Q. The website says that APME offers early conditional admission. What does conditional admission mean?
A. Earning admission into the APME program means that applicants earned early conditional admission into the College of Medicine- Tucson. This admission is based on successfully completing APME requirements during the 3 years in the undergraduate program to secure the conditional admission.
Q. How many applicants will receive admissions?
A. Five applicants will receive admissions. This is a very competitive program.
Q. Who should our letters of recommendation come from and how many should be submitted?
A. A minimum of three letters should be submitted from someone you have interacted with in an employment, volunteer, or clinical setting. We recommend letters from teachers, professors or mentors who can best speak to your academic qualities. Applicants are allowed to a maximum of 5 letters.
Q. Will students receive a bachelor’s degree in 3 years?
A. Students will not receive a bachelor’s degree. They will complete undergraduate prerequisite coursework that will prepare them for the MD Curriculum. After successfully completing the APME program, students will receive their MD degree in an additional four years. (Seven years in total). Students may opt into completing their bachelors but must complete it in the 3 years they are in the undergrad, but it is not required.
Q. Can I earn my bachelor's while in APME?
A. Yes, students can choose to work towards their bachelor's degree while in APME. However, students must work to earn their degree in the 3 years they are in the undergraduate. This could mean a heavier course load and potentially taking courses outside of the traditonal fall/spring semesters. Earning a bachelor's degree is not required in APME but a student can choose to do so.
Q. The supplemental questions state a minimum of 350 words but allows me to submit more, will my answer be cut off?
A. Your entire answer will be included in the application; however, the goal is to provide your answer in 350 words or less.
Q. Are there additional fees or tuition for APME?
A. No, there are no outside fees or additional tuition in the APME program. While a student is in the first 3 years of the Undergraduate side, they will be charged tuition like any other student and nothing will look different for them. The same goes for when APME students begin medical school, there will be no additional fees, only the required tuition for all medical school students. APME students will be eligible to apply for scholarships, loans, and grants while they are in the undergraduate classes as well as the medical school.
Q. When will interviews take place?
A. Interviews will take place on March 3, 2023 and will be held virtually via Zoom. This will be the only interview day, we will not hold makeup interviews. There will be about 30 invititations to interview sent out.
Q. When will applicants be notified of their acceptance into the program?
A. Applicants will be notified in March 24, 2023 and will need to commit to the APME program by April 21, 2023.
Q. What happens if I am not admitted to APME?
A. If you are not admitted to APME, you can work to potentially gain admission to the Honors Early Assurance Program (HEAP). The Honors College MedCat Early Assurance Program allows for academically talented students to gain early admission to the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine-Tucson. You can view the criteria here: https://honors.arizona.edu/medcat
Q. What is the timeline for this application cycle?
A. Application Deadline: January 20, 2023 (See full timeline below)
Q. Are out of state students allowed to apply?
A. Yes! In state and out of state students are eligible and welcome to apply!
Q. Are in state students given prioirty? Are there spots reserved for in state students?
A. No, there is no prioirity given to in or out of state students. All students who apply to APME will be viewed equally through our holistic review process. To learn more about our holistic review process, read more under the "Application Process" tab on the left side of the page. 5 spots are offered to students for the APME program, there are no spots reserved for in or out of state students. Ultimately, we are looking for students who are the best fit for the College of Medicine- Tucson, have a passion for our mission and values and have a passion towards becoming a physician.
Q. What is the selection criteria for admissions?
A. We will conduct a holistic review of your application and will take your overall GPA, and any experiences, awards, test scores etc. you may have into consideration along with the answers to the supplemental questions. We will be looking for applicants who demonstrate specific attributes that align with the College of Medicine - Tucson’s mission and vision.
Q. Do I have to be in a College of Medicine-Tucson major as an undergraduate student?
A. No, you do not have to be in a College of Medicine- Tucson undergraduate major to participate in APME. However, there is a set course list that the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson requires for admission. Science based majors are typically recommended to ensure all required courses are covered, to see the list of requirements, you can visit this link: https://theacenter.arizona.edu/ua-college- medicine-tucson-prerequisites
Q. Once I have submitted my application and I am awarded a scholarship or have things to add, how can I add to my application?
A. We do not accept any application updates. Once your application is submitted, you will not be able to add, remove, or change any content. Timing of application submission does not have any impact on chances of being admitted so we recommend students take their time when completing their application.
Q. Do I still have to wait 3 years to start the MD program if I come in with a year or more of AP credit or dual enrollment/transfer credit?
A. Yes, you will still take 3 years of undergraduate courses. If you have your COM-T prerequisites done, then you can take courses in any other area of interest you have! You can use this opportunity to explore other areas you may have been curious about but you will still have to complete the 3 years of undergraduate courses prior to starting the MD program at COM-T.
Dates & Deadlines
Application Opens: September 12, 2022
Application Due: January 20, 2023
Letters of Recommendations and Unofficial Transcripts due: January 20, 2023
Application Review Begins: February 2023
Invitations to Interview: Week of February 20th, 2023
Virtual Visit Day (Virtual Interviews Conducted): March 3, 2023
Acceptances Announced: March 17, 2023
Students Commit to APME: April 21, 2023
Second Look Event: April 2023