Getting into the University of Nebraska Medical Center is no easy feat, but we're here to help. Medical school acceptance rates are getting increasingly competitive, so if you want to get one of those coveted letters of acceptance, you need to know as much as you can about your chosen schools and what they are looking for in applicants. This blog will discuss everything you need to know about the University of Nebraska Medical Center's school of medicine. We will tell you about the different programs, admission statistics, selection factors, and more. So, read on if you want to know how to get into the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
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Mission Statement
“The mission of the College of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center is to improve the health of citizens of Nebraska by advancing health and biomedical sciences through the highest quality education, exemplary patient care, and research excellence.”
Available Programs
The UNMC Doctor of Medicine (MD) programs are designed to prepare students to meet the health care needs of patients through clinical practice, biomedical science & research, and problem-solving using a relatively unique approach. Their curriculum incorporates a mix of basic science and clinical material presented in core subjects instead of the traditional presentation by department (e.g., anatomy, biochemistry, etc.), thus allowing students to grasp the connectedness of the physical system. In addition to its regular MD program, the University of Nebraska medical center also collaborates with other departments to offer a few interesting, combined degrees, including the following:
Academic Curriculum
The College of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center divides the MD program's curriculum into three phases. The first phase is called foundations of medicine, it lasts about 18 months, and it is all about laying the groundwork for the subsequent stages of the program. The courses at this point integrate basic, clinical, and health systems sciences into blocks organized by the human body's organ systems.
Clinical Applications is the program's second phase, and it is 12 months long. This phase provides students with a chance to start applying the knowledge and skills learned from the first phase. This stage of their training begins with the Acute Care Training block - a course that is designed to facilitate the transition to clinical practice and help students prepare for clinical rotations. It is then followed by required clinical clerkships in the following core disciplines of medicine:
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- OB/GYN
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatry
- Surgery
The final phase of the curriculum takes place over 13 months and is aptly called career preparation. At this stage of the program, students enroll in a self-selected specialty track and they work with faculty members from that specialty to develop an individualized learning experience based on the student's background, anticipated plans, and other interests. This phase aims to prepare students to become the best resident doctors they can be.
Have you started working on your med school personal statement? Check out this infographic for tips:
Application Timeline
Application process and acceptance
UNMC's College of Medicine applications must be submitted online through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Upon receipt of your verified application, students receive an electronic supplemental application that must be submitted by the deadline for review. It is only once both applications are received that your application will be eligible for review by the College of Medicine's admissions committee and considered for an interview.
The UNMC participates in the Early Decision Program (EDP), which gives students the option of applying and receiving a decision earlier than other students. In exchange, you must agree that you are committed to enrolling at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and withdrawing all pending applications to other universities if admitted through the Early Decision Program. This option is only recommended for students who have UNMC as their first choice. That said, the college of medicine does use a rolling admissions process, so keep that in mind, as well.
Below is a general timeline to give you an idea of what the medical school application timeline looks like for UNMC candidates. That said, it is imperative that you verify the deadlines and other important dates for your application cycle on the AMCAS site and on the school's website before you start your medical school application.
General application timeline
Admissions Statistics & Eligibility
The University of Nebraska Medical Center's overall acceptance rate is 6.9%, making it one of the easiest medical schools to get into. However, it is worth noting that although this school would technically be considered a Canadian-friendly US medical school because it accepts international students (including Canadian students), it does so on a case-by-case basis, and very few candidates are successful. For example, last year, the University of Nebraska Medical Center's college of medicine did not admit any international students at all.
It is also worth noting that the UNMC's college of medicine would not fall on the list of out-of-state friendly medical schools. Only 1.5% of out-of-state applicants were offered admission by the UNMC's college of medicine. In contrast, the In-state acceptance rate was 35%. So if you are not a Nebraska resident, you should take some extra time to research and ensure that this is the right fit for you before applying.
Furthermore, the University of Nebraska Medical Center's relatively high acceptance rate does not mean the school isn't very selective. To be eligible for consideration, students must take the MCAT and have at least three years of college work from an accredited college. However, completing a college major or baccalaureate degree is strongly recommended.
The UNMC does not have a minimum MCAT cut-off score or specific GPA requirements, but they do expect students to have a solid academic background. The median MCAT score for the current class is 513, and their median GPA is 3.91. We always recommend that you aim to apply with an MCAT score and GPA that is equivalent to or higher than the class median if you want to be a competitive candidate.
Recommended Courses
Although the College of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center does not prefer one type of degree over another, we would be remiss if we didn't mention that 80% of the latest matriculants come from science/math majors. It is certainly possible to get into the UNMC with a degree from a different field, but you will need to complete the following medical school prerequisites as requested by the school:
Selection Factors
The University of Nebraska Medical Center uses a holistic admissions process. This means that in addition to looking at your standardized test scores and grades, the selection is also based on your motivation, interests, character, personal interview, and overall fitness and promise for a career in medicine.
As discussed earlier, having a strong academic profile is ideal if you are applying to this school. That's not to say that you can't get into medical school with a low GPA, because you certainly can. But it would be a challenging task that requires a lot of strategic planning. Grades are not everything, so meeting the minimum requirements is not enough to guarantee admission to a school as selective as the University of Nebraska Medical Center. You should also pay attention to the following:
Clinical Exposure and Volunteer work:
Students often ask, "how important is research for medical school?", "how many shadowing hours do I need for medical school?" and other questions of this nature about their extracurriculars for medical school. The reality is that while research, clinical, and volunteer experience are not always listed as a clear requirement for medical school, they are a huge asset. Furthermore, for most competitive, research-heavy medical colleges like the UNMC, up to 90% of matriculating students have prior research and clinical experience. In other words, not having these things on your medical school resume puts you at a disadvantage.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center will look at the total body of clinical exposure and volunteer work you include in your AMCAS work and activities section. You should ensure that you are doing more than just listing the activities you participated in, especially in the AMCAS most meaningful experiences. We recommend reading the technical standards guide that the UNMC has provided and ensuring that the qualities and skills mentioned are reflected in your activity descriptions.
Letters of recommendation:
The University of Nebraska Medical Center requires at least two letters of recommendation from undergraduate faculty members, and one of them must be in the pre-medical science area. However, one official report of a pre-medical advisory committee can fulfill the two-letter requirement. We recommend submitting both medical school recommendation letters whenever possible, as this would allow your chosen writers to talk about your skills and qualities in their own words.
Students can submit up to two additional letters of recommendation. We suggest requesting letters from individuals who know you well and who have supervised you or assessed your work in the past. You could request a recommendation from current or past employers, graduate program directors, volunteer supervisors, etc. Letters from clergymen, family, friends, or persons in influential positions are discouraged.
Supplemental application and essays:
The University of Nebraska Medical Center's secondary application is only made available to applicants once they have submitted their initial application through AMCAS, and it is due shortly after. This means that you do not have a lot of time to prepare. We highly recommend that you start preparing well in advance by looking at medical school secondary essay examples.
Check out this video to learn how to write a compelling medical school secondary essay:
Interview Formats
After submitting both your AMCAS and secondary application, selected candidates will be invited for an interview. Students will be notified that they've been selected, and they will be asked to select a date for the interview and upload a photograph of themselves. The UNMC asks that it be a recent, professionally posed color photograph in .jpeg format. This photograph will essentially be the first impression the admissions committee gets of you, so make sure that the image you select is high quality, professional, and true to you.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is currently conducting interviews virtually via Zoom, so you should make sure to prepare adequately for a video interview. Check your equipment before the interview day, and ensure that you have a quiet place with a non-distracting background to use for the interview.
UNMC does interviews a bit differently, in the sense that the interviewer does not have access to the candidate's academic credentials. According to the school, the interviewer's primary objective is to focus on the applicant's personality, general functioning, capabilities, and communication skills, not intellectual achievements. You should keep this in mind as you go through your medical school interview prep.
Furthermore, the UNMC warns that you should expect to be asked about your desire to pursue a career in medicine, the positions of responsibility you have held, your leisure time pursuits, and people who have been influential in your life. Make sure to look at the common medical school interview questions, such as "why do you want to become a doctor?" or "tell me about yourself". Start structuring answers to those common questions and practice in mock medical school interviews, as this will help you feel more prepared on interview day.
Tuition and funding opportunities
Below is the cost of tuition for the college of medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Please remember that these amounts are subject to change, so always verify the medical school tuition with the school itself to make sure you have the most up-to-date information.
The average graduate indebtedness for UNMC students is $190,273, and 94% of the student body currently receives some form of student aid. The school offers several scholarships and awards based on merit or financial need. It should be noted that the office of financial aid does not make recipient selections. Instead, these selections are made by the scholarship committees of each respective college and program.
Students must submit their scholarship applications 30 days after they are accepted by their chosen academic program, and they have to submit a new application every year by April 1st. For additional information about the scholarships available for the college of medicine specifically, students can contact the scholarship committee.
Contact information
Phone: (402) 559-2259 / (402) 559-2259
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address:
Univ of Nebraska COM
Office of Admissions and Student Affairs
College of Medicine
985527 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE
68198-6545 USA
FAQs
1. How competitive is admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center?
Admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center's college of medicine is relatively competitive. The admission rate is higher than 5%, which is much higher than that of many medical schools in the US, but it does still mean that only 6 out of every 100 applicants actually get admitted to the program. So, if you want to be one of them, you will need a compelling application.
2. What GPA do I need to get into the University of Nebraska Medical Center?
The school doesn't have a minimum GPA requirement, but we recommend aiming for the highest GPA possible as your academic performance plays a big role in the admissions process.
3. Does the University of Nebraska Medical Center accept international students?
Yes, but on a case by case basis. The acceptance rate for international students at the UNMC is very low!
4. Is the University of Nebraska Medical Center Canadian-friendly?
The UNMC accepts Canadian students who meet their requirements on a case-by-case basis. So, while it is possible for a Canadian to get into the school, we wouldn't really classify it as a Canadian-friendly medical school in the US.
Does the University of Nebraska Medical Center have a secondary application?
Yes. After submitting your initial application through AMCAS, eligible students will receive a secondary application which they will have to fill out and submit before they are actually considered for admission.
6. Is the University of Nebraska Medical Center expensive?
The current yearly cost of tuition is $23,066 for in-state students and $29,385 for out-of-state students. That said, the school does offer financial aid and almost all of the student body uses this option in one form or another.
7. Does the University of Nebraska Medical Center offer financial aid?
Yes. The UNMC does offer different scholarships and programs to help alleviate the cost of medical school tuition. You can find out more about these programs by contacting the financial aid office.
8. How can I make my application to the University of Nebraska Medical Center stand out?
You can make your application stand out by taking the time to plan for medical school, enrolling in different extracurricular activities, and ensuring that the school's technical standards are showcased in your medical school personal statement and other essays. If you want to maximize your chances of admission, you may also want to consider working with a medical school admissions tutor, as they can provide additional guidance.
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