The Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DDEI) at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is pleased to announce that the Academy of Pre-Health Scholars (APHS) summer program will be offered to disadvantaged and/or underrepresented high school students in the summer of 2020. APHS is designed to facilitate a successful academic career for the students who have strong interests in healthcare professions.
The Academy of Pre-Health Scholars (APHS) will offer a versatile schedule that will fit most student’s educational and professional demands. When you apply through the DDEI website, you will be automatically considered for the full 5-week program.
APPLY TO THE APHS PROGRAM
Program Requirements and Overview
- Participants: Students who are currently enrolled in 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grades (rising 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th graders).
- Availability: 18 to 24 seats. However, in order to ensure your child will be in a suitable learning environment, only motivated candidates will be offered a seat. We value quality over quantity; in the event there are not enough qualified applicants, some seats will be left vacant.
- GPA and Grades: A GPA of at least 2.90 is required for the consideration for admission. Traditionally, competitive applicants have their GPAs somewhere between 3.3 to 4.3 (on a 4-point scale with AP credits weighted).
- The DDEI may request a middle school transcript for a rising 9th grade student.
- Mathematics: Students must have successfully completed Algebra 1 with at least a B or will be completing Algebra 1 by the end of Spring 2020 (in this case, a interval grade of B or above must be demonstrated on the report card by the end of Fall 2019).
- Focus:
- ACT Preparation & Academic Success: Sciences, mathematics, reading/critical reasoning, a capstone project (topic research or science fair, varies by year), and ACT preparation.
- Introduction to Public Health / Medical Professions:Basic anatomy and physiology, exposure to public health concepts and cases studies, exposure to healthcare professionals and students, hand-on experiences related to the healthcare field, and visiting sites on campus that are normally limited to professional students.
- See Academy Overview below for complete details.
- Incentives: Stipend up to $200 (based on overall program performance and attendance) plus a $40 value stipend/voucher for the July 18th real ACT (you have to register for the test). Students must attend all sessions Monday to Friday for all 5 weeks.
- Application Deadline:
- Priority – Friday, March 13, 2020
- Priority acceptance – Highly-qualified applicants will be offered early acceptance starting in March 2020.
- Priority – Friday, March 13, 2020
- Absolute – Friday April 3, 2020
- Acceptance notification – All applicants should receive notification regarding their status (accepted, wait-listed, declined) by the end of May, 2020.
Academy Overview: ACT Prep & Med Pro
- Weeks 1 to 3: ACT Preparation and Academic Success
- June 8 (Mon) to June 26 (Fri), 2020
- Week 4: Break
- June 29 (Mon) to July 3 (Fri), 2020
- Weeks 5 and 6: ACT Preparation, Introduction to Public Health & Medical Professions
- July 6 (Mon) to July 17 (Fri), 2020
ACT Preparation and Academic Success
- Instructors: Qualified high school teachers
- Mathematics: Arithmetic operations, algebra, and geometry applicable to the ACT.
- Sciences: Biology, chemistry, and physics relevant to the ACT. Reading of various charts, graphs, and tables will also be taught.
- Reading/Critical Reasoning: English language and literature.
- Capstone Project: To be announced.
- ACT Preparation: A comprehensive review of the ACT subject areas. Will be sponsored by the Arkansas Extended Learning Center (AELC) or Kaplan test-prep company.
- Academic Success: Undergraduate and professional students will host sessions to talk to the students about the things that should know to prepare for college and the future.
- Lunch & Learn: A healthcare professional from various disciplines will come in and talk to the students during lunch sessions.
- Public Health / Medical Professions: The students will work through public health case studies. Students will also receive a tour of the campus and exposure to some healthcare professionals.
Introduction to Medical Professions
- Instructors: Medical students
- Prerequisite: ACT Prep. The student must demonstrate an interest and motivation in pursuing a successful academic career and exhibit positive personal characteristics in the ACT Prep portion in order to be admitted into this course.
- Medical Terminology
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Hour-long sessions in the:
- Simulation Center
- Clinical Skills Center
- Cross Section Lab and Gross Lab
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
- Dissection Lab: Will be chosen from mouse, fetal pig, and/or adult pig heart
- Learning to taking a basic patient history and perform limited physicals:
- Heart and lung examinations
- Limited neurological exams including motor and sensory testing, deep-tendon reflexes, and limited cranial nerve exams
- Perform the skills that you have learned here and apply it in the Simulation Center with a medical student
- Profession speakers and recruiters from:
- College of Medicine
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Nursing
- College of Public Health
- College of Health Professions
- Graduate School
Eligibility
To be eligible for participation in these programs students must meet one (1) or more of the following three (3) criteria:
Having an educational disadvantage: Defined as a student that comes from an environment which has inhibited their attainment of knowledge, skills, and abilities required to enroll in and graduate from a health professions school.
OR
Having an economic disadvantage: Based on the parental income and the number and ages of dependents in a household, as established by these federal poverty guidelines (200%). Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms: Low-Income Levels for 2020
Persons in Family…..Income Level
One (1)……………………..$ $24,280
Two (2)……………………..$ 32,920
Three (3)…………………..$ 41,560
Four (4)…………………….$ $50,200
Five (5)……………………..$ $58,840
Six (6)……………………….$ $67,480
Seven (7)…………………..$ $76,120
Eight (8)…………………….$ $84,760
OR
Being a member of an underrepresented minority: African-American, Native American, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, or certain southeast Asian
Application Instructions
A completed application includes the following:
- Online application must be submitted. We no longer accept paper applications.
- Recommendations: Three (3) recommendation forms are required. Please direct your recommendation writer to the Letter Writer’s Guide. Recommendation forms must come from three (3) teachers familiar with the student’s academic performance and personal characteristics:
- One (1) recommendation form must be from the science teacher
- One (1) recommendation form must be from the math teacher
- One (1) recommendation form can be from any teacher.
- Transcript: An official transcript must be sent to us from your current high School (a middle school transcript may be required in certain circumstances). The transcript must be sent directly from the school registrar in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s signature written across the seal. Transcripts should be forwarded from the registrar to the Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DDEI) at the address below. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the registrar with an envelope and correct postage if necessary.
- If your school does not include year-long classes on the transcript until their completion in the spring, the DDEI will require a copy of your report card issued at the end of the fall semester.
- On-campus interview: All applicants will be required to attend a brief interview at the DDEI office on UAMS campus in Little Rock in order to be considered for the 2020 Academy for Pre-Health Scholars (APHS).
- Fee:
- Application fee: non-refundable $30 will be due and payable upon the submission of your application. The best way to pay is to send this amount as a Money order or Cashier Check made payable to UAMS Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and mail to the address listed at the bottom of this page.
- Registration fee: non-refundable $80 will be required upon acceptance to hold the seat. The best way to pay is to send this amount as a cashier’s check or money order payable to UAMS Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and mail to the address listed at the bottom of this page.
- All fees are non-refundable.
- Housing and transportation: During the program, the guardians of the students will be responsible for housing and transportation to the campus daily.
All material must be received by Friday, April 3, 2020 at 5:00pm in order for the applicant to be considered.
DDEI Address and Contact Information
Contact:
Mr. Nicholas Pettus
Senior Diversity Specialist
Phone: 501-686-8952
Email: napettus@uams.edu
Make Cashier Check or Money Order Payable to:
UAMS – Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Memo – Academy of Pre Health Scholars/APHS
Please add Child name to memo line
Address:
Division for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Attn: Nicholas Pettus
4301 W. Markham, Slot 625
Little Rock, AR 72205