NEWS RELEASE
The University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine is partnering with Oakwood University for a new Early Assurance Program, offering qualified students early acceptance to the School of Medicine, along with shadowing and research opportunities.
“Our mission at the UAB School of Medicine is training the next generation of physicians to care for Alabama’s citizens. An important aspect of that mission is ensuring that we’re developing a physician workforce that reflects our state’s population,” said Craig J. Hoesley, M.D., senior associate dean for Medical Education at the UAB School of Medicine. “We felt partnering with Oakwood was a great fit because of the university’s mission and with the School of Medicine’s presence in Huntsville.”
Oakwood University is a private, historically Black Seventh-day Adventist university in Huntsville. Its mission is to transform students through biblically-based education for service to God and humanity. The private, liberal arts institution has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges since 1943. Oakwood University is the nation’s 11th-ranked producer of undergraduate black applicants to medical schools and the only university or HBCU among the top 20 universities in the state of Alabama, according to the Association for American Medical Colleges.
Oakwood University’s STEM program has been ranked 4th of small HBCUs to graduate African American STEM students, and has consistently ranked in the top 15 for matriculating African American students to medical school. The biology program also has a strong record of matriculating African American students to other professional and graduate programs.
Oakwood will be the first HBCU in the state of Alabama to partner with UAB School of Medicine for the Early Assurance Program.
“The Early Assurance Program provides an excellent opportunity for the UAB School of Medicine to ensure a pipeline of high-caliber trainees and for Oakwood University students to solidify their academic futures. This winning combination lessens the traditional anxieties of both parties and in turn provides for the future healthcare needs of Alabama’s residents,” said Robert A.L. Blake, M.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics on the School of Medicine’s Huntsville Regional Medical Campus and Oakwood alumnus. “Oakwood University is much more than my alma mater—it is my home, and it is a sincere privilege to serve as faculty at the UAB School of Medicine, as we launch this momentous endeavor together.” The
Early Assurance Program is open to current Oakwood students who have completed their sophomore year. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 undergraduate grade point average and a minimum 3.5 grade point average in their science courses. Preference will be given to Alabama residents.
“Ideal qualifications for candidates include diverse experiences and perspectives, career potential for leadership, maturity, strong letters of support, and a passion for service,” said Christina J. Grabowski, Ph.D., associate dean for Admissions & Enrollment Management in the School of Medicine. “We will provide myriad opportunities for students to learn more about medicine and prepare for medical school. Students who complete the program and meet the selection criteria for the School of Medicine will earn early acceptance.”
The first class of Oakwood students in the Early Assurance Program would begin this fall and enroll in the School of Medicine in the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications for the program open on May 1, and students must apply by July 1. Selected applicants will be interviewed in August.
“This new partnership with the UAB School of Medicine represents a tremendous opportunity for our students to pursue medical education,” said Colwick Wilson, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president at Oakwood. “We thank the UAB leadership for extending this invitation to Oakwood University and to our students, and look forward to working with the School of Medicine for this Early Assurance Program.” Interested students can inquire at medschooluab.edu