Thomas Haider Program at the UCR School of Medicine
The Thomas Haider Program at the UCR School of Medicine provides at least 24 seats in an upcoming class to qualified UCR undergraduate students
To qualify, applicants must have attended UC Riverside for at least four quarters before applying (six quarters to matriculate) and received their bachelor’s degree at UCR.
Visit the School of Medicine's Program Prerequisites page.
Successful students are admitted to the UC Riverside School of Medicine, where they complete the four-year curriculum.
The program is built upon the foundation established by the UCR/UCLA Thomas Haider Program in Biomedical Sciences (from 1974 to 2016) and maintains its original charter to recruit, admit and support students who are from UC Riverside, including those from groups underrepresented in medicine.
Becoming a Student in the Haider Program
There are two ways to become a student in the Thomas Haider Program, via the Early Assurance Program (EAP) and via the standard AMCAS application process.
All applicants, regardless of the method of applying, must meet the following standards to become a Haider Program student
- Applicants must meet the School of Medicine application standards and fulfill the minimum program prerequisites.
- Applicants must have attended UC Riverside for six consecutive quarters, and
- Must have completed, or be on the path to complete, their bachelor's degree at UCR
Students are admitted to the UC Riverside School of Medicine, where they complete the four-year curriculum.
Read below for the paths to the Haider Program.
The Thomas Haider
Early Assurance Program (EAP)
The Haider Early Assurance Program (EAP) provides qualified, "mission-fit" UC Riverside undergraduate students or recent graduates with a guaranteed seat in the upcoming UCR School of Medicine class in exchange for the promise not to apply with another medical education program. Admitted EAP students enter the School of Medicine one year after selection.
Thomas Haider Program
via AMCAS
Students who meet the criteria of the Thomas Haider Program may apply to the program during the regular American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application process.
These applicants will be placed into the Haider Program applicant pool, which is a subset of the larger applicant pool.
Who are the Haiders?
Dr. Thomas T. Haider and Mrs. Salma Haider have long supported the goal to educate physicians for distinguished medical careers in service to underserved, inland and rural populations.
Built upon the foundation established by the UCR/UCLA Thomas Haider Program in Biomedical Sciences, the Thomas Haider Program at the UCR School of Medicine maintains its original charter to recruit, admit and support students who are from UC Riverside, including those from groups underrepresented in medicine.
The Haiders also sponsor the annual Thomas & Salma Haider Biomedical Breakthrough Lecture. You can learn more about the lecture here.