Special Programs

The LSU School of Medicine offers the Early Decision Program (EDP). If an applicant wants to apply for EDP, certain rules must be followed.

1. The earliest date to apply to AMCAS is June 1, 2010.
2. The latest date to apply to AMCAS is August 1, 2010.
3. The latest date to complete file in Admissions Office is normally September 1, 2010.
4. Ordinarily, only applicants with a 3.5 grade point average in the sciences and a 10 on each category of the MCAT are considered. However, all competitive applicants are eligible to apply for EDP.
5. The applicant may apply only to the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and may not apply to any other schools prior to being informed of LSU's decision. The applicant will be informed of this decision on or before October 1, 2010.
6. If the applicant is accepted, the applicant must accept and he/she may not apply to any other medical schools.  If the applicant is rejected or placed on hold, then he/she may apply to other medical schools.  If the applicant is not accepted Early Decision, the applicant then goes into our regular applicant pool.
7. If the applicant who is accepted violates the terms of the acceptance, he/she is considered to have committed an irregularity and other schools to which he/she applies are informed.

The MD/PhD program of LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans was established to offer the opportunity for students to train in a program tailored to individual research interests as well as in medicine. Through this program, students who have an interest in academic medicine will combine the curriculum of the School of Medicine with the curriculum of the School of Graduate Studies. Over six or more years, individuals in the program meet the degree requirements of both the Schools of Graduate Studies and Medicine, thus acquiring the knowledge, skills and experience to begin careers in exciting areas of medical and translational research. It is expected that students graduating from the program will develop into academic physicians obtaining faculty positions in basic science or clinical departments in schools of medicine. MD/PhDs will provide leadership in academic medicine and in research related to medicine and human welfare.

Acceptance into this combined program must be approved by a separate committee in the School of Graduate Studies.  The acceptance of a non-resident of the State of Louisiana into the MD/PhD Program is contingent upon acceptance and continued enrollment into our school's MD/PhD program.  If at any time during the tenure at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans as a student, if the requirements for the MD/PhD program, are not satisfied, the student will be required to withdraw from LSU School of Medicine and reimburse the school for any tuition he or she may have received while enrolled here as a medical student.

LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans has implemented a Rural Scholars’ Track. The goal of this pathway is to identify and train physicians who will most likely practice medicine in rural settings, in the state of Louisiana. This rural track is in response to the growing shortage of physicians in certain areas of Louisiana. This shortage of physicians causes the inhabitants of these areas to have only limited access to physicians and other health care professionals. The Rural Scholars’ Track will improve the delivery and quality of the rural health care system through a combination of education, service, collaboration, and research specific to these underserved areas of the state.

Students admitted to the Rural Scholars’ Track in the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans will have to meet the same admissions criteria as all other students who are applying to the school. Consequently, admission will be on a competitive basis.

The educational experience during the first two years of medical school will be virtually identical to other students in the School of Medicine, and will take place on the New Orleans campus. The third and fourth years would be spent for the most part at University Medical Center in Lafayette, LA, which will also provide opportunities for these students to spend a significant amount of their time in rural health care settings in one of the surrounding rural communities.

Rural practice demands a much broader perspective on medicine than traditional medical school training. As a result, students enrolled in the Rural Scholars’ Track will receive an increased emphasis in ambulatory primary care. In addition, there will be coursework in areas specific to this setting such as community and occupational medicine, public health, environmental medicine, sports medicine, outdoor and wilderness issues, food and waterborne illnesses, safety issues, and the treatment of migrant and seasonal workers.

Students who enroll in this program and who desire to practice medicine in a rural area will have the unique opportunity to obtain an equivalent education as other medical students at LSU School of Medicine while at the same time having the additional advantage of being able to witness the practice of medicine in rural health care settings. This program will accept up to a maximum of fifteen (15) students per year.

The Rural Scholars’ Track is a four-year program. The students who are chosen to enter this track will be selected from applicants who have already been accepted into the entering class. Admission to this program is not limited to students coming from rural parishes defined as primary care shortage areas by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. In addition, students from parishes designated as rural by the Office of Rural Health Policy (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget) will be given further consideration. Currently In Louisiana, 57 of 64 parishes fulfill the criteria for the rural designation. Students participating in this program may be eligible for tuition waivers.

If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. Robert Eubanks, Coordinator of the Rural Scholars’ Track in the Office of Admissions at (504) 568-6262 or Dr. Kim LeBlanc, Director of Rural Education at (504) 568-4570.

A variety of research programs underway in the Medical School offer accepted students interesting opportunities for work during the summer vacation. The work is stimulating, challenging and educational. The programs to which the student may apply for stipends during the summer include: American Heart Association of Louisiana, Inc.; Cancer Society; March of Dimes; LSU Health Sciences Center Student Summer Research Fellowships; and individual research grants of the faculty. The Student Affairs Office has application forms from several of the agencies.

To obtain additional information concerning the Summer Research Programs, please contact:

Office of Student Affairs
LSU School of Medicine, Box T2-5
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 568-4874

The mission of the School of Public Health is to prepare health professionals to improve the health of the population. The school’s coursework, practice experience and thesis research will provide all students with a foundation in the basic disciplines of public health, while allowing them to pursue individual interests and build upon existing strengths and previous experiences. The program will enable students to develop the intellectual and analytical skills to define, evaluate and solve the complex problems encountered in public health and health care systems administration.

The Honors Programs at LSU School of Medicine supplements the regular curriculum and is designed to challenge the exceptional student while stimulating the interests of the individual.

It entails an independent research program that encompasses basic and clinical sciences in the pursuit of a problem of scientific interest.

Additional information and application forms may be obtained by contacting Michael Levitzky, PhD.
To obtain additional information, please contact:

Michael Levitzky, PhD
Director, LSUHSC Honors Program
Department of Physiology
1901 Perdido Street, Box P7-3
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 568-6184