Editor's Note: The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine - Hampton University Guaranteed Admissions Program was renamed the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Early Identification Program in late 2017. 

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine has entered into a partnership with Hampton University that each year will give two undergraduates attending the Hampton University Honors College guaranteed admission to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, provided they meet certain academic requirements.

The guaranteed admission initiative is one of several similar partnerships that Hampton University – a historically black university that was founded during the Civil War – has with other medical schools. Those schools include Boston University School of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Meharry Medical College, the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

“We are delighted to be part of this collaboration,” said Dr. Cynda Johnson, dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “Hampton University has not only a tradition of excellence, but also robust partnerships with an impressive list of medical schools. We want to learn from their expertise.”

Each Hampton University student selected for guaranteed admission will be in good academic standing at the end of their sophomore year, with an overall grade point average of 3.5 out of a possible 4.0. They will submit a personal statement and must have strong recommendations from faculty members.

At this point, the grooming for medical school begins. Each of the selected students will participate in two six-week summer programs at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, where they will learn about research, gain clinical skills experience, and prepare for the Medical College Admission Test. Also during their junior and senior years, the selected students will participate in at least 100 hours of medical volunteering.

Students selected for guaranteed admission must graduate with university honors, do well on the Medical College Admission Test, fulfill the prerequisites of all premedical majors, and participate in the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s rigorous interview process during the fall of their senior year.

Low minority enrollment is a concern at most medical schools. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, many minority patients choose minority physicians, and by the year 2050, racial and ethnic minorities will comprise half of the U.S. population. In 2006, however, African American and Latino doctors made up only 8.5 percent of all practicing physicians in the United States.

“We have much to learn from Hampton University’s strong track record of partnerships with other schools, and we’re excited to join the ranks,” said Karen Sanders, chief diversity officer at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “The new guaranteed admission program will benefit both institutions.”

The first two students will be selected for the program in spring of 2015.

Written by Catherine Doss