Five members of the Class of 2014 breathed a sigh of relief on Jan. 30 after discovering that they had been accepted into the Geisel School of Medicine through its early assurance program.
The program, which launched this academic year, provides binding admittance to Geisel for Dartmouth students in their junior year.
Applications to the program were due in October, with interviews and application review occurring throughout November and December. Applicants were not required to take the Medical College Admissions Test and instead submitted their SAT scores.
Nayrana Carneiro '14 said she felt "on top of the world" upon receiving her acceptance.
"The program is an awesome opportunity to attend a great medical school without going through the stress of the MCATS and the medical school application process," she said.
Carneiro said her admittance to Geisel will help her reach her goal of working in South America for Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization that provides assistance to populations in poverty.
"I absolutely love how Geisel has an enormous focus on global health, and that played a huge role in my decision to apply," she said.
Matt Sattler '14 said in an email he is excited to more fully devote himself to on-campus studies and activities during his senior year rather worry about post-graduation plans.
"I was simply ecstatic when I heard I'd been accepted," he said. "Of course, I'd been hoping I'd be accepted, but there were so many qualified applicants that I never actually thought it would happen. The best part has been the outpouring of support from my friends and family."
Sattler has wanted to be a doctor for as long as he can remember.
"It's incredible to think how much closer to that goal I am now," he said.
Those accepted to the program said they were unsure what they would select as a specialty once they began.
"I am going into medical school with an open mind," Julia Berkowitz '14 said. "I know that I would like to somehow advance whichever specialty I choose, through research, teaching and clinical practice."
Sattler said he would like to practice medicine with a focus on patient care and interaction, such as family medicine or pediatrics, but has not yet made his decision.
Geisel will allow Dartmouth students to take a gap year before entering medical school.
By admitting students in their junior year, Geisel hopes to strengthen the connection between the medical school and the College, Geisel admissions director Andy Welch said in a July meeting.
Berkowitz said that Geisel's focus on community and desire to create leaders in a supportive environment sparked her interest in the program.
"Having a smaller medical school class encourages relationships among peers and more one-on-one attention with our professors," she said.
Carneiro said she looks forward to Geisel's supportive atmosphere and described the campus as a place where "students look out for each other."
Sattler was attracted to Geisel's humanistic approach to medicine, he said.
"One of the things that Geisel does very well is mediating doctor-patient interactions right from the first year," he said. "The school's strong ties with Dartmouth-Hitchcock are also a huge draw."
