Requirements and Application
Table of Contents
The 2024 MED application will open on Monday, October 16, 2023 and will close on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 (5:00pm EST).
If you have any application questions, please contact us at the emails below.
Claudis Polk – claudis_polk@med.unc.edu
Lisa Long – lisa_long@med.unc.edu
MED Program Requirements
Students must be a rising senior in college or a post graduate student. Academic prerequisites are passing grades in Organic Chemistry (Part 1) and your other science and math courses to prove a solid background in the major biological and physical sciences that are preparatory for medical or dental school.
A cumulative science GPA of 2.75 or higher is strongly recommended for realistic consideration. Other factors may include a passion for health professions, motivation to help people, and personal story as it relates to your journey.
The program consists of pre-medical or pre-dental applicants with at least one year remaining before desired application to professional school. All such participants are either rising seniors or postgraduates. MED is designed to increase opportunities in the health professions for individuals who have lacked opportunities, access, and resources and who demonstrate educational promise and commitment to health careers. Current applicants to professional school whose results are still pending by the program’s deadline are invited to submit an application along with an explanation of the circumstances. The program typically enrolls at least 90 students per summer (70 pre-medical, 20 pre-dental).
North Carolina residents receive preference and typically constitute 80-85% of participants. Applicants from other states are also welcome to apply.
Note: MCAT / DAT scores are not required for admittance to the MED Program.
There is no cost to apply or attend the MED Program. The School of Medicine and Adams School of Dentistry cover all instructional costs (i.e. tuition, texts, housing, etc.) for all participants. A stipend is awarded to qualifying applicants.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on color, national origin, religion, sex, or handicap. Moreover, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is open to all people of all races and actively seeks to promote racial integration.
Application Dates/Deadlines
Application opens – October 16, 2023
Application closes – January 16, 2024 (5:00pm EST)
Decisions emailed – April 8, 2024 (by 5:00pm EST)
*If you do not see your MED decision email in your inbox, please check your junk or spam folder. UNC emails sometimes get routed to those folders.*
Application Requirements
The MED application is comprised of two components:
- an online component
- demographic information
- 2 essay questions
- 2 letters of recommendation (letter writers will be able to upload letters)
- additional documents you must mail in
- Transcripts – all official transcripts from institutions you received science course credit (including community colleges)
- Financial aid documentation – you will need to submit one of the following: Student aid report or FAFSA or tax information
- Resume/CV
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAILING ITEMS:
Students can have transcripts sent directly from the colleges/universities to the address below OR students may collect transcripts, financial documents, & resume and mail together in one packet.
Mailing through the United States Postal Service (USPS):
Lisa Long
The University of North Carolina
Office of Scholastic Enrichment & Equity, CB#7530
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Mailing through UPS, FedEx, DHL or Amazon:
Lisa Long
The University of North Carolina
Office of Scholastic Enrichment & Equity, CB#7530
150 Medical Drive, 3307 Roper Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Application FAQs
Please see Frequently Asked Questions regarding the MED application. Don’t see your question? Please email us at claudis_polk@med.unc.edu or lisa_long@med.unc.edu with your question.
Applying to the Program
Who is eligible to apply?-
- Education: Attending schools that are considered disadvantaged in ranking or are located in under-served areas of the state (such as eastern & western NC)
- Economic: Low family income and individual income
- Social: A member of certain groups that are underrepresented in the medical/dental professions, such as African-American, American Indian, Hispanic or Pacific Islander.
- Non-traditional students: An older applicant may be considered non-traditional, as well as students with military background and students who are changing their career path.
Ineligible: Any visa type that is NOT Permanent Resident Alien
If you have completed the AMCAS or the AADSAS application and applied to either UNC School of Medicine or Adams School of Dentistry, you will be asked to upload a pdf of your application. You will still need to complete the online MED application and mail in transcripts & financial information by the deadline.
*Please note, we do need the transcripts mailed in as those uploaded last year are now archived.
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- Current online MED Application
- Transcripts/updated transcripts
- Letters of recommendation – please ask your letter writers to resubmit the letters from last year to the new application if you choose to use those letters again. We strongly recommend re-applicants submit at least one new additional letter of recommendation.
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Completing The Application
When do applications become available?Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 5:00pm (EST)
Under the state drop down menu, please choose “OC”, which stands for out of the country. List your birth city as, “City, Country”
Academic Background
What is the minimum overall GPA?Leave blank or enter expected date of graduation if you have not completed your degree yet.
You should list the highest score in each section of each test that you have taken, even if the scores are from tests taken at different times. You list scores for all tests that you have taken, no matter how long ago the tests were taken. Official copies of test results are NOT required. It is NOT required that you have taken the MCAT/DAT
Transcripts
Where should I send my transcripts?Transcripts must be mailed to the OSEE office. Please see instructions on the Requirements page.
- current academic institution
- past degree granting academic institution
- any institution you completed science coursework
This includes summer session courses and bi-institutional programs, such as the Robertson Scholar’s Program. Please note, you do not need to submit any community college transcripts with ONLY non-science courses; if a science course(s) was completed, you must submit an official transcript.
Letters of Recommendation
Who should write my letters of recommendation?Personal Essays
Is there a word limit for essays?The word limit is 750 words for each question. Please answer each question separately in the given slots. There may be some overlap since your question responses may be related, but all questions must be answered separately.
Financial Information
Do I need to submit financial documentation?- Student aid report
- FAFSA
- 2022/2021 or 2023/2022 tax form
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- If you are an undergraduate/graduate student, who is claimed by their parents/guardian, then submit a copy of the most current year SAR and/or your parents/guardian tax forms (not W-2s)
- If you are an undergraduate/graduate student, who is not claimed by their parents/guardian, then submit a copy of the most current year SAR.
- If you not currently an undergraduate/graduate student and are working, who is not claimed by their parents/guardian, then submit a copy of your most current year IRS Income Tax Return forms (not W-2s).
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General Application
Please read this section carefully before you begin the application and if you encounter any errors with the online application. If your issue is not resolved please take screen shots of 1) the page that shows what you keyed into the form, 2) of the error. Specify the section with the problem and email this and the screenshots to lisa_long@med.unc.edu and any additional explanation of your application issue. Please allow 24-72 hours for a response.
Can I leave items blank on the application?No. All fields in the entire application should be completed. If a certain question does not pertain to you, simply put N/A, but do not leave the item blank.
Please check to see that you have filled out all fields before proceeding forward. Review the page being saved. All errors will be annotated in RED.
You may need to complete the application using a different browser, and clearing out your cookie cache. Otherwise, please take screen shots of 1) the page that shows what you keyed into the form, 2) of the error. Specify the section with the problem and email this and the screenshots to lisa_long@med.unc.edu and any additional explanation of your application issue.
*Note – please do not take a picture of your screen with a camera. It is more difficult to view than the screenshot.
Try cleaning out your cache of websites and then try to log in to our system. When your cache of internet sites is full, our system does not work too well. You may also encounter problems with one browser and may need to switch to a different browser. If you are still unable to log in, please contact our office.
The photograph should only be a head-shot of only you, and professional. Passport style photographs are the most professional and best suited for this type of application. Photos are not required, but optional if students want to include.