Programs

Overview

This professional pathway allows students holding U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency status to earn a combined Bachelor of Science in Premedical and Health Studies from MCPHS and Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in Bradenton, Florida, in 8 years.

Program Highlights

• Faculty mentors with years of expertise in both teaching and advising pre-health professions students
• A strong peer support network of pre-health students, including a Premedical Society and Minority Association of Health Professions Students Chapter 
• Committee letter and interview support for students applying to professional school; courses and resources that are custom designed for professional school entrance exams and application preparation
• Research fellowships, clinical internships, and volunteer and shadowing opportunities in the Longwood Medical Area and Greater Boston

For programs marked with an asterisk (*): Institutional partners require that all applicants must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency status.

Program Details

BS in Premedical and Health Studies / Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine pathway

MCPHS and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) have established an Early Acceptance Program agreement whereby MCPHS students are enrolled jointly by MCPHS and by LECOM to facilitate the admission of MCPHS students into LECOM’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program.

Students interviewing successfully will be offered a provisional acceptance to LECOM’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program. Upon meeting the criteria for final acceptance, they will matriculate at the LECOM Bradenton, Florida campus. Students complete 4 years of undergraduate education at MCPHS and 4 years of dental school education at LECOM and its associated clinical training sites.

The program allows for completion of the Bachelor of Science (BS) in Premedical and Health Studies from MCPHS and the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 8 years.

Please note: LECOM requires that all applicants to this program must hold U.S. citizenship or permanent U.S. residency status.

MCPHS students must meet the LECOM entry requirements listed below to be eligible for matriculation in the DMD program.

Program Requirements

A maximum of 5 students who meet eligibility requirements will be assured admission into the LECOM Doctor of Dental Medicine program following successful completion of all Premedical and Health Studies BS degree requirements.

High School Seniors

• SAT (Math + Verbal) ≥ 1170 or ACT Score ≥ 26
• High School Grade Point Average    ≥ 3.5

MCPHS Students

• Cumulative Overall GPA*    ≥ 3.4
• Cumulative Science GPA*    ≥ 3.2
• Semester GPA                        ≥ 3.0
• DAT (no minimum)     Typically >16
• Shadow in a clinical dental setting is highly recommended, typically about 100 hrs.
• A completed AADSAS Application
• A completed LECOM supplemental application;
• Official final transcript(s) reflecting all college credit sent directly to LECOM;
• All DAT scores taken in the three years preceding matriculation;
• A detailed evaluation and recommendation from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences's Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee sent directly to LECOM

*Please contact MCPHS Admission for additional information

Application Process

LECOM will interview students prior to their enrollment at MCPHS or within the first 2 years of study at MCPHS. Students who interview successfully will be offered a provisional acceptance to LECOM’s Doctor of Dental Medicine program. Upon meeting the criteria for final acceptance, they will matriculate at LECOM's Bradenton, Florida campus.

• Apply to LECOM through the Associated American Dental School Application Service (AADSAS) by November 15th of the year prior to the year they plan to matriculate at LECOM.  This date allows AADSAS enough time to process the application and allows the student enough time to meet the LECOM secondary application deadline;
• Submit the online LECOM secondary application by January 1st of the year they plan to matriculate at LECOM;
• Arrange for letters of recommendation and all supporting documentation to be submitted for review by LECOM;

Selection Criteria

A maximum of 5 students who meet the criteria set forth by LECOM (see eligibility under Program Requirements), including a successful interview, are assured admission into the LECOM Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program. Students in the Premedical and Health Studies program who fail to be admitted to the DMD program at LECOM will be granted a four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) from MCPHS, providing all requirements are met. 

The Professional Pathway to Becoming a Dentist

The professional pathway is designed for the academically outstanding student who has a strong passion for dental medicine. The 4 years at MCPHS will provide a challenging baccalaureate curriculum in Premedical and Health Studies that will prepare students for professional study. Upon graduation from MCPHS the subsequent 4 years at Bradenton, Florida campus will provide the professional education required for the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree.

The design of the MCPHS premedical curriculum is oriented toward the mission and values of LECOM.

Medical Education at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida and Pennsylvania
Mission

The mission of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is to prepare students to become osteopathic physicians, pharmacy practitioners, and dentists through programs of excellence in education, research, clinical care and community service to enhance the quality of life through improved health for all humanity.

About LECOM

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine offers innovative and affordable education in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and dental medicine. Millcreek Community Hospital established the medical school in 1992 to meet the growing need for physicians. The demand for physicians, pharmacists and dentists continues to grow nationwide.  From campuses in Erie and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and Bradenton, Florida, LECOM provides student-centered pathways to prepare the next generation of health care professionals.

You may visit— http://lecom.edu/about

Curriculum

Year I-Fall

Year I-Spring

If LIB 120 is completed in Year I Spring, then you will have the following Year II schedule.

Year II-Fall

Year II-Spring

If LIB 133 is completed in Year I spring, then you will have the following Year II schedule.

Year II-Fall

Year II-Spring

Year III-Fall

*Third year BEH requirement: students take BEH 250 Health Psychology, BEH 405 Mind/Body Medicine, or BEH 450 Behavioral Health.

**PHY270/272L in the Fall can be replaced by PHY280 with lab (Physics I) by those students seeking more focused preparation for professional school entrance exams such as the MCAT, OAT, or DAT.

Year III-Spring

*Students who chose PHY280 with lab in the fall should take PHY284 (instead of PHY274) with lab to complete this physics sequence.

**The general elective may be LIB 305 Medical College Preparation Course, for 2 s.h.

Year IV-Fall

Year IV-Spring

Total credits to complete degree requirements: 124 (125) s.h.

Accreditation

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) is chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is authorized to grant undergraduate and graduate degrees in the health sciences and related fields. MCPHS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

State Charters

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine is chartered by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education.

AOA Accreditation

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association, Bureau of Education, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).

Middle States Accreditation

LECOM is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (267-284-5000). The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Council for Higher Education Accreditation…Accreditation Serving the Public Interest

LECOM is a member of CHEA, a national advocate and institutional voice for self-regulation of academic quality through accreditation. CHEA is an association of 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities and recognizes 60 institutional and programmatic accrediting organizations

Outcomes

At Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), our Premedical and Health Studies program offers a variety of pathways to pursue upon graduation. The professional pathways include:

• Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine (DC) from D'Youville College
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) from The Commonwealth Medical College
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Ross University School of Medicine
• Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from A.T. Still University or Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College
• Doctor of Optometry (OD) from MCPHS-Worcester
• Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) from MCPHS-Boston
• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) from MCPHS-Worcester
• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery from Barry University or Temple University 
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Ross University School of
  Veterinary Medicine
• Doctor of Dental Medicine from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

Since the program’s inception in 2000, Premedical and Health Studies students have advanced to medical, dental, and veterinary schools with an acceptance rate of 74 percent.

Check out where our MCPHS graduates are now.

Advisory Committee

The Pre-Health Professions Advisory Committee exists to support students who are seeking admission to medical school or other health professional schools. When it is determined that a committee letter is warranted, the committee composes an evaluative letter that incorporates the student's reference letters, academic credentials, community service and extracurricular activities, research accomplishments, and other relevant personal data. The Committee may also coordinate mock interviews for students who are completing secondary applications.

The Committee members pursue liaison or working relationships with medical and professional school representatives and admissions committees. They attend national or regional meetings of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) and share pertinent materials and knowledge acquired at these meetings with colleagues and students. The Committee also periodically reviews and updates the Premedical and Health Studies degree program requirements, embedded minor concentrations, and affiliated professional school pathways.

The Committee is composed of the Premedical and Health Studies Program Director, Assistant Director, and faculty program mentors and is chaired by the Program Director or Assistant Director. Faculty program mentors hold office hours for advising, serve as contacts for specific pathways, write letters of recommendation, and participate in pre-health professions events in addition to their teaching, service and research responsibilities.

Graduates of the College have been accepted at a number of medical and dental schools, including Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Boston University, Dartmouth School of Medicine, Duke University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Medical College of Virginia, Michigan State University, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, the State University of New York at Brooklyn, the State University of New York at Buffalo, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Syracuse University, Tulane University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts, and the University of Vermont.

Recently, Premedical & Health Studies majors have had acceptances to the following programs:

• Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at MCPHS
• M.D./M.P.H. programs at Tufts Univ. School of Medicine and Tulane Univ. School of Medicine
• M.D. programs at University of Vermont, University of Massachusetts, Commonwealth Medical College, Ross University, St. Louis University, Tufts University, NY Medical College, & St. George's University
• D.P.M. program at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine
• D.V.M. program at Tufts University and Colorado State University
• D.M.D. programs at Tufts University, Boston University, and University of Nevada Schools of Dental Medicine 
• Accelerated BSN program at MCPHS, Nurse Practitioner track
• Clinical research internships with the National Institutes of Health IRT program and Harvard Medical School
• O.D. degree program at Pennsylvania College of Optometry & accelerated O.D. degree at the New England College of Optometry
• and many others