Program Overview

Medical Humanities Scholars Program

The Medical Humanities Scholars Program is a sequential BA/MD program offered by the Honors College and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. This program allows a small number of incoming freshmen each year to design unique interdisciplinary programs, enhancing their study of medicine with other areas of academic interest from the humanities, arts, and social sciences.

Program Description

Medicine is both art and science. It is the art of understanding humankind in the context of disease — not just recognizing or diagnosing the pathological condition, but seeing how an individual's disease is a product of his or her environment, constitution, and personality. By exploring medicine through the lenses of the historian, the ethicist, the sociologist, the anthropologist, the writer, and the visual artist, students gain insights into the nature of the human condition, human suffering, personhood, and the responsibilities of individuals to one another in sickness and in health.

History of the Program

The University of Oklahoma Honors College and the College of Medicine created a partnership in 2000 to further the study of humanities in relation to medicine. Today, at the Honors College, there are two programs for students interested in pursuing study in the medical humanities: the Medical Humanities Scholars Program (MHSP) and the Medical Humanities Minor.

Application Process and Timeline

• Application opens: September 1st, 2025
• Applications close: January 15th, 2026
• Interview letters sent out: early to mid-March 2026
• Interviews scheduled: mid-March 2026
• Zoom interviews are conducted: late March 2026 (possibly early April 2026)
• Offers made to selected finalists: late March - mid-April 2026
• Acceptance letters mailed out: May 2026

Admission Criteria

• A record of very high overall academic achievement
• Admission to the University of Oklahoma
• Admission to the Honors College
• Students are strongly encouraged to submit their OU application by December 1st

Non-Academic Characteristics

There are no specific non-academic characteristics that are required for consideration or acceptance into the MHSP. However, students with the following attributes are preferred:

• A variety of extracurricular interests
• A firm commitment to a career in medicine as a physician
• A familiarity with clinical medicine (usually gained through volunteer activities and physician "shadowing")
• Knowledge of the problems facing the practice of medicine today
• Genuine and demonstrated interest in the arts, humanities, and social sciences
• Exceptional maturity
• Evidence of altruism as displayed through a variety of volunteer or community-service activities

MCAT Preparation Scholarship

The Honors College MCAT Preparation Scholarship provides support in the form of reimbursement for the MCAT preparation course. Students can choose their preferred preparation service and materials, pay out of pocket, and submit the form with proof of payment. Scholarships will be deposited directly to the OU Bursar account, up to $2,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: What is the deadline to apply to the Medical Humanities Scholars Program (MHSP)?
  • A: The deadline to apply to the program is January 15, 2026.
• Q: What does the MHSP application process and timeline look like?
  • A: The application process and timeline are as follows:
    • Application opens: September 1st, 2025
    • Applications close: January 15th, 2026
    • Interview letters sent out: early to mid-March 2026
    • Interviews scheduled: mid-March 2026
    • Zoom interviews are conducted: late March 2026 (possibly early April 2026)
    • Offers made to selected finalists: late March - mid-April 2026
    • Acceptance letters mailed out: May 2026
• Q: What does "provisional acceptance" at the College of Medicine mean for students admitted into the MHSP?
  • A: Provisional acceptance means that a spot is waiting for the student at the OU College of Medicine if they achieve an MCAT score and a GPA that are equal to or higher than the average MCAT score and GPA of the previous year's incoming medical school class.
• Q: How many students apply to the MHSP each year?
  • A: On average, over 250 applications are received per year from 30+ states.
• Q: How many students are accepted into the MHSP each year?
  • A: Between 5 and 8 students are accepted into the program each year. The program is considering accepting more students in the admissions cycle.