Arkansas State announces program to guide freshmen to medical school

JONESBORO, Ark. – A new program at Arkansas State University to track incoming freshmen to become physicians was announced on Tuesday.

Officials said the Freshman to Physician Pathway program is a joint effort between A-State and the NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. They added that it is designed to increase the number of physicians serving in rural communities.

School officials said that since opening its Jonesboro campus in Wilson Hall in 2016, NYITCOM has graduated 650 new doctors in six classes. Nearly 70% of those graduates from Arkansas have chosen to stay and practice in the state.

Students joining the pathway must meet certain requirements, officials said, including initial pursuit of a BS in biological sciences with a pre-professional studies emphasis, application to NYITCOM in their third year, a 3.5 or better GPA and passing an interview with NYITCOM.

Students who meet the requirements are not required to take the MCAT, officials said.

A spokesperson said NYITCOM’s osteopathic philosophy emphasizes whole-person wellness, prevention and community health, making it particularly aligned with the needs of Arkansas. Graduates go on to pursue a wide range of specialties, they said, with many choosing family medicine, internal medicine, emergency care and OB-GYN, fields in especially high demand throughout the state.

Applications for the Freshman to Physician Pathway open this fall for students entering A-State in 2025. A similar program is in development for A-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, with an expected launch in fall 2026.

Additional information on the program is available at AState.edu/FreshmanToPhysician.