U-M Medical School's New Class Includes Best, Brightest From Both Michigan and Nation

Incoming group excels not only academically — almost half speak more than one language, more than half from Michigan, half are female

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  More than 5,100 applied, but only 170 were chosen to join University of Michigan's incoming 2010 Medical School class, bringing top flight grades and resumes packed full of diverse experiences.

Members of the class, which began studies at U-M this summer, have more than good grades and tremendous test scores on their resumes. Forty-nine percent speak more than one language and 37 percent speak three.

Twenty-four percent of the students have published research and 92 percent have been involved in research.

About 99 percent of them had offers from other Medical Schools but chose Michigan.

"We're attracting very high quality students who see the future of medicine in our school," says Joseph C. Kolars, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Education and Global Initiatives. "We are out-competing our peer institutions – the nation's top rated medical schools."

"Our national health care system is broken, and we have to train the repairmen and women. I have faith and confidence that we are attracting the best and the brightest students to be those agents of change," Kolars says.

U-M's Medical School tied for sixth among the top 10 Medical Schools in the annual U.S. News & World Report ranking of Best Graduate Schools 2010. In the same report, residency directors nationwide rated the U-M Medical School a 4.5 out of 5.0 for the quality of the graduates. Only four other medical schools across the country were rated higher by these individuals who seek to recruit medical school graduates.

Steven E. Gay, M.D., M.S., Dean for Admissions, says U-M strives to seek out students who do things that might put grades at risk for others.

"Their academic achievement is without parallel, but they are actively involved in volunteering, sports, community service, and more. They do these things that could put their grades at risk, but they still achieve," Gay says.

"This clearly is one of the strongest Medical School classes in America, not only academically but because of their diversity of activities, their passion and commitment to service. If they follow through with the promise they have, they should be able to make a difference."

More than half have tutored, others served in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps or the Red Cross. They are athletes, musicians, marathon runners, editors and columnists.

Students from ethnic groups often underrepresented in medicine (Black or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians, Alaskan or Hawaiian natives and other Pacific Islanders) make up 12.9 percent of the class.

Also important is U-M's commitment to keep the best and brightest Michigan residents here in Michigan. This class, with 51.2 percent Michigan residents, has a local perspective combined with a global drive.

"We want to keep Michigan's best talent here in Michigan, and we can offer them an educational experience without parallel," Gay says.

Devon Rupley, a member of this year's class, illustrates that commitment. Rupley grew up in Northville, Michigan and did her undergraduate work at Cornell. She's worked in Ghana on malaria programs and believes her interest in global health make Michigan a good fit for both her and the Medical School.

"I believe that's why they sought me out. During the interview, they spoke about things I'd written in my application and really seemed to know me. This is not a random, blind process," said Rupley. "Michigan's global health initiative is fantastic and well-thought out."

Gay and U-M's Medical School leaders say new medical schools opening at other Michigan universities are not viewed as competition for students, but rather as colleagues in bringing health care talent to Michigan.

"We are among the top 10 medical schools in the nation and will continue to be very selective. But we want to be good neighbors to the new schools. In the end, it's good for the state of Michigan to offer more medical training opportunities," Kolars says.

The U-M Medical School admissions department already is accepting applications for the 2011 incoming class. Visit http://www.med.umich.edu/medschool/admissions/ for more information.

SOURCE University of Michigan Health System