Apply to MEDPREP

Applications are now open: we welcome your application for the MEDPREP Class of 2027. 

The next entering class for MEDPREP will be the Class of 2027 (June 13, 2025 start). Please contact the MEDPREP admissions office with any questions.

Please read the detailed information about the application process below. Form quick-links:

All application materials, including all college transcripts, must be submitted electronically to MPadmissions@siumed.edu. 

Application Overview

We welcome your application to MEDPREP! Prospective students can apply to the program by completing an application that is available online, and submitting at least 2 letters of recommendation and transcripts from each college or university attended. Complete application instructions can be found below.

All applications are reviewed by our admissions committee. Competitive applicants are invited to attend Admission Day, and to interview with MEDPREP faculty. Admission Days will be held virtually for 2025 admissions (on Thursday, January 30, 2025 and Wednesday March 19, 2025). Near miss applicants will be invited to the Wednesday, April 23, 2025 date). The MEPDREP Admissions Committee will then fully consider each candidate's academic record, admission application, interviews, admissions day test results, and letters of recommendation in rendering a decision. All admission committee decisions are final.

Financial Planning

MEDPREP provides opportunity, challenge and support and students are expected to dedicate their time to being full-time students. Due to the intense nature of the program students may not work, particularly in the first year. We encourage all applicants to start early on a sound financial plan as part of an overall plan for success. For more on SUIC tuition and fee costs, please visit:

Information and Inquiries 

Weekly Informational Sessions: Have additional questions? The Admissions Office has virtual appointments available Mondays and Wednesdays between 1-2 pm (CST) and 6-7 pm (CST). Reserve a consultation with Mr. Trent Stevens, Admissions Coordinator, by e-mailing Mr. Stevens. 

Application email: When you are ready to submit application materials, please send all application materials to MPadmissions@siumed.edu. 

Application Deadline

Priority deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024. Applicants completing their application by the priority deadline have earlier interviews, and students will be notified of admissions decisions by or around February 17, 2025. 

Main cycle deadline: Friday, February, 28, 2025. Please note that application review starts as soon as an application is complete. Invitation to interview and attend Admission Day is competitive and made on a rolling basis. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to complete their application prior to the final application deadline. Final admissions decisions are made by approximately April 7, 2025.

Near-miss deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025. Applicants who have applied to medical, dental or PA school (must show proof of application and official MCAT/DAT scores) may apply March 1- March 28, 2025.  Invitation to interview and attend Admission Day is competitive and made on a rolling basis. Final admissions decisions are made by approximately April 16, 2025. Near-miss applicants should contact the MP Admissions Office for application guidance. 

AMEC 2025 Attendees: Applicants who attend the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC) in St. Louis from April 16-20, 2025 in St. Louis AND who have applied to medical school for 2025 entry may utilize an extended Near-miss deadline of April 25, 2025. Applicants must have met with a MEDPREP representative at the AMEC conference and must submit required application materials by the April 25 deadline. Additional information will be provided at the AMEC Conference. 

Admission Day and Applicant Interviews

Admission Days will be held virtually for the 2024 admissions cycle. Admission Day will consist of a virtual program, including informational sessions as well as applicant testing. Applicants will also complete two individually scheduled virtual interviews. The interviews will be on different days than Admission Day. Admission Day program attendance is by invitation only, and students must attend an Admission Day to be considered for admission.

Admissions Days for the 2025 Entry cycle (Class of 2027) will be as follows:

Priority cycle: Thursday, January 30, 2025

Main cycle: Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Near-miss cycle: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 

If you are applying to MEDPREP, please clear your calendar for the afternoon of the appropriate Admissions Day. Admissions day are mandatory to be considered for admission to MEDPREP. 

Admission Day Program Format and Requirements

Virtual Program: Invited applicants should plan approximately four hours for the virtual program, which will include a welcome and program overview from the Director, approximately two hours of online testing, presentations from the MEDPREP faculty and staff about the MEDPREP program, and question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions.

Applicants will need a reliable internet connection, and must have audio and video capabilities, as well as access to email. Applicants must attend with "camera on" for the duration of the program, and must utilize a desktop or laptop computer (no smartphones; tablets (especially smaller ones) are not recommended). MEDPREP utilizes the Webex platform for all virtual ("zoom meeting") interactions. No special software is required - you will be provided with links to access the program via your internet browser.

Interviews: In addition to attending the admission day virtual program, each invited applicant will complete two online interviews on the Webex platform with MEDPREP faculty. You will be provided with interview information upon Admission Day invitation. Interviews will be approximately 30 minutes in length. These are formal interviews and appropriate attire, as well as a quiet space for the call, are expected. As with the Admission Day program, applicants will need a computer with a stable internet connection, and audio and video capability.

All applicants receiving an Admission Day program invitation will be provided with detailed instructions for accessing the virtual program and interviews. Interviews for priority deadline applicants are expected to be scheduled in December and January; interviews for main cycle applicants are expected to be scheduled through approximately mid-March and for Near-miss cycle applicants in April.

Orientation and Program Start

The Class of 2027 orientation will be Friday June 13, 2025, with summer session classes starting Monday June 16, 2025. The summer session is 6 weeks in length, concluding on July 25, 2025. Both orientation and the entire summer session are in-person and mandatory for all incoming MEDPREP students. Due to the intense nature of the summer program, you are expected to remain in Carbondale for the duration of the session. We strongly discourage travel during the 6-week summer session. After summer session, there is a 3-week break prior to the start of the fall semester. Fall 2025 classes begin on August 18, 2025.

Program Format and Instruction

MEDPREP is a residential (in-person) program, with in-person instruction on the SIUC Campus. MEDPREP does not have a fully online option. Hybrid or online learning is utilized as needed in case of pandemic or other emerging public health policy. Accepted students must move to Carbondale to participate in the program. Applicants who will be unable to move to the Carbondale area, or who are unable or unwilling to participate in in-person education should not apply to MEDPREP. We cannot guarantee deferments of enrollment for accepted students. 

Program Duration

MEDPREP is a two-year program for pre-medical and pre-dental students, and a one-year program for pre-physician assistant students. All students attend a summer session upon program entry, followed by two long semesters following the SIUC academic year calendar.  Pre-medical and Pre-dental students must complete the second year, while pre-PA student complete the program in May. 

For continuing students, taking classes during the second summer is optional. Rising second-year MEDPREP students (pre-medical or pre-dental students) typically work, attend research programs, take additional coursework or focus on medical school/dental school applications during this time. The second year of coursework follows the August-May SIUC academic schedule to complete the MEDPREP program. For continuing students, the MEDPREP program concludes at the end of the spring term of the student's second year.

Minimum Qualifications to Fill out a MEDPREP Application

  • Overall undergraduate GPA of 2.5.
  • Science course (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or BCPM) GPA of 2.5.
  • U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card), or DACA status. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept international students, or students in the U.S. on work or student visas.
  • Completed all or all but one medical school prerequisite course:
    • 1 year Biology with Laboratory
    • 1 year General Chemistry with Laboratory
    • 1 year Organic Chemistry with Laboratory
    • 1 year Physics with Laboratory
    • 1 semester of Biochemistry (Recommended but not required).
    • 1 semester of either Introductory Psychology or Introductory Sociology (Recommended but not required).
  • Clinical experience, such as physician/dentist/PA shadowing, hospital or clinic volunteerism, employment as an EMT, CNA or other health technician, ED scribing, medical mission trips, etc. are strongly encouraged prior to attending MEDPREP. We have only very limited shadowing experiences available through the MEDPREP program; students should thus already have some professional career exploration as well as community service and/or research (recommended but not required) prior to MEDPREP entry. 

Fee to Apply

There is no fee to apply to the program. All applicants are reviewed by the MEDPREP program directly. Applicants should NOT apply via the SIUC online application portal. 

Applicants who are accepted by MEDPREP (departmental acceptance), must then complete the SIUC application to gain formal admission into the university and enroll in the program. Information on the enrollment process will be provided to successful applicants. The enrollment cost includes the SIUC application fee, as well as any costs to send official transcripts, which are required by the SIUC registrar for university admission. 

Application Procedure

The MEDPREP application process closely mirrors the application process for medical, PA, and dental schools. There are a number of steps so please read the application instructions carefully. The application materials must be sent directly to MEDPREP: DO NOT apply through the SIUC main campus application portal. 

Step 1. Download and fill out the  application forms. Download and fill out the MEDPREP Application Form as well as the Applicant Demographic Data Form. [Be sure to fill out these forms using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app; other apps cause problems with the forms resulting in lost data] Applicants should ask recommenders to send letters of recommendation directly to MEDPREP (download Letter of Recommendation Form here). All completed application materials must be sent to the MEDPREP admissions email (MPadmissions@siumed.edu). 

Step 2: Prepare transcripts. Applicants must provide a transcript from each college or university they have attended (this includes colleges, universities, community colleges or foreign schools unless part of a foreign exchange program through a US institution). Military veterans: you must also send your military school Joint Service Transcript (JST). Transcripts may be official or unofficial, but must be submitted in electronic format. 

You may use unofficial printouts from your school's student information portal for the purposes of MEDPREP department review. However, the printout must be legible, and include all course information including semester, course name and number, credits and grades, as well as semester and cumulative GPA calculations. 

Please note that if you are accepted to MEDPREP, you will need official transcripts to complete your admissions paperwork. If you are unable to send an official transcript(s) upon MEDPREP acceptance, you will not be able to enter the MEDPREP program, as the SIUC registrar's office requires official transcripts to process applications for SIUC enrollment.  

Step 3: Request Letters of Recommendation. Each recommendation must be accompanied by a recommendation form. Download the recommendation form here to give to your recommenders. Letters must be written on official business or school letterhead, and accompanied by the recommendation form. Recommenders must email letters to the MEDPREP admissions email (MPadmissions@siumed.edu). Recommendation letters must come directly from recommender's email address. Copies of recommendation letters sent by applicants will not be accepted.  

Step 4: Send applications materials to MEDPREP. Application, demographic data form, and transcript(s) must be sent to the MEDPREP admissions email (MPadmissions@siumed.edu) by applicable deadlines. 

Application Deadlines:

Priority Deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024

Main Cycle Deadline: Friday, February 28, 2025

Near-Miss Applicant Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025.  Note: Near-miss applicants must have proof of current application to  medical, dental or Physician Assistant programs (2026 Cycle) and must provide official MCAT, DAT or GRE scores as applicable). Near-miss applicants should contact the Admissions Office for application guidance.

Extended Near-Miss Applicant Deadline for AMEC 2025 attendees: April 25, 2025. Applicants must have met in-person with a MEDPREP representative at AMEC 2025 (St. Louis, April 16-20, 2025) and have proof of current application to medical school (2026 Cycle). Information will be provided to AMEC attendees at the time of the conference.                                                                                 

Additional questions? Please contact Mr. Stevens in the MP Admissions Office. 


Trent Stevens
Admissions Coordinator
MEDPREP Office of Admissions
618-453-1554

E-mail Mr. Stevens