How to Apply

Applicants are required to complete at least 90 semester hours (or 135 quarter hours) of a balanced undergraduate education from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or Canada.

Completion of the baccalaureate degree is highly preferred.

If your undergraduate degree is from a college outside the United States and Canada, you must complete all 32 semester hours of the required science coursework at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an accredited institution in Canada.

Applicants must plan to meet all course requirements prior to matriculation at medical school. Minimum course requirements include:

Applicants should present a strong academic record in all coursework – not just the required courses. The average cumulative undergraduate GPA for accepted students is 3.7.

Science course requirements are intended to demonstrate a sound knowledge in each of the basic science areas. We expect medical school students to have a strong foundation in these areas prior to attending medical school. An applicant’s GPA in the sciences is carefully considered, although not weighted.

The English requirement is intended to demonstrate competency in grammar and composition at the college level. Literature courses may be used to fill the English requirement if the course was writing-intensive.

Emory will accept some Advanced Placement (AP) credit, as long as the credits appear on a college transcript. If you have AP credit in any of the science areas, it is recommended that you complete an upper level course to maintain your knowledge in that area.

The Office of Admissions is unable to grant course requirement exceptions. Exceptions to the course requirements can only be granted by the Admissions Committee and will be determined only when a completed application is submitted.

For successful completion of the course of study for the Doctor of Medicine degree at Emory University, students must have certain technical and intellectual skills. In order to maintain an acceptable level of performance, the student must:

1. Be able to develop the ability to obtain a medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. These activities require that the student:
   1. Communicate effectively with the patient and the patient’s family in order to obtain an adequate medical history.
   2. Review records that relate to the patient’s medical history and be able to develop a medical record for the current episode that will be useful to others who care for the patient.
   3. Perform the essential functions of the medical school curriculum such as performing a thorough physical examination by using the appropriate instruments and manual techniques required.
2.  Be able to participate in and demonstrate an understanding of all phases of the educational program, including lectures, laboratory activities, teaching conferences, hospital rounds, and clinical duties.
3.  Be able to demonstrate characteristics that suggest that the student has the ability to function in complex social, professional, and personal roles.
4.  Be able to function in delicate interpersonal relationships and manifest honesty, reliability, genuineness, warmth, and empathy.
5.  Be able to control impulses and maintain good judgment even under physically and emotionally exhausting conditions.

*Developed in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

A strong application will include exposure to patients and physicians in a clinical setting. Examples would include volunteering at a local hospital, clinical volunteer work abroad, or shadowing a physician. The Admissions Committee is most interested in applicants who have face-to-face experience with the patient-doctor relationship.

A strong application will also reflect a variety of extra-curricular activities, community involvement, and leadership experiences.

All applicants must complete the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) within four years of the matriculation year AND no later than September of the year prior to the matriculation year (ex: for application to fall 2013, the MCAT must be completed between 2009 and September 2012).

MCAT score reports do not need to be sent to Emory.  MCAT scores will be verified by AMCAS and reported directly to Emory.  The average MCAT score for applicants accepted at Emory is a 34, with an average score of 11 in each of the subtests.

All applicants to Emory School of Medicine must first apply through the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) at www.aamc.org. Within the AMCAS application, applicants will be asked to identify the medical schools to which they wish to apply.  If Emory is one of the schools selected, all information submitted on the AMCAS application will be sent to Emory upon verification by the AAMC. 

The deadline to apply through AMCAS is October 15 (prior to the year of matriculation).  Applicants are strongly advised to submit their AMCAS early and as soon as possible.  Deadline extensions are typically not granted.

Applicants must submit one of the following via the AMCAS Letter Writing Service:  

• A packet of letters or a composite letter from a Pre-Medical or Pre-Health Committee
• A packet of letters from a Career Center or a Letter Writing Service
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals, two of whom should be familiar with your knowledge in the sciences  

All letters of recommendation should be sent directly to AMCAS (instructions for submitting letters to AMCAS are provided within the AMCAS application) no later than December 1.  Applicants should NOT send letters directly to Emory.  

Applicants are not encouraged to send additional letters of recommendation; however, all letters submitted to the AMCAS Letter Service and released to Emory School of Medicine by the applicant will be received by the Office of Admissions.  Applicants to the MD/PhD program will be required to submit letters of recommendation from all research mentors.

If you select Emory School of Medicine on your AMCAS application, you will automatically receive information about completing the online Emory Supplemental Application.  This information will be sent via email and after your AMCAS application is submitted and verified. The deadline to submit the supplemental application is December 1 (prior to the year of matriculation).  

A completed supplemental application will include payment of a non-refundable application fee of $120 (USD).  Payment can be submitted by credit card, cashier's check, or money order.  Payment of the application fee must be processed or postmarked on or before December 1.  Applicants who receive a fee waiver from AMCAS will be able to select this option for the Emory Supplemental Application fee.  

Applicants must also submit a photograph by December 1.  The photo must be a recent photo of the applicant, in professional attire, against a plain background.  Do not submit cropped photos, photos that include other people, or photos in a social setting.  Photos may be submitted electronically with the supplemental application (recommended for quickest processing), or applicants may send in a photo by mail.  

As soon as all of your application materials are received, you will receive an email to notify you that your application is complete.  All applications remain in review from July-February.  No completed applicant is rejected during this time.  

If you are selected for an interview, you will be notified by telephone or email.  Once your application is complete, there is no additional action needed to expedite processing.  All completed applicants will receive a final decision about their application in March.

Do not wait until the deadline!  It is to your advantage to submit your AMCAS application and your Emory Supplemental Application as early as possible. The earlier your applications are completed, the earlier your file can be placed in review with our Admissions Committee.  Your file cannot be reviewed until we have received all of the following materials:

• Verified AMCAS application
• Emory Supplemental Application (with fee payment and photo)
• MCAT scores (sent by AMCAS)
• All letters of recommendation (via the AMCAS Letter Service)

Consider your competitiveness.  We receive over 6500 applications for our entering class of only 138 students—that means your application must be as competitive as possible. We fully consider all applicants based upon their entire application, which includes all academic achievements, letters of recommendation, community involvement, leadership, exposure to patients in a clinical setting, and extracurricular activities. However, a solid foundation in the sciences and a strong GPA and MCAT are important in order to be a competitive applicant.

Keep your file updated.  It is wise to keep your application updated with any changes in your contact information, new grades, recent publications, activities, and any other information that will provide the Admissions Committee with your full profile.  Any changes submitted through AMCAS will automatically download to our database, but it’s always a good idea to let us know of any changes so we can be sure to highlight these updates in your file.