Application Procedure
The University of Arizona College of Medicine participates in the American Medical Colleges Application Service (AMCAS). Individuals seeking admission to the entering class must process their applications through AMCAS, even if this is the only school to which they apply. There is a single application for The University of Arizona College of Medicine that will be used for admission consideration to both the Phoenix and Tucson campuses.
Applicants should apply only if they are ready to matriculate
in July 2010.
Those wishing to apply for the class entering in 2010 should follow the steps outlined below:
- AMCAS: Follow instructions included at the AAMC AMCAS Web site and submit the application electronically. The University of Arizona College of Medicine deadline for applications is Nov. 1, 2009. Note: You must request that the registrar forward official transcripts directly to the AMCAS office by Nov. 1, 2009, for every junior college, college and university you have attended. All transcripts should arrive before your application reaches the AMCAS office since no processing of your materials will be performed until both the application materials and all required official transcripts are received by AMCAS. In your instructions to AMCAS, you will designate the medical schools to which you wish to apply and pay a fee based on the number of those schools. Even if you have previously applied to this school, or any other school under AMCAS, you must submit an entirely new application and transcripts each year. Note: No MCAT scores before 2006 will be accepted.
- Screening: The UA College of Medicine will consider only applicants with a total MCAT score of 22 or higher. Applicants who fall below this standard will be informed of their status upon receipt of the AMCAS application by the Admissions Office and will be encouraged to retake the MCAT. Note: Sept. 12, 2009 is the latest exam we will accept.
- Secondary Application: All applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to complete a Web-based secondary application specific to The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Applicants will have the option to declare a campus preference during the secondary application.
- Letters of Recommendation: Applicants are asked to submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who know them well and can attest to their fitness for the medical profession. Applicants who submit a composite pre-professional committee letter from their school may submit two additional letters of recommendation, but are not required to do so. Applicants who have participated in clinical activities and/or academic research are encouraged to include recommendation letters from their clinical or community service supervisor and/or research mentors. Applicant letters that are transmitted to the Admissions Committee by your undergraduate advising office may be submitted by using VirtualEvals. Once your letters are posted to VirtualEvals, they will be downloaded by AMCAS and made available to the UA College of Medicine Admissions Office. If you have a question about whether or not your advising office uses VirtualEvals, please contact your undergraduate advising office.
- Invitation to appear for personal interview: Applicants will be invited for interviews between September and February. Personal interviews are an integral part of the admission process, and no application is complete without an interview. You should anticipate interviewing separately at each campus unless you have indicated a strong preference in your secondary application.
- Deadline: Files not completed by Jan. 15, 2010, will be withdrawn from consideration.
Admissions Committee Process:
- Admissions Review: The Admissions Office will review all files periodically and notify you of materials that are missing and preventing your file from review. Files not completed by Jan. 15, 2010, will be withdrawn from consideration. Your file is ready for review once all materials are received.
- Notification of Admissions Committee decisions: Final decisions will be communicated via e-mail and U.S. mail on a rolling basis, beginning in the fall.
- Letter of Intent: Accepted applicants must submit a letter of intent within two weeks to retain their place in the class. No deposit is required. Applicants accepted to both campuses must indicate their preference within two weeks of receiving the second campus offer.
- Final Decision: In accordance with the AAMC National Traffic Deadline, applicants should make their final decision and retain only one acceptance, releasing their seat with other programs by May 15, 2010.
- Planning for Matriculation: Final acceptance for enrollment for all accepted applicants is contingent upon continued satisfactory level of academic and personal performance, completion of required course work by the end of the spring semester and all other requirements. The UA College of Medicine suggests that certified WICHE acceptees (Montana and Wyoming) apply for full and uninterrupted funding from their state of origin. All accepted applicants are expected to start in the fall of the year they are accepted. Requests for a one-year deferral of matriculation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Alternate Positions: Alternate positions are created in the event an accepted applicant chooses another program, which can occur beyond the May 15 deadline. In theory, an alternate applicant could receive news of an acceptance up to and including the first day of orientation.
- Deferral of Admission Policy: With the limited
number of positions that can be offered to prospective medical
students, The University of Arizona College of Medicine expects
that students accepted to the College of Medicine will matriculate
in the year in which they are accepted. Thus, prospective students
should only apply if they anticipate being able to accept admission
in the year offered. However, under limited circumstances, accepted
students may request a one-year deferral of matriculation
for a maximum of one year. The request must be
submitted in writing to the Director of Admissions of the campus
the student has selected to attend by June 1 of the acceptance
year. Examples of circumstances for which deferrals may be granted
include:
- Illness
- Unanticipated family hardship
- Completion of another advanced degree, which is in progress
- A meaningful educational opportunity (i.e. Fulbright, Rhodes,
or Marshal scholarship
If a deferral is granted, to activate the acceptance for
admission in the subsequent academic year, the deferred
student must notify the Admissions Office no later than June
1 of the year of deferred matriculation. In addition, it is expected
that the student will submit a statement of activities during
the deferral year and official transcripts for any academic work
attempted or completed since the commencement of the deferral
year.
AMCAS requires all accepted students who are granted deferrals to submit a new
AMCAS application for the year they will be entering. The deferred student is
not required to pay a fee to AMCAS if they are committing to The University of
Arizona College of Medicine and will not be applying to other schools during
the application cycle. Note: If the student intends to apply to other medical
schools, the deferred student is responsible for all AMCAS fees associated with
their application and forfeits the deferred admission of the University of Arizona.
They will be considered for admission to the University of Arizona College of
Medicine on a competitive basis.
If students do not activate their acceptance to the University of Arizona College
of Medicine after one year, their acceptance will be withdrawn. If they wish
to reapply, they must complete a new AMCAS application, including new supporting
documents and paying the required fees. Reapplication will be competitive with
all other applicants. Again, students who are contemplating pursuing other academic
degrees or travel should strongly consider delaying application until they are
ready to matriculate if accepted into The University of Arizona College of Medicine.
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