The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine is partnering with Oakwood University for a new Early Assurance Program, offering qualified students early acceptance to the School of Medicine, along with shadowing and research opportunities.
“Our mission at the UAB School of Medicine is training the next generation of physicians to care for Alabama’s citizens. An important aspect of that mission is ensuring that we’re developing a physician workforce that reflects our state’s population,” said Craig J. Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education at the UAB School of Medicine. “We felt partnering with Oakwood was a great fit because of the university’s mission and with the School of Medicine’s presence in Huntsville.”
Oakwood University is a private, historically Black Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville. Oakwood is the nation’s 11th-ranked producer of undergraduate black applicants to medical schools and the only university or HBCU among the top 20 universities in Alabama, according to the Association for American Medical Colleges.
Oakwood will be the first HBCU in the state of Alabama to partner with UAB School of Medicine for the Early Assurance Program.
The Early Assurance Program is open to current Oakwood students who have completed their sophomore year. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 undergraduate grade point average and a minimum 3.5 grade point average in their science courses to be considered. Preference will be given to Alabama residents.
“Ideal qualifications for candidates include diverse experiences and perspectives, career potential for leadership, maturity, strong letters of support, and a passion for service,” said Christina J. Grabowski, Ph.D., associate dean for Admissions & Enrollment Management in the School of Medicine. “We will provide myriad opportunities for students to learn more about medicine and prepare for medical school. Students who complete the program and meet the selection criteria for the School of Medicine will earn early acceptance.”
The first class of Oakwood students in the Early Assurance Program would begin this fall and enroll in the School of Medicine in the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications for the program open on May 1, and students must apply by July 1. Selected applicants will be interviewed in August.
“This new partnership with the UAB School of Medicine represents a tremendous opportunity for our students to pursue medical education,” said Colwick Wilson, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president at Oakwood. “We thank the UAB leadership for extending this invitation to Oakwood University and to our students, and look forward to working with the School of Medicine for this Early Assurance Program.”
Interested students can inquire at medschool@uab.edu.