09/16 - University of Scranton Medical School Placements at All Time High

The acceptance rate to medical schools for The University of Scranton's class of 2002 graduates reached an unprecedented 100 percent. The University of Scranton's overall medical school acceptance rate for 2002, including graduate students, post baccalaureate students, alumni and re-applicants is at 97.7 percent.

Twenty-six of the 44 graduates accepted to doctoral-level health profession schools have received more than one acceptance. The 44 accepted students have received a total of 108 acceptances.

"I have never seen so many receive such a high number of acceptances, "said Mary F. Engel, Ph.D., director of both Medical School Placement and the Office of Fellowship Programs. "Some students have received as many as eight acceptances."

Two local graduates of the class of 2002, April Puscavage, Avoca, and Mark Fitzgerald, Clarks Summit, have received multiple M.D./Ph.D. offers. These are fully funded seven-year programs.

April Puscavage, a triple major in biomath, biophysics and philosophy, turned down all three M.D./Ph.D. offers to pursue an M.D./M.P.H. degree at Johns Hopkins University.

Mark Fitzgerald, a triple major in psychology, neuroscience and philosophy, is attending the University of Virginia.

Under Dr. Engel's direction, students in the pre-medical program at The University of Scranton are continually accepted to medical schools at rates well beyond the national average.

"Any of our current students, graduate and undergraduate, and our alumni can apply to medical school - regardless of their major - and our office will work with them," said Dr. Engel, who is also an associate professor of English and has taught English courses at the university for 16 years. She also noted that many graduate and post baccalaureate students take advantage of the numerous activities sponsored by the university's Health Professions Organization.

Dr. Engel was one of 25 scholars and teachers in the nation invited to participate in the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Institute, "Medicine, Literature and Culture," held this summer.

"Medical schools have indicated a growing interest in attracting broadly educated students, and they emphasize that admissions committees value strong preparation in humanities courses," said Dr. Engel. "When pre-med students ask why medical schools require at least two courses in English, I often share with them the advice a local oncologist gave our students a few years ago: 'You need to learn to listen to your patient's story. If you cannot understand her story, you may cure the symptoms but you will not heal the patient.'"