More than 1,000 apply for 50 spots at upstate program for Fall 2012
Since beginning accepting applications in late 2011, the USC School of Medicine at Greenville has received 1,444 applications for the 50 spots in its inaugural class, with more than 10 percent coming from USC.
“There have been close to 150 applications from USC students to the Greenville campus,” said Eileen Korpita, director of the office of pre-professional advising. The number of applications from USC students to the USC School of Medicine at Columbia was “about the same,” according to Korpita.
While final admissions numbers will not be made available until after the school of medicine’s interview process has completed, acceptances have been being sent out on a rolling basis since Oct. 15.
“I know a few students personally who have gotten accepted there,” said Chris Pirko, president of pre-med fraternity Alpha Epsilon Delta and a fourth-year biology student.
Jerry Youkey, the school’s dean, said in a video for USC President Harris Pastides’ “Focus: Health” report that most of the School of Medicine at Greenville’s offers have already been made and that the class of 2016 has an average undergraduate GPA of 3.71 and an average MCAT score of 29 out of 45 at this point. The most recent statistics from the Columbia campus puts its students’ average undergraduate GPA at 3.5 and MCAT scores at 27.
Because the medical school did not earn accreditation until October, its application season has been lagging behind previously established medical schools.
“Because they started the application process late, they will probably be interviewing students until late April,” Kopita said. “Most schools have already finished by now.”
That includes the USC School of Medicine at Columbia, which has already sent 90 letters of acceptance and plans to send 60 more in the near future.
The USC School of Medicine at Greenville hopes to grow to its peak size within the next four years.
“This year and next year, they will be accepting 50 students. The year after that, they will accept 75 students, and then, by the fourth year, they will accept 100,” Pirko said.
The medical school’s small student body will allow a hands-on curriculum that sends students into the field early on.
“There’s going to be a lot of small-group focus, a lot of hands-on learning time spent in the Greenville hospital getting real life experience,” Pirko said. “The first thing that students will do is become certified EMTs, so in their first few weeks of medical school, they will already be working with patients.”
The USC School of Medicine at Greenville’s inaugural class will begin its studies in August.