January 2005

NSU, Jacksonville University Sign Medical School Agreement
Dual Admission, 4+4 Program Allows JU Students to Attend NSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine

Fort Lauderdale , Fla. – Under a new articulation agreement with Nova Southeastern University (NSU) pre-med students at Jacksonville University (JU) now have a leg up in the medical school admissions process. The agreement establishes a dual admission 4+4 program for students who want to pursue their undergraduate degree at JU and seamlessly enter NSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM).

“Our college offers one of five fully-accredited programs in the state, and we continue to place ourselves on the cusp of medical innovation, preparing students for a rapidly evolving medical landscape brimming with challenge and opportunity,” said Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., dean of NSU's COM.

“This strategic relationship with Jacksonville University will help to strengthen the higher edu cation environment throughout our entire state, said Health Professions Division Chancellor, Dr. Fred Lippman. “The agreement will provide Florida students with enhanced access to NSU's outstanding medical school and be instrumental in producing a number of tomorrow's compassionate, caring physicians.”

NSU will reserve up to five slots annually for JU graduates who have completed undergraduate degrees and pre-med prerequisites. High school seniors seeking dual admission to the 4+4 program will need to apply to JU, and upon acceptance if eligible, apply and be interviewed at NSU. Upon completion of their bachelor's degree and meeting the prescribed academic requirements, the students will matriculate into NSU's medical school.

Dr. Quinton White, dean of JU's College of Arts and Sciences, said NSU's interest in JU pre-med undergraduates is a tribute to the excellence of the faculty and instruction at the University. “I think it's an indication of the quality of our pre-med program and how competitive our graduates are for medical school.” About 83 percent of students in the University's pre-med program are admitted to medical school, compared to 50 percent at most schools, he said.

NSU is one of five fully-accredited colleges of medicine in the state of Florida . It has a student body of more than 750 students, and has articulation agreements with three other member institutions of The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF).