The Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway (P-MAP) Program is a 13-month, full-time, intensive medical school preparation program designed to prepare Arizona students to succeed in the rigors of medical school at the College of Medicine – Tucson. The program includes coursework toward a Master of Science degree in cellular and molecular medicine, professional and clinical development, success seminars, and conditional admission to the College of Medicine – Tucson MD program.

The P-MAP program focuses on three main areas of preparation:

1. Educational enrichment: a combination of graduate coursework, previews of medical school block courses, and the opportunity to work with a learning specialist to develop study strategies for handling the pace, rigor and volume of content covered in medical school
2. Professional socialization: development of professional skills through mentorship, clinical experience, opportunities to give professional presentations and exposure to medical etiquette
3. Life management: training and coaching in financial and stress management, goal setting for medical school and beyond, the transition to medical school curriculum, and access to confidential personal counseling services

P-MAP will focus on the competencies defined by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
 

Medical School Resources

P-MAP students will have access to many of the same resources, facilities, faculty and opportunities as our current medical students. In addition to academic preparation, the program socializes students into the College’s ecosystem.

Master’s Degree

P-MAP is a graduate program leading to a master’s degree in cellular and molecular medicine. The coursework is a great preparation path for medical school, and the degree will look great on residency application, but its primary advantage is that it helps students prepare for medical school.

Financial Aid

Because P-MAP is a graduate program, students have access to scholarships and financial aid opportunities that are not available for post-baccalaureate and medical students. As full-time graduate students, P-MAP students qualify for federal financial aid and university graduate scholarship programs, and enjoy the services of the medical school’s financial aid office, which provides personalized, local support and guidance to students.

Learning Support and Development

Many students have likened learning in medical school to “drinking from a fire hose,” referencing the fast pace and high volume of information medical students are expected to process, retain and utilize in their studies. P-MAP students work with a learning specialist to develop study strategies that work for them, starting the first week of classes. Support includes group seminars and regular individual meetings to tailor assistance to each student’s needs.

Counseling Services

The transition to medical school can be challenging mentally, physically, and emotionally. P-MAP provides the support of a clinical psychologist for students to help them manage the stressors that may come with coursework, acclimating to medical school, changing careers, family dynamics, etc. Our psychologist provides group workshops and individual sessions.

Mentorship

P-MAP students are assigned a mentor from the previous cohort, a College of Medicine – Tucson physician Society Mentor, and a cellular and molecular medicine faculty mentor, in addition to other mentors overseeing the master’s thesis.
 

The program considers applicants who:

• are Arizona residents
• have faced socioeconomic disadvantages, are first-generation college students, grew up in either rural areas or the U.S./Mexico border region, or are enrolled members in a federally recognized tribe
• demonstrate principles of cultural competence, altruism and social accountability
• are fluent in English and may also be conversant in languages commonly spoken in Arizona (e.g., Spanish, Navajo)

Applicants must meet the following academic requirements:

• completion of a bachelor’s degree prior to starting the program
• a minimum 3.0 overall undergraduate GPA and an overall undergraduate BCPM GPA of 3.0,  in addition to a minimum 3.0 GPA in the required science coursework. Applicants who do not have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or BCPM GPA, but who have taken at least 12 credits of either post-baccalaureate or graduate coursework in premedical hard sciences and earned at least a 3.0 GPA in that coursework, may still be considered.
• completion of the College of Medicine – Tucson’s core academic prerequisite coursework (applicants may complete some of outstanding medical school prerequisites with applicable P-MAP courses)
• 3 letters of recommendation, including one from a clinical setting
• minimum MCAT score of 498 within four years of matriculation

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson reviews applicants with a holistic approach when selecting incoming students. A single component of an application will not push a student ahead or hold them back. All materials will be reviewed to promote a fair and equitable consideration of an application, including the experiences, attributes, and metrics. One portion of an application does not carry weight over another portion. Our admissions office looks at applicants beyond metrics to ensure that each student is a good fit for our mission and values and has a passion for medicine.

To transition from P-MAP to medical school, students must meet the below requirements:

1. P-MAP cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation, and will meet with P-MAP leadership to determine the best strategy for raising their GPA.
2. meeting the P-MAP Core Competencies on science, thinking, reasoning and problem-solving; professionalism, including interpersonal and intrapersonal skills; communication; and leadership. Competencies will be evaluated at least once per semester.
3. participation and completion of all P-MAP program courses, sessions and workshops, passing all courses with a “C” or better

If a student does not meet the minimum requirements, they will not transition to the MD program, and all efforts will be made to assist the student in completing their master’s degree in cellular and molecular medicine.
 

The P-MAP curriculum is closely aligned, or taught in tandem, with the College of Medicine – Tucson medical school curriculum. Students are taught by some of the faculty who will be teaching their core sciences courses during their first two years of medical school.

P-MAP 13-month curriculum

Summer 

• CMM 510 Human Histology (3 units)
• CMM 501 Human Gross Anatomy (4 units)
• CMM 504 Cell Biology of Disease (3 units)CMM 696C Mastering Medical Curriculum (1 unit)
• P-MAP Societies

Fall

• BIOC 537 Medical Biochemistry (4 units)
• CMM 603 Art of Scientific Communication (2 units)
• CMM 605 Medical Immunology & Infectious Disease (4 units)
• CMM 910 Thesis (1 to 3 units)
• CMM 696C Mastering Medical Curriculum (1 unit)
• P-MAP Societies

Spring

• PATH 515 Mechanisms of Human Disease (4 units, plus lab)
• CMM 597 Scientific Communication (3 units)
• CMM 505 Critical Connections Between Basic Science & Clinical Medicine (4 units)
• CMM 696C Mastering Medical Curriculum (1 unit)
• CMM 910 Thesis 1 (3 units)
• P-MAP Societies

Summer

• PHCL 504 Human Neurosciences (2 units)
• CMM 910 Thesis (1 to 3 units)
   

The P-MAP application is open from July 1 through October 31. Applications submitted after October 31 will not be considered.

To be eligible for P-MAP, you must be an Arizona resident. If you are not sure of your residency status, you can contact the Residency Classification Office for information on requirements for proving resident status.

Having a graduate degree, such as a master’s or a doctorate, does not preclude you from admission to P-MAP.

You may still be eligible to apply to P-MAP. You would likely have a different set of course requirements, as arranged with your adviser, to build upon your previous CMM study and prepare you for medical school; however, you would not be eligible to complete another CMM degree.

Transfer units will not be accepted. P-MAP students must enroll in and complete the required P-MAP curriculum courses.

Late applications will not adversely affect P-MAP applicants as long as they are submitted by the application deadline. The College of Medicine – Tucson has one established interview date for P-MAP applicants. Every applicant who meets the admission criteria will be reviewed.

The Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway is only available at the College of Medicine – Tucson. The College of Medicine – Phoenix is a separate college within the University of Arizona, and has a similar program called the Pathway Scholars Program (PSP).

Yes. P-MAP is a separate application through the Graduate College. To apply for the MD program, you will need to apply to the College of Medicine – Tucson through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

No, you do not need to be fluent in a non-English language commonly spoken in Arizona (e.g., Spanish, Navajo, Apache, O’odham, Yoeme), but it is helpful. If you are conversant in any of these languages, be sure to explain specifically how you use the language (e.g., at work, at home, service to the community) in your application.