New Orleans, LA – LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine will begin reviewing applications recommended by Xavier University of Louisiana for early acceptance into medical school through a new program launched this year. At the time of conditional acceptance, LSU Health New Orleans will provide Louisiana residents who commit a conditional full four-year scholarship.   

“We are dedicated to increasing the diversity of the professional health workforce,” says Dr. Steve Nelson, LSU Health New Orleans Interim Chancellor. “Xavier has been enormously successful nationally in graduating pre-med students, and it seemed a natural partnership to keep these promising future physicians right here at home.” 

To be eligible for the LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine-Xavier University of Louisiana Early Acceptance Program , a Xavier student must satisfy certain requirements at the end of the spring semester of sophomore year, including being prepared to be on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Xavier in the spring of the senior year and to enter medical school that same year, completing at least 60 semester hours of courses at Xavier and completing required courses -- eight semester hours of General Biology w/Lab, eight semester hours of General Chemistry w/Lab, eight semester hours of Organic Chemistry w/Lab, two semesters of Mathematics (at least one statistics course is required), and two semesters of English. 

"Xavier University of Louisiana is happy to partner with LSU Health in our joint work to educate cohorts of talented medical professionals," said Xavier University of Louisiana President, Reynold Verret. "With their assistance, we will continue diversify the face of medicine and bring forth representation needed by the US population. Xavier thanks LSU Health for taking on this challenge with us." 

Students who meet the qualifications must follow the application process as outlined by Xavier.  Xavier’s Pre-Medical Committee will then submit nominees to the medical school no later than May of the sophomore year. Nominees will be reviewed by LSU Health New Orleans in the fall of the junior year, and students will receive official notice from the medical school once a decision is made.  Students will be interviewed by members of the Admissions Committee, and students are granted official early conditional acceptance into LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine after being voted on by the committee. 

“Together with Xavier University we will help address the need to recruit more underrepresented students into the medical profession,” says Dr. Richard DiCarlo, Interim Dean of LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. “We will keep their best and brightest students here in Louisiana to serve the people of the community and state for years to come.  This is an important moment for the School of Medicine, and we are grateful for Xavier’s partnership.” 

Acceptance into LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine is contingent upon the nominated student receiving an acceptable MCAT score and meeting other requirements outlined in the conditional acceptance letter. Students must still submit a formal application through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Students are permitted to apply to other medical schools and are not required to attend LSU Health New Orleans. However, applicants who also apply to other medical schools will forfeit eligibility for the full four-year scholarship.    

“We are pleased to work with LSU Health, a major medical school right down the street from Xavier,” said Xavier University Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, Anne McCall.” “With this new program, we hope to continue providing quality opportunities to our students and the next generation of great doctors for our state. LSU Health has also committed to providing selected students a fully paid 4-year scholarship to assist them during the program. The Xavier community is grateful.” 

“LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine also offers a variety of enrichment opportunities for students before or after conditional acceptance, including summer research programs, physician shadowing, mentorship, information sessions, and engagement with the Student National Medical Association,” notes Angela McLean, MD, Associate Dean for Admissions and Professor of Clinical Medicine at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. 

“This partnership with Xavier represents a tremendous opportunity to advance our medical school’s mission to foster greater diversity in Louisiana’s physician workforce,” adds Dr. Robert Maupin, Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity and Community Engagement at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine. 

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LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans educates Louisiana's health care professionals. The state's flagship health sciences university, LSU Health New Orleans includes a School of Medicine with branch campuses in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, the state's only School of Dentistry, Louisiana's only public School of Public Health, and Schools of Allied Health Professions, Nursing, and Graduate Studies. LSU Health New Orleans faculty take care of patients in public and private hospitals and clinics throughout the region. In the vanguard of biosciences research in a number of areas in a worldwide arena, the LSU Health New Orleans research enterprise generates jobs and enormous economic impact. LSU Health New Orleans faculty have made lifesaving discoveries and continue to work to prevent, advance treatment, or cure disease. To learn more, visit http://www.lsuhsc.edu, http://www.twitter.com/LSUHealthNO, or http://www.facebook.com/LSUHSC.                                                    

About Xavier University of Louisiana 

Being America’s only historically Black and Catholic University is only the first among many distinctions that have set Xavier University of Louisiana apart for more than nine decades. Despite its relatively small size, Xavier is a nationally recognized leader in STEM and the health sciences, producing more African American students who graduate from medical schools each year than any other university in the United States. Its College of Pharmacy is among the top producers of African American pharmacists. 

Its liberal arts-based programs in such areas as art, business, education, psychology, and political science – as well as recent additions in bioinformatics, data science, neuroscience, crime and social justice, and jazz studies – offer students an unbeatable combination of traditional classroom study, hands-on research, service-learning opportunities, and life experiences. The winning Xavier formula is to provide students with a well-balanced curriculum and an environment that nurtures their intellect and feeds their souls. 

For more information about Xavier University of Louisiana, visit us online at www.xula.edu or follow us on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter @XULA1925. To book interviews and/or to speak with our experts in the field of pharmacy, education, premed, public health, science, technology, math, business, English, communications, and the arts, contact Chelsea Cunningham at (504) 520-5425 or ccunnin@xula.edu.