A Richly Diverse Student Body

Since its inception Alpert Medical School has taken a deliberate approach to attracting outstanding students, with varied pathways leading to admission. Before joining us, our students have pursued a wide range of academic subjects and extracurricular interests. We value them for their uncompromising individualism as well as for their commonalities---intellectual curiosity, passionate engagement in social and political issues, and a willingness to be active partners in their medical education. Following are the routes of admission to the Medical School, which foster an experiential diversity that is truly enriching.

No matter how they are admitted, our students say that once the class begins their training together, they learn to respect and depend on each other as classmates and colleagues.

Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)

Brown University's PLME is an eight-year program leading to both the undergraduate and MD degrees. The PLME encourages students to pursue their own interests — in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences, for instance — even as they prepare for careers in medicine. There are roughly 50 PLME students in each class.

Standard Route

In 2004, the Medical School began accepting applications from qualified graduates of any accredited college or university. The response has been overwhelming - roughly 3,000 applications each year for thirty-odd places - broadening the pool of motivated, high-achieving students has added to the already diverse intellectual environment at the School.

Early Identification Program (EIP)

Each year a select group of sophomores from the University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, Providence College, and Tougaloo College in Mississippi are identified for admission to Alpert Medical School. Generally, up to two students are admitted annually from each school.

Postbaccalaureate Programs

Brown has agreements with the premedical postbaccalaureate programs at Bryn Mawr College, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, and Goucher College. Typically, post-baccalaureate students are 25 years of age or older, have work experience, and were not "premed" in college.

MD/PhD Program

Applications to the MD/PhD Program are currently considered from internal Brown candidates only; they are simultaneously accepted into the Medical School and the Graduate School. MD/PhD students typically complete their first two years of medical school, take two to five additional years to finish their PhD studies, and then return to the medical program to complete the final two clinical years.