Criteria Used in Selecting Applicants

The LSUHSC School of Medicine in New Orleans is dedicated to providing the opportunity for an excellent medical education to all Louisiana applicants who are prepared to benefit from its curriculum and instruction. To this end, the Admissions Committee will strive to recruit and admit Louisiana residents from every geographic, economic, social and cultural dimension of the State of Louisiana. The primary goal of the School of Medicine in New Orleans is to produce competent, humanistic physicians. In order to achieve this goal, the School of Medicine finds that having a diverse student body is essential. Diversity in all its forms benefits students by creating a dynamic, productive and positive learning environment that promotes better cross-cultural and cross-racial understanding. Ultimately the benefit of classroom diversity will help the School of Medicine produce individuals who are able to be effective clinicians within a multi-cultural environment.

The Committee on Admissions will strive to evaluate all applicants in three major areas: humanitarian qualities, overall excellence, and diversity of experience. As part of this process, any or all of the following criteria will be evaluated:

• Academic factors such as recent grades and test scores within the last three years
• The strength of the letters of evaluation from faculty from previous academic institutions of higher education
• Impressions gained from personal interviews with members of the Admissions Committee
• Employment history of the applicant and whether or not he/she had to work to go to college
• Demonstrated history of leadership
• Demonstrated history of community service
• A qualitative and quantitative assessment of the extracurricular activities in which the applicant participated
• Special honors that have been awarded to the applicant
• Unique personal attributes of the applicant
• Hobbies and other interests of the applicant
• Socioeconomic background
• Where in the State of Louisiana the applicant was raised
• A strong motivation to practice in medically underserved areas of the state such as rural communities
• Whether there were any factors in the applicant’s background that may have hindered him/her from achieving a higher level of academic achievement

The Admissions Committee believes that the proper consideration of such factors should result in our institution matriculating and graduating a cross-section of our state’s population so that these graduates can deliver quality health care to citizens of the State of Louisiana. Our present policy precludes us from accepting applications from individuals who are not residents of Louisiana unless the applicant is the son/daughter of an alumnus of LSUHSC School of Medicine in New Orleans who no longer resides in the state or an applicant who is applying to the MD/PhD program.* There is no discrimination because of race, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, or financial status. Minority students are strongly encouraged to apply, and to consult the www.AspiringDocs.org web site which provides undergraduate minority students with the support, information, and guidance they need to apply to and enroll in medical school. The Office of Community and Minority Health Education may be reached by calling (504) 568-8501. Dr. Edward G. Helm is the Associate Dean for this office.

If you are not sure of your residency status as it pertains to Louisiana or you would like information on the residency requirements, you should make an inquiry to W. Bryant Faust, Acting Registrar; LSU Health Sciences Center, 433 Bolivar Street, New Orleans, LA 70112. (504) 568-4829.