Early Admissions Programs
The JABSOM Scholars: A Doctor of Medicine Early Acceptance Program for Entering Hawaiʻi Resident Freshman
The JABSOM Scholars: A Doctor of Medicine Early Acceptance Program for Entering Hawaiʻi Resident Freshman is a joint program offered by The John A. Burns School of Medicine, and Undergraduate Programs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, including the Honors Program, Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center, ACE Learning Communities, Student Housing Services and the Office of Admissions.
The primary goal of the Doctor of Medicine Early Acceptance Program (DMEAP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) is to commit access to the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) to outstanding high school graduates throughout the State of Hawaiʻi who have demonstrated exceptional ability and commitment to pursing a medical degree. DMEAP prepares students to become exemplary physicians through a quality undergraduate education blending the arts and sciences, including applied sciences as engineering or medical technology.
- Benefits
- Eligibility
- Curriculum
- DMEAP Application
- Maintaining Eligibility
- Terminating the Agreement
- Application to Medical School
- Assessment
Benefits
JABSOM Scholars receive an exemplary pre-med education with the added benefit of early acceptance into JABSOM. They will:
- Receive scholarship support covering undergraduate tuition costs for four years;
- Participate in the Honors Program;
- Participate in an ACE Learning Community;
- Receive priority registration
- Receive training in cultural competencies in health professions;
- Receive regular academic advising and guidance from PAC;
- Receive mentoring from JABSOM alumni;
- Participate in Summer Clinical, Research and Service Internships
- Work with JABSOM faculty to establish early relationships with the medical community;
- Engage in appropriate community service;
- Have the opportunity to incorporate travel into their pre-med curriculum through programs as Study Abroad, National Student Exchange or UHM's Congressional Internship Program;
- Additionally, as fourth-year medical students (M4), JABSOM Scholars will be eligible for a one month study abroad senior elective through JABSOM's Global Health Program.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a resident of the State of Hawaiʻi as determined by JABSOM's Kamaaina Screen;
- Commit to attending JABSOM upon successful completion of DMEAP;
- Demonstrate academic accomplishments indicative of success in medical school, examples include:
- Exceptional Grade Point Average (GPA) in High School (3.8 or higher)
- A minimum combined SAT score of 1800 (critical reading/math/writing)
- An ACT composite score of 27 (including the writing section)
- Advanced Placement (AP) Credits
- Must complete or have in-progress college preparatory pre-calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics
- Receive formal recognition of exceptional achievement, examples include:
- Scholastic awards
- Athletic awards
- Artistic awards
- Civic and community service awards
- Demonstrate a pattern of broad interests; abilities; and school, civic and community engagement; examples include:
- Service organizations, clubs or volunteer programs
- Student Government
- Leadership roles
- Cultural activities
- Long-term, in-depth personal hobbies, activities or interests
Curriculum
The DMEAP curriculum is both rigorous and thorough. JABSOM Scholars will:
- Complete a challenging, individualized course of study approved by PAC's Director;
- Reside in an on-campus residence hall their first year to facilitate participation in an ACE Learning Community;
- Complete all of JABSOM's prerequisites as listed in the current Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR);
- Complete the Honors program;
- Meet at least once each semester with both Honors and PAC advisors;
- Complete a mandatory academic advising and planning program;
- Conduct research and successfully complete a Senior Honors project;
- Travel outside of Hawaiʻi to broaden social/cultural horizons and to explore health issues in other areas (this requirement can be waived by PAC's Director on grounds of financial or other hardship);
- Shadow or volunteer service for a physician or physicians (minimum of one semester)*;
- Gain experience with non-physician health careers (minimum of one semester)*;
- Provide community service approved by PAC's Director*;
- Participate in the medical community through professional organizations*; and
- Maintain a curriculum vita (CV) documenting the asterisked (*) activities, which should reveal increasing readiness for medical school.
DMEAP Application
Admission into DMEAP is competitive and only exceptional students will be admitted. During the pilot stage, DMEAP may accept up to a maximum of ten (10) students per year. Acceptance into DMEAP signifies a commitment by both JABSOM and the student; by JABSOM in accepting the student upon entry to UH-Mānoa, and by the student in committing to attending JABSOM upon successful completion of their undergraduate degree and DMEAP requirements. Thus, admission to DMEAP precludes applying to other medical schools. A commitment to serve in Hawai'i upon completion of medical training is highly desirable.
Applicants must complete a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa application and the following:
- Must submit UH Mānoa Undergraduate Application, if you have already submitted an application, please complete the additional items by the deadline;
- An essay of 2-3 pages explaining your career goals; commitment to a medical education; why you want to attend JABSOM; and how you contribute, both now and will in the future, to Hawaiʻi and its communities;
- List and describe briefly the most significant activities in which you have participated, volunteer work you have performed, awards you have received, educational programs in which you have participated, and paid employment you have had during high school;
- DMEAP Application (PDF);
- Two letters of academic recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant's academic performance and potential; and,
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant's integrity, responsibility, work-ethic and other personal characteristics contributing to the applicant's DMEAP candidacy.
Complete applications must be received by the UH-Mānoa Admissions Office by January 5, 2013. The Admissions Office will ensure applications are complete and perform initial screening for eligibility. Applications will then be forwarded to the DMEAP Selection Committee for further review.
Maintaining Eligibility
To remain in DMEAP, students must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Maintain a 3.4 science/math GPA
- Complete a minimum of 12 credits per semester and an average of 30 credits per year
- Maintain good standing in the Honors program
- Maintain satisfactory progress through the curriculum, as outlined in the academic plan
- Meet all requirements of the mandatory advising program
- On the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), receive a minimum aggregate score of 30 with no lower than 9 in any one section OR a minimum aggregate score of 31 with no lower than 8 in any one section.
- Demonstrate high moral behavior personally, academically, and professionally
- Graduate with an undergraduate degree from UHM
- Remain in good standing in DMEAP
To document good standing, students must obtain and submit to PAC annual evaluations from JABSOM, Honors, and PAC and evaluations from each health-related and community service activity. Evaluations will address academics, Honors, extracurricular activities, and character; positive evaluations constitute good standing. Once students have submitted their evaluations, they will be cleared to register for the upcoming semester. Students who fail to submit their evaluations before registration begins will have a "hold" placed on their record.
Terminating the Agreement
DMEAP is an agreement between JABSOM/Honors/PAC and the student, and as such, any party on either side may choose to terminate the agreement as detailed below. Students who are terminated or choose to withdraw from DMEAP may still participate in Honors Programs and receive advising services from PAC. They may also apply to JABSOM after completion of their bachelor's degree at UH-Mānoa.
Participating in DMEAP is an agreement to commit to attending JABSOM. By offering an early acceptance into JABSOM and providing significant financial, academic, career and personal support throughout the student's undergraduate years, it is the University's full expectation that, upon DMEAP completion, JABSOM scholars will enroll in JABSOM and eschew interest in any other medical school. The University may pursue scholarship and other reimbursement from students who successfully complete DMEAP and apply to other medical schools.
When JABSOM, Honors, or PAC terminates the agreement: Students who fail to meet the requirements for maintaining eligibility (see above) will receive an immediate warning in writing via email and be placed on probation at the end of the same semester. Students should note that their "@hawaii.edu" email address is an official mode of communication at UHM and that it is students' responsibility to check their email account frequently.
Students will have one semester to take corrective action, as defined by a DMEAP advisor. If the problem has not been corrected by the end of the next semester, the student will be terminated from DMEAP, except under rare extenuating circumstances as determined by the Director of PAC. Students who are on probation with DMEAP are not eligible to apply to JABSOM, but may apply the following year after having completed corrective action.
When the student terminates the agreement: Students may elect out of the DMEAP program at any time first by meeting with the Director of PAC and then by submitting a letter of resignation to JABSOM, Honors, and PAC.
Application to Medical School
All students applying to medical schools, including JABSOM Scholars, must take the MCAT and file an AMCAS application, which becomes available electronically on June 1 of each year. For JABSOM Scholars, however, the process and requirements are somewhat different.
Timing: When JABSOM Scholars matriculate to JABSOM will be determined by the academic plan they work out with Honors and PAC. In their application year, they will take the MCAT no later than June, and they will submit their AMCAS application no later than August 1st.
JABSOM's Admissions committee will meet in September to review that year's DMEAP applicants and verify that they have met all program requirements. They will send conditional acceptances to JABSOM Scholars before the end of October for the following July term. Final acceptance is contingent on successful completion of DMEAP requirements by June.
Application: JABSOM Scholars must complete and submit the following for JABSOM's Admissions Committee review:
- AMCAS ("primary") application, including MCAT scores and personal statement
- DMEAP file, which includes:
- Application essay (see above)
- Curriculum vita
- Annual evaluations (see above; there should be a total of 9 -- 3 per year for 3 years) on the DMEAP evaluation form
- Letters of evaluation from health-related and community service activities on the DMEAP interview form
- The first two of the three "portfolio essays" from the mandatory advising program:
- Incoming essay ("Who I hope to become and finding my path")
- Mid-way self-evaluation ("The person I am becoming and re-evaluating my path:")
- Exit summary ("The person I have become and my path forward")
- All students must clear a criminal background check (CBC)
In the Fall Semester of their senior year, JABSOM Scholars are required to:
- Pay JABSOM application fee
- Interview with the Director of Admissions
- Complete supplemental forms as needed
Assessment
The goal of MEAP is to increase the number of highly qualified and motivated students from Hawaiʻi attending their state medical school. Toward that goal, DMEAP provides a curriculum that prepares students to pursue their Medical Doctorate degree at JABSOM.
Success will be determined as follows and will be evaluated at four points: application, successful completion, qualifications upon entering JABSOM, and performance in medical school.
Application (quantitative): Increasing numbers of applicants will indicate growing popularity, reputation, and desirability of DMEAP.
Successful Completion (quantitative and qualitative): High completion/low attrition rates will indicate feasibility of the curriculum; student exit surveys will reveal strengths and weaknesses of the program.
Qualifications upon Entry (quantitative, measured at both application and matriculation): Higher qualifications relative to those of other local applicants and to other local matriculants indicate that the curriculum prepares students well for medical school. The following qualification variables will be used for comparison:
- Cumulative GPA
- Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math GPA
- MCAT scores
- JABSOM's admissions point scale
Performance in Medical School (qualitative and quantitative): JABSOM evaluations of performance, both in narrative and using USMLE #1 scores, and comparing JABSOM Scholars to other local students at the end of the third year of medical school, will indicate whether DMEAP impacts performance in medical school.
