Program Overview
Introduction to the Early Assurance Pathway
The Early Assurance Pathway is a partnership program between The University of Akron and Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) that allows current UA students to apply for provisional admission to NEOMED beginning in their second year of study at UA.
Academic Flexibility
The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences is recommended for students pursuing the Early Assurance Pathway as the coursework overlaps with the NEOMED admission requirements. However, students may choose to pursue any of UA's degree programs. Majoring in Biology, Biochemistry, or Biomedical Engineering are always popular options with our pre-med students. Additionally, our Behavioral Science, Social Science, and Humanities departments offer majors like Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology, or Sociology which can accommodate NEOMED's admission requirements while allowing students to explore topics, such as social determinants of health or biomedical ethics.
Experiential Opportunities
Students at UA also have the opportunity to engage in high-quality experiential learning that exposes them to biomedical research and/or clinical experiences. Notably, our experiential learning opportunities offer students exposure to health disparities facing ethno-racial minority and refugee communities in and around the Akron area. Experiential learning opportunities are quite varied at UA and may occur via clinical experiences at Akron Children's Hospital, translational research with faculty members at UA, or shadowing opportunities at community organizations such as rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and community health centers that offer substance abuse treatment, HIV prevention, and mental health services among other health services.
Program Structure
The program consists of two phases:
- Phase 1 is the undergraduate curriculum at UA
- Phase 2 is medical school at NEOMED
Phase 1
Students pursuing the Early Assurance Pathway work with the Pre-Health Adviser to ensure they are taking the necessary coursework and engaging in appropriate extracurricular experiences to become a competitive applicant for the Early Assurance Pathway. After students apply to the Early Assurance Pathway and are provisionally admitted, they will finish their degree requirements at UA, maintain required grade point averages (GPA), achieve required scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and meet all other standards of readiness for medical education during their third and fourth years at UA before being promoted directly to NEOMED for Phase 2.
Phase 2
Phase 2 consists of a five-year MS+MD course study at the NEOMED campus in Rootstown, Ohio, and at selected clinical campuses.
Admission Criteria
To be admitted to the Early Assurance Pathway, a student must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
- Have a minimum ACT (or SAT) and GPA requirements
- 26 ACT/1240 SAT & 3.4 or higher GPA/BCPM
- 25 ACT/1210 SAT & 3.5 or higher GPA/BCPM
- 24 ACT/1180 SAT & 3.6 or higher GPA/BCPM
- 23 ACT/1140 SAT & 3.7 or higher GPA/BCPM
- Or, in lieu of ACT (or SAT) scores, be in good standing in the Honors College with a 3.4 or higher GPA/BCPM
- Successfully complete 20 credits of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Math/Stats coursework at the time of application
- Have completed a year at UA as a full-time degree-seeking student, post-high school graduation
Promotion Requirements
NEOMED requires that provisionally admitted students must:
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher
- Maintain a 3.4 BCPM GPA or higher in all science and math courses with an earned grade of 'C' or higher
- Complete a bachelor's degree program, NEOMED prerequisite courses, as well as all courses required of the Early Assurance Pathway
- Be enrolled in 12 or more credit hours each semester upon admission
- Take the MCAT by July 31st of the preceding year to be eligible for admission to NEOMED
- Satisfy minimum MCAT score requirements
NEOMED Prerequisites and Early Assurance Pathway Courses
- BIOL 111 Principles of Biology I w/Lab
- BIOL 112 Principles of Biology II w/Lab
- CHEM 151,152 Principles of Chemistry I w/Lab
- CHEM 153,154 Principles of Chemistry II w/Qualitative Analysis Lab
- CHEM 263/265 Organic Chemistry I w/Lab
- CHEM 264/266 Organic Chemistry II w/Lab
- CHEM 401 Biochemistry I
- PHYS 261 Physics for Life Sciences I w/Lab
- PHYS 262 Physics for Life Sciences II w/Lab
Strongly Recommended Coursework
- BIOL 190 Health Care and Delivery Systems
- BIOL 211 Genetics
- BIOL 331 Microbiology
- BIOL 363/364 Foundations of Physiology w/Lab
- BIOL 401 Human Anatomy for Biology Majors w/Lab
- BIOL 485/486 Cell Physiology w/Lab
- MATH 221 Analytic Geometry-Calculus I
- STAT 261/262 Introductory Stats I & II
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Early Assurance Pathway?
The Early Assurance Pathway is a partnership program where current UA students can apply for provisional admission to NEOMED beginning in their second year of study at UA.
Why should I consider/apply for the Early Assurance Pathway?
Admission to medical school is extremely competitive. The Early Assurance Pathway at UA has an acceptance rate of over 80%.
What does "provisional admission" mean?
Provisional admission means that you have been offered admission to NEOMED and they are holding a seat in medical school for you provided that you meet certain qualifications in the time allotted.
How many students are admitted into the program?
NEOMED can accept up to 20 UA students through the EAP each year.