AAMC Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs Glossary

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Academic Record-Enhancer: For students who may need to take upper-level or graduate science courses to improve their GPA, or for students who may have completed their prerequisites but need additional academic preparation to demonstrate their readiness to complete medical training.  

Capstone Program: Students will conduct a research project and summarize their findings via a written paper, an oral presentation, and/or a poster. 

Career-Changer: For learners who need to complete all or most of the prerequisite courses for medical school. 

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) Students: An administrative relief from deportation for eligible immigrant youth who came to the United States when they were children. Please refer to the following resource from the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services for more updates and additional information: Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) | USCIS 

Economically or educationally disadvantaged students: Those placed a specific risk by socioeconomic or educational background. 1. Economically disadvantaged students are those whose household income is below average. 2. Educationally disadvantaged students are those who may have educational deficits based on individual learning abilities or limitations. 

Gap year: A yearlong break taken in between secondary degrees and professional training programs to engage in various educational and developmental activities such as work experience, volunteer experience, or travel. 

Permanent Resident of the US: Someone who has been granted authorization to live and work in the U.S. on a permanent basis; this includes green card holders. Source: https://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/get-green-card 

Thesis Program: Students will conduct a large research project which may require several semesters to complete, they will write a thesis which is a large document that is likely to be published. 

Underrepresented minority students: The AAMC definitions includes racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population. Before June 26, 2003, this included those who identify as Black, Mexican-American, Native American (i.e., American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians), and mainland Puerto Ricans. Source: https://www.aamc.org/what-we-do/equity-diversity-inclusion/underrepresented-in-medicine 

 

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