Will the Office of Admissions provide counseling services to me if I am a prospective applicant? If I am a non-traditional applicant? If I am an unsuccessful applicant?
We do not have the available staff in our office to provide this service. If you are an undergraduate student interested in attending medical school you should meet with the designated pre-medical advisor, or appropriate career center counselor, at your school to discuss your preparation for the application process. If you are a non-traditional student, and even if you have been out of school for several years, you are also urged to meet with the pre-medical advisor at your former undergraduate school to discuss your interest in medical school. If this approach is not practical (e.g., distance is a problem) you are urged to meet with the advisor at the college or university where you plan to complete the pre-requisite coursework. This approach is advantageous because it will also allow you to obtain a composite letter of recommendation from the advisor, a requirement in the application process for most medical schools. Finally, if you were an unsuccessful applicant in the past we strongly urge that you return to your undergraduate advisor to discuss strategies for improving your chances of acceptance in the future. This approach will also allow you to update your letter (s) of recommendation, a crucial component of the re-application process. Please be advised as well that regardless of your particular situation we cannot tell you if you are a competitive applicant or if you are likely to be accepted to medical school. Only the Committee on Admissions can make that determination when they review your completed application.

We are always more than happy to answer your specific question(s) about the application process, or any question about our medical school. You can contact us at admissions@som.umaryland.edu.

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What should I do about obtaining a pre-medical advisor if I am a non-traditional candidate?
We are always willing to answer your specific question about the School of Medicine, or about our application process, but we do not have the available staff to provide you with a pre-medical advisor. You have two possible options for obtaining an advisor. You should first try to meet with the pre-medical advisor at your former college or university (where you attained your baccalaureate degree). Your undergraduate school may provide this service for you even if you graduated some time ago. If this approach does not work you should consider the second option. In all likelihood, you will need to take additional coursework to satisfy the academic requirements for admission. If so, we suggest that you select a four-year college in your area that has a dedicated pre-medical advisory system. If you need help with this decision you can visit the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions website.

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Can I visit the school or speak with an admissions staff member?
The Office of Admissions cannot entertain a visit, other than during the official interview day, from any individual who has an active application on file with the School of Medicine. You may call or email the office if there is a significant concern about your application. We ask that inquiries be kept to a minimum to allow our staff the time to complete the daunting task of processing the thousands of applications that will be submitted this year. We urge all prospective students to check the status of their application online.

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How do I strengthen my application?
If you have a question about strengthening your application at any point in the application cycle we strongly urge that you confer with your pre-medical advisor. We do not have a pre-medical advisor in our office or the available staff to provide this type of service to all applicants. If you have a specific question about the School of Medicine or our requirements you are welcome to call or email the office.

If you have previously applied unsuccessfully to medical school we strongly urge that you confer with your pre-medical advisor about ways that you can strengthen your application. Again, we do not have a pre-medical advisor in our office or the staff to handle these inquiries. If you do not have a pre-med advisor at your current institution or alma mater, please use this link to find a health professions advisor.

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Application Process

How many applications does the University of Maryland School of Medicine receive?
At the end of the 2023 cycle, 5,864 applications had been received for the 2023 entering class. There are 150 spots in the new first year class.

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How do I obtain an application?
University of Maryland School of Medicine participates in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). You must complete the AMCAS application via the AMCAS website (then click on AMCAS for Students) and indicate an interest in the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Once they have received all required materials from you, they will verify your application and send it to the schools for which you have indicated an interest.

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What is the completion deadline?
The AMCAS primary application must be submitted by November 1st. Transcripts must be sent to AMCAS by November 15th. The secondary application is due by December 1, and all required letters of recommendation must be received no later than January 15.
Please Note: If you are applying to the MD/PhD program, the deadline for the secondary application and the letters of recommendation is October 15.

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If I request one, will I be granted an extension of the November 1st AMCAS application deadline?
An extension of the November 1st deadline WILL NOT be granted under any circumstances.

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When and how do I receive the secondary application?
Once we receive your certified application through AMCAS, we will email you a secondary application to be completed and returned along with your $80.00 payment.

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What internet browser should I have to navigate through the secondary application?
Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.

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Where can I obtain the In-state Classification Form?
If you want to be considered for in-state residency you must complete the In-State Classification form. Please visit https://www.umaryland.edu/registrar/residency/application to learn about the process. Please read through the instructions carefully. The form should be sent to the Office of the Registrar. You will find the address once you click on the link.

**The completion of your In-State Classification form DOES NOT affect the status of your application.**

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Will I be notified once my file is complete?
You are encouraged to check online for the status of your application. You can log into the portal and click on the STATUS tab.
Green check mark=received / Red exclamation point=not received.

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If I have questions about the application process what should I do?
Please email the Office of Admissions at admissions@som.umaryland.edu or contact us by telephone at 410-706-7478. We prefer email and will respond to you as quickly as possible.

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Academic Requirements

What are the average MCAT score and GPA of accepted students?
Accepted students in the 2022 entering freshmen class had an average GPA of 3.70 and an average MCAT score of 513.

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Are there MCAT or GPA “cut-offs” in the screening process?
There are no “cut-offs”. Incoming students may have a wide range of scores.

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If I have attained my degree(s) abroad will I be eligible to apply to the medical school?
If you have studied abroad you must complete at least one year of study in an approved college or university in the United States or Canada before applying to the School of Medicine. We strongly recommend that you complete at least the prerequisite coursework prior to making an application. Please keep in mind, though, that we do give preference in the selection process to applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree. Students without a baccalaureate or advanced degree in the hard sciences from an institution in the United States or Canada are rarely accepted for admission.

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Can I request a waiver of any of the required premedical courses?
In general, the answer is "no". The Committee on Admissions expects all applicants to complete the prerequisite courses as listed on the School of Medicine Office of Admissions website, including those courses with a required laboratory component. Advance Placement credits are accepted but must be reflected on your official transcript(s). Occasionally, a substitution with a similar course may be allowed (e.g. a writing intensive course) if the applicant's advisor sends the Committee on Admissions a letter stating that the course meets the college’s English requirement. However, such a substitution can be granted only at the discretion of the Committee on Admissions. Students are strongly advised to stick to the list of required courses as closely as possible.

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Will the University of Maryland School of Medicine accept pre-medical coursework completed at a community college?
Courses taken at the community college level will satisfy our prerequisites. However, the Committee does prefer that the bulk of courses be taken at a four-year college or university.

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Are online courses acceptable?
Yes, we accept online courses. The Committee on Admissions values much more highly those courses taken in the classroom setting. Applicants who have taken the required courses in the classroom and have done well will be deemed to be more competitive in the selection process.

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What are the oldest MCAT scores accepted?
The MCAT can be taken no later than the fall of the year preceding the desired year of entrance and must be taken within four years of the anticipated year of matriculation.

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Will you grant me a waiver of the three-year MCAT requirement?
No.

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How will my application be viewed if I have taken the MCAT more than one time?
We expect that many students will take the MCAT on at least two occasions. In that scenario, we will look at the best set of scores, which is usually the second set. If those scores are competitive the fact that you have taken the test twice will not matter at all. This may change if you take the test more than two times. Even with improving scores, your application, in terms of the MCAT exam, will be deemed to be less competitive overall if you have taken the test three, four, or more, times.

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Letters of Recommendation

How many letters do I need to submit with my application if my school does not have a Premedical Advisory Committee?
If your school does not have a Premedical Advisory Committee, your letters of recommendation must come from three of your undergraduate and/or graduate school faculty. At least one letter must come from a science faculty and one from a non-science faculty. We ask that you send no more than six letters of recommendation.

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Do I send letters of recommendation to AMCAS or directly to the University of Maryland School of Medicine?
Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to AMCAS. AMCAS will forward your letters to the School of Medicine.

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Do I have to get a letter from the Pre-Medical Committee at my school? Should I get such a letter if I have been out of school for a couple of years?
A letter of recommendation from the Premedical Advisory Committee or the official Premedical Advisor is recommended and preferred if your undergraduate school has such a committee or advisor, but it is not required. If you cannot submit a committee letter you should upload a letter to the application portal stating why (e.g., there is no advisor or committee at my school; the advisor or committee would not write a letter on my behalf; etc.). If you have already graduated from college, and have made a recent decision to apply to medical school, you should make every effort to return to your former school for this service. You will find, in most cases, that schools will assist you with the application process even if you graduated several years ago.

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If I have a significant employment history should I submit a letter of recommendation from my employer or supervisor?
Yes. It is strongly encouraged that you submit a letter of recommendation from each important component of your previous academic or work experience.

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If I am reapplying do I need to submit a new application and letters of recommendation?
If you are re-applying to medical school you must submit a new application through AMCAS. It is strongly suggested also that you submit new or updated letters of recommendation. It is especially beneficial for you to update your pre-medical committee letter, if applicable.

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The Selection Process

When is my file being reviewed?
Once your file is complete it is forwarded to the Committee on Admissions for further consideration. The process of reviewing files begins in August and continues through January. Every completed application is reviewed by the Committee. Files are reviewed in no particular order. However, since admissions is a rolling process it is to your clear advantage to complete the application as early in the cycle as possible. You can check online to see if your letters have been received and your application is complete.

Please be advised that it is entirely possible that your application may be reviewed early but then held over for further consideration later in the year. The very competitive nature of the application process, and the limited number of interview spots, often make it difficult for the Committee to render a final decision for some applicants until all applications have been reviewed. The Office of Admissions sincerely appreciates the patience that is often required during this highly uncertain and sometimes difficult process.

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What is the profile of your student body?
Refer to Our Class Profiles.

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What qualities does the Committee on Admissions look for in a competitive medical school applicant?
Please refer to The Selection Process. Here you will find a discussion of our selection process and the qualities that we feel are important for the study and practice of medicine.

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Do any of the following preclude me from applying to medical school – a criminal conviction of any kind? a student record of academic or disciplinary misconduct?
The answer in general here is “no”. It is important to note though that in some states a criminal record might eventually lead to the denial of your application for a license to practice medicine. This obviously depends on the nature (severity) of the criminal offense. If you have a history of arrest or of academic or campus misconduct, you MUST explain the circumstances of the situation and their consequences in both your AMCAS and secondary applications. The Committee on Admissions will very carefully consider this information in conjunction with all of the other materials submitted with your application. This will allow them to make an informed decision regarding your suitability as a medical student and, eventually, as a practicing physician.

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Do you give preference to in-state applicants in the selection process?
Yes, we do give preference to Maryland residents. However, non-residents are strongly encouraged to apply. A significant number of non-resident applicants are invited to interview and are accepted each year. The average ratio for our freshmen class is 75 percent Maryland residents and 25 percent non-residents.

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Is there any way I can know my position on the Waiting List more precisely than the upper or lower half?
No. We have found in the past that being more precise has created problems for both the medical school and the applicant.

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International/Foreign Students

Do you consider Canadian citizens eligible for admission to the University of Maryland School of Medicine?
Yes.

Who is eligible to apply?
The University of Maryland School of Medicine considers for admission students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, DACA students in the State of Maryland who are eligible for Maryland State Financial Aid, or citizens of Canada. Students in the process of applying for permanent resident (PR) status are welcome to apply to the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Their application will be reviewed only after they have obtained their green card. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the Office of Admissions to notify us of their updated visa status and provide appropriate confirming documentation.

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Interview Process

How will I be notified of an invitation to interview?
You will be contacted via email regarding an invitation to interview. Interviews are conducted beginning in the middle of September and continuing through the beginning of February.

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I use Hotmail, Yahoo mail, Gmail, etc. Will my interview invitation be caught in the spam filter?
YES. All interview invitations are sent via email. Interview requests are notoriously caught by the spam mail filters of major free email addresses. It is important that you check your spam email and make appropriate changes in your email settings to enable emails from som.umaryland.edu to pass through the filter. Please be proactive and make these changes in your spam filter settings. You may lose your chance to interview otherwise.

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When and how are interviews conducted?
Interviews are required for acceptance and are conducted by invitation only. We host two virtual interview days a week (Monday and Wednesday) beginning in September and concluding at the beginning of February. You will have two interviews with either two faculty members or one faculty member and one medical student. Interviews are conducted in the afternoon (2 pm, 3 pm, and 4 pm EST). The interview format is not standard in design, and interviewers will have full access to all materials in your file excluding your GPA and MCAT score(s). For a more detailed discussion of the interview process, please visit the Interview Day section of Your Path to Medical School.

In addition to your interviews, the virtual interview day will include an orientation session with the Associate/Assistant Dean for Admissions, lunch with students, and a tour of the campus.

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When should I expect a decision on my application? I just interviewed.
We will make every effort to notify you of a decision on your application within four to six weeks from the time of your interview. Some applicants may hear sooner, some a bit later. A heavy workload in the Office of Admissions may extend the time frame a bit, as will the major holidays. You will receive a notification of your application status after your interview by email.

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What does it mean when my application has been placed on the “Wait List” after my interview?
The Committee on Admissions will invite approximately 500 outstanding and highly qualified applicants to interview in any given year. The Class size will be 150 in number. Obviously, not everyone who interviews can be immediately accepted. The highly competitive nature of our applicant pool makes it necessary to waitlist a large number of interviewed candidates until all interviews have been completed, generally in early February. In late April, the Committee on Admissions again reviews the files of all wait-list candidates, ranks their official list, and applicants are notified by email of their position on the list.

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Curriculum

How is the curriculum structured?
See our Curriculum page.

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Where do students receive clinical exposure?
Most clinical instruction is carried out at the University of Maryland Medical Center, VA Medical Center and other affiliated area hospitals.

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What is your policy regarding Visiting Students interested in Elective Rotations?
If you are interested in doing a clinical elective at the University of Maryland Medical System please contact the Office of Student Affairs of the School of Medicine, 410-706-7476, for further information.

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Will I need a car during medical school?
Yes, students are encouraged to have a car. Students may be assigned to off-campus sites for several components of their clinical training, including the Practice of Medicine (POM) course in both the first and second years. Third-year clerkships that may have some component of off-site training include Medicine, OB/GYN, Surgery and Family Medicine. Here is a link to the Campus Parking Office where you can find alternative transportation options.

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Combined Programs

How do I apply for the combined MD/PhD program?
The application process is the same as if you are applying to the MD only program. You apply through the AAMC/AMCAS System and note on your application that you are interested in the MD/PhD program. Additional questions will then be asked of you. To learn more about the MD/PhD program please visit their website.

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How do I apply for the combined MD/Master's program?
The application process is the same as if you are applying to the MD only program. You apply through the AAMC/AMCAS System and note on your application that you are interested in the MD/Master's program. Additional questions will then be asked of you. The secondary application that is sent to you will ask that you outline your academic objectives pertaining to the Master's and the concentration in which you plan to study. To learn more about the MD/MS program, please visit their website.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Counseling/Advising Services

Application Process

Academic Requirements

Letters of Recommendation

The Selection Process

International/Foreign Students

Interview Process

Curriculum

Combined Programs

Other Important Questions

Counseling/Advising Services

Application Process

Academic Requirements

Letters of Recommendation

The Selection Process

International/Foreign Students

Interview Process

Curriculum

Combined Programs

Other Important Questions