Florida A&M and Florida Atlantic University have partnered in creating the Medical Honors Program effective fall 2012.
Students accepted into the program are high school seniors who have decided to pursue a doctoral degree in medicine. When the student is accepted into the MHP at FAMU, her or she will receive conditional acceptance to FAMU’s College of Medicine.
“Florida A&M University is excited to join forces with Florida Atlantic University in this endeavor,” said President James Ammons in a Wednesday press release. “The Medical Honors Program reinforces the commitment of both universities to identify and engage strategies to meet the health needs of underserved populations.”
To be accepted into the four-year program, students must have an un-weighted high school GPA of 3.5, a score of at least 1100 on the SAT 1 and must be in the last year of high school.
The program will admit up to 10 students a year starting fall 2012. A committee consisting faculty members from FAU and FAMU will oversee the admissions process.
Students will also be required to complete extra-curricular activities, including physician shadowing, working with patients in a hospital and participating in health-related community service.
Another important purpose of the program is to increase the number of black physicians.
In 2008, the American Medical Association apologized for the past acts of discrimination in organized medicine against blacks and began efforts to correct the mistake.
“We are very pleased to be working with FAMU on the Medical Honors Program, which is distinguished by the strength of both our institutions,” said FAU President Mary Jane Saunders.
The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU accepted its first class of 64 students in August.
The College of Medicine boasts an innovative curriculum that hinges on early exposure to patients and the actual practice of medicine by establishing relationships between many area hospitals.