Residency Requirements
Competition for admission to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences is keen. Preference in admission is given to residents of North Dakota. A resident is any applicant who has lived in North Dakota for 12 months prior to November 1 of the year of application and who is a United States citizen or legal permanent resident of the U.S. In addition, applicants certified by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) receive equal preference for up to six of the positions in each entering class. Residents of Minnesota also will be considered for admission on a very limited basis. Any Native American, regardless of state of residency, who is an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, may apply for admission through the school's minority program, Indians Into Medicine (INMED).
Due to the large number of qualified applicants from North Dakota, other non-North Dakota citizens are discouraged from applying.
Admissions Committee
This committee begins each November to consider applicants for the following year's class. Clinical and basic science faculty as well as medical student representatives work together on the committee to assess the qualifications of the applicant. If their evaluation of the data submitted is found competitive, the candidate is customarily invited for an interview before a final decision is made.
Application Procedure
Applications may be requested and completed after July 1st at http://smhs.med.und.nodak.edu/msapplication/request/.
The application form for admission to the University of North Dakota School of Medicine must be postmarked or transmitted no later than November 1 of the year preceding intended enrollment. The completed application folder consists of:
- application form
- a personal statement
- four letters of recommendation
- Medical College Admissions Test scores
- official academic transcripts from all schools attended
- a $50 non-refundable application fee
- the Social Security Number release form is attached to the application directions which will come with the same email as your application
Absence of any material or delay in receipt of required materials will delay consideration of the application.
Changes occur in the application process and premedical requirements from time to time. The applicant should check with the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences prior to application.
Personal Statement
The personal statement offers an opportunity for the applicant to describe those attributes, characteristics and interests which underlie his/her decision to study medicine. Participation in research projects, hobbies, and health-related employment are experiences which may help in the deliberations of the admissions committee. An effort should be made to demonstrate, by specific example, motivation and commitment to a medical career, the ability to work with people, compassion and empathy, and the ability to deal with the everyday problems of life.
Letters of Recommendation
Confidential appraisals by college advisors, instructors or others are an important part of the application process. These recommendations should include a letter from a peer, such as a roommate, spouse or friend and a letter from a science instructor. Recommendations should be sought from persons who know the applicant well and can give a frank and thorough assessment of the applicant's personality, industry, reliability and motivation. All letters of recommendation are considered confidential and may not be viewed by the applicant. UNDSMHS does use electronic letter services.
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
All accredited medical schools, acting through the Association of American Medical Colleges, have arranged for a standard Medical College Admissions Test to be given to all applicants. This test is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges and application must be made electronically at: www.aamc.org/students/mcat. Application for the test must be made approximately one month prior to the testing date. Inquiries regarding application should be directed to the AAMC.
Since January 2007, the test is administered electronically at several Prometric Centers across the nation. All applicants are encouraged to take the test early in the year, but no later than the fall of the year in which the application is filed. All applicants must report MCAT scores prior to consideration for admission to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. If an applicant has taken the MCAT more than one time, the most recent score will be used in the admissions process. Test results must be recent. If more than three years old, MCAT scores will not be accepted as valid for application.
There are several booklets which advise students about the MCAT and the premedical advisors often can give additional information. Obtaining the best possible scores on this test is an important part of the application process.
Academic Accomplishment and Admission Requirements
Prior to admission, a minimum of 90 semester hours of credit from an approved college or university is required. Preference is given to students who will have completed an undergraduate degree and who are broadly educated in the sciences and humanities. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences recognizes that, since medicine deals with people, an understanding of literature, art, history, ethics and philosophy is an adjunct to a physician. Science and humanities are not mutually exclusive and both are viewed as necessary for the practice of medicine. It also is recommended strongly that students be computer literate.
The following list of courses and credits indicates the minimal prerequisites that all applicants must take prior to admission to medical school. A minimum cumulative and science (chemistry, physics, biology, psychology and math) grade point average of 3.0 is expected.
| Chemistry (with lab) |
16 |
| Inorganic and qualitative |
8 |
| Organic |
8* |
| Biology (with lab) |
8 |
| Physics (with lab) |
8 |
| Psychology/Sociology |
3 |
| Language Arts (English, Speech, etc.) |
6 |
| College Algebra |
3 |
* A student may substitute a semester or quarter of biochemistry for the final semester/quarter of organic chemistry.
Personal Interview
Applicants favorably considered for admission are invited for a personal interviews with the Committee on Admissions. The interview is conducted by a small team consisting of a basic scientist, a physician, and a medical student. The candidate spends 30-45 minutes with the interview team.
The interview serves to help both the applicant and the committee. It provides an opportunity for the applicant to ask pertinent questions and introduce any special circumstances which might exist. The committee in turn becomes acquainted with the applicant and obtains an appraisal of personal qualities and character traits which could assist the candidate in becoming a good physician. Interviews are held during regular meetings of the Admissions Committee, usually in December and January.
Applicants must realize that in addition to high academic achievement, selection is based on a number of factors including the demonstration of such qualities as motivation and commitment to a medical career, empathy and compassion in interpersonal relationships, maturity and flexibility in dealing with problems, and the ability to work with others in small groups is very important in the selection process.
Notification of Acceptance
Letters of acceptance and non-acceptance are mailed from the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions within four to six weeks of the interview date, unless the applicant is notified otherwise. The student must send a letter accepting the position within four weeks of notification of acceptance. The letter of intent must be accompanied by a deposit of $100, which is applied to the first semester tuition and is refundable should a student withdraw prior to May 15.
The School has a limited program of deferred entry for interested students. Once admitted, a student may request a one-year deferral of admission.
WICHE Participation
The School of Medicine & Health Sciences participates in the Professional Student Exchange Program administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), under which legal residents of western states without a medical school may receive preference in admission. Certified WICHE students pay resident tuition if they are supported by their home state. To be certified as eligible for this program, the student must write to the WICHE certifying officer in his/her state of legal residence for the program application form. The number of students to be supported in each state in the field of medicine depends upon state appropriations. For addresses of state certifying officers consult the Office of Student Affairs at the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences or WICHE Student Exchange Program, 3035 Center Green Drive, Boulder CO 80301-9752 (telephone: 303-541-0214, e-mail: info-sep@wiche.edu).
Reapplication
Unsuccessful applicants may reapply by repeating the process described under Application Procedure. Filling out a new application form, writing a new personal statement and requesting current letters of recommendation are required. The reapplication must include a check or money order for $50, payable to the UND.
Advanced Standing
Graduate students from any university, upon submission of the standard application, will be considered on an equal basis for admission with other applicants to the first-year class. Attainment of the graduate degree, however, must be completed prior to the desired enrollment date unless other arrangements are made in writing with the chairperson of the appropriate graduate department.
The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences is unable to accept transfer students from other medical schools, except under the most unusual circumstances. Then, the same procedure pertains. The student must apply through the process described; the decision regarding acceptance into the School of Medicine and Health Sciences will be made by the Admissions Committee. If accepted, the student may petition the Student Performance and Recognition Committee for advanced standing. Given the curriculum at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, only advanced-standing transfer requests for third-year standing will be considered. The applicant must have passed Step I of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
M.D./Ph.D. Program
The M.D./Ph.D. program permits students admitted to the School of Medicine and Health Sciences also to be admitted to the UND Graduate School in one of the basic science departments which offer the Ph.D. degree. A student admitted to the M.D. program and enrolled in either the first or second year of medical school may apply for admission to the Ph.D. program in the department of his/her choice. The minimum amount of time necessary to achieve both the M.D. and the Ph.D. degrees is six years. Students interested in this program should inquire at the Office of Research and Program Development of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences.M.D./M.P.H. Program.
M.D./M.P.H. Program
The University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences is partnering with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health to offer the Public Health Medicine Program, leading to dual Doctor of Medicine and Master of Public Health (MD/MPH) degrees. The program allows a student to earn an MD and MPH concurrently. The most common route to both degrees begins with two years of pre-clinical medical school courses, followed by one year of courses in the School of Public Health. At this time, the student begins work on a graduate project for the MPH. The student then returns to medical school for two years of clinical curriculum, during which time the public health graduate project also is completed. Total time to receive the two degrees is five years. The program can be tailored to specific interests of the student. The application deadline is November 15 of each year.
INMED Program Purpose
Indians into Medicine (INMED) is a comprehensive education program assisting Indian students who are preparing for health careers. Located at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks, INMED support services include academic and personal counseling for students, assistance with financial aid application, and summer enrichment sessions at the junior high through professional school levels.
The program addresses three major problem areas: (1)too few health professionals in American Indian communities, (2)too few American Indian health professionals, and (3)the substandard level of health and health care in American Indian communities.
Revised 4/18/2008
