New SUNY program seeks to help EOP students get into its medical schools

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — SUNY wants to help more of its educational opportunity program (EOP) students pursue degrees in its medical schools. 

EOP serves New York’s “disadvantaged students from underserved communities” and seeks to help them “gain access and succeed” in undergraduate programs.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras announced the pre-med opportunity program (Pre-OP) initiative during a Feb. 18 visit to Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Pre-OP is part of the Chancellor’s SUNY for All initiative.

Building from SUNY’s EOP along with the medical-pathway programs at SUNY’s Upstate Medical University, University at Buffalo, Downstate Health Sciences University, and Stony Brook University, the SUNY for All Pre-OP will provide academic support, mentorship, clinical exposure, assistance with medical college admission test (MCAT) preparation, academic coaching, and workshops.

The SUNY Pre-OP is set to begin this summer with 25 students, which would be expanded based on initial results and further funding. To be considered for the program, candidates must be a SUNY EOP sophomore or junior on a pre-medical track, have a grade point average of 3.2 or higher, and have successfully completed two semesters of general chemistry and two semesters of biology. 

Malatras will convene a group made up of system administration and the SUNY medical schools to lead in designing the program to ensure compliance with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education accrediting body and to help select the students for Pre-OP.

A final plan for the SUNY for All pre-med OP will be provided to Malatras by June before the first Summer 2021 class.