Is the APMD Right for You?
The APMD is designed for high school graduates who already know they want to become a physician and are looking for a clear, structured route to get there.
The APMD starts each fall and accepts applications on a rolling basis. There is no application deadline, but international students are encouraged to apply early to allow sufficient time for acceptance, I-20 processing, and visa applications before the fall start.
One Application. Two Degrees. One Clear Path.
The APMD was designed by WAUSM to meet a specific need: a direct, structured entry point for high school graduates who already know they want to become physicians. Rather than waiting until after a bachelor’s degree to begin the medical school journey, the APMD connects undergraduate education and medical school into a single, six-year pathway, so driven, focused students can move forward with clarity and purpose from day one.
For students in the United States, the APMD offers a streamlined alternative to the traditional pre-med route. Rather than applying separately to medical school after completing your bachelor’s degree, you enter the pathway directly from high school and can earn both degrees in six years instead of eight or more.
For international students, the APMD offers something unique: a structured, US-aligned path to practicing medicine in the United States.
Why the APMD Exists
Many students pursuing medicine internationally default to the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery), the standard medical degree in many countries outside the US, earned directly out of secondary school. It’s respected globally but not designed around US licensure requirements. Students who take that route and later want to practice in the US often face additional exams, retraining, and costs that could have been avoided. The APMD was built to change that, starting with a US undergraduate degree, clinical training in US hospitals, and a medical education model aligned with US residency from day one.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, 1 in 5 practicing physicians in the United States was born or educated abroad. International medical graduates already play a central role in US healthcare. What matters is how and where you train.
The Pathway at a Glance
A simple, scannable overview of the journey — full detail lives on the How It Works page.
Six years, one path: from undergraduate to your MD
The Accelerated Pathway to MD moves you from full-time undergraduate study in the U.S., to WAUSM’s campus in Grand Bahama, to clinical clerkships back in the U.S. — earning a bachelor’s degree and a Doctor of Medicine in six years.
Undergraduate studies
Years 1–3 · year-round terms
Full-time undergraduate study at one of WAUSM’s partner universities in the U.S., completing the bachelor’s degree by the end of Year 3.
Transition & pre-clinical MD
Years 3–4 · year-round terms
Dual-credit terms begin in Year 3 in Freeport, Grand Bahama — counting toward both the bachelor’s degree and the MD — followed by the foundational medical sciences of the pre-clerkship curriculum, about 80 miles from South Florida.
Clinical clerkships
Years 5–6 · U.S. teaching hospitals
Core and elective clinical rotations at WAUSM partner teaching hospitals across the U.S. Year 6 completes in Fall and Spring.
Dual-credit terms count toward both the bachelor’s degree and the MD. Location is shown by the country flag under each phase.
WAUSM’s MD Program: Preparation for a Lifelong Career
The training you receive at your APMD partner university is designed to prepare you to step confidently into WAUSM’s MD Program. WAUSM’s hands-on curriculum uses a flipped classroom approach, active learning built around logical reasoning and problem-solving rather than passive lectures, the same NBME-style reasoning skills that form the basis of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). By combining bachelor’s and MD training into one continuous experience, you gain a deeper understanding of medicine earlier and build clinical skills sooner.
WAUSM holds provisional accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP) while its full accreditation review is underway. CAAM-HP completed its accreditation site visit in April 2026, covering both WAUSM’s Freeport campus and its Chicago clinical training site, with a decision expected shortly. Full accreditation can’t be granted until a school graduates its first class, so this is the standard next step for any new medical school, and WAUSM is right on that timeline. Students are Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)-eligible to sit for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and enter the US and Canadian match.
A Path Built on Real Outcomes
Your APMD Journey Begins at Our Partner Schools
Every student begins their undergraduate years at one of WAUSM’s partner universities. Explore each one to see where your pathway could start:
Hear Directly from Our Team
Learn more about WAUSM’s 6-Year Bachelor-to-MD Program directly from our team.
Ready to learn more?
Request information and a WAUSM admissions advisor will follow up with the details for your situation.
Ready to take the next step?
Learn more about the Accelerated Pathway to MD, or start your application today.
Questions? Email [email protected].