FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Receives More than ...

MEDIA CONTACT: Gisele Galoustian
561-297-2676, ggaloust@fau.edu
FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Receives
More than 1,000 Applications To-date for the New Medical School
FAU has received these applications in less than three days since being listed
as a new U.S. medical school by the American Medical College Application Service®
BOCA RATON, FL (March 3, 2011) — In less than three days since being listed
as a new U.S. medical school by the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS), a nonprofit,
centralized application processing service of the Association of American Medical Colleges,
Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has received in excess of 1,000
applications for its independent medical education program, which was granted preliminary accreditation
last month. Eleven of the 1,000 plus applications are for the dual M.D./Ph.D. degree offered by the
College in collaboration with Scripps Florida and The Scripps Research Institute’s Kellogg School of
Science and Technology.
“The response we have received from prospective students applying to our new medical
education program has been truly outstanding,” said Michael L. Friedland, M.D., vice president of
medical programs and dean of FAU’s College of Medicine. “Florida Atlantic University and our
surrounding communities are in a unique and privileged position to welcome 64 talented young men and
women to our charter class beginning this fall.”
Demographics of the applicants show that 52 percent are Florida residents (nearly half of these
applicants are from South Florida) and 48 percent are from out-of-state. Fifty-seven percent are male and
43 percent are female. Qualified students from groups currently underrepresented in medicine are
included in the applicant pool—24 percent are Asian/Asian Indian; twelve percent are Hispanic; and six
percent are African/American.
“The tremendous number of applications submitted so quickly clearly indicates that there is a
pent-up demand for a high-quality state medical school in our area among these very talented applicants,"
said Robert Hinkley, Ph.D., associate dean of admissions and enrollment, and professor of clinical
biomedical science in the College of Medicine, who has nearly 20 years experience in medical school
admissions.
In spring 2011, the College was granted preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on
Medical Education to offer an independent medical education program, which will welcome its charter

medical school class in fall 2011. The College has developed an innovative curriculum, which features
early and continuous community-based clinical experiences and problem-based learning with emphasis
on small-group and self-directed learning. World-class faculty in the College will provide a studentcentered
and patient-focused approach that includes clinical experiences with local physicians, health
departments and hospitals, and a state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Simulation Center. A key component of
the innovative curriculum is early exposure to patients and the actual practice of medicine. To that end,
the College has established relationships with several prominent area hospitals that will serve as sites for
clerkships, hospital-based electives and residencies. FAU has also partnered with Scripps Florida to offer
a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree, with the medical degree conferred by FAU and the doctorate conferred by The
Scripps Research Institute’s Kellogg School of Science and Technology. For more information, visit
http://med.fau.edu.
- FAU -
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in
Florida. In commemoration of its origin, FAU is celebrating its 50 th anniversary throughout 2011. Today, the
University serves more than 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students on seven campuses and sites. FAU’s
world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of
Arts & Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the
College of Engineering & Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt
College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.