For high school students committed to a medical career, Villanova offers an exciting and challenging option above and beyond the ordinary "pre-med" program. In affiliation with Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine), Villanova offers a joint BS/MD program. The seven-year program requires three academic years (no summers) before moving on to Drexel. The joint program allows for a choice of major; please see the information regarding choice of major below. The students are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and achieve a specified score in order to transfer to Drexel University College of Medicine.

Criteria to be Considered

Students considering this affiliation program must meet the following minimum requirements: 

• Be a candidate for a diploma from a United States High School.
• Be in the top 5% of the High School graduating class.
• Have a GPA of A- or 3.8 or better (unweighted) on a 4.0 scale.
• Have an SAT score of 1360 or better on the Critical Reading and Math components (taken no later than October of the applicant's senior year, with no subset less than 600); a specific score on the Writing component will not be used at this time. Scores must be sent directly to Villanova from the College Board. (SAT II are recommended but not required).   An ACT score of 31 will also meet the requirement; If taking the ACT the writing portion must be included.
• Have satisfactorily passed (or have in progress) the following High School prerequisite courses: four (4) years of Mathematics, four (4) years of English, three (3) years of science (at least one semester each of biology, chemistry and physics).

Conditional acceptance: Applicants who are accepted for the program are required to meet the following conditions during the Villanova portion of their program:

• Students must take all prerequisite courses at Villanova.
• Without repeating a course, maintain a minimum cumulative overall GPA of 3.5 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 in the prerequisite science courses
  
• Students must receive no grade for any course less than a C (a C- is less than a C).
• Students must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and in a single examination achieve a score of 9 in the verbal reasoning, 10 in the physical science and 10 in the biological sciences sections OR a combined score of 31 or higher with no score less than a 8 on any subsection and a letter score of P or higher on the writing section.

Application and Admission Requirements

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident to be eligible for this program. It is also recommended that the student have exposure to a hospital setting or doctor's office.

• the candidate’s Common Application with the Villanova Supplement (November 1)
• application fee
• official high school transcript
• all SAT or ACT scores sent directly from the College Board and/or ACT
• Common Application School Report and recommendation
• Villanova essay
• Common Application essay

Complete the Common Application with the Villanova Supplement and submit by November 1. In the Villanova Supplement Major Section you should choose the health affiliation to which you are applying. Next, choose an alternate major that you would pursue as an undergraduate in the event you are not selected as a final candidate for the Health Affiliation Program.

The applicants who meet the criteria set by the medical school will be asked to submit additional material in a supplementary application; this will be requested after receipt of the Villanova application. Applicants will be notified approximately January 15 if they have advanced to the second stage of the process. This will include a half-day interview session at Drexel University College of Medicine on a date to be determined by the medical school; candidates are invited to visit Villanova on the same day. Students who are not selected for the second stage are notified by Villanova approximately January 15; their application will be evaluated for the major listed on the application.

A potential student can enter this program only as an incoming freshman; that is, it is not possible to transfer into this program. However, a student who enters the program may transfer out and into one of the regular four-year programs at Villanova University.

Major

Applicants accepted into this program may select any major offered by the University. However, completion of all requirements for Drexel University College of Medicine and for the major at Villanova may be more difficult in some majors. It is thus important for the applicant to select the major in consultation with the Health Professions Advisor.  View sample curriculum for Biology, Biochemistry or Comprehensive Science majors.

For information on the various college/MD programs, check the following web site: college/MD programs  It was done by two students who participated in one of the programs and has some useful information.

For details pertaining to Drexel University College of Medicine, view their web site at  http://www.drexelmed.edu/Home/Admissions/MDProgram/AcceleratedandEarlyAssuranceLinkagePrograms.aspx For more information about this unique opportunity at Villanova, please contact the Health Professions Advisor at (610) 519-4833 or hpa@villanova.edu.