OUR VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS WILL RESUME THIS SUMMER! FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US FOR AN APPOINTMENT!

CAREER CHANGER PROGRAM

Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." - Earl Nightingale

Have you considered becoming a physician, but thought it was too late to change careers? Our structured two-year pre-med preparation program is specifically designed for career changers and offers assured admission to the University of Louisville School of Medicine!

If you're a career changer with a Bachelor's degree or about to graduate and desire to become a physician but lack the pre-med science coursework for medical school admission, this program may be for you! Let our program help you become the physician you always wanted to be!

Check out our Program Outcomes, Student Spotlight and Program Ambassadors!

RECORD ENHANCING PROGRAM

"If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place." - Nora Roberts.

Are you a pre-med college graduate who needs to improve your grade point average and/or MCAT score to be more competitive for medical school? Our new record enhancing program offers two tracks: Track one offers the opportunity to complete or retake pre-med required courses, take upper level science classes, receive MCAT preparation, tutoring and supplemental instruction to improve your learning strategies and test taking skills.

Track two offers the one year non-thesis M.S. in Physiology to further improve your credentials at the graduate level while continuing to receive support from our program every step of the way. Accepted students must participate in track one in order to be considered for track two. Students who qualify and wish to go directly into the M.S. in Physiology Pre-healthcare concentration Program may click here and proceed with applying through the graduate school.

Students in both tracks will have the opportunity to engage in shadowing physicians, volunteering in the community, receiving application development and more! Click here to learn more! There are 15 spots available.

Our Mission

Our program is offered through the Health Sciences Center Office of Health Equity and Engagement. It's important to have health professionals who provide health equity for everyone. Kentucky has 120 counties, and approximately 80 of them are health professional shortage areas (HPSA) (http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/). Numerous counties lack hospitals or specialists, requiring their residents to drive to the cities of Louisville, Lexington, etc., which are in many cases miles and hours away.

It's not just a Kentucky issue. Nationwide, there are rural and urban medically underserved areas, whether it be entire counties or portions of counties, that do not have enough health care providers to meet the health care needs of their population. There's a need for more specialists in medically underserved areas to help improve the quality of life and access to health care for its residents. The need for more primary care physicians (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Med-Peds, and Pediatrics) continues to grow nationally. These physicians serve as the first point of contact for most patients, and referrals are made to specialists when necessary.

Numerous Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) throughout the United States diligently work to help remedy this situation. Numerous post-bac, pre-med, and pre-professional programs have the same mission.

Currently, only our Career Changer Program is linked to the University of Louisville School of Medicine, granting assured admission for students who meet the requirements. We are developing competitive applicants for medical school consideration in Kentucky, throughout the United States, and abroad. Our ultimate goal is for our students to matriculate to medical school and become the physicians they always wanted to be.

Our Purpose

The first step to becoming a physician is going to medical school. Medical schools have limited class sizes available each year, making admission very competitive. Admission committees are seeking competitive applicants who have completed their pre-med requirements; are academically strong; have scored well on the MCAT; have had clinical exposure (shadowing); are well rounded; have illustrated a sincere compassion for others through volunteer service; make a great impression during their interview; have solid letters of recommendation and have a genuine interest in medicine. There is a lot involved in preparing for and applying to medical school. Many students get discouraged or lost in the shuffle without the professional guidance to help them navigate the preparation process.

As of the fall 2024 semester, our program now has two pathways to medicine: Career Changer and Record Enhancing.  The career changers are students with a bachelor's degree who want to become physicians but lack the pre-med coursework and preparation. The record enhancers are pre-med students who have taken the pre-med coursework and possibly the MCAT, but need to improve their credentials to be more competitive for medical school admission consideration.

There are numerous record-enhancing programs to consider, including the non-thesis M.S. in Physiology Pre-Health Care Track Program at the University of Louisville. Check out https://students-residents.aamc.org/postbacc/ for a listing of post-bacc pre-med programs nationwide to find one that best suits you. 

Our program is a supportive navigation system for its students throughout their pre-med journey!