FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Eighteen University of Arkansas Honors College students applied to medical school for the fall 2005 semester, and all were accepted. Overall, 44 of the 63 UA students, or 70 percent, who applied for medical school were accepted. The national acceptance rate for medical school acceptance is approximately 50 percent.

One year ago, 74 percent of UA applicants were accepted to medical school, and 83 percent of Honors College applicants were accepted.

Neil Allison, associate professor of chemistry, serves as the Liebolt Chair of Premedical Sciences and advises UA students planning a career in medicine.

“These talented premedical students have a drive for scholarship, excellent MCAT scores and exceptional research experiences,” he said. “This excellent acceptance rate ultimately reflects the quality of our students, not just in scholarship but also in character.”

“UA students are committed to research and high academic performance, but I am always impressed at how much time they put into community and medical service activities,” said Dr. Jeanne McLachlin, adviser to freshman and sophomore premed students. “They are committed to serving the public.”

University of Arkansas students will be attending medical schools across the country in the fall including the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Minnesota Medical School, the University of Texas, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Wake Forest University and Tufts University. The average grade-point average for the UA honors students accepted to medical school was 3.86. The national average for those accepted is 3.7.

In recent years, several UA students who have combined a desire to go to medical school with a strong research interest have also competed at the national level, winning Barry Goldwater Scholarships. Anna Terry, a 2001 graduate, was even selected as a Rhodes Scholars and is currently completing a medical degree at Washington University.

To assist students with the application process, the university has a premed advisory committee. The members interview all applicants, providing feedback to the students concerning the written application as well as the interview.

“The support I received was terrific,” said English major Eun Park, who will be attending UAMS. “I am not coming out of a traditional med school major, and I wanted to combine that major with a year abroad in Cambridge. Good advice and strong letters of recommendation made that possible.”