submitted the AMCAS application for the next application cycle.
Final actions of the Committee on Admissions are not reversed. Therefore, representatives of the Office of Admissions (including the Assistant Dean for Admissions, Committee on Admissions members, and the Office of Admissions staff) will not discuss your application with you or anyone you designate once a final decision has been made. If you believe AMCAS made a clerical error, or that there was an error of fact in your application, you are welcome to contact the Office of Admissions by regular mail or email to have your concerns reviewed.
Q: I am an out-of-state (non-Michigan) resident. Do I have a chance of being admitted to CHM?
A: Yes. The Committee on Admissions believes that non-Michigan resident diversity is an important component of every entering class. Because CHM's mission is to educate physicians who will serve the needs of the people of Michigan, residents of Michigan are given preference. However, approximately 20% of each entering class is from outside of Michigan.
A competitive non-Michigan resident should fit CHM's mission. A major emphasis of the mission is to educate physicians who desire to become excellent, compassionate, primary care physicians who are dedicated to lifelong learning and are willing to work with the underserved in rural or inner city areas within Michigan. Applicants need to have demonstrated their passion for medicine with a history of community service and clinical experience. The most competitive non-Michigan residents have MCAT scores on the 9-10 (N-P) range or above, a very strong or improving academic profile, and noncognitive attributes and experiences that will enrich the class and be consistent with the mission of the college.
In order to establish Michigan residency, you must live in Michigan for 12 consecutive months without being a student, before you matriculate into medical school. You cannot establish residency while attending medical school unless you are under the age of 24 and your parents move to Michigan, or you have a spouse who is a Michigan resident with full-time professional employment in Michigan. For more information, contact Mr. Scott McMillan, Associate Registrar, at dugaldmc.@msu.edu or (517) 353-4490.
Q: I am a Canadian citizen. Do I have a chance of being admitted to CHM?
A: Yes, Canadian citizens are considered non-Michigan residents by the Committee on Admissions for purposes of admission. A competitive Canadian citizen should fit CHM's mission. A major emphasis of the mission is to educate physicians who desire to become excellent, compassionate primary care physicians who are dedicated to lifelong learning and are willing to work with the underserved in rural or inner city areas within Michigan. Applicants need to have demonstrated their passion for medicine with a history of community service and clinical experience. Competitive Canadian citizens should have MCAT scores of 9-10 (O-P) or higher in each category as well as a cumulative science GPA of 3.50 or better.
Q: Does CHM accept premedical course requirements taken at Canadian colleges or universities?
A: We will accept courses from accredited Canadian universities that belong to the Association of University and Colleges of Canada. A one-year Canadian course is recognized as fulfilling our one-year course requirement, if a lab component is included with the science requirements. We consider Grade 13 OAC English along with writing-intensive courses toward the fulfillment of our English/Writing requirement.
Q: I am a Canadian citizen. Am I eligible for financial aid?
A: With regard to financial aid, Canadian citizens are considered foreign applicants. Accepted Canadian applicants are expected to secure their own financial assistance. For CHM's entering class of 2006, tuition costs for nonresidents were $55,000 for the first year. There is a credit-based loan program designed specifically for Canadian citizens offered through The International Education Finance Corporation. Funded by First National Bank and guaranteed by TERI Corporation, the Canadian Higher Education Loan Program (CanHELP) was developed to provide funding for Canadian students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities.
Q: I am an international resident. Do I have a chance of being admitted to CHM?
A: Because CHM is a state-supported school with a mission to educate physicians who will serve the needs of the people in Michigan, strong preference is given to students residing in Michigan or with ties to Michigan. A United States permanent resident visa (green card) is required of any international resident (other than a Canadian citizen) applying to CHM. An applicant with a Canadian permanent resident visa will not be considered.
We also require that all applicants complete a baccalaureate degree at a US or Canadian accredited four-year college or university prior to matriculation. Baccalaureate degrees completed at any undergraduate institution other than a US or Canadian accredited one will not be accepted as fulfillment of our undergraduate degree requirement.
In addition to holding a United States permanent resident visa and an undergraduate degree from an accredited US or Canadian four-college or university, all required premedical course work must either be transferable to the home undergraduate school for credit, or must be submitted to a credentialing organization for evaluation for equivalence to US or Canadian course work. There are two credentialing organizations:
If the credentialing organization finds that a required premedical course is not accepted by an accredited US or Canadian undergraduate school for the completion of a baccalaureate degree, the applicant must submit the credentialing organization's findings to each respective department at MSU for an equivalency determination.
Michigan State University is a state-funded institution. Financial aid is not available to international students. Accepted international applicants are expected to secure their own funding. For CHM's entering class of 2006, tuition costs for nonresidents were approximately $55,500 for the first year.
Q: I am a transfer student. Do I have a chance of being admitted to CHM?
A: No, the College of Human Medicine is not accepting applications for transfer admission until further notice.
Q: Do you offer a combined BA-BS/MD Program?
A: Yes. The MD Medical Scholars Program is the College of Human Medicine's combined BA-BS/MD Program. This program is open only to high school seniors who have been accepted to MSU. Each year the College of Human Medicine's (CHM) MD Medical Scholars Program offers a unique enrichment opportunity to 10 academically talented entering freshmen at Michigan State University. Successful applicants to this program are outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate their interest in becoming physicians and leaders through their academic achievement, medical/clinical experiences, and community leadership experiences. The CHM Committee on Admissions selects the Medical Scholars Program participants, favoring applicants who demonstrate leadership and initiative and who have strong humanistic qualities, including compassion, moral strength, and an understanding of individual differences.
Upon graduation from MSU and successful completion of the Medical Scholars Program requirements, Medical Scholars are granted regular admission to the College of Human Medicine. Medical Scholars do not have to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), nor do they have to follow the traditional application process required of all other College of Human Medicine applicants. It is expected that Medical Scholars Program graduates will have developed academically, emotionally, motivationally, and socially in readiness for the rigors of medical education and a career in medicine.
Medical Scholars are expected to participate in all program components, social events, and ongoing program evaluations. The three Medical Scholar Programmatic Components are the Academic Component, the Experiential Component, and the Thematic Component.
For more information:
Visit the MD Medical Scholars Program website
Read the MD Medical Scholars FAQs
Q: What is the LANE Scholars Program?
A: The LANE Scholars Program is sponsored by the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine through the Center of Excellence in Minority Medical Education and Health (COE). LANE seeks to prepare competitive medical school applicants and support them throughout the application process.
The LANE Scholars Program is an enrichment program designed to provide motivation and support to an invited group of undergraduate premedical students at Michigan State University. Each year, 15 high achieving premedical students from minority groups underrepresented in medicine are invited to participate in the LANE Scholars Program.
The standard of the LANE Scholars Program is excellence. LANE recognizes students' early academic achievement and dedication to careers in medicine. The purpose of LANE is to prepare students to be competitive applicants to medical school. LANE focuses on academic achievement, personal and professional development, motivation, and community service as the key components of preparation for the rigors of medical school and medical careers.
For more information, visit the LANE Scholars Program website.
Q: Does CHM have a postbaccalaureate program?
A: Yes, but it is not a traditional postbaccalaureate program. You cannot apply to the ABLE (Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience) program directly; rather, applicants are recommended to the program by the Committee on Admissions. This 12-month, enriched academic experience is offered each year to a group of disadvantaged students who have applied for regular admission to CHM. The entire medical school application process is completed prior to referral to ABLE by the Committee on Admissions. Students who are accepted into ABLE will have all of the academic attributes and experiences the Committee on Admissions looks for in any applicant. Grades and MCAT scores of applicants referred to ABLE will predict success, but not ensure it; the enrichment program is offered prior to formal acceptance to a select group of promising students.
Students accepted into ABLE who successfully complete the minimum requirements of the program are offered regular admission into the entering CHM class. The goal of the ABLE program is to build upon participants' science base through enrollment in upper-level science and medical school course offerings.
For more information:
Visit the Advanced Baccalaureate Learning Experience (ABLE) website
Combined Degree and Dual Degree Programs
Q: Does CHM have a combined degree or dual degree program?
A: Yes. CHM offers the combined MD/PhD degree to a few academically talented and highly motivated students accepted to the College of Human Medicine (CHM).
Talented high school students accepted as undergraduates to MSU may apply to the MD Medical Scholars Program (Baccalaureate/MD) while a high school senior.
Q: Can I earn a master's degree while attending CHM?
A: Yes; although not part of a combined program, it is possible. CHM offers master's degrees in Epidemiology and Bioethics, Humanities, and Society. CHM does not offer a master's degree in public health. Students interested in master's level training in a medically relevant field may wish to consider a master's degree in Epidemiology or Bioethics, Humanities, and Society.
For more information:
Visit the CHM Graduate Education website
Visit the Department of Epidemiology website
Visit the Bioethics, Humanities, and Society website
Q: Should I pursue a joint MA (Bioethics, Humanities and Society)/MD program?
A: The joint MA/MD degree is an option that typically attracts medical students who already have an academic background in the humanities or the social sciences and who would like to deepen their knowledge of those areas as an enrichment of their medical studies.
Students who do well in a joint degree program are those who:
wish to understand health care from multiple perspectives;
who are able to plan and budget their time in a highly disciplined way; and
who find that their regular medical course work does not offer them as full an exploration of the ethical, social, cultural, and/or historical aspects of health care as they would like
Q: Does CHM have a special program for students interested in practicing medicine in a rural area?
A: Yes. The CHM special program for rural medicine is called the Rural Physician Program (RPP). The mission of the College of Human Medicine is explicit about educating excellent primary care physicians who will practice in Michigan's underserved rural communities. The RPP is a highly selective program designed to educate students in becoming exemplary rural physicians.
Each year 10 students admitted to CHM are also admitted to the RPP, a rural, clinical training option for CHM students whose goals are to serve the people of rural communities. RPP includes the very successful Upper Peninsula (UP) program established in 1974. In keeping with the UP program, the RPP curriculum emphasizes the caring, compassionate, humane approach to the doctor-patient relationship.
The goal of the RPP is to provide students with enriched clinical experiences, community service opportunities, and rural lifestyle advantages. CHM Rural Physician Program alumni are encouraged to establish practices in Michigan's rural communities. RPP students receive an excellent clinical education from MSU faculty and CHM-selected board-certified volunteer physicians from rural communities.
For more information:
Visit the Rural Physician Program website
Visit the Upper Peninsula Health Education Corporation website
Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable
Q: Are international experiences available to CHM students?
A: Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved and Vulnerable (LMUV) is a Saginaw campus program that began in the fall of 2004. It has a dedicated focus on the clinical and leadership skills and knowledge necessary to serve medically underserved populations in urban, rural, and international settings. This is built into the core curriculum experience for family practice and pediatrics. All elements of this curriculum, including the international experience, are built around the efforts of the Synergy Medical Education Alliance.
Housing and food will be covered for LMUV students when out of country, but students are responsible for the cost of their travel, an estimated $1,000 for the third year and $1,000 for the fourth year. Travel costs can be included in their financial aid package. Interested students may apply to the LMUV program during the regular application process.
Q: Do students accepted into the LMUV program have to speak Spanish?
A: Yes, all students accepted into the LMUV program are required to speak Spanish at an intermediate conversational level (minimum) by the time they reach Block III (third year) of medical school.
CHM believes that learning about and experiencing research is an important component of medical education. The extensive research being conducted within CHM provides students with opportunities for participating in research across a wide array of disciplines and settings. Faculty investigators in both the clinical and basic science departments serve as valuable mentors. Moreover, CHM is uniquely positioned to offer research experiences unlike most other medical schools, in two important ways.
First, MSU is the only university in the US to be home to three medical schools: CHM, the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The collaborations that exist between these Colleges, as well as with the Colleges of Nursing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Agriculture and Natural Resources, produce ground-breaking, multidisciplinary research that responds to our society's real-life needs. Teams that bring together bioengineering, medicine, and zoology are just one example of the research projects underway at MSU.
Second, CHM’s community-based system provides access to a large base of clinicians, mentors, and patients who participate in research designed to translate findings from bench to bedside.
CHM has multiple units engaged in research:
The Institute for Health Care Studies (IHCS), whose mission is to improve the health care available to Michigan residents through research, policy analysis, education and outreach, and support of quality improvement activities;
The Center of Excellence (COE) in Minority Medical Education - Cultural Diversity Research Program (CDRP), funded by the Department of Health and Social Services, and whose goal is to engage underrepresented minority (URM) students in minority health research and to create a critical mass of students who have an interest in research and who will consider a career in academic medicine;
The Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD), with a history of over three decades as a national leader in innovative curriculum development and evaluation, medical education research including the use of new technology, and the preparation of junior clinical faculty for academic careers, and
The Great Lakes Research in Practice Network (GRIN) which offers access to a statewide network of primary care clinicians experienced in participation in practice-based research.
The CHM Office of Research sponsors multiple student research support services including:
the CHM-Research Listserv, an interactive communication tool for students, residents and faculty across all campuses;
a Student Research Interest Group (SRIG) which meets every 4-6 weeks and offers students peer networking and review of research proposals, seminars on conducting research, faculty research presentations, and an open communications forum;
a ROPES (Research Opportunities and Education for Students) program, currently in development with several components already implemented. It is a comprehensive, formal program of student research support services that will benefit students across all the campuses and facilitate student involvement in research, research products, funding, and collaborations;
Research Days at five of the six campuses with research awards for best faculty, student, and resident oral and poster presentations;
Ruth McIlnay Summer Scholarship Awards to support four students conducting research related to oncology;
4th year research elective options, and
Research Advisory Assistance for help with developing research ideas and projects, connecting to faculty mentors, and gaining research experiences.
For more information, contact the CHM Office of Research at (517) 432-4789 or visit their website.
Financial Aid
Q: What is the Federal School Code for Michigan State University?
A: 002290
Q: What financial aid is available to students attending CHM?
A: The College of Human Medicine recognizes that earning a medical degree is a financial struggle for most students. In keeping with its philosophy of service to students, the MSU Health Professions Financial Aid Office strives to lessen that struggle through grants, fellowships, loans, and other forms of aid. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for financing his or her medical education. Students with excellent credit ratings have fewer struggles in obtaining the financial assistance necessary to meet their financial needs.
Q: What is the tuition at the College of Human Medicine?
A: For the 2006-2007 class, tuition for Michigan residents was approximately $25,500 per year. Out-of-state tuition was approximately $55,500 per year. Tuition at MSU is subject to change by the MSU Board of Trustees.
For more information, visit the MSU Health Professions Financial Aid Office website
Q: How can I obtain Michigan residency?
A: In order to establish Michigan residency, you must live in Michigan for 12 consecutive months without being a student, before you matriculate into medical school. You cannot establish residency while attending medical school unless you are under the age of 24 and your parents move to Michigan, or you have a spouse who is a Michigan resident with full-time professional employment in Michigan. For more information contact Mr. Scott McMillan, Associate Registrar, at dugaldmc@msu.edu or (517) 353-4490.
Electives for International Medical Students
Q: As an international medical student, can I take an elective at the College of Human Medicine?
A: No. CHM's elective programs are not accepting students from foreign medical schools at this time.
Q: How can I obtain information regarding U.S. residency programs for international medical students?
A: Medical practice and postgraduate medical school education in the United States for physicians trained at international medical schools is controlled by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Policies, requirements, and other information is available on their website, along with links to specific postgraduate training programs.
Q: How do I contact the CHM Dean's staff, clinical campuses, or departments?
A: See the CHM Directory.
Q: Where can I get information about the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM)?
A: Visit the COM website or call them at (517) 353-7740.
Q: How can I learn about other MSU programs and degrees offered?
A: Visit the MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships website for a comprehensive list of all undergraduate and graduate programs and degrees offered at Michigan State University.