PRIME FAQs

The PRIME program is designed for two types of students. The first are "career changers", or students who have not completed the course requirements for medical school admission. The second type are "academic enhancers", or students who have completed most, if not all, of the course requirements for medical school admission by would like to take additional upper level undergraduate science coursework to raise their undergraduate and science GPA to be more competitive for admission to the medical school of their choice. 

Students can begin the PRIME program in any semester -- fall, spring or summer. A majority of students begin in the fall semester, but you can also take advantage of our summer reduced tuition and start in the summer semester to accelerate your completion of the program. As many of the general pre-med requirements are offered in the summer semester, it is a good option for those on the career changer path to start in the summer semester.  For those students on an academic enhancement path, the best and recommended option is to start in the fall or spring semesters. 

See our page on tuition and financial aid for complete details. Note that tuition rates are reduced in the summer semester and this helps reduce the overall cost of attending the program if courses are taken over the summer semester.

Financial aid for this program is limited and is in the form of federal and/or private loans. The PRIME program offers a limited number of merit-based scholarships of up to $5000 at the time of admission into the program. No additional application is needed. These scholarships are awarded to highly competitive students for the full academic year and can be applied to the summer semester(s). For most consideration, submit your application earlier in the cycle.

No. The program's courses and advising sessions take place on the campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

We have a linkage agreement with the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine for students who meet certain criteria. Please contact the program director (reachable at prime@case.edu) for more information. We are continually working to develop relationships with other medical schools and may offer more linkage agreements in the future.

The PRIME program has a dedicated director who has experience advising for medical school admissions and who meets regularly with students one-on-one and in group advising sessions. 

The PRIME program offers a specialized Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) prep course (IHSC 300) designed to comprehensively review all MCAT content areas, as well as testing methods. The course is team-taught by CWRU faculty and is offered in May (Summer term) as a 3-week intensive course. Students would then typically take the MCAT after they have completed the MCAT prep course. 

• Highly flexible and individually tailored program of study providing each student the preparation that they need to have the best MD or DO application moving forward.
• A dedicated program director who has experience advising for medical school admissions and who meets regularly with students one-on-one, and in a group-advising format, for support, coaching, and guidance throughout the program and into the medical school application cycle. 
• Small group, interactive, and student-directed Clinical Inquiry (IQ) coursework designed to give students exposure to medical terminology and clinical reasoning and develop professional growth via self-reflection.
• A specialized Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) preparatory course taught by CWRU faculty and designed to comprehensively review all MCAT content areas, as well as testing methods.
• The PRIME program is offered by a top-40, tier-I research university and housed in a top-24 medical school with a rich history of research and education.
• Diverse opportunities for shadowing, volunteering, and research in affiliation with four top medical systems (Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, VA Medical Center, and MetroHealth Medical Center).
• Letter of Evaluation packet (includes individually written Letters of Recommendation) provided for students upon completion of the program.

The length of the program may vary depending on whether you enter as a career changer or an academic enhancer. Typically, an academic enhancer would complete the program in one year, and a career changer may take up to two years to complete the program, depending on the number of courses needed for medical school. The program requires each student to complete a minimum of 24 credit hours, however, the average student completes between 24-27 credit hours.

Yes, as you would be considered part of our "academic enhancer" track and would complete our required Clinical Inquiry courses, as well as other electives while creating an individualized, flexible, and tailored program of study in consultation with your advisor.

Our program requires that all students complete two courses: Introduction to Clinical Inquiry I and II. These courses are taught in small groups in an interactive, student-directed learning mode. The courses review and reinforce MCAT core content and introduce key topics such as public health, medical terminology, bioethics, and clinical research. The Clinical Inquiry courses will also help develop presentation, leadership, feedback, and teamwork skills.

The courses you take will depend on the general pre-med requirements you completed during your undergraduate career. An individual course of study will be jointly developed with you and your advisor in detail once you are admitted to the program, taking into account gaps in your current application.

The PRIME program is a non-degree certificate program. A certificate, not a degree, is awarded upon completion of the program.

Yes! We offer a range of elective courses that span many subject areas. A list of electives is available on our Electives page.

• Successful completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university that has been conferred prior to matriculation
• A personal statement
• Demonstrated commitment to understanding and serving the needs of others through volunteer activities and/or through community service.
• Demonstrated interest in medicine through past or current activities.
• Official transcripts from each institution attended
• Two letters of recommendation (or a committee/composite letter)
• Current resume or CV
• (optional) Standardized test: MCAT or GRE (school code is 1105)

Competitive applications will have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher, an undergraduate science GPA of 3.25 or higher, and test scores around the 50th percentile or higher. However, applications are reviewed holistically and there are no strict cutoffs for any metric.

You can review the specific application deadlines under the Application Requirements page.

Applications are reviewed, and admission offers are made, on a rolling basis. 

The admissions process is highly selective. We are looking for applicants who have demonstrated academic success, dedication to and motivation for the field of medicine, a strong work ethic, professionalism, and self-growth and reflection. We typically accept about one-third of applicants to the program.

Yes, a personal statement is required. The statement should include why you chose the PRIME program and how your background and experiences will help you be successful in the program. Your statement should also address any trends or inconsistencies in your academic record to help the Admissions Committee more fully understand you as an applicant.

We require that you submit a minimum of two letters of recommendation (or a committee/composite letter), however, you can upload more than two letters for consideration. Official transcripts are required if you are officially offered admission to the program. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for us to review your application and can be uploaded to your application or copies sent to prime@case.edu.

We believe that students with a 3.4 GPA or better have the best chance to succeed in the program in improving their credentials for admission to medical school. However, we do not have specific cutoffs for MCAT or GPA. We, like most medical schools, review your application holistically. The admissions committee will look at your application to see if we feel that this program, with a combination of coursework, research/volunteer experiences, etc., can help you become a competitive applicant for medical school.

We'd welcome the chance to talk to you! Contact us via phone at 216-368-5296 or email prime@case.edu. We are happy to meet via Zoom or in person if you are traveling to the Cleveland area.

Fill out a request for information to get updates on the program.