Admissions Policies

Purpose 

This policy and its associated attestation process are intended to minimize bias and preserve the integrity of admissions decision-making at the UGA SOM. All applicants to the medical school are given equal consideration, and the selection of each medical student is not influenced by any individual benefit (professional, political, financial, or external factors).

Scope 

This policy applies to all individuals who are involved in and contributing to the evaluation of, or decision about, an applicant’s admission into the UGA SOM. Covered parties include:

• UGA SOM Admissions Committee members

• Office of Admissions

• Interviewers

• Reviewers

Policy Statement

This policy establishes guidelines and guidance regarding Conflicts of Interest (COI) and disclosure of confidential information in the admissions process of the UGA SOM. In addition, this policy includes an attestation regarding COIs and the disclosure of confidential information that all SOM Admissions Committee members, subcommittee members, interviewers, and reviewers must review and agree to on an annual basis to participate in the admissions process.

The decisions of the Admissions Committee regarding applicants must be free from intimidation and not influenced by any political or financial factors. All Admissions Committee members shall abide by the UGA Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy. The Conflict of Interest policy is meant to provide an equal opportunity for all applicants. Any person who has a question or potential conflict of interest must inform the Office of Admissions.

What Constitutes a Conflict of Interest (COI):

A perceived or actual conflict of interest may exist when there is a pre-existing or current association (personal, professional, financial, or academic) with the applicant, the applicant’s family members, or others. A conflict of interest exists in any situation in which an applicant’s success or failure could impact a member of the admissions process. A conflict of interest is present if an individual has any interest in an admissions decision other than recruiting the most qualified applicant.

Examples of COIs in SOM admissions that can occur when an individual is evaluating an applicant’s candidacy include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Having significant personal, professional, or academic relationships with the applicant or a known member of the applicant’s immediate or extended family

• Serving as a current or previous health care provider to the applicant [Ref: Non-Involvement of Care Providers in Student Assessment Policy]

• Having served as the applicant’s research mentor or in another supervisory, advisory, or mentorship role

• Having written a letter of recommendation for the applicant

• Has a business or financial interest with, or relating to, the applicant or a close relative of the applicant

• The individual would benefit from the applicant’s admission decision, including politically, financially, or professionally.

Definitions

Confidential Information: Any and all data about individual candidates applying to the UGA SOM that is prohibited from being disclosed to anyone that is not a member of the admissions committee or admissions staff, including any and all information contained in an application to the SOM and any information about the status of or deliberations about an application.

It is the policy of the UGA School of Medicine that only U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents will be considered for admission into the MD program. An applicant who isn’t a citizen must provide verification of permanent resident status (e.g., a copy of a green card) on the supplemental application to complete the application.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited institution in the United States or Canada. International coursework (defined below), including credits earned at foreign institutions, will not be accepted to fulfill prerequisite requirements and will not be included in AMCAS GPA calculations unless accepted as transfer credit and appearing on an official transcript from a U.S. or Canadian institution. Applicants currently enrolled in a degree program must complete all requirements before matriculation. A baccalaureate degree is required.

Definitions

U.S. Citizen: An individual who holds U.S. citizenship.

U.S. Permanent Resident: An individual who holds a valid, unexpired U.S. Permanent Resident Card (green card).

International Coursework: Any coursework completed at a postsecondary institution that is outside the U.S., U.S. Territories, or Canada, and is not accredited by a U.S. or Canadian Regional Association of Colleges and Universities.

Accepted applicants to the UGA School of Medicine MD program are expected to matriculate in the entering year for which they applied. However, applicants with circumstances preventing matriculation may request a one-year deferral.

To request a deferral, applicants must submit a written request via email to the Office of Admissions, outlining their reason for deferral and including any relevant supporting documentation.

The Admissions Committee reviews all deferral requests and has sole discretion in granting approvals.

All deferral requests must be submitted by June 1 of the matriculating year.

The UGA SOM follows the University System of Georgia (USG) Immunization Policy and the University of Georgia (UGA) University Health Center Immunizations Policy, which requires all students to provide documentation of mandatory vaccinations. Failure to do so will result in a hold on their account and restrict registration until the requirements are met. Additionally, the UGA SOM engages with community healthcare partners to provide clinical rotation sites for medical students. Students may be required to provide proof of additional immunizations and/or screenings that are unique to each site as a precondition to participating in clinical activities at those sites. Religious and medical exemptions may be considered, but not guaranteed, per the UGA UHC immunization policy and at the discretion of partner clinical sites with appropriate supporting documentation

Related Policies and Information 

University Health Center Mandatory Immunization Program 

University Health Center Certificate of Immunization

Observation: Students should be able to obtain information from demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences. Students should be able to assess a patient and evaluate findings accurately. These skills require the use of vision, hearing, and touch, or the functional equivalent. Examples include observing demonstrations, identifying physical findings, interpreting diagnostic images and data, and gathering clinical information through physical examination techniques such as auscultation, palpation, and percussion.

Communication: Students should be able to communicate to elicit information, detect changes in mood and activity, and establish a therapeutic relationship. Students should be able to communicate effectively and sensitively in English, both in person and in writing.

Motor: Students should, after a reasonable period of time, possess the capacity to perform a physical examination and perform diagnostic maneuvers. Students should be able to perform some motor movements required for general patient care and for providing or directing emergency treatment (e.g., CPR, wound closure). Such actions require some coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, balance, and equilibrium. Academic and clinical responsibilities must be completed within expected timeframes.

Intellectual, conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities: Students should be able to assimilate detailed and complex information presented in both didactic and clinical coursework and engage in problem-solving. Students are expected to possess the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and transmit information. In addition, students should be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships, understand the spatial relationships of structures, and adapt to different learning environments and modalities.

Behavioral and social abilities: Students should possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, fellow students, faculty, and staff. Students should be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and function effectively under stress. They should be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, professionalism, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities expected during the educational process.

Ethics and professionalism: Students should maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a physician in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students, and the public. The candidate is expected to understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and function within the law and ethical standards of the medical profession.

The technical standards delineated above must be met with or without accommodation.

Definitions

Disability: any health condition that substantially limits an individual in a major life activity.

Accommodation: a modification or adjustment to an instructional activity, facility, program, or service that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal educational opportunity.

Reasonable accommodations: those that effectively meet disability-related needs of qualified students, yet that do not put students, patients, or others in danger, do not fundamentally alter the essential elements of the UGA SOM programs, do not create undue burdens for the University, and do not provide new programming for students with disabilities that is not available to all medical students.

Should you need an accommodation for any part of the admissions process, please contact UGA’s Accessibility and Testing Office as soon as possible.

The School of Medicine will not accept students transferring from another medical program.

All admitted applicants must submit verification of lawful presence as per USG policy. Verification will be collected on the supplemental application.