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PRINCIPLES REGARDING ADMISSION TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

The American Medical Student Association:

1.             SUPPORTS the broadening of qualifications for admission to include differences in socioeconomic class, race and social experience; (2007)

2.             SUPPORTS a greater use of noncognitive selection criteria such as those that assess an applicant’s motivation, social awareness and ability to communicate with others, and supports the expansion of admission committees to include students and other persons qualified to assess such criteria;

3.             SUPPORTS the revising of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to exclude culturally biased questions and to include, where possible, sections which measure noncognitive criteria;

4.             OPPOSES the requirement of forced practice within the state as a prerequisite for admission;

5.             SUPPORTS special incentives and admission consideration for medical school applicants for rural areas in need of physicians;

6.             OPPOSES admission to medical school by any means other than the regular admissions process accepted by the governing body of the medical school without objecting to admissions committee criteria of residency or affirmative action programs.

7.             STRONGLY URGES the LCME to amend the “Standards for Accreditation of Medical Education Program Leading to the MD degree, Part 2, Medical Students, Admissions” to read “In addition, there must be no discrimination on the basis of sex, age, race, creed, national origin or sexual orientation and gender identity.” (1989)

8.             STRONGLY URGES the American Osteopathic Association to amend the “Accreditation Standards and Procedures for Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), Part 2.4.A.2.(f)” to read “The selection of students for admission to a COM shall not be influenced by race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age, handicap or sexual orientation and gender identity.” (1989)

9.             SUPPORTS the concept that information regarding applicants’ ability and/or means to finance their medical education should not be requested prior to their acceptance, nor should such information be considered as a criteria for acceptance.

10.           ENCOURAGES institutions of higher education, including graduate and professional schools, to explore alternative admission processes, which would foster a diverse student population. (1998)

11.           BELIEVES that secondary application fees should not serve as a barrier to medical school admission. Therefore, AMSA SUPPORTS that secondary application fees be minimized and standardized as in the primary AMCAS application. (2007)