Early Medical School Selection Program Overview

The Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Early Medical School Selection Program (EMSSP) prepares students to navigate the transition to medical school through rigorous undergraduate coursework, early exposure to the medical school curriculum and culture, and the development of a unique and supportive community. Admission through the EMSSP grants provisional acceptance into Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine at the completion of undergraduate study.

BUSM is an urban school affiliated with a teaching hospital that serves a patient population that is more than half people of color and more than half underserved. Our primary mission is preparing culturally humble, clinically excellent physicians to meet the healthcare needs of a diverse population. BUSM has a legacy of providing high-quality medical education and opportunities to people of color and gender and sexual diversity.

Structure

Students accepted into the EMSSP remain at their undergraduate colleges through their junior year. Through curriculum planning with the program director, the student will complete a program of study at their home institution that will best prepare them to spend their senior year at Boston University (BU).

Summers

Students enroll in six weeks of summer courses at BU in the summer prior to their junior year and eight weeks of coursework at BU including a formal Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) preparatory course prior to their senior year.

Senior Year

The senior year is spent at BU enrolled in a combination of undergraduate and graduate level courses. During this year students retain degree candidacy at their home institutions while participating in individualized programs of study at BU, satisfying the undergraduate academic requirements and enrolling in graduate-level coursework that is the foundation for the first-year medical school curriculum. The academic challenge at the BU undergraduate campus and the exposure to the graduate-level courses in the senior year allow a decompressed transition facilitated by familiarity with the rigorous study schedule and greater comfort with the course work. In addition, the students become familiar with Boston, the medical school campus, and the community.

Promotion

After earning a baccalaureate degree from their home institution, a student who performed at the prescribed level will matriculate at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine the next academic year. Upon completion of the medical school requirements, the degree of Doctor of Medicine is granted by Boston University.

Dual Degree Programs

Students applying for admission to the EMSSP are eligible to pursue programs of study leading to combined MD/PhD, MD/MPH, MD/MBA, MD/JD, and MD/MSCI degrees.

Partner Schools

BUSM has written agreements with the following schools for the Early Medical School Selection Program:

• Chaminade University
• Clark-Atlanta University         
• Dillard University                          
• Hampton University                        
• Morehouse College                          
• Morgan State University                  
• North Carolina Central University  
• Spelman College
• Tougaloo College
• University of Texas at El Paso
• University of the Incarnate Word
• University of the Virgin Islands
• Virginia Union University

If you are a student at, or plan to attend, one of our partner institutions, we invite you to apply. Please visit the EMSSP Admissions page to learn more.