Admissions Requirements
Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine seeks to admit applicants who possess personal and professional integrity, the potential for professional medical competence, the ability to deliver compassionate care, a passion for lifelong learning, educational excellence, and an understanding that medicine is both art and science.
Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for admission.
COVID-19 has impacted communities across the entire United States. We’re aware of the difficulties this may cause prospective students as they look to apply to medical schools. Please see the answers to some frequently asked questions below.
What is the Admission Committee’s stance on taking Pass/Fail courses?
The Admissions Committee prefers and recommends that all prerequisites be completed for a letter or numeric grade; however, will accept Pass/Fail grades on a case by case basis. Courses should be completed at a regionally accredited college or university.
Will OUWB accept online courses?
Online courses are accepted provided they are completed at a regionally accredited university, preferably at a four-year institution.
My activities (services-related, research, shadowing, etc.) have been affected due to COVID-19, how will the Admissions Committee view this when evaluating my application?
We will continue to evaluate your application holistically, keeping in mind that many experiences have been impacted by COVID-19. Virtual experiences will be considered. The expectation is that applicants should be able to speak about their experience(s) in a meaningful way. The Committee will continue to look favorably on applicants who show a longitudinal commitment to serving their community, experiences that take one outside of their comfort zone, and shows their commitment to the medical profession.
Students require balanced preparation and a foundation of both technical knowledge and pre-professionalism upon entering medical school. The AAMC PREview™ professional readiness exam enables medical schools to assess non-academic, pre-professional competencies that research shows meaningfully impact an individual’s performance during medical training and as practicing physicians. It is a valid, reliable, and fair assessment as evidenced through years of research.
We highly recommend that all applicants applying to OUWB complete the AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam for the 2024-2025 application cycle. Exam results will be holistically reviewed at the Admissions Committee.
Registration for the exam opens in April and closes in September with testing dates available from June-September. The 2024 testing calendar provides all upcoming exam dates.
More info about the AAMC PREview exam is available online.
1. MCAT score of 495*
2. Undergraduate BCPM GPA of 3.00 OR
Cumulative post baccalaureate BCPM GPA of 3.5 with at least 24 credit hours in the math and sciences OR
Cumulative graduate BCPM GPA of 3.5 with at least 24 credit hours in the math and sciences.
*MCAT is required for all applicants. For the 2025 admissions cycle, the oldest MCAT considered: September 2021. Newest MCAT considered: September 2024.
Note: Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents will be considered.
MCAT is required of all applicants. Scores will be accepted for tests taken during or after the month of September three years prior to the year of application. For example, for the 2025 admissions cycle (applying in 2024), the oldest acceptable MCAT is September 2021. We require a minimum score of 495.
- Meaningful medical activities (including volunteer work, shadowing, etc)
- Service to others and to the community
- Teamwork and leadership skills
- Demonstrated ability to perform well in an academic setting
- Excellence in an activity or area of interest (sports, research, or other endeavor) at a local, regional, or national level
- Evidence of intellectual curiosity and a commitment to life-long learning
All prerequisite coursework should be completed at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada. Applicants who use community college courses to meet prerequisite requirements are encouraged to show competency by taking higher level courses in these areas at a regionally accredited four-year institution in the United States or Canada. Applicants with foreign educational credentials (except for Canada) should complete prerequisite requirements at a regionally accredited four-year institution in the U.S.
Requirements
Applicants should take a minimum of 24 college credits with breadth and depth of science and math disciplines. Of those 24 credit hours, coursework must include:
- 1 course in biochemistry
- 1 course in statistics (math or social science based)
- 1 lab in either biology, chemistry or physics
In addition to the 24 science/math credits, applicants must complete:
- 1 course in social or behavioral sciences.
*Students who have received an interview invitation or admissions offer and would like to request a course substitute for a prerequisite, we ask that you submit the course description from the university course catalog along with the corresponding syllabus for review to [email protected].
*We will begin accepting AP credits on a case by case basis for the 2024-2025 application cycle.
Additional Recommended Courses/Course Categories
Humanities:
Courses recommended are in disciplines such as philosophy, history, literature, language, anthropology, ethics and theology. Studies in these areas deepen the applicant's understanding of the basis for human values and offer the opportunity to develop an appreciation of other cultures and ethnic groups. This background is vital to health care providers.
Behavioral Science:
Understanding the range of variation of behavior as a biologic, psychological, and social phenomena is essential to the practice of medicine. Courses recommended are in disciplines such as psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology and ecology.
English:
Although there is no formal course requirement for English, applicants are expected to have a strong background in writing, oral communication and critical reading skills.
Anatomy & Biology:
To establish appropriate foundational skills, students are strongly recommended to take an anatomy course and an advanced level biology (cellular or molecular) course.
It is recommended and customary that a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution be completed prior to enrollment. Students must demonstrate that they have acquired a broad education that extends beyond the basic sciences to include the social sciences, history, arts, and languages. Broad academic training provides prospective physicians with the strong scientific skills necessary to continue study in medical science as well as a comprehensive understanding of social, historical and cultural forces that affect their professional lives and the lives of their patients.
Applicants should submit a minimum of three letters of recommendation (maximum of five). If your premedical advising office provides a committee letter compiling feedback from multiple sources, this letter will count as two of your three required letters of recommendation. All submitted letters must be signed, preferably on letterhead, and submitted through AMCAS Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation Service.
We receive many questions about who should write letters of recommendation. We highly recommend you select writers who know you well and can speak to your qualifications for entering the field of medicine. It is a good idea to include at least one faculty member who has gotten to know you during the course of your studies. Letters from family members and/or friends are discouraged.
AAMC Guidelines for Writing a Letter of Evaluation for a Medical School Applicant
The M.D. degree signifies that the holder is a physician prepared for entry into the practice of medicine. Candidates for the M.D. degree must possess the requisite knowledge and skills, and the physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities to function in a broad variety of clinical situations to render a wide spectrum of patient care. Therefore, the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine has established the following essential requirements necessary for medical students to successfully complete the full curriculum and meet the core competencies to become a candidate for the M.D. degree.
Individuals with questions or who need reasonable accommodations to the technical standards are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Support Services.
Observation
All candidates must demonstrate their ability to use vision, hearing, and somatic sensation to accurately observe:
- Instructional demonstrations, and
- Patients at a distance and close at hand.
Communication
All candidates must demonstrate their ability to:
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
- Comprehend written communications
- Assess non-verbal communications (such as mood, activity, and changes in posture) that are fundamental components of the patient interview and physical examination, and
- Demonstrate communication skills that are essential for the formation of effective professional relationships with teachers and colleagues, and therapeutic relationships with patients.
Candidates must also possess computer literacy, including keyboard skills.
Motor Coordination
All candidates must demonstrate their ability to use motor and sensory functions to:
- Perform components of the physical examination such as palpation, auscultation, and percussion
- Perform routine invasive procedures including the use of universal precautions to avoid posing risks to patients or themselves
- Perform basic laboratory tests and evaluate routine diagnostic tools such as EKGs and imaging studies
- Respond and perform with precise, quick, and appropriate actions in emergency situations,
- Participate effectively in physically taxing duties over long hours, and
- Complete timed demonstrations of skills.
Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the senses of touch, vision and hearing. All candidates must possess the physical health and stamina necessary to independently perform the duties of a medical student and physician in training without endangering the lives of patients and colleagues with whom the medical student might have contact.
Cognitive
All candidates must demonstrate cognitive functions and effective learning techniques. Candidates must be able to:
- Measure, calculate, and analyze data
- Retrieve, organize, integrate and synthesize information and apply reasoning to reach conclusions based on evidence
- Comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures
- Draw inferences from the logical sequential relationships of events
- Understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine
- Be fully alert and attentive at all times in clinical settings, and
- Solve problems effectively.
Professional
All candidates must:
- Demonstrate sound judgment and emotional stability
- Demonstrate the perseverance, diligence and consistency required to successfully complete the rigorous curriculum of the OUWB
- Function effectively under stress
- Display flexibility and adaptability to changing and uncertain environments
- Demonstrate evidence of the personal attributes of honesty, altruism, empathy, and concern for others, and
- Contribute to the learning environment and receive and act upon constructive feedback from faculty members and peers.
The OUWB Office of Student Affairs can assist medical students in understanding other University policies and practices, addressing personal and academic concerns, and supplying referrals to other University offices when appropriate.
