Pathway to Med School
The SOWEGA-AHEC, in collaboration with Albany Area Primary Health Care, Inc., the Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency and the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy has developed the Pathway to Med School program specifically for Georgia college students who are enrolled in an approved pre-med curriculum and who plan to attend medical school to pursue family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics. The program accepts a limited number of students and consists of shadowing primary care physicians, working on practice-based community research projects and attending seminars to enhance the participant’s ability to gain admission to medical school.
The program is a 160-hour structured residential experience featuring 60% clinical shadowing and 40% research. The program is offered in a 4-week summer block each July. Housing is provided at no charge for participants. The program also includes seminars and round-table discussions, as well as primary care physician mentors. All experiences take place in the SOWEGA-AHEC 38-county service area.
The program is designed to provide activities that will meet Georgia medical school admissions committees’ expectations of a competitive candidate which include structured shadowing experiences, research experience, leadership abilities and communication skills in addition to GPA and MCAT scores.
Application to the program requires that you are 1) at least a rising college sophomore working on a pre-med curriculum in a Georgia college or university, 2) have a 3.0 GPA overall and a 3.0 GPA in science courses, 3) are a legal resident of Georgia and 4) have reliable transportation during the 4 week program. Interested students must complete our application and submit a 500 word essay entitled, "Why I’m Interested in Becoming a Primary Care Physician." The application period is from January 1- March 1 each year with successful candidates being notified of acceptance by April 15.
2004 – 2009 Historical Facts
Number of Pathway applicants: 177
Number of students accepted to Pathway program: 45
Number of participants who have completed med school application process: 28
Number who have been accepted to med school: 25
89% of the students who have completed the medical school application process have been accepted to medical school!
