Information for PreMed Advisors
This information serves as a quick reference for pre-med advising to inform students about opportunities, explore our admissions philosophy, learn about our program and curriculum, and explore our student and graduate outcomes.
Opportunities for Pre-Med Advisors
- Ross Med is a well-established Caribbean medical school dedicated to providing qualified students with an opportunity to earn their Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. With a limited number of medical school seats in the United States and an AAMC-predicted physician shortage, we believe our role in educating tomorrow's physicians has never been more important.
- Despite some claims of an impending "residency squeeze" that may impact graduates' chances of attaining residencies, a recent report in a top medical journal states that fears of a residency shortage are unfounded. Read more here.
- RUSM has deep US ties, from its dedicated, credentialed faculty to the institution's top leadership post. Leading Ross Med's medical program is Dean Heidi Chumley, MD, MBA.
Pre-Med Advising: Medical Sciences Curriculum
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Students begin their academic studies on our technologically-advanced campus on the island of Barbados. Ross Med’s integrated complete organ systems-based modular curriculum allows students to address the processes of health and disease holistically. They learn to think like a doctor early in their medical school experience. Multisystem integration and review in semester five provide robust opportunities for students to integrate medical and clinical foundations learned over the previous semesters. This model, which mirrors how medicine is actually practiced, is in use at many medical schools in the United States.
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Ross Med integrates active, hands-on, clinically relevant activities directly into the preclinical curriculum. Students have opportunities to participate in early community clinical experiences across Barbados in a variety of settings with diverse patients within weeks of starting. Our active learning model includes flipped classroom activities, small group sessions, and team-based learning with access to:
- Anatomical Sciences and
- Medical Imaging facility
- Simulation institute
- Standardized patient and interview skills training room
- Patient examination rooms with A/V links to classrooms
- Pathology and Physiology labs
- More than 40 student clubs and organizations to network and gain additional hands-on experience while enriching classroom teachings
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Ross Med's Community Medicine and Global Health Program allows all students to participate in research with community-based projects starting in semester one. Students learn research methods, data and collection, analysis tools, and composing content and presentations.
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Ross Med offers the Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL), a voluntary resource through which students can leverage advanced adult-learning techniques and progressive technology to enhance their study skills and maximize their potential for medical school success. The ATL is available to assist students who are at risk of academic difficulty, as well as those who are performing well academically but want to take advantage of any resource that could help them do even better. We also offer structured, credit-bearing remediation courses and learning strategies built into the curriculum for all students.
Medical Sciences Curriculum
Pre-Med Advising: U.S. Clinical Rotations
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After completing the Medical Sciences curriculum and passing United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE) Step 1, Ross Med students head to the U.S. for the Clinical Sciences curriculum or clinical rotations. Clinicals represent the majority of a Ross Med student's education. Students rotate through affiliated RUSM teaching hospitals, alongside students from US medical schools, and complete cores in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, and surgery. Our Clinical Sciences curriculum is 90 weeks long.
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Ross Med provides the convenience of single-location clinical tracks where students can remain in a single geographic location for the duration of their clinical clerkship rotations, which eases the transition from Medical Sciences to a clinical academic home. This approach can place students closer to home, facilitate enhanced faculty interaction, and allow students to practice applying to residencies through mock interviews, among other benefits.
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Students receive the support they need for USMLE Step 1 preparation from the Clinical Academy for Teaching and Learning (cATL), and through an online support hub dedicated to their success. Ross Med also offers each clinical student a team of advisors, including clinical and financial aid advisors, writers, and student advocates.
RUSM Clinical Rotations
Pre-Med Advising: Admissions Requirements
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The Admissions Committee gives serious consideration to all candidates showing the potential to meet the rigorous academic requirements of a highly structured curriculum. At Ross Med, we don't solely on MCAT and GPA when we're considering an applicant—rather, we put just as much thought into a student's non-academic qualifications, such as life experience, social maturity, and volunteerism. US citizens, permanent residents, and other eligible noncitizens can apply for federal loans through the US Federal Direct Loan Program. Scholarships are also available for those who apply and quality. View a complete list of RUSM's admissions requirements.
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Since we operate under rolling admissions, there are no application deadlines. Ross Med seats 3 classes per year (January, May, and September). We continue to accept applications for each semester until all seats are filled. In the event that all seats are filled before an applicant receives a decision, the application is automatically considered for the next available semester.
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If our Admissions Committee deems an applicant has the potential to succeed at Ross Med but may benefit from additional strengthening in the basic sciences, they may grant that candidate conditional acceptance. This acceptance is contingent upon that candidate successfully completing the Medical Education Readiness Program (MERP), a 15-week medical school preparatory program with a strong record of student success. MERP is offered completely online. Learn more about MERP here.
RUSM Student Support
Pre-Med Advising: Engage with Ross Med
We'd love to talk to you more about Ross Med. We regularly provide pre-med advisors, as well as students and their families, the opportunity to take a closer look at what our program has to offer.
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Our live admissions seminars feature admissions staff, faculty, and alumni who are available to answer questions and share their Ross Med stories.
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Ross Med admissions officers are available to answer your questions. To contact an Associate Director of Admissions for your region, please visit our dedicated admissions contact page.
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Often, we're able to arrange campus trips for interested pre-med advisors—or, if it's more convenient, an admissions officer can meet directly with you on your campus. Reach out to our Office of Admissions at admissions@rossu.edu or 1-855-637-6778.
Pre Med Advisor FAQs
The questions you ask your pre-med advisor will depend on what matters most to you and the concerns you may have about your competitiveness for medical school. If you don’t know how a pre-med advisor can best help you, the following questions are a good place to start.
- When should I apply to medical school?
- How many programs should I apply to?
- What are the requirements for medical school?
- What steps do I need to take to become a strong medical school applicant?
- When should I start requesting letters of recommendation?
Pre-med advisors can help students by providing guidance about medical school requirements, ensure that students graduate on time, complete all their degree qualifications and pre-med prerequisites, check in with students to gauge their competitiveness with different programs, provide tools to ask for letters of recommendation and help students explore the importance of shadowing experiences and extracurricular activities, among others
Pre-med advisors provide you with guidance and information you need to feel confident to begin completing your applications to medical school.
Some colleges have a dedicated pre-professional advising office that includes pre-med advisors for students who are seeking a career in a health-related field. In other institutions, it may be a science professor, a general counselor in career services or even the dean’s office. Check with you school’s website as most advisors can be reached via email to schedule a time to meet.