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Admissions

Entrance Requirements

Academic excellence indicated through coursework and MCAT scores is very important for the study of medicine. However, evidence of compassion, service, integrity, cooperation, motivation, and strength of character are equally important. The Committee on Admissions looks for these qualities in deeds as well as words. Experience in leadership, health care, research, community service, and other enriching activities are scrutinized, as are letters of recommendation and personal comments.

Last year's entering class represented over 90 undergraduate institutions and hailed from 29 states as well as from the District of Columbia and Canada.  The class averaged a 3.6 science GPA and a 3.7 overall GPA. In terms of MCAT scores, the averages were a 10.2  in Physical Sciences, a 10.8 in Biological Sciences, a 9.6 in Verbal Reasoning, and a P on the written essay.

Eligibility

At the time of application, you must:

• Have completed or plan to complete a minimum of 90 semester hours at an accredited American or Canadian college or university prior to matriculation. Transfer coursework from foreign schools is not acceptable. Online coursework is not acceptable.
• Have completed or plan to complete 6 credits of English and 6 credits of lecture and 2 credits of lab in each of the following sciences: Biology (Botany or Biochemistry courses do not fulfill this requirement), General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics
  
• Taken or plan to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) by no later than September 30, 2012. No MCAT scores prior to April 2010 will be accepted for consideration.
• Meet our technical standards requirements
• Those without U.S. citizenship, Canadian citizenship, or U.S. permanent residency must apply to the International Medicine Program.

Admissions Committee Mission Statement

The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences seeks to graduate “Physician Citizens” committed to local, national and global public service through excellent patient care, leadership, advocacy for change and innovation, and scholarly inquiry. This goal will be achieved through a robust and flexible curriculum  and by leveraging the School’s unique position as part of a major university located in the heart of the nation’s capital surrounded by major institutions and leading authorities in domestic and international health.

To meet this goal, the MD Program is dedicated to admitting a diverse group of students who will be prepared to meet the broad and disparate needs of patients and their communities. The committee will review applicants to identify those individuals best suited by personal attributes, experiences and academic achievement to become the Physician Citizens of tomorrow. In so doing, the following characteristics will be considered essential for the successful applicant:

Attributes:

Evidence of…

• A commitment to learning
• Altruism, integrity, respect, maturity, and compassion
• Sustained and effective leadership
• A commitment to advocacy and innovation to achieve change
• Personal balance, self awareness and resilience in the face of challenges

Experiences:

Evidence of…

• Sustained and meaningful service to others through clinical or non-clinical experiences, particularly those that develop an awareness of the unique challenges of a career in medicine
• Experiences with diverse populations that demonstrate sensitivity to others and the ability to work collaboratively in a team or community environment
• Scholarly curiosity including research or educational achievements in health services, public or global health, health policy, clinical care, humanities, or basic biomedical sciences

Academic Achievement

Evidence of…

• Success in the academic disciplines essential to the practice of medicine