Interested in med school? USFSM offers new path for future doctors & dentists.

Aspiring doctors and dentists at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee now have an inside track to med-school.

On Tuesday USFSM officials announced a partnership with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine that would guarantee qualified students acceptance to LECOM’s school of osteopathic medicine or school of dentistry upon graduation from USFSM.

“We are thrilled to partner with LECOM to offer additional program pathways for our students to pursue,” said Terry Osborn, interim regional chancellor at USFSM. “With our growing emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), we are eager for our students to have opportunities to continue their education locally.”

This year 10 students who are either USFSM-accepted high school seniors or current freshmen or sophomores at the university will receive provisional acceptance to LECOM — five in the dental school and five in the medical school. Accepted students must maintain certain criteria during their undergraduate studies, and submit applications to LECOM upon graduation. Students on the medical track will not need to take the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test), but dental students will still need to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) to finalize admission.

Both the medical school and dental school can be completed at LECOM’s Lakewood Ranch campus. Dental students can also study at LECOM’s Lake Erie, Pa., campus. Leaders at both institutions say the arrangement is mutually beneficial.

“(LECOM) is seeking medical and dental students who will excel in academics, clinical care, research and community service,” said John Wojtkielewicz, institutional director of undergraduate affiliations for the medical college. “LECOM feels that by offering students reserved seats in its medical and dental schools as incoming USFSM freshmen, we can provide them with a great opportunity for an excellent educational experience both at USFSM and LECOM.

The newly-established partnership is part of USFSM’s larger push to expand its STEM offerings and connect students to careers with high demand. USFSM established a College of Science and Mathematics last year in response to a need for graduates to fill science-based jobs.

“Keeping young professionals in the area is, of course, part of what I see as our mission,” said Paul Kirchman, dean of the College of Science & Mathematics. “The area does need doctors and nurses, and that need will only increase in the future with the growing and aging population.”

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Interested in med school? USFSM offers new path for future doctors & dentists.."