A student from Salem, Ark., is one of six freshmen selected for a newly established pathway at
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro that secures early admission to medical school.
Haydyn Friend of Salem was chosen for the inaugural Freshman to Physician (F2P) cohort, a
partnership between A-State and the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic
Medicine (NYITCOM) in Jonesboro.
The program is designed to create a seamless bridge from undergraduate studies to medical
school for aspiring physicians. Students who complete the F2P pathway and meet all required
prerequisites are eligible for direct admission into NYITCOM without needing to take the Medical
College Admission Test (MCAT).
“We are focused on getting more students from Arkansas into medical school,” said Dr. Shane
Speights, dean at NYITCOM at A-State. “To that, we want to remove some of the challenges of
getting in while also ensuring that those students who matriculate are prepared for the rigor of
our curriculum.”
Speights noted that because the pathway closely monitors and prepares students during their
undergraduate education, the traditional MCAT national benchmark is unnecessary for F2P
participants.
To qualify for the cohort, students must be Arkansas residents, score at least an 1100 on the
SAT or a 26 on the ACT, and rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. They
must also successfully interview with the program's admissions committee.
While in the program, students receive personalized co-mentorship from A-State and NYITCOM
faculty and gain early access to the medical school campus.
The next cohort of the Freshman to Physician program will be selected in spring 2027.
