Accelerating
Future Physicians An innovative program allows West Virginia students to earn both their bachelor and medical degrees in just seven years. By Carter Seaton
G
etting into, paying for and graduating from medical school Once accepted into the program, because of their stellar is a daunting task even for the best and brightest students. high school academics, students typically receive the Promise But Marshall University and the Joan C. Edwards School of Scholarship and the John Marshall Scholarship for their underMedicine have made a clearly defined pathway graduate years. If they successfully complete all for exceptional high school students in West their undergraduate requirements and maintain Virginia pursuing a career in medicine. Joseph at least a 3.5 GPA, they are guaranteed a seat in Shapiro, MD, former dean of the medical school the upcoming medical school class. These acwas the visionary for the program. In collaboracomplished students are not required to take the tion with faculty and staff from the medical MCAT exam — the strenuous exam required to school and the College of Science, the program enter medical school — and receive full tuition was developed, and the first class was accepted waivers for their four years of medical school. in 2015. Named the accelerated Bachelor of “Every BS/MD student in the program is Science/Medical Degree (BS/MD) program, the assigned an academic and financial advisor,” program graduated its first class of 10 students Plymale noted. “These students are provided in May 2022, who are now in their residency honors housing, receive preferential scheduling Coming from a small town in West Virginia helped inspire a programs. and enjoy enrichment programs like etiquette passion for rural medicine in Jennifer Plymale and the staff of the Robert dinners and informal talks by students ahead of Wade Ritchie. C. Byrd Center for Rural Health at Marshall them in the program. We want them to grow University provide program oversight. According both academically and professionally.” to Plymale, who also serves as associate dean for According to Kadi Conn Harvey, MD (’22), from admissions and director of the Center for Rural Fort Gay, West Virginia, and a recent graduate, the Health, the first step comes when members of program offered her hope and an opportunity. the admissions committee, comprised primarily “Coming from a very rural background, the of Marshall faculty, interview students during majority of my classmates did not automatically their senior year of high school. go straight to college,” Dr. Harvey explained. “No “These are exceptional students, in the 98th one talked to us about medical school; no one percentile when it comes to their SAT or ACT ever mentioned that was an option. I was told scores and GPA,” Plymale explained. “They must students from schools like ours are never considcomplete an application and provide letters of ered for things like that.” Dr. Kadi Conn Harvey refused recommendations. Many of them have already Undeterred, Dr. Harvey applied, was interto allow her rural background completed some of their college courses while viewed and accepted. to diminish her goal of still in high school.” “Looking back, all I needed was the knowlmedical school.
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