Professional Portal Program (PPP)

Vision

Recognizing the value of non-traditional approaches to improving health care for medically underserved communities and populations in Mississippi, the Professional Portal Program will identify, nurture and maximize the academic potential of students who strive towards careers in health care or biomedical science that will benefit the underserved of this state.

Mission

The Professional Portal Program at the UMMC School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences utilizes the power of mentorship to attract, sustain and empower students underrepresented in medicine, or from environmentally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Program objectives

• Identify, recruit and enroll students whose academic credentials are less than competitive with the current applicant pool but whose non-cognitive, non-academic and professional attributes are consistent with those sought by this institution's programs of professional study related to health care and biomedical sciences;
• Apply an individually tailored, mentor-based system of instruction and support that will maximize a participant's study and test taking skills, positive self-expression and confidence;
• Deliver an academically rigorous course of instruction in contemporary post-baccalaureate biomedical sciences that will prepare graduates to successfully compete for admission to and completion of the MD program at UMMC.

Introduction

The Professional Portal Program consists of a mentor-based, comprehensive program that offers a terminal degree in the biomedical sciences. This degree is suitable as preparation for teaching at the community/junior college level, as advanced training for governmental and industrial positions, and as an indication of competitiveness for admission to the University of Mississippi Schools of Medicine.

Criteria for admission to the PPP include:

• Formal application and denial of admission to the School of Medicine at UMMC.
• Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores not more than four years old.
• Belong to racial or ethnic groups under-represented in medicine or coming from an environmentally or economically disadvantaged background.
• Acceptance to the program by the SOM Admissions Committee.
• Invitation to apply by the Dr. Rob Rockhold, Professional Portal Program director. 
• Application to and acceptance into the School of Graduate Studies Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree program.

Students must successfully complete the program of study for and be approved to receive the Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree in order to be fulfill requirements for direct admission to the School of Medicine at UMMC.