Date:	Feb. 26, 2008
Contact:	Meika Yates Hines, UCO University Relations Staff Writer (405) 974-2121

UCO Partners with OSU Center for Health Sciences to offer pre-med Early Assurance Program

The University of Central Oklahoma has partnered with the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS) in Tulsa to provide the OSU-UCO Early Assurance Program, which is a pre-medical program for UCO students interested in pursuing a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree.

The joint venture will allow both UCO and OSU-CHS the opportunity to recruit students early in their educational paths and will allow them the ability to better plan their futures in medicine.

UCO students are assured admission to the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine provided they meet the requirements of eligibility and receive satisfactory scores on the qualitative portion of the admission process.

Dr. Leigh Goodson, vice president for Enrollment Management and External Affairs for the OSU-CHS, said that the partnership program comes out of the OSU-CHS faculty and administration’s confidence in UCO’s pre-medical curriculum.

“UCO consistently sends us students who come to us well prepared. They do very well in our program. Additionally, we have been working with UCO’s Dr. Anne Ewing for a long time. She runs an excellent pre-medical advising program and we knew she could help us with this pilot project,” Goodson said.

Dr. Anne Ewing, health profession advisor for UCO’s College of Mathematics and Science, said the Early Assurance Program would appeal to a wide range of different students interested in medical school.

“The really wonderful aspect of this agreement, in my mind, is that it applies equally to traditional-aged students who started full time with us as freshmen, as well as post-baccalaureate students who start here, complete all the requirements and need a fresh start in terms of academic history,” Ewing said.

UCO President W. Roger Webb praised the program as part of a new model and a key aspect of the future of higher education.

“This kind of creative partnership helps to identify emerging leaders for a future of better health care for Oklahomans,” Webb said.

“We are pleased that OSU recognizes the excellent science and pre-med programs at UCO and the successes our students have utilizing their education.”

To be eligible, students must complete 49 hours of specified prerequisite science courses at UCO, maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA and full-time enrollment, and interview with and be recommended by the UCO Premedical Advisory Committee, among other requirements.

Candidates for the program must score at least an 8.0 average on the three numerically scored sections of the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), and have their scores reported to the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service before June of the application year.

The OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine seeks to admit students in the D.O. degree program who are well grounded in biology and physical sciences, and who display the academic and personal skills required to be successful in the program.

For more information, contact Ewing at (405) 974-5701, or visit http://www.biology.ucok.edu/PersonalPages/AEwingWeb/index.html.