Brown offers an eight-year program for students who are committed to a career in medicine and who also want a broad liberal arts education. By taking full advantage of Brown's Open Curriculum, PLME students complete a four-year undergraduate program and then proceed directly to Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School. As undergraduates, PLME students may choose to work toward an A.B. or Sc.B. degree in the sciences, or toward an A.B. in the humanities, social sciences or behavioral sciences. PLME students may choose any one of the nearly 100 departmental and interdepartmental concentration programs offered at the University.
Undergraduate Admission
Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)
The Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is an eight-year continuum that allows students to combine both their undergraduate and medical school education at Brown.
Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME)
The Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is an eight-year continuum that allows students to combine both their undergraduate and medical school education at Brown.
Undergraduate Years
The undergraduate experience is designed to best prepare students for the last four years of the program, which constitute the medical school years and culminate in the M.D. degree.
During the undergraduate portion of the program, the summer period is free but may be used for independent study, elective coursework or laboratory research. During the medical school years, students may pursue, in parallel with the M.D. degree, an advanced degree in their area of interest (e.g., MPH, M.D./ Ph.D.) or other professional development such as a scholarly concentration. (See Advanced Scholarship.)
The expected duration of the PLME is eight years. However, students may choose to take advantage of the Flex Plan and extend their program by one or two years. The Flex Plan offers undergraduates the option to defer their entry to the medical school while they pursue opportunities in other fields such as education, research, public service, government, health care and business.
Applying for the PLME Option
To apply for the PLME option, you must indicate your interest on the Common Application and respond to the additional essay questions.
PLME is not the only option for students who are planning careers in medicine. A number of Brown students include all of the requisite courses for medical school in their curriculums. In addition to learning more about the PLME option, you may also want to explore our health career advising resources.
PLME Candidates and Early Decision
An early decision applicant who indicates a desire to be considered for entry into the PLME may be admitted in December to both the College and the PLME. However, some students may be selected for admission to the College but not the PLME. The Office of College Admission realizes that these students may not wish to be admitted to the College under a binding early decision program if they are not also admitted to the PLME. Hence, the office asks these PLME applicants to apply regular decision. Those who apply and are admitted to Brown but not to PLME will be considered for the PLME program during the regular decision program. The outcomes would be either admission to the PLME program or admission to Brown (the College).
Start Your Application
Applications to Brown are submitted online via the Common Application. Learn how to apply and start your application.
ADDITIONAL APPLICATION OPTIONS:
We ask all first-year applicants to complete the Common Application and Brown Member section online.
Every year Brown welcomes students from around the world. In fact, about 15 percent of our students come from abroad.