The new Urban Medicine B/MD (bachelor’s to medical degree) scholarship program offers an opportunity for recipients to be admitted to IU Northwest as undergraduates. They may major in any area of study, but must complete the academic requirements for admission to IU School of Medicine. Upon completion of their bachelor’s degree and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Urban Medicine student will be able to attend any one of the nine IU School of Medicine sites – also on a full tuition scholarship.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for high school students in the area who want to go into the field of medicine,” says Dr. Atilla Tuncay, IU Northwest health professions advisor. “We not only have an excellent pre-professional program at IU Northwest, but the Northwest campus also serves as one of the locations for the Indiana School of Medicine. 
  
Eligibility requirements for the Urban Medicine B/MD scholarship program include a high school GPA of about 3.5 or higher, a SAT score of 1200 (or ACT equivalent), demonstrated leadership in high school, and an interview by the scholarship committee. Students must remain in good academic standing throughout the program. 

“While at IU Northwest, the scholarship recipients will be advised by both IU Northwest’s pre-professional health advisor and a medical school advisor,” says Dr. William Baldwin, assistant dean and director of the Northwest Center for Medical Education at IU Northwest. “They can participate in summer internships, research projects and physician shadowing, attend research seminars, and receive tutoring if necessary.”

As part of the program’s criteria, Urban Medicine students may take their residency in any area of interest, but upon completion, must practice medicine in an urban and/or underserved area of Indiana for two years.

“This is a great opportunity for students from urban (inner city) areas to serve those around them and be role models for other young people,” Baldwin adds. “The total value of this scholarship may exceed $100,000.

For more information on the Urban Medicine Program scholarship, contact Dr. Tuncay at 219-980-6745 or Dr. Baldwin at 219-980-6555. More information on IU Northwest and the Northwest Center for Medical Education is at http://www.iun.indiana.edu/.