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Six students at Arkansas State University are on a path to secure early admission to medical school, despite only being in their first year of college.A-State's new freshman to physician pathway is a partnership with the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, or NYITCOM, the medical school on A-State's Jonesboro campus.The program is intended for students who are from Arkansas and meet certain academic requirements.Participants pursue a bachelor's degree in biological sciences with a preprofessional studies emphasis at A-State, then apply for admission to NYITCOM during their third year.The university announced the new program in August 2025, and the first group of students applied last fall for selection this spring.Several of the inaugural cohort of freshmen said they were drawn to medicine because of experiences they had as children.Lynnlee Presley of Heber Springs said she has dreamed of being a doctor since she was diagnosed with a heart condition at age 8."I spent lots of time in clinics and hospitals with physicians," she said."I'm totally fine now, (but it) piqued my interest." Ty Duncan of Marion was "stoked -- so giddy -- jumping for joy," when he found out he was selected for the program at A-State.His sister, Harley, is currently a NYITCOM student and is the first in their family to attend college.Their grandfather was in a car accident in 2015 and sustained injuries that eventually claimed his life, motivating Harley Duncan to attend med school."I want to join her on the journey," Ty Duncan said.Haydyn Friend of Salem said she has wanted to be a doctor ever since a "freak accident" led her sister to be hospitalized at Arkansas Children's Hospital.Friend's sister was ultimately "totally fine" but the experience left a mark."I want to be a pediatrician so I can give care and comfort to kids and their families," she said.To begin the freshman to physician pathway, students need a combined SAT score of at least 1100 or an ACT composite score of at least 26, a high school GPA in the top 10% of the applicant's high school class and a successful admissions interview.Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA in science and overall coursework, complete all required premed classes, receive a favorable recommendation from A-State's premedical committee, and pass an admissions interview with NYITCOM faculty, according to the university.Qualifying students will not be required to take the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT."We don't need the MCAT in this scenario," according to Dr.Shane Speights, dean of NYITCOM at A-State."We know what the recipe for success is -- we know what students need," he said.Because the medical school is on the A-State campus, undergraduates can meet students already enrolled at NYITCOM, as well as faculty and staff, Speights said."It's a one-stop shop, programmatically." Speights said the educational pipeline to medical school should start long before college."We hope A-State turns around" and works with K-12 schools as well, he said.Presley recommended high schoolers who aspire to become doctors to begin planning now."It all starts in high school, with the connections you make," she said.As a student in Heber Springs, she took concurrent enrollment courses through Arkansas State University-Beebe to "get the feel of" college classes, she said."You should definitely do that if you have the opportunity," she advised.A-State Chancellor Todd Shields said the freshman to physician pathway has attracted enormous interest nationwide.It's a "unique program, (because) it's streamlined," Shields said."We're looking to doctors to tell us" what courses and experiences students need, he said.Friend said it is "a game-changer, to get this start on the path to med school ...Everybody is so supportive.So many people care for you, and they give you all the resources you need." NYITCOM at A-State has graduated 730 physicians, and has a 99.9% placement rate through the National Resident Matching Program, according to Casey Pearce, a spokesman for NYITCOM at A-State.A recent report produced by A-State estimated that NYITCOM has an economic impact of more than $44 million annually in Arkansas.Among NYITCOM graduates who are from Arkansas and attend residency in Arkansas, 98% stay in Arkansas to practice, according to Pearce."Overall, our Arkansas natives -- regardless of where they attend residency -- 72% sign to practice in Arkansas," he said.Support journalism that covers the topics that matter most to you.Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.Support journalism that covers the topics that matter most to you.Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.