SMDEP, or the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program, is a free six-week program for freshman and sophomore undergrads from demographics underrepresented in medicine and dentistry.  

As you probably already know, there are loads of other premed summer undergraduate research programs (see our chart here). What sets the SMDEP apart from the others is its size and the number of locations. The SMDEP program takes place at 12 different institutions in the U.S., each with 80 participating students.

Here are some important things to know about SMDEP and the application process:

Program locations:

• Case Western Reserve University Schools Of Medicine & Dental Medicine: June 4-July 16

• Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and College of Dental Medicine: June 17-July 29

• David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA School of Dentistry: June 19-July 30

• Duke University School of Medicine: June 4-July 16

• Howard University Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Dentistry and Medicine: June 5-July 16

• Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers School of Dental Medicine: June 5-July 15

• The University of Texas School of Dentistry and Medical School at Houston: May 25-July 1

• University of Louisville Schools of Medicine and Dentistry: June 5-July 15

• University of Nebraska Medical Center: June 4-July15

• University of Virginia School of Medicine: June 4-July 16

• University of Washington Schools of Medicine and Dentistry: June 19-July 30

• Yale School of Medicine: June 18-July 29

Applications:

• You apply to 3 of the 12 program sites.

• Admissions are rolling, so the earlier you apply the better, especially if you want a better shot at your preferred location.

• Deadline:  Tuesday, March 1, 2016

• Admissions decisions will be made by April 1, 2016

Eligibility:

• Applicants must:

• Be a freshman or sophomore undergraduate student (with no more than 60 credits at the time of submission)

• Have a GPA of 2.5+

• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident

• Be a first-time SMDEP participant

Letters of Rec:

2 letters of recommendation are required, 1 from a pre-health advisor or professor (or a high school science teacher) and 1 from a supervisor you volunteered for in the medical or dental fields.

Transcripts:

You must submit a transcript from each institution you attended. Official transcripts must be mailed from the institution’s registrar’s office. When you request your transcripts, allow enough time for your school(s) to process the request.

More information:

You can contact the SMDEP National Program Office at smdep@aamc.org or 866-587-6337.

Are you considering other summer premed research programs? We’ve created a chart that covers important details such as length/dates of programs, eligibility requirements, stipend amounts, and more, for top U.S. premed summer research programs. Just fill in your information below and we’ll send the chart to you. Deadlines are looming, so hurry!

Related Resources:

• Premed Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
• Applying as a Person Considered Underrepresented in Medicine
• The Best 4 Things to Do Before Med School