The Early Assurance Program (EAP) is an exciting partnership between the University of Michigan-Flint and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU-CHM), designed to provide an enhanced opportunity for admission to a premier medical school for UM-Flint students interested in practicing in an underserved area of medicine. Each year, UM-Flint will assemble and submit a limited group of endorsed candidates for MSU-CHM to review. From these, MSU-CHM has agreed to grant early acceptance of admission for up to three UM-Flint students. The decision to admit an EAP applicant to MSU-CHM rests with the CHM Committee on Admissions. 

The Early Assurance Program is interested in applicants who are likely to return to the Flint community to practice medicine. By seeking candidates interested in high-need medical specialty areas, as well as students who graduated from low-income, rural or urban area high schools, receive a PELL grant, or who are first-generation college students, the Early Assurance Program intends to make a substantial contribution to the local physician workforce. 

We are looking for exceptional students in their junior or senior year—students who subscribe to the mission of the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University: to meet the needs of patients, families, and communities by providing medical care with respect and dignity, and with a particular concern for and responsiveness to medically underserved populations and communities. To best represent UM-Flint, we’re also looking for students who exhibit professional traits such as honesty, compassion, respect for others, and responsibility in their academic, clinical, and volunteer experiences. 

The most effective way to become an endorsed candidate is to begin a conversation with a faculty or academic advisor as early as possible in your education. We will help you to sufficiently prepare by advising you on course selections, major, and medical opportunities.

If your application is endorsed by UM-Flint and accepted by MSU-CHM, you are assured admission to MSU-CHM and will begin a relationship with the college during your final year. By being accepted early, you also do not have to pay multiple and expensive application fees and travel costs associated with multiple interviews. As an EAP student, you will be able to select your preclinical campus location (Grand Rapids or East Lansing) and you will have priority placement options for your clinical years. 

Furthermore, you will be eligible for scholarships, dual or combined degrees, or any other special program offering, benefits, or accommodations afforded to the traditionally admitted class. You will be invited to attend guest lectures at MSU-CHM and at affiliated hospitals in the Flint area. 

Additionally, if you have not deviated from our advice and have prepared yourself according to the standards below, then you will be particularly well suited for the application cycle, regardless of the outcome of this program’s review of your present preparation. In this way, even if you don’t get accepted early, you’ll know how to improve your application for the next cycle. It is important to note that having applied to MSU-CHM under the Early Assurance program will not affect a future application to MSU-CHM under their regular admission cycle. 

As an endorsement-based program, the criteria for endorsement have been established with great care to ensure that our candidates represent students likely to thrive at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Accordingly, the University of Michigan-Flint stands ready to endorse only the brightest and best of our premedical students. 

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, like all medical schools, has rigorous admission standards. Our faculty and coursework will help you meet their particular admission requirements; however, you must develop into not only an ideal medical school candidate, but also into an ideal Early Assurance Program candidate. In order for you to be considered for endorsement by UM-Flint, you should possess all the skills, traits, and training medical schools expect, as well as a commitment to return to the community to practice an underserved area of medicine. 

Interested students should be in their junior or senior year. Preference will be given to students who graduated from a low-income high school from a rural or urban area, are eligible/receive a PELL grant, or who are first-generation college students. Since the primary focus of this program is to develop students into doctors who will benefit our regional community by practicing in inadequately served areas of medicine—such as family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, HIV/AIDS, or OB/GYN—you must demonstrate to the committee your aspiration to serving humanity through underserved medicine, and the wish to return locally to do so. The best way to accomplish this is by obtaining direct experience with healthcare delivery, through volunteering, shadowing, or employment in medical or clinical settings. In addition to or in complement, your volunteer and service activities should show a clear and sustained commitment to your community. 

As is the case with our advice to all candidates to all medical schools, this program also expects for you to have qualitative evidence of leadership in extracurricular and academic activities, including participation in the UM-Flint Premedical Club. 

It should be noted that meeting eligibility criteria does not ensure admission to Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. Instead, it simply gives you an opportunity for the committee to review your application. 

The Early Assurance Program is administered by a review committee. Each year, this committee will review applications prepared according to the following timetable: 

Thank you for your interest in the Early Assurance Program. We’re excited that you’re considering our program to further your medical interests. The following application materials are provided for you to review and prepare prior to their submission. 

2020-2021 Application Steps will be available in December 2019.

For inquiries, contact:

Megan Presland Academic Advisor 
MSU-CHM Early Assurance Program
University of Michigan-Flint
250 Murchie Science Building
(810) 762-3020 meganrv@umich.edu

MSU-CHM Early Assurance Program FERPA Waiver Form 

MSU-CHM Early Assurance Program Letter of Recommendation Form