Student Progress and Evaluation Policy

Phase One

1. 1. All students must achieve a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) within the first academic year in the Program, which includes two regular semesters¹, all intersessions and the summer session prior to the first regular semester.

   2. Upon completion of their second regular semester in the Program, students who fail to earn a 2.00 cumulative GPA will be released from the Program.

   3. Those students taking leaves-of-absence (LOA) in their first academic year will be assessed according to the number of academic semesters completed in the Program and not according to the time since admission.

Phase Two

1. 1. The following five pre-medicine core requirements must be successfully completed with a standard letter grade of a C or better and with a GPA of 3.00 or higher within the first two academic years in the Program, which includes four regular semesters, all intersessions and the summer session between the first and second academic year. (This does not include the summer session following the fourth semester—the summer when most students go on summer practicum.)

      • Biology 2103L (1 hour)
      • Chemistry 1215/1215L (4 hours) 
      • Chemistry 1225/1225L (4 hours)
      • Biology 2110C/L (4 hours) or Biology 301C (4 hours)
      • Biology 2410C/L (4 hours) or Biology 302C (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 301/303L (4 hours)
      
      Note: The above classes and labs are required by the UNM School of Medicine. Students are currently advised to complete all five classes by the end of their third regular semester in the program. (Fall & Spring semesters of the first year; Summer session prior to the second year; Fall semester of the second year.)
      
      

   2. Upon the completion of their fourth regular semester in the Program students who fail to earn a GPA of 3.00 in these five courses will be released from the Program.

   3. Those students taking leaves-of-absence (LOA) in their first two academic years will be assessed according to the number of academic semesters completed in the Program and not according to time since admission.

   4. Students who pass SPE Phase Two, but who are behind in their major or the pre-med core due to re-taking courses may, at any time up to but not beyond reaching SPE Phase Three, petition the Student Petition Committee for additional time in the Program. These students have a maximum of ten academic semesters to complete all the requirements of the BA/MD Program.

Phase Three

1. 1. The following three pre-medicine core requirements below plus Phase Two coursework must be successfully completed with a standard letter grade of a C or better and with a GPA of 3.00 or higher by the end of the summer prior to the final seventh academic semester in the Program, (For those who successfully petition the Program for an additional time in the Program, this milestone comes at the end of the summer prior to the ninth academic semester). 

      • Physics 1230/1230L (4 hours)
      • Physics 1240/1240L (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 302/304L (4 hours)

      Phase Two coursework

      • Biology 2103L (1hour)
      • Chemistry 1215/1215L (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 1225/1225L (4 hours)
      • Biology 2110C/L (4 hours) or Biology 301C (4 hours)
      • Biology 2410C/L (4 hours) or Biology 302C (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 301/303L (4 hours)
        
        
   2. Students who fail to meet these criteria will be released from the Program, and their final academic year will not be paid for. These students will still be allowed to complete the HMHV major.
      
      

   3. Those students taking leaves-of-absence (LOA) in their first two academic years will be assessed according to the number of academic semesters completed in the Program and not according to time since admission.

Phase Four

1. 1. Students must earn a score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) consistent with the minimum acceptable threshold for admission into the MD Program at the UNM School of Medicine in their seventh regular semester (fall semester of fourth/final undergraduate academic year).

   2. Upon completion of their eighth regular semester in the Program, students who fail to earn a score on the MCAT consistent with the minimum acceptable threshold for admission to UNM SOM will be released from the Program.

Phase Five

1. 1. Students must earn a 3.37 cumulative GPA within the fourth academic year, which includes eight regular semesters, all intersessions and summer sessions between all academic years.
      
      
   2. The following two pre-medical core requirements below plus Phase Two and Three coursework must be successfully completed with a standard letter grade of a C or better and with a GPA of 3.00 or higher within the fourth academic year in the Program, which includes eight regular semesters, all intersessions, and summer sessions between all academic years.
      
      
      • Biology 304/304L (4 hours) or Biology 404: Medical Physiology (3 hours)
      • Biochemistry 423 (3 hours)

      Phase Three coursework

      • Physics 1230/1230L (4 hours)
      • Physics 1240/1240L (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 302/304L (4 hours)

      Phase Two coursework

      • Biology 2103L (1 hour)
      • Chemistry 1215/1215L (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 1225/1225L (4 hours)
      • Biology 2110C/L (4 hours)
      • Biology 2410C/L (4 hours)
      • Chemistry 301/303L (4 hours)
        
        
   3. Upon completion of their eighth regular semester in the program, students who fail to earn a cumulative GPA of 3.37 and/or a GPA of 3.00 in the SPE Phase 1-5 required courses will be released from the Program.
      
      

¹Regular Semesters = Fall and Spring Semesters.
²For those who successfully petition the Program for an additional time in the Program, this milestone comes at the end of the summer prior to the ninth academic semester.

Student Progress and Evaluation policy summary 

**Pre-Med GPA –BA/MD students must earn a GPA of a 3.00 (B average) or better of all science courses specifically required for UNM School of Medicine (SOM). If student earns a B or better in all science courses, 3.00 GPA will be met. If student earns a C in one of these courses, they must earn an A in another science course to average a B, or repeat original course for a B or better (and process grade replacement) to meet 3.00 GPA requirement. Courses earned by Advanced Placement exams will satisfy degree requirement and will not be used in calculating pre-med GPA as there is no grade earned. Transfer courses will satisfy degree requirement and will not calculate into the pre-med GPA using the grade earned at the other institution as this follows UNM's policy regarding transfer credit grades.  All coursework must be successfully completed with a standard letter grade of a C or better.
*Cumulative GPA – BA/MD students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.37. Courses earned by Advanced Placement exams will satisfy degree requirement and will not be used in calculating pre-med GPA as there is no grade earned. Transfer courses will satisfy degree requirement and will not be calculated into the pre-med GPA using the grade earned at the other institution as this follows UNM's policy regarding transfer credit grades.  All coursework must be successfully completed with a standard letter grade of a C or better.

• • Biology 2103L – Principles of Biology Lab (1)
  • Chemistry 1215 – General Chemistry I (3)
  • Chemistry 1225 – General Chemistry II (3)
  • Chemistry 1215L – General Chemistry I Lab (1)
  • Chemistry 1225L – General Chemistry II Lab (1)
  • Chemistry 301 – Organic Chemistry I (3)
  • Chemistry 303L – Organic Chemistry I Lab (1)
  • Chemistry 302 – Organic Chemistry II (3)
  • Chemistry 304L – Organic Chemistry II Lab (1)
  • Biology 2110C/L – Molecular and Cell Biology (4) or Biology 301C – Molecular and Cellular Biology (4)
  • Biology 2410C/L – Genetics (4) or Biology 302C – Genes to Genomes (4)
  • Biology 304/304L – Plant and Animal Form (4) or Biology 404 – Medical Physiology (3)
  • Physics 1230 – General Physics I (3)
  • Physics 1230L – General Physics I Lab (1)
  • Physics 1240 – General Physics II (3)
  • Physics 1240L – General Physics II Lab (1)
  • Biochemistry 423 – Introduction to Biochemistry (3)

Note: Transfer course grades do not contribute to students UNM or BA/MD Pre-Med GPA. All GPA’s are calculated to the hundredth decimal point.