BA/MD New Jersey Medical School

 This is a highly competitive and selective program for SAS or SEBS students at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.  Students apply at the end of the sophomore year and must have completed the required prerequisites and demonstrated strong academic achievement, a passion for medicine, and for helping others.    Students who have earned at least 60 undergraduate credits are eligible to apply for an accelerated path to medical school through early acceptance the summer following their sophomore year. This 3 + 4 Baccalaureate/MD Early Assurance Program, in partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, is tailored for highly motivated individuals.  Students who are not enrolled in SAS or SEBS must initiate a school-to-school transfer to one of those units in the spring semester of the sophomore year and be prepared, if accepted to the joint program, to complete a major in Biological Sciences and all of the requirements of their undergraduate school.  In some cases, accepted students may major in Cell Biology and Neuroscience or Genetics but no other majors are compatible with the credit exchange that is integral to the program. If not accepted, students may cancel the school-to-school transfer. Accepted students will be expected to complete all SAS or SEBS core requirements by the end of their junior year.  In their senior year, admitted students will take the complete first-year curriculum at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and may use some of these credits in exchange to complete the elective course work for their school and the majors listed above.  No other majors are compatible with the credit exchange. The program is not appropriate for students who intend to graduate in 3 years because of the credit exchange and the requirement that students in the program be simultaneously registered with the undergraduate unit and the medical school in the senior year/first year of medical school.

• Students will have a conditional, early-acceptance to NJMS (please see grade and MCAT criteria below).
• Students will pay only for three years of undergraduate tuition at Rutgers + 4 years tuition at NJMS, thus saving one year of undergraduate tuition and fees.
• Credits for some classes taken during the first year at the medical school will count toward both the MD and BA degrees.

The NJMS BA/MD program is a collaborative initiative between the medical school and undergraduate units, designed to allow credits from the first year of medical school to be transferred toward completion of the student’s undergraduate degree requirements. Admitted students will be able to apply some of the credits earned during their first year of medical school toward specific major requirements as well as elective credits, contributing to the 120 credits required for their undergraduate degree

Students with less than 60 credits completed at time of application (at end of second year)

Students are not eligible to apply if they will have fewer than 60 credits by the end of their second year.

Students with 60-90 credits earned at time of application (at end of the second year)

Students are eligible to apply if they have met the necessary program prerequisites (see program information for details). If admitted, students must complete their SAS or SEBS core requirements, along with any minor requirements (if applicable), by the end of their junior year, and must have earned at least 96 credits towards their degree.
Students majoring in Biological Sciences, Cell Biology & Neuroscience, or Genetics (with departmental approval for joint program participation) may transfer credits from first-year medical school courses back to Rutgers to fulfill certain requirements for their undergraduate degree.
Before applying, students should consult with their school and major advisors to understand the credit exchange process and to confirm which required coursework must be completed by the end of their junior year.

Students with more than 90 earned at time of application (at end of second year)

Applicants with 90 or more completed credits at the time of application may be able to graduate within three years. However, students who opt for the three-year graduation path will not be eligible to remain in this conditional acceptance (Early Assurance) program.  These students are welcome to reapply to NJMS through the standard application process.
Students must provide a detailed plan of their intended coursework for their junior year, as they will have fewer major requirements due to the credit exchange. Students accepted under this plan cannot enroll part-time during their junior year. They may choose to pursue a minor, certificate, additional coursework in an area of interest, departmental honors, or study abroad. There are no specific recommendations or requirements; applicants should make choices based on their individual circumstances, interests, and goals. It is advisable for students to consider how their coursework and activities will enhance their undergraduate experience and help prepare them for medical school and future careers.

• They must have completed 4 semesters of college, completing a minimum of 60 credits. Note that applicants with an Associate’s Degree, regardless of whether it was earned as a dual degree in high school or as a traditional degree after high school, are ineligible to apply for the program.
• As a minimum, they must be enrolled for one year at Rutgers-New Brunswick earning 30 credits.
• They must have earned and maintain a minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.5 at Rutgers.
• They must have completed at least two semesters of General Biology with lab, two semesters of General Chemistry with lab, two semesters of Organic Chemistry (lab may be taken in the junior year), one semester of college-level Mathematics, and one semester of English.
• If AP or transfer credit was granted for General Biology, two additional (3 credits or more) approved biology courses (200-level courses or higher) must be taken at Rutgers University by the end of the sophomore year to be eligible to apply.
•  A minimum of 3 letters of recommendation must be submitted on behalf of the applicant to the HPO office.  These must include a minimum of two letters from Rutgers faculty members in science or mathematics courses and a minimum of one letter from Rutgers faculty in non-science courses.  Recommendations from teaching assistants are acceptable.
• Matriculation into NJMS will require accepted BA/MD students to complete the MCAT exam by the end of May of their third year at Rutgers. The MCAT will be required to be in the competitive range of other accepted NJMS students.  In addition, NJMS has specific requirements for matriculation which will be shared by NJMS.
• Matriculation in the medical school is conditional upon meeting additional requirements in the junior year. (Orgo lab, General Physics and Biochemistry will be required.)

The application will be available after spring break 2025.  Instructions on how to request a BA/MD application will be sent out via the HPO listserv.  Completed applications must be emailed to the HPO office (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) no later than Friday, May 23 @ 5pm (no exceptions). In addition to the application, a minimum of 3 letters of recommendation must be submitted on behalf of the applicant to the HPO office.  These must include a minimum of two letters from Rutgers faculty members in science or mathematics courses and a minimum of one letter from Rutgers faculty in non-science courses.  Recommendations from teaching assistants are acceptable.