Buffalo, NY – Canisius University is expanding its growing portfolio of accelerated academic pathways with the fall 2026 launch of a new six-year BS/MD Accelerated Pathway to MD (APMD) in partnership with Western Atlantic University School of Medicine (WAUSM). Offering a more direct route to a career in medicine, the APMD is designed for aspiring physicians and enables students to earn their bachelor’s and doctor of medicine (MD) degrees in six years (versus the traditional eight) while benefiting from the academic rigor, personal attention and mission-driven education that defines Canisius University. Students who enroll in the pathway begin their undergraduate coursework at Canisius before transitioning to WAUSM where they receive dual credit for approved coursework – a key feature that shortens the traditional timeline without compromising academic rigor.
"Medical education is evolving and students are increasingly seeking pathways that can reduce time to practice without sacrificing quality," said Allyson Backstrom, PhD, director of the Dr. George E. Schreiner ’43 Pre-Medical Center. "This pathway builds on Canisius’ proven success in pre-medical education - including our small class sizes, 86 percent medical school acceptance rate and extensive medical alumni network - to create an efficient and supportive route to becoming a physician."
Students admitted to the six-year APMD begin their bachelor’s degree requirements at Canisius with an accelerated year-round course of study in chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics. They also develop the leadership, perspective and ethical grounding essential to the practice of medicine through clinical volunteering and physician-led seminars that leverage Buffalo’s robust medical campus and community.
In the second phase of the APMD, students transition to WAUSM, where – after successfully completing the first two terms of the MD Program – they earn their bachelor’s degree from Canisius and continue their journey toward an MD without adding additional time or coursework. Students complete their foundational medical school coursework on WAUSM’s pre-clerkship campus in Freeport, Grand Bahama, before advancing to their clinical clerkships at WAUSM’s partner hospitals in Chicago, IL. Throughout this phase, students continue to receive guidance and support from Canisius faculty and alumni mentors. Upon earning their MD degree, graduates are eligible to apply for residency training programs in the U.S. and Canada.
"From the time we began conversations with Canisius University, it was clear that our missions were deeply aligned,” said Paula Wales EdD, WAUSM’s senior vice president of academic affairs and provost. “Both institutions are committed to student-centered learning, academic excellence and preparing future leaders in healthcare. This partnership creates a meaningful, accelerated pathway to earning a medical degree while maintaining the highest standards of quality and excellence.”
Under the structure of the pathway, applicants use a single, streamlined application but are admitted independently by both Canisius and WAUSM. Canisius will select the inaugural cohort from students in its Chemistry for Health Sciences major, with eligibility set to expand to students in the Biomedical Sciences major.
Western Atlantic University School of Medicine was founded by medical education leaders who have helped shape current practice in the U.S. and Canada and have selected and trained thousands of successful MDs over the last three decades. The university provides opportunities for deserving U.S., Bahamian, Canadian, and candidates worldwide to become outstanding, patient-centered MDs. Its students consistently excel – in WAUSM’s annual reporting, as of July 1, 2025, the first-time United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2 pass rate was 100 percent.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
