UNLV continues its development of the School of Medicine with the selection of students who will make up their Charter Class.
It was a competitive but efficient admissions process. There were 909 total applications, including 270 from Nevada legal residents, 88 with strong ties to Nevada, and 551 non-residents. 293 students were then given interviews, all from the Nevada or with Nevada ties. Interviews were conducted from November 2016 through March 2017. Finally a “rolling acceptance” process was utilized that allowed acceptance of students as early as December and continuing through early May.
The first class will consist of 60 students, 31 women and 29 men who were accepted after a challenging application process that has yielded an exceptional group of candidates. 51 of the students are Nevada residents, while the other 9 have close ties with Nevada having previously lived or studied in the State.
The close relationship students have with Nevada is crucial in developing the States long term healthcare plan. At the Green Chips Convene for Green event the “Future in Medicine” panel discussed the importance of greatly improving Nevada’s medical education system in order to keep highly skilled professionals in the area. The new Medical School goes a long way toward achieving these goals.
Barbara Atkinson, MD, the founding Dean of the UNLV Medical School stated “Our charter class will become an integral part of an incredible leadership team to build a world-class medical school, clinical practice, and research center for Southern Nevada.”
The positivity around the Charter class is well placed with the prospective students possessing impressive academic credentials. The average GPA score for the class is 3.6 and average MCAT scores of 508. The MCAT scale ranges from 528-472. The national average MCAT score is 500.
It is an extremely exciting time for UNLV and Nevada healthcare. The excellent admissions process has ensured an exceptional charter class. These students are true pioneers as they work with the School to modify and adjust the curriculum over the next four years, developing the medical school’s culture and Nevada’s healthcare future.
Check out the “Future of Medicine” Panel on our Convene for Green page
