Who is eligible to apply for HUPC?
HUPC is open to first year College of Medicine students in good academic standing.
What is the deadline to enroll?
Applications are accepted during M1 year, August to March, through the HUPC website. Application deadline is mid-March of M1 Spring year. The earlier the application is received, and the student is accepted, the sooner the M1 student is assured of a spot and can begin planning for their M1 Spring/Summer HUPC activities.
When will I be notified of my acceptance?
A maximum number of 15 students are accepted into HUPC each year. After a review of your application by UAMS faculty/staff, you should receive email notification within two weeks. Then, an interview with a UAMS physician/HUPC faculty member will be arranged.
Is there a stipend for HUPC students?
HUPC students receive a total stipend of $3,000: a $2,000 check by the end of M1 spring semester; a study $1,000 check M3 Fall upon joining AHEC Scholars.
Are there restrictions on the stipend?
No. The HUPC Stipend may be used as student wishes but is suggested to be used for self-selected longitudinal project and associated expenses.
Am I eligible to receive stipends for other activities or programs while in HUPC?
HUPC students will not receive stipends for required HUPC assignments/activities. However, HUPC students are eligible to receive stipends for assignments/activities/classes that are NOT required by HPUC. Complete details are listed in HUPC Student Handbook
What are the program requirements for HUPC?
HUPC offers a four-year guided track at LR/NWA campuses and a three-year track at NWA campus. Standard and Accelerated Tracks are listed in the HUPC Student Handbook
A Brief Synopsis of the Four-Year Standard Track is Listed Below
In the spring of M1 year, HUPC students will gain clinical experience with Family Medicine physicians in Arkansas who practice in underserved and rural communities through the Continuity Clinics and Summer Preceptorships. Students will choose a physician mentor to help them through the four-year longitudinal research project as well as provide personal and professional guidance. By the end of M1 Summer, they will complete readings of two required Core Texts. They can attend the annual Student Rural Health Summit, join Student Interest Groups such as FMIG or RMSLA, serve at student-run clinics, and choose select, required extracurricular activities.
During their M2 year, HUPC students will complete a literature review related to their longitudinal project and attend 2 of 3 Core Text discussions. They can attend the annual Student Rural Health Summit, join Student Interest Groups such as FMIG or RMSLA, and serve at student-run clinics, among other activities.
Rising M3 HUPC students will join the AHEC Scholars. By the end of their third year, students will have completed a clerkship in Family Medicine at one of UAMS’s Regional Campuses, also known as Area Health Educational Centers (AHECs), or at an approved Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Work is continued on their longitudinal project.
M4 HUPC students will continue their second and final year of AHEC Scholars. In their fourth and final year of HUPC, students will complete their longitudinal project in the fall and present their findings at Student Research Day in the spring. They will also take the required HUPC senior elective and continue their extracurricular activities.
If I commit to and complete HUPC, do I have to commit to a particular type of residency or practice after graduation?
No, HUPC has no requirements beyond COM graduation. While we encourage all HUPC students to pursue a career path in Primary Care Medicine in underserved communities, we understand this will not always be the case. However, we strongly feel the unique HUPC didactic and clinical experiences the students receive will have a positive, long-lasting influence as they pursue their medical career, no matter the focus.
Does HUPC help prepare me for a career in Family Medicine?
HUPC can help prepare you for a career in any primary care field. This includes Family Medicine, Geriatrics, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics, or General OB/GYN.
Do I receive a grade for HUPC?
No. HUPC is an extracurricular honors program. Its coursework is routinely documented by students and staff and evaluated as pass/fail. HUPC does not count toward your grade point average or class rank. Staff and students remain in close contact as events arise that might affect the student’s ability to complete coursework as noted in printed schedule. The HUPC Program Director, HUPC Education Coordinator and others are available to help make schedule adjustments.
What do I receive when I complete HUPC?
Students that satisfactorily complete the program requirements will receive UAMS HUPC recognition. Distinguished Certificates of completion will be presented, and students will be recognized for completing the program at UAMS COM graduation.
What if I drop out of HUPC before I complete the requirements? Do I have to refund the stipend?
No, you would not have to refund the stipend. However, if a student finds themselves facing challenges or debating their commitment to the HUPC track, our team is here to help! The physicians, mentors, DFPM staff, HUPC Program Director, HUPC Education Coordinator, and other HUPC students are all here to support you, to answer your questions, and to help overcome any challenges. Please click here for a list of contacts to offer support and answer questions
After careful consideration and counsel from HUPC Program Director and others, if a student decides to withdraw/resign from HUPC program, the student must send written notification to Dr. Leslie Stone, HUPC Program Director at LStone@uams.edu.
How can I learn more about HUPC?
For more information see the Honors in Underserved Primary Care HUPC website, the HUPC Student Handbook or contact Heidi Damron, HUPC Education Coordinator at HLDamron@uams.edu