As the demand for physicians continues to outpace supply, universities across the country are uniquely positioned to address this shortage through robust pre-medical pipeline programs. These initiatives not only prepare students for the rigors of medical education but also support institutional goals around diversity, student success, and long-term alumni impact.

This article outlines key types of pre-medical pipeline programs that institutions can develop or expand—ranging from early outreach to advanced post-baccalaureate solutions, including emerging innovations like Tiber Health’s predictive analytics-powered Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) curriculum.

Pre-College Programs: Early Engagement to Build Interest and Readiness

Pre-college pipeline programs are designed to spark interest in healthcare careers and build foundational skills for overall college readiness among high school students. These programs often serve as entry points for students who may not otherwise consider medicine as a viable path due to limited exposure, mentorship, or academic preparation.

Pre-college pipeline programs can include:

For institutions, pre-college pipeline programs support a variety of goals, including building stronger community partnerships with healthcare organizations and local high schools. They can also support both undergraduate and professional school enrollments by increasing the university’s visibility with high school students throughout the region.

Undergraduate Pathways: Structured Pre-Med Advising and Academic Support

During the undergraduate years, institutions can implement formalized pre-med tracks, programs that provide a structured path toward medical school readiness, and even summer programs that encourage freshmen and sophomores to pursue pre-med coursework, such as the Association of American Medical Colleges’ (AAMC’s) Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP).

Pipeline programs for undergrads can include any of the following features:

Implementing pre-health opportunities for undergrads can help raise your university’s profile by improving the medical school acceptance rates for graduates. Pipeline programs can also enhance student retention – especially for high-achieving STEM students – while also building connections with medical schools and healthcare organizations.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs

Post-baccalaureate (post-bacc) programs are vital for increasing access to medical careers for non-traditional students and re-applicants. Post-baccs generally cater to two different audiences: students who need to fulfill medical school prerequisites they couldn’t take as undergrads, and students who need strengthen their academic credentials.

Students who need to take prerequisites usually pursue undergraduate-level certificate programs. These programs tend to include one or two years of intensive science coursework plus academic advising and MCAT prep, along with the opportunity to receive letters of recommendation from program faculty.

Academic enhancers, particularly those who are looking to pursue admission to exceptionally competitive medical schools, may also pursue certificate programs, but it’s worth noting that the GPA boost from such programs is usually small.

In either case, the advantage for universities of adding such programs are similar to the advantages offered by implementing pre-med pipelines for mainstream undergraduates.

Pre-Medical or Pre-Health Special Master’s Programs

Adding a pre-medical special master’s degree program (SMP) to your institutional offerings allows you to support students who need more intensive academic preparation for medical school or other professional health pathways.

Earning a graduate-level biomedical sciences degree allows students to demonstrate to medical schools that they can manage intensive coursework, even if their undergraduate GPA was not strong. Additionally, master’s graduates can pursue rewarding non-medical careers, including dentistry, veterinary medicine, physician assistant studies, research, and more.

The Tiber Health MSMS curriculum offers universities a next-generation version of an SMP. Featuring coursework that mirrors the first year of pre-clinical education at an LCME-accredited medical school, the MSMS uses advanced data analytics to provide real-time insight into student performance.

This data can be used to identify and support at-risk students early in the program. We also generate a prediction of how the student will perform on the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1. This offers students a motivational benchmark – and an additional piece of evidence to help them show medical school admissions committees they’re ready to succeed. In addition, the analytics platform can help guide career decisions for students who choose not to pursue medical education.

A Continuum of Support That Benefits Students, Institutions, and Communities

Successful pre-medical pipeline programs span the full educational journey — from high school to graduate school — ensuring that motivated and capable students are not lost along the way. By investing in structured, data-informed, and mission-aligned pipeline initiatives, universities can help shape the future of healthcare while advancing equity, academic excellence, and institutional impact.