Professional Scholars Program

Augusta University offers two programs which allow outstanding students the opportunity to achieve their BS-MD or BS-DMD degrees in only seven years.

All students will spend their first three years working towards a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology through the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM). In their fourth year students will begin their first year in medical or dental school through either the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) or the Dental College of Georgia (DCG). Courses taken in the first year of those programs will be used to satisfy any remaining course requirements needed to complete the BS degree.

Students accepted into these programs will take many classes together as a cohort and participate in special opportunities for volunteering, clinical exposure, research, and more.  They will experience a very robust curriculum which exceeds the basic preparatory requirements of the MD & DMD programs, and as a result, they will be well prepared to begin and excel in their chosen program.

In each case students will spend their first three years in pursuit of the BS in Cell and Molecular Biology
through the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM). In their
fourth year students will begin their four year program in medicine or dentistry through either the
Medical College of Georgia (MCG) or the Dental College of Georgia (DCG). Courses taken in the first year
of those programs will be used to satisfy any remaining course requirements needed to complete the BS degree.

Professional Scholars Program (PSP) undergraduate application will be submitted to
Augusta University Admissions Office via CommonApp. The application opens August 1^st and is required
to be submitted by the Early Action Deadline on October 31^st. Once your application is submitted and
reviewed, if you meet the minimum requirements, you will be sent to a secondary application to apply for the PSP program.

• You can only apply to BS/MD or BS/DMD
• You cannot switch between the two programs.
  • This is due to a certain number of seats available for each group.
• BS/DMD does use a waitlist but BS/MD does not.
• It is recommended that students select Cell & Molecular Biology as their intended major.
• There is not a way to indicate Professional Scholars Program in CommonApp.
• Due to the nature of the curriculum, all courses are to be taken during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year.
• Students enrolled in the Professional Scholars Program do not have the option to take courses out of sequence, repeat courses, or take courses at another institution during the summer.
• Students enrolled in the Professional Scholars Program are allowed to do only courses for a minor during the summer.
• Those admitted to the Professional Scholars Program will room with other scholars but will still need to complete a Housing application even though you are admitted to the program.

Admissions Information

To apply to the Professional Scholars Programs, the following must be sent to the Augusta University Office of Academic Admissions.

https://www.augusta.edu/admissions/professionalscholars.php

Required Competencies (For a complete list of the competencies please click HERE)

• All scholars will be expected to maintain a standard consistent with a future career in medicine or dentistry.
• The expectations for these competencies have been modified to levels appropriate for the pre-professional student.
• Students who do not comply with program requirements, academic requirements and policies of the Department of Biological Sciences, the Medical College of Georgia, the Dental College of Georgia, and Augusta University may be removed from the program.
• All students will be reviewed each semester by the Program Oversight Committee as part of the program.