ucf medical school tour

UCF College of Medicine Admissions

Dean's Message

It is my belief that every medical student comes to medical school with a dream for the future. At the University of Central Florida we will help each student build that dream from day one. We seek students with a pioneering spirit and a sense of curiosity and inquiry – who wish to make a difference in the lives of others. Our students will establish close lifelong relationships with faculty and classmates, and make history leaving a legacy for all who will follow. We have created the curriculum of tomorrow—integrated, system-based, individualized, and using state-of-the-art animation technology effectively as a tool for learning. We seek extraordinary students for an unparalleled experience in a city where dreams come true. The power to make a difference and effect change lies in those who have passion, compassion, ambition, and courage. UCF seeks individuals who are driven to be part of something greater than themselves. This spirit describes our faculty and our culture. I went to medical school because I had a dream. With the teaching experience of our faculty, the wisdom of our community leaders, and our students’ inquisitive minds, we will be an innovative program that promises to be a model for medical education in the 21st century. We invite you to explore and see why UCF’s College of Medicine is like no other place to build your dream. Deborah C. German, M.D. Dean, UCF College of Medicine

Contact the M.D. Program Admissions Office at [email protected] or (407) 266-1350 for clarification or assistance.

© 2009 University of Central Florida, College of Medicine

College of Medicine Events

Upcoming events.

Campus Visits and Tours

We answer questions about available tours, sessions, open houses, tour registration, attire, activities, dining, confirmation or cancellation of a scheduled tour, parking, pets, dining, what you’ll see, weather and more.

Weather in Central Florida can be unpredictable, so plan accordingly. For your safety, and that of our Student Ambassadors, the campus tour portion of your visit may be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Don’t worry, though — you’ll still receive the same valuable information from our Student Ambassadors through a virtual tour and Q&A panel.

You will choose your own sessions based upon the times they are offered. Many of our sessions do not repeat, and some even overlap, so you’ll have to decide which sessions best suit your interests. While activities are scheduled through 3:00 p.m., we advise that you arrive early and stay for the entire event to make the most of your visit.

Yes! A limited number of campus tours are offered during each Knight for a Day Open House. Because there are so many activities for you to choose from, your tour may be shorter than a regular Campus Visit Experience, but we’ll squeeze as much information in as possible. Housing tours are self-guided, giving you the flexibility to view only those communities that interest you. We’ll post signs on campus directing you to our housing areas. Once you get there, a member of our housing staff will be on hand to answer questions and show you around. Not every housing community is open, but you’ll be able to view a broad selection.

And finally, our tours do not include the library or our bookstore, but we encourage you to stop in during your free time.

UCF is a Smoke-Free Campus.

Yes! A limited number of campus tours are offered. Because there are so many activities for you to choose from, your tour may be shorter than a regular visit, but we’ll squeeze as much information in as possible.

Housing tours are self-guided , giving you the flexibility to view only those communities that interest you. We’ll post signs on campus directing you to our housing areas. Once you get there, a member of our housing staff will be on hand to answer questions and show you around. Not every housing community is open, but you’ll be able to view a broad selection.

Yes, each student must register to attend a campus event, though parents and other family members can register as guests under one student’s name. We want to make certain that everyone gets the attention they need, and fewer people means more one-on-one attention for you, so we limit space.

If you need to cancel, please let us know so we can allow others to attend. A cancellation link appears in the confirmation email that was sent to you when you signed up.

Yes, each prospective student must register to attend, though parents can register as guests under one student’s name. We want to make sure everyone gets the attention they need — fewer people means more one-on-one attention for you. For that reason, we limit space. So, if you need to cancel, please let us know so we can allow others to attend. A cancellation link appears in the confirmation email that was sent to you when you signed up.

Attending an open house is optional for all prospective UCF students. It’s true that most of the information at our open house events will be geared toward freshmen, but there are still many presentations beneficial to transfer students. One of the presentations is specifically about transferring to UCF, for example.

There is an optional housing tour offered at the end of the campus tour. The housing tours are offered at noon and 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday).

It’s not part of the program, but UCF does have several options on and near the campus. There are plenty of places to get a drink and eat on campus too. It gets warm in Florida, so be sure to bring some water with you.

Knight for a Day Open House events give you more information about UCF’s campus, programs, housing, student life and more. The Campus Visit Experience is a tour of the campus — it’s included in the Open House event, but may be condensed due to time constraints. In addition, you will also learn about admissions, financial aid and academics. You don’t have to take the tour during an Open House event, but we highly recommend you attend.

During your campus visit, Student Ambassadors will lead you on a 90-minute walking tour around campus, making 10 stops. You’ll take a walk through Memory Mall, stroll by the Reflecting Pond, and visit the Student Union in the center of campus.

The best time to experience UCF is when classes are in session.

Consider visiting our campus:

• On Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays
• In January, February, May, June or November

Avoid Holidays & University Breaks

Avoid visiting the campus on holidays or during special campus events — you’ll miss out on important features.

UCF is closed on the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day (and the day after)

Tours may also be canceled or limited during university breaks when classes are not in session:

• Winter Break (3rd week of December – 2nd week of January)
• Spring Break (varies, but typically 2nd week of March)
• Fall, Spring & Summer Intersession (period between semesters)

Pets are not permitted on campus except as authorized by the university or when a disability requires the presence of a service or support animal that is both necessary and reasonable under the circumstances.

You can grab a sandwich on the go from Subway, Jimmy John’s, Chick-fil-A or one of the numerous other convenient eateries on campus. Knightro’s and The Marketplace ’63 South offer all-you-can-eat dining, or you can catch a game and a burger at Chili’s or Huey Magoo’s. There is also a wide selection of area restaurants off campus, many of which are located within 1 mile of campus.

Once you get to the main campus, park in Garage A (free of charge), then walk to the Student Union — there will be signs in place to help you find your way. Once inside, go to the Pegasus Ballroom. Our campus is a walking campus, so there is no transportation between the garage and the Student Union. Consult your confirmation for the event’s start time and arrive early to avoid waiting in line.

The Campus Visit Experience is offered Monday – Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. year-round, except on holidays. During university breaks and periods where classes are not in session (e.g. intersession, spring break, etc.), we may cancel or reduce the availability of tours.  The Campus Visit Experience includes a 15-minute information session led by an admissions representative.  A 90-minute walking tour of campus follows.  Optional tours of select UCF housing communities are offered at 12-noon at 4 p.m. for interested parties.

“Knight For A Day” Open House events are held on select Saturdays throughout the year and are daylong programs intended to provide more in-depth information about UCF.  Activities and sessions are subject to variation, but typically include presentations by academic colleges, campus tours, housing tours and housing information sessions.  Representatives from support services and student activities exhibit in an expo-style setting at each event.  Special programs, such as LEAD Scholars, the Burnett Honors College, EXCEL and COMPASS, and others may provide opportunities to engage with program administrators or peers.  Sessions on transferring, student financial assistance, scholarships and admission are also offered.

It’s usually hot in Florida. Dress in layers to adjust to the changes in temperature from the heat outside to the air-conditioned buildings. There will be a lot of walking and Florida is sometimes rainy, so wear comfortable shoes and bring an umbrella — just in case. Shuttle service is not offered during Open House events.

When you arrive on campus, stop by the Visitor and Parking Information Center to purchase a daily parking pass ($5) before parking in any student lot, including spaces reserved for guests with disabilities. You can also purchase a parking pass at one of the daily permit dispensers located in all student parking facilities. Cashless short-term parking spaces are available adjacent to the Welcome Center and require the Passport App to be downloaded onto your smart device. Parking is available in student lots B-4, B-5 and B-6, all of which are in close proximity to the Duke Energy University Welcome Center.

A hotline with directions to campus is available 24/7 by calling 407-882-0909.

Related FAQs

Yes! All students have access to our 149,000-square-foot facility with fitness equipment, a track, multipurpose courts and a climbing wall, plus outdoor amenities like sand volleyball courts, a leisure pool, a lap pool and intramural sports fields.

The UCF Recreation and Wellness Center (RWC) comprises many programs, such as intramural sports, sport clubs, outdoor adventure, fitness and aquatics. The RWC is open to all students; paid memberships are available for non-students.

For students with disabilities: If you are in need of special accommodations to participate, please visit the Adaptive Recreation page.

UCF does not have an accelerated medical program; however, first-time-in-college (FTIC) students are eligible to apply for the Burnett Medical Scholars Program. This intensive academic program facilitates the articulation between graduates of UCF’s Burnett Honors College and the UCF College of Medicine. Students must meet all eligibility and performance requirements for both the Burnett Honors College and the Medical Scholars Program.

We have an active Greek community, with 43 fraternities and sororities represented and about 3,000 students involved.

Yes! Intramural sports offers all activity and service fee paying UCF students (and UCF faculty and staff who purchase Recreation and Wellness Center memberships) the opportunity to participate in a variety of team, dual and individual sports.

Participating is a great chance to get involved. Several divisions of play are offered for most activities to accommodate various skill levels for both recreational and competitive participation.

There are over 650 student clubs and organizations you can get involved in.

Yes. The Florida Board of Governors requires all students who enter a Florida public university with less than 60 semester hours to complete at least nine semester hours prior to graduation by attending one or more summer sessions. University presidents or their designees may waive the application of this regulation in cases of unusual hardship to the individual.

Known as the “heart of campus,” the Student Union sits at the center of UCF’s main Campus. The Student Union provides space for students and members of the UCF community to study, socialize, eat, host events, attend meetings and engage in campus life.

UCF offers many different choices of housing on the Orlando main campus and at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. First-year and transfer students can choose from shared-bedroom residence hall-style or single-bedroom apartment-style housing. There are also living-learning communities where you can live with other students who share similar interests.

Housing applications are available for admitted freshmen starting in mid-November for the following summer and fall semesters. Freshmen admitted prior to November, may be placed on the First to Know  list in the Housing Portal to be notified just before the housing agreement is live. To add your name to the  First to Know  list, log into  myUCF and navigate to Student Self Service > Housing > Housing Portal.

Students should apply as soon as the housing application opens or as soon as they have been admitted to UCF (if admitted after November). There is limited availability for on-campus housing, so do not delay.

Florida pre-med student stabs mother more than 70 times, killing her during visit, authorities say

A Florida pre-med university student killed his mother by stabbing her over 70 times without saying a word when he visited her from college over the weekend, authorities said.

After Emmanuel Espinoza, 21, killed his mother on Saturday, he perplexedly told detectives that he loved her and that they had a good relationship — but that he had wanted to kill her for years because she irritated him, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Espinoza has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother, 46-year-old Elvia Espinoza, the sheriff's office said.

The student at the University of Florida in Gainesville had traveled to Frostproof, Florida, for a family event Saturday and was going to stay with his mother, Judd said .

He arrived at her home around 2 p.m., knocked on the front door, and seemingly without provocation stabbed her "many times" after she opened the door, Judd said.

On Sunday, Judd shared doorbell camera video from Elvia's home that showed Emmanuel approach with a small knife in his right hand, hidden behind his back, and knock on the door. Judd said that Emmanuel had put AirPods in his ears and was playing Kanye West and Jay-Z's song “No Church in the Wild” when he drove up to the house and knocked on the front door. 

“His beautiful mother, who was so excited to see her son, opened the door. The second she opened the door, he charged in and started stabbing her,” Judd said.

The mother ran from him, but "he stabbed her until she fell down and died."

Judd said Emmanuel confessed to stabbing his mother repeatedly, even when he noticed her hands were still moving. He told detectives that he knew where to stab her for maximum effect because of his biology classes. 

Emmanuel told detectives that he had cut his hand in the stabbing. When he went to the kitchen sink to wash himself and the knife off, "he wanted to ask his mother for the Neosporin for the cut on his hand, but he noticed she was dead," Judd said.

Emmanuel immediately dialed 911 and confessed to operators. 

Audio of the dispatch call was played for reporters Sunday.

“I killed someone,” Emmanuel is heard telling dispatch. “I stabbed my mom.”

When Emmanuel spoke with detectives, he told them he loved his mother and had a good relationship with her but that she irritated him.

“We talked to him and he confessed. He said, 'You know, I have wanted to kill my mother for many, many years because she got on my nerves,'" Judd said.

When asked, "What’s your relationship with your mother?" Espinoza replied: "About a eight out of 10."

"He really loved her, but she irritated him and he made up his mind today on his way from Gainesville that he would murder her, and that’s exactly what he did," Judd said Saturday.

The sheriff said Emmanuel told detectives he wasn't on drugs or alcohol at the time of the stabbing — nor did he have any history of such abuse or mental health issues, no arrest record and there was no record of calls under the Baker Act (which focuses on crisis services for individuals with mental illness) to the home.

Emmanuel was known to be introverted and quiet, with zero issues, Judd told reporters. He was the Class of 2020 valedictorian at his high school and was "described as being a genius."

"[Elvia] wanted to come see him because she hadn’t seen him in a while. They text every day, every other day, they stay in constant contact. No issues over money. She would send him money to make sure she appropriately funded his ability to go to college and enjoy his college life. No argument that day. He never said a word to her," Judd said.

Elvia Espinoza was a mother of three and beloved second-grade teacher at Ben Hill Griffin Elementary in Frostproof, and was "well-loved" by the community, the sheriff's office said, calling the incident "an inexplicable vicious murder."

“I want you to understand this lady who was a school teacher for 20 years actually moved around and taught at different schools while her kids were in school so she could be close to them,” Judd said. “I want you to understand that she was the perfect mom. I want you to understand that she was very proud of his accomplishments.”

“Then I want you to understand that he viciously murdered her and confessed to it,” he added.

Polk County Public Schools said in a statement: “Her students and colleagues greatly loved her, and her sudden, unexpected death is a devastating loss. She was a very special part of her school family.”

Grief counselors have been made available at her school and another school where she previously worked. 

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