Early assurance for undergraduate students

The Process

The Early Assurance (Undergraduate) Plan is a two-step process available exclusively to undergraduate students enrolled at a limited number of selected schools leading to admission at NEOMED in the College of Medicine as an Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) student.

The first step consists of an undergraduate student securing a nomination for early assurance consideration to NEOMED which may reserve a future seat in medical school at NEOMED. This first step does not constitute an offer of admission to NEOMED. In general, any student who has yet to graduate may be eligible for early assurance depending upon the curricular options and requirements associated with their college/university. The nomination timeline and process may vary by cooperating institution. For this reason, it is very important that  students contact their undergraduate advisors as soon as they have an interest in pursuing early assurance to NEOMED. Following nomination, a successful interview with NEOMED is required for a candidate to receive early assurance privileges which then reserve a future seat in medical school for a designated year. Nomination followed by a successful interview may then result in candidates receiving early assurance privileges on a space available basis. Successful candidates will be notified of early assurance privileges at this point in the process.

The second step allows a student who has been granted early assurance privilege to NEOMED the opportunity to apply for admission to claim that reserved seat. This second step is the actual process of obtaining admission to the College of Medicine at NEOMED.  All Early Assurance pathways at NEOMED are binding and enforced through AMCAS. Candidates who change their admission plans to apply to other AAMC medical schools in addition to NEOMED at the time application in AMCAS are subject to forfeiture of their early assurance.

Early Assurance constitutes a student earning the privilege of a reserved seat in medical school at NEOMED provided the candidate meets or exceeds admission standards to claim their reserved seat. Early Assurance is not admission to medical school at NEOMED and does not “guarantee” admission at a later date.

Effective May 2021

Updated July 2022

Step 1

Nomination for Early Assurance (undergraduate) through a NEOMED collaborating college or university

Students currently enrolled at a college or university collaborating with NEOMED may be eligible for nomination to receive early assurance privileges to the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program at NEOMED. Interested candidates should consult the designated pre-health/pre-medicine advisor at their college/university for more information.

Currently enrolled students may secure early assurance privileges as follows:

1. Secure a nomination for early assurance through the designated process at a participating college/university. Early assurance candidates will select one designated year of matriculation to NEOMED in consultation with the pre-medical/pre-health advisor.
2. All early assurance candidates must possess an AAMC ID and have completed the Altus Assessments CASPer evaluation prior to scheduling interviews with NEOMED. NEOMED must be in receipt of Altus Assessment suite results in order for a candidate to schedule an interview with NEOMED as part of the early assurance evaluation process.
3. Candidates will interview with NEOMED for early assurance privileges following nomination. A successful interview is required for early assurance. Each partner college/university has a designated number of early assurance seats per cohort.
4. Interview results will be evaluated by the NEOMED College of Medicine Admissions Committee. The committee will determine whether nominated candidates will receive early assurance privileges to NEOMED.
5. Candidates with early assurance privileges will continue to work with their pre-medical/pre-health advisors at their undergraduate schools through successful application to NEOMED.

Step 2

Applying for Admission to the M.D. program after receiving Early Assurance (Undergraduate) Privileges

Candidates granted early assurance privileges are required to complete the following in order to receive admission to the College of Medicine as M.D. students:

1. Students must follow all AMCAS Early Assurance plan application procedures and deadlines.
2. Students must continue to attend the same undergraduate college/university where they were awarded early assurance. Early assurance is non-transferrable among participating schools.
3. Early Assurance Undergraduate students must apply for admission through AMCAS using the Early Assurance admission plan by September 1 prior to the year they wish to matriculate to the M.D. program. The AMCAS early assurance plan deadline for matriculation to NEOMED in 2024 is September 1, 2023.
4. Early Assurance students must be on track to successfully complete all required pre-requisite courses with a grade of “C-” or better to apply for admission to NEOMED.
5. Early Assurance students neither re-take the Altus Assessment CASPer test, nor re-interview at the time of application for admission to NEOMED.
6. Early Assurance Undergraduate admission decisions will be made by the NEOMED College of Medicine Admissions Committee in the September and October meetings. Candidates will receive an admission decision within two weeks.
7. Candidates that do not meet their early assurance admission requirements in October review will have the following two options from which to choose:
   • Withdraw from binding NEOMED early assurance and forfeit their reserved seat in the NEOMED College of Medicine. Their applications will be rolled into the AMCAS Regular Decision pool for consideration by other AAMC allopathic medical schools prior to the November 1 deadline. Or;
   • Maintain their binding NEOMED early assurance status and request a second review of their application credentials by the NEOMED College of Medicine Admissions Committee. January review must be requested by the candidate, but it is granted automatically without need for appeal. Review data may include consideration of fall semester grades improving GPA/BCPM GPA and/or new MCAT scores. All January review admission decisions are final for the admission cycle and candidates that do not meet admission standards will be denied admission for that admission cycle. Denied candidates shall not be reviewed again.
8. Early Assurance (undergraduate) students shall meet or exceed all admission standards, or they shall not expect to be admitted to NEOMED as M.D. students. All admission decisions are rendered by the NEOMED College of Medicine Admissions Committee.
9. All of the above remains in effect for early assurance (undergraduate) students holding early assurance privileges to the NEOMED M.D. program for 2023 and 2024. Beginning with future students granted early assurance privileges in 2025 and 2026 NEOMED will introduce the master’s plus M.D. transformational year program comprising early assurance to the NEOMED M.D. program. Details are forthcoming throughout the 2022 – 2023 early assurance nomination cycle.

Effective July 2022