Emilee Plautz, a junior biology major/chemistry minor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, was accepted into the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry (LECOM) through a new agreement between the UW-River Falls Biology Department and LECOM. The agreement allows UWRF students who meet certain qualifications to receive provisional acceptance to LECOM's medical colleges upon graduation. Plautz will attend LECOM beginning in the fall of 2017.

Provisional Agreement Allows UW-River Falls Students Into Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry

November 30, 2015--The University of Wisconsin-River Falls Biology Department and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry (LECOM) have announced an agreement allowing UW-River Falls students to receive provisional acceptance to LECOM's medical colleges.

The agreement will grant students who have met certain qualifications entrance to LECOM upon graduation from UW-River Falls. If students are accepted and meet all requirements, they do not have to take the college entrance exams, including the MCAT, PCAT, or DAT.

To qualify for provisional acceptance, students must have attended UW-River Falls for a minimum of one year, preferably two, and have two years of UW-River Falls education remaining. They must also have a minimum 25 ACT score, and a major and cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Students can apply for an interview, and if accepted, they will be provisionally guaranteed entrance to LECOM upon successful graduation from UW-River Falls.

Once accepted, students must maintain their academic standing while still at UWRF. Provisionally accepted students will meet with LECOM twice during their remaining two years at UWRF and with the Biology Department each semester. In addition, they will be expected to submit semester grades. An evaluation of each student will take place at the end of every semester and be sent to LECOM from UWRF.

"I am honored to be a part of such an amazing program," said Emilee Plautz, a junior biology major and chemistry minor. "I cannot express my level of gratitude toward UW-River Falls for this opportunity or my level of excitement to start my medical career at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. This affiliation allows me to be part of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I am extremely grateful." Pautz was accepted into the program this past summer and will be attending LECOM fall of 2017.

The LECOM affiliation agreement joins several other post undergraduate options available to UWRF biology students in the biomedical/pre-health professions track for the 2015-16 academic year, including the University of Minnesota Medical Lab Scientist Program, the Palmer School of Chiropractic, and the Mayo School of Health Sciences (MSHS) Echocardiography Program.

For more information on the LECOM program, or other UWRF pre-health profession affiliation agreements, call Mark Bergland at 715-425-3591 or email mark.s.bergland@uwrf.edu.