Ellen Roop Solomon '17 was among the first cohort of IDeA students.
Established in 2014, the Innovation and Design Application (IDeA) program at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University is designed for creative thinkers who seek flexibility in their undergraduate education. Sophomores apply directly to Jefferson and finalists are invited to interview on campus.
Benefits of program include:
- Admission to medical school as a sophomore
- Reduced premedical prerequisites: IDeA students participate in a summer "science boot camp" before medical school so that they're ready for the medical school curriculum.
- No MCAT required
- Mentorship from Program Director Dr. Bon Ku and other Princeton alums
- Acceptance into the design thinking college within a college track at SKMC
Learn more about Sidney Kimmel Medical College & JeffDesign
- Curriculum Overview
- The Jefferson Design Lab
- Selection factors outlined by the Office of Admissions
- IDeA Program website
Design Thinking in the News
- Designing Doctors: Can a creative mindset solve health-care problems (Princeton Alumni Weekly, 2020)
- Design Thinking for Doctors and Nurses (NY Times blog, 2017)
- Data & Design Thinking to Shape the Future of Medicine (Stanford Scope blog, 2018)
- Majoring in Medicine, Minoring in Design (Doctors who Create)
Eligibility Requirements
- Sophomore (rising junior) at Princeton
- Interest in design thinking and innovation in health care
- Completion of specific prerequisites and cumulative GPA of 3.4 prior to the beginning of medical school
Princeton Application Procedure
All applicants must submit:
- Complete application form
- Two letters of reference (at least one must come from a Princeton faculty member)
- College transcript
- Resume
- SAT scores
Applicants can email their letters of reference, transcript and resume to [email protected].
Application is due on February 15.
More details on the IDeA Program website.
IDeA Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sophomore year, February | Application due |
| March | On campus interviews at Sidney Kimmel Medical College for selected finalists |
| April | Students notified of acceptance |
| Junior year | Check-ins with Program Director |
| Senior year, January | Complete AMCAS aplication |
| Summer before matriculation | Three-week immersion program. Students will be invited to Thomas Jefferson University to take a mini-course preparing them for medical school and participate in shadowing physicians across multiple specialties. |
| July | Accepted students matriculate at SKMC |