The Icahn School of Medicine holds up to three spots in its FlexMed program for Rensselaer sophomores who qualify for the program each year.

FlexMed is a groundbreaking new program designed for students interested in pursuing a medical degree at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. It allows sophomore students in any major - who are self-directed in their learning, thrive on a culture of academic rigor and mentorship, and have a strong appreciation of human rights and social justice - to apply for early acceptance to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The FlexMed program builds on a strong educational foundation consisting of innovative research and clinical programs that provide students with the knowledge and support to become the next generation of medical and scientific experts. In response to major changes in the priorities of biomedical science and health care, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has expanded its renowned Humanities in Medicine program to become the first medical school in the United States to offer early acceptance to college sophomores from any major, with no MCAT requirement, for up to half of each entering class.

Program Information

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the first medical school in the United States to create a new and progressive approach for students who seek early assurance of admission to medical school.

Affiliation Agreement

An affiliation agreement signed in May 2013 between the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Rensselaer enables collaboration on educational programs, research, and development of new diagnostic tools and treatments.

The two institutions launched the initiative to use their expertise - engineering and invention prototyping at Rensselaer and biomedical research and patient care at Icahn School of Medicine - to provide synergy in their promotion of human health. Rensselaer and the Icahn School of Medicine are developing complementary research programs in neuroscience and neurological diseases, genomics, imaging, orthopaedics, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and scientific and clinical targets that capitalize on each institution's unique strengths. Joint funding in research programs is being sought in the areas of precision medicine, drug discovery, stem cell biology, robotics and robotic surgery, novel imaging techniques, cellular engineering, and computational neurobiology.

Initially, the key areas of focus are genomics, imaging, tissue engineering, and neuroscience. Icahn School of Medicine's Hess Center for Science and Medicine and the Rensselaer Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies will serve as hubs for research and development.

The Icahn School of Medicine holds up to three spots in its FlexMed Program for Rensselaer sophomores who qualify for the program each year.

Acceptance Requirements

The FlexMed Program is open to all undergraduates. The three broad categories of undergraduate study most often accepted into the program are Humanities and Social Sciences, Computational Sciences and Engineering, and Biomedical Sciences. However, talented students from all areas of study including Physics, Mathematics, Computer Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology should apply. Once accepted, students will be free to pursue their area of study, unencumbered by the traditional sciences requirements and the MCAT.

Students who are accepted into the FlexMed Program will automatically be accepted into medical school at the Icahn School of Medicine provided they adhere to all program requirements before matriculation, including:

  • Two semesters of Biology (not AP or IB, but college course work)
  • Two semesters of Chemistry (not AP or IB, but college course work)
  • Two semesters of English
  • One semester of Physics (AP or IB Physics in high school with a score of 4 or higher)
  • Two semesters of lab in any science
  • One semester of Health Policy, Public Health, or Global Health
  • One semester of Ethics
  • One semester of Statistics
  • A Senior Thesis or its equivalent in an area of academic concentration
  • An in-depth experience in which the student gains exposure to human illness
  • Students will be strongly encouraged to gain proficiency in either Spanish or Mandarin
  • In the six weeks prior to matriculation, FlexMed students who have not had advanced science courses will be required to participate in a Summer Enrichment Program that will provide them basic competency in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and Genetics
  • Admitted students will be required to achieve a 'B' in all required courses, and will be expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5