In late February, the College of Medicine Admissions staff will wheel a cart of letters to the UAMS mailroom. Some recipients will be overjoyed – learning that they have been accepted as one of 174 members of the next freshman class and are on their way to becoming a physician. Others will be informed they are on the COM’s “alternates” list. And many will be saddened to learn that they have not been accepted.
“Ask yourself: When was the last time you received a letter that changed your life?” said Tom South, Assistant Dean for Medical Student Admissions.
This year, 2,582 applicants submitted American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) applications to the COM, including 353 Arkansas residents, the second highest number of in-state applicants since 1998. Faculty, resident and student volunteers interviewed a total of 374 applicants, including 24 at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, during Saturday sessions in October, November and January. The COM Admissions Committee will complete the selection process next month.
“Being actively engaged in this process and meeting bright and motivated applicants makes our job in the Admissions Office a great pleasure,” Mr. South said.
He emphasized that the “admissions team” is far larger than his office of three and that the admissions process requires the participation of hundreds of dedicated volunteers. Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean Christopher T. Westfall, M.D., FACS, thanked the Admissions Office, faculty members who serve on the Admissions Committee, and everyone who volunteered on interview days in a message earlier this month. Click for the message and list of volunteers.