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Thomas Haider Early Assurance Program

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Early Assurance Program Open Office Hours - 2024 Application Support

Open office hours are available for students who require EAP application support and are planning to apply by the April 1st, 2024 deadline. Office hours will be held on Wednesdays at 12:00 noon and 5:00pm (in one-hour blocks with times alternating every week) beginning on February 7th. Specific dates and times are listed below.

Please register for the session(s) that you plan to attend. 

Session A: 5:00pm on 2/7, 2/21, 3/6, & 3/20

Registration Link: https://ucr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvd-Cvpz4pEtPQU_FEFfiv3zSNu5bl23a_ 

Session B: 12:00pm on 2/14, 2/28, 3/13, & 3/27

Registration Link: https://ucr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpcOqgrT4sGtMAha46yzs5U4TAPfl6DiiF 

Note: No general questions regarding future EAP admissions will be answered during office hours. Contact the EAP email below if you have general questions about the Early Assurance Program.

If you have any questions about this event or future EAP events, please contact Aaren Hurd at eap@medsch.ucr.edu.

UCR SOM EAP And Health Profession Applications

How to Write, and Help to Do It! during ‘24W.

If you require any support with writing your personal statement or essays for the Early Assurance Program, please attend a workshop for UCR SOM EAP And Health Profession Applications: How to Write, and Help to Do It! during ‘24W. 
Writing support includes sessions: Where-to-Start Workshops, Ask-Me-Anything Writing Labs and One-on-One Mentoring hosted by the Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC) and the University Writing Program 

Applicants: Register by clicking the link below.

https://forms.gle/htyFkbCtVxah7TdG9


 

The Early Assurance Program (EAP) is a unique portal into the UC Riverside School of Medicine's Thomas Haider Program. It provides qualified, "mission-fit" UC Riverside undergraduate students or recent graduates with a guaranteed seat in a future UCR School of Medicine class. Admitted EAP students enter the School of Medicine one year after selection.

Applicants must demonstrate strong academic ability, significant clinical and volunteer experience, and a demonstrated commitment to practice medicine in Inland Southern California.

The program benefits applicants by reducing the stress and financial resources required by applying to medical school.

Application Opening Date: Friday, December 1, 2023
Application Closing Date: Monday, April 1, 2024

Please read the instructions below before clicking on the button to go to the application site.

Go to the EAP ApplicatioN Site 

 

Thomas Haider Early Assurance Program - Nov 2023

 


What are the Benefits of Applying?

If accepted, you are guaranteed a seat in the UCR School of Medicine's Thomas Haider Program. Benefits include:

  • You will have time to focus on other activities in your senior year or gap year – such as more clinical experience, more community service, research, etc.
  • You do not need to take the MCAT.
  • There is no application fee. The program is free to apply.
  • You can save the expenses of having AMCAS send your application to many universities, completing and paying for secondary applications, and costs of traveling to other medical schools for interviews.

Download the Thomas Haider Early Assurance Program Brochure

Have a question? Contact the Office of Student Affairs by email

Who Can Apply?

Applicants must be UC Riverside undergraduates who meet the following criteria:

  • Current UCR undergraduate students in their third or fourth year who anticipate completing their B.A./B.S. degree at least 2 weeks before MD orientation in August 2025.
  • Graduates of UC Riverside (B.A./B.S.) whose degree was completed no earlier than winter quarter 2023 who have not previously applied to medical school.

Program Requirements

Lunchbags and other gifts given to the Haider Program students

Applicants must fulfill the following criteria.

  • Be within one year of graduation with their B.S./B.A. degree from UCR at time of selection or recently graduated no earlier than winter quarter 2023 but have not applied to medical school.
  • If you are accepted into the Early Assurance program, you are contractually bound by a commitment letter to apply to and enroll only in the UCR School of Medicine. You may not apply elsewhere.
  • Express a commitment to practice in Inland Southern California.
  • Have completed a minimum of four quarters (including the summer quarter) at UCR prior to applying to this program (and must complete at least six quarters at UCR before matriculation).
  • Complete all UCR School of Medicine prerequisite courses with a cumulative BCPM (Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Mathematics) GPA equal to or greater than 3.40.
  • Have invested time in community service.
  • Have been exposed to significant clinical experiences.

Program Restrictions

  • Applicants must be an undergraduate student at UCR OR a recent graduate who has never previously applied to medical school.
  • Early Assurance Program applicants are not permitted to apply to other schools.
  • Program is open to in-state residents only.
  • This program is not available to students who have already applied for medical school.
  • No coursework completed as part of a post-baccalaureate or graduate program will be considered as part of the application process.
  • This program is not considered an accelerated graduation program.
  • Applicants may apply to EAP only once.

How to Apply

Creating Your Account

Sign in box with a red box indicating the location of the Create EA account link

Please read through these instructions completely BEFORE starting the application process. You will be able to create an account starting on December 1st.

  • Go to our online application by clicking this link. You may want to open this link in a new window so that you can also read these instructions. 
  • On the application login page, click the "Create EA account" link. See image at right for reference.
  • You are required to use your UCR Student ID as your login name.
  • If you are a current UC Riverside student, please use your UCR email for your account verification.
  • Recent UCR graduates who no longer have access to their UCR email may use a personal email, however, please use your UCR student ID to login.
  • Once your account is created, you will immediately receive an email from our office with instructions on how you can activate your account.

Contact the UCR SOM Office of Admission via email if you require support.


Application Requirements

  • A PDF of unofficial transcripts, a photo, and MCAT score (if taken) can be uploaded directly within the application portal. Only admitted students will be required to submit official transcripts.
  • Three to five individual letters of recommendation are required. These letters must be original, signed documents on institutional letterhead and may be written by a premedical advisor, undergraduate faculty, mentors or any individual of your choice. One letter must come from a UCR faculty member. Letters of recommendation must be submitted directly to Admissions by the letter recommender via the EAP application portal. Applicant will receive instructions on how to have this completed. Letters can also be received by a letter service such as Interfolio before the deadline. No letters will be accepted by email.
  • Applicants will be asked to submit a photo as part of their application in JPG file formatting. The photo should be a color passport style photo, with a clear image of your face that is high in resolution with a solid color background.
  • Applicants are not required to submit an MCAT score unless it was already taken. If the applicant did complete an MCAT, that score must be submitted as part of the application if the score is available by the application deadline.

Written Section Character Counts & Guidelines

  • Experience Description - maximum 150 words
  • Personal Statement - maximum 500 words
  • Essay Questions - maximum 250 words

Deadline

The deadline to apply for admittance to the incoming class of 2029 is April 1, 2024 at 12 noon PST. This includes the application and all supporting application materials such as unofficial transcripts, letters of recommendation, a photo, and MCAT scores (if taken).

Please note that due to the recent COVID-19 updates, the EAP timeline for interviews could possibly change. Please continue to look out for future updates.


Selection

Review of application materials is conducted by the Haider Admissions Committee and determines the applicants who will be invited for interviews. Notification of acceptance into the program will be sent by May 31. Successful candidates would be required to sign a commitment letter detailing the class for which s/he/they would matriculate (15 months after selection).

About Interviews

Qualifying applicants will be invited to participate in the interview process, which are conducted in May. This is completed through a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format.

About the Commitment Letter

Successful candidates will sign a letter in which they agree to:

  • Complete their B.S./B.A. degree with a BCPM science GPA of at least 3.40.
  • Complete the academic year or gap year plan as described and approved by the admissions committee.
  • Not apply to other medical schools during the next application cycle.
  • Review and sign the Technical Standards Acknowledgement. Please review more information regarding the Technical Standards here: https://somsa.ucr.edu/document/technical-standards-acknowledgement 

Accepted students will need to fill out an AMCAS application for the year in which they would matriculate into UCR SOM. The guaranteed admission offer would be nullified if these commitments are not met or if the applicant is convicted of any professional violation prior to matriculation into the UCR SOM.

Selected students would be eligible for all scholarships available to regularly admitted applicants.


Becoming a More Competitive Candidate

Due to the competitive nature of this program, prospective applicants are highly encouraged to meet with a Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC) advisor to discuss their eligibility and competitiveness before they submit an application.

Past Workshops


Contacts

General Information
School of Medicine -  Admissions
(951) 827-9017
eap@medsch.ucr.edu

Information on Pathways Program

pathways@medsch.ucr.edu

 

Undergraduate and Alumni students
Health Professions Advising Center (HPAC)
Rivera Library B03
(951) 827-6233
hpac@ucr.edu