Guide to Application
Thank you for expressing your interest in the M.D. Program at Georgetown University School of Medicine. The Committee on Admissions selects students on the basis of academic achievements, character, maturity, and motivation. In rendering decisions, the Committee holistically evaluates the applicant’s entire academic record, performance on the MCAT, college premedical advisory committee evaluations, letters of recommendation, and a personal interview.
The Guide to Application below provides information about the requirements, policies, and procedures for applying to the School of Medicine. For additional answers to commonly asked questions, please visit Admissions FAQ.
Deadlines for 2023-2024 Applications
Contacting the Office of Admissions
Deadlines for 2023-2024 Applications
M.D. Deadlines
- Sept. 15, 2023: Deadline to submit Petition for Delayed Review of Application (for participants in one-year master’s degree programs)
- Nov. 3, 2023: AMCAS Application
- Nov. 17, 2023: Transcripts received by AMCAS (not postmarked)
- Dec. 15, 2023: Secondary Application (11:59 p.m. EST – no exceptions) with $130 Application Fee, and Recommendation Letters received by AMCAS
- April 30, 2024: $500 Deposit
Note: Deposits can be refunded upon request until April 30. Any deposits made after April 30 are non-refundable.
M.D./Ph.D. Deadlines
- Nov. 3, 2023: AMCAS Application
- Nov. 17, 2023: Transcripts received by AMCAS (not postmarked)
- Nov. 24, 2023: Secondary Application (11:59 p.m. EST – no exceptions) with $130 Application Fee, and Recommendation Letters received by AMCAS
AMCAS Choose Your Medical School Deadlines
- Apr. 30: “Plan to Enroll” deadline
- June 15: “Commit to Enroll” deadline
Important Statements
Mission Statement
Guided by the Jesuit tradition of “cura personalis,” Georgetown University School of Medicine will educate, in an integrated way, knowledgeable, ethical, skillful and compassionate physicians and biomedical scientists dedicated to the care of others and the health needs of our society.
Diversity Statement
The University was founded on the principle that serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures, and beliefs promotes intellectual, ethical, and spiritual understanding. Consistent with this principle, the School of Medicine strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians who embrace all dimensions of diversity in a learning environment that understands and includes the varied health care needs and growing diversity of the populations we serve.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Georgetown University provides educational opportunities without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, source of income, veteran’s status or any other factor prohibited by law in its educational programs and activities. Inquiries regarding Georgetown University’s non-discrimination policy may be addressed to Institutional Diversity, Equity & Affirmative Action, 37th and O Sts., N.W., Suite M36, Darnall Hall, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057.
Accreditation
Georgetown University School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
Criteria for Application Review
When evaluating a file for interview, the Committee on Admissions emphasizes five major areas holistically without assigning weight to a particular section. Please review the “Application Requirements” tab below for more information.
The Committee on Admissions reads the entire application prior to rendering a decision; the application is reviewed only once by committee members.
Essays – AMCAS and Georgetown Secondary Application Essays
Experiences – Clinical Experience, Leadership, Service, and Research. A highly competitive applicant will present a minimum of:
- Substantive, longitudinal clinical experiences such as: shadowing a physician, medical mission trips, scribing, community EMS, etc. Please note that volunteering in clinic/waiting rooms such as playing/reading to children, stocking shelves, and transporting patients is considered good volunteer experience, but is not hands-on clinical experience. International experiences are acceptable, but a majority should be in the United States.
- Research in any academic discipline.
- Direct service to an underserved population
MCAT – All applicants MUST have a valid MCAT score. MCAT scores considered “valid” are those taken within the two years prior to application. For example, for applicants applying for admission to the entering class of 2024, MCATs from January 2021-September 2023 are valid. No exceptions are made under any circumstances.
- Section scores:
- <125 are considered non-competitive.
GPA – With emphasis on the undergraduate BCPM (Science) GPA:
- A highly competitive applicant demonstrates a BCPM (Science) GPA ≥3.6
- A non-competitive applicant demonstrates a BCPM (Science) GPA ≤3.0
- Please note: Due to the decision of many institutions to move to an online and/or Pass/Fail format for the COVID-19 crisis from Spring 2020 through Spring 2021, GUSOM will consider Pass/Fail and Credit/No Credit courses, as well as prerequisites completed online, holistically in the context of the full application for those years only. Online and/or Pass/Fail prerequisite coursework taken after Spring 2021 will not be considered.
Letters of Recommendation
- A minimum of one (1) committee letter/packet (required, if available) or two (2) individual letters is required. There is a maximum of five (5) letters that can be submitted. Please see the “Application Requirements” section below for more details.
- All recommendation letters should be submitted electronically via AMCAS and assigned to the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
The Committee on Admissions takes criminal convictions (felonies/misdemeanors) and institutional actions seriously, especially those involving alcohol, drugs, or plagiarism.
Application Prerequisites & Requirements
Academic Degree
All applicants to the Georgetown University School of Medicine are required to be in possession of a bachelor’s degree (or foreign equivalent) from an accredited institution prior to matriculation. Applicants do not need to have obtained the degree prior to application, however:
- No applicant will be considered unless the applicant has completed 90 credit hours of course work at the time of application.
- Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses will fulfill the pre-requisite requirements if the individual courses and credits awarded are detailed on the applicant’s college/university transcript.
- Courses taken as Pass/Fail can count toward the 90 credit hour requirement.
- Only the last 6-8 hours of pre-requisites may be taken in the year prior to matriculation and must be completed by August 1 of the year of matriculation.
- Online degree programs and/or online pre-requisite courses will not be considered. This includes “hybrid” style courses where a portion is completed online. (See note above regarding Spring 2020 courses affected by the COVID-19 crisis).
- The School of Medicine accepts prerequisites completed at the community college level. In order to be competitive in the selection process, we encourage prospective applicants with community college prerequisites to supplement these courses by taking advanced courses in related subjects at their four year institution.
Pre-Requisite Courses and Course Hours
Academic requirements for admissions to the School of Medicine include adequate preparation in physics, biology, chemistry, and mathematics. The following courses are required:
- General Biology: 1 year with lab (8 semester hours)
- General Chemistry: 1 year with lab (8 semester hours)
- Organic Chemistry*: 1 year with lab (8 semester hours).
- Physics: 1 year with lab (8 semester hours)
- Mathematics (college-level): 1 semester. Calculus is not required; Statistics is acceptable.
*Biochemistry (lab not required) is recommended, and may replace a second semester of Organic Chemistry with lab.
Courses in microbiology, computer science, cellular physiology, genetics, embryology, biostatistics, quantitative analysis, physical chemistry, humanities, and social and behavioral sciences – while not required – are useful in providing some of the essential skills and knowledge required for a medical education.
Substitutions for pre-requisite coursework are not permitted.
If the prerequisite coursework was completed 5 years ago or longer, applicants must have been enrolled and completed coursework in a post-baccalaureate program or completed (enrolled) in a graduate program with upper level science coursework within the past 5 years.
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
To be considered for the entering class, scores from the three years prior to the year of matriculation will be considered. (For example, for students who will matriculate in 2024, only MCAT scores from 2021, 2022, and 2023 are valid). No other scores are eligible and – regardless of reason – no exceptions will be made.
- If you indicate a future test date on your AMCAS application, no review will be initiated until those scores are received from AMCAS, given that they are taken by September of the application year.
- Applicants are encouraged to submit both the Secondary Application and Letters of Recommendation prior to receipt of future MCAT scores.
- A valid MCAT score is required for ALL applications. No exceptions will be made to this policy, regardless of circumstances.
Letters of Recommendation
The Committee on Admissions requires a signed appraisal of your character and ability. Please note that all recommendation letters should be submitted electronically via AMCAS and assigned to the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Of note:
- A letter packet from a pre-medical committee is required if available. If your college/university does not offer a committee letter/packet, please submit a minimum of two (2) letters, but no more than five (5) letters. Given that committee packets/letters may contain more than five (5) letters of recommendation, this is the one exception to the five (5) letter maximum.
- You may use your discretion when selecting letter-writers, however, it is recommended that you submit a balance of academic, clinical, and service recommendation letters.
- Graduate students working toward a degree in the sciences are encouraged to submit a letter from your current graduate faculty. Please see below the instructions for submitting a petition for delayed review if you are in a one-year program below in the “Procedural Information” tab.
- Only applicants who have been away from degree-granting institutions for greater than three (3) years may elect to submit entirely non-academic recommendation letters.
Student Immunization Requirements (new window) (required prior to matriculation)
Background Check Policy (new window) (required prior to matriculation)
Procedural Information
Applicants are encouraged to become familiar with and observe the application procedures of Georgetown University School of Medicine in detail. All documents submitted become the property of the School of Medicine and are not returned or forwarded to third parties. Application materials for applicants who are not accepted are not retained for future applications. Applicants who applied in previous years and who wish to use the same credentials must resubmit them.
Georgetown University School of Medicine reserves the right to pursue any questions regarding academic records and/or transcripts, or issues of concern raised during application review.
AMCAS Application
Georgetown University School of Medicine receives verified applications from the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) for applicants applying to our school.
Secondary Application
Our Secondary Application is emailed to all applicants, beginning in July. We do not pre-screen applicants. Applicants with AMCAS applications verified before July will receive their Secondary Application invitation within the first 5-7 business days of July and applicants with AMCAS applications verified on or after July 1 will receive their invitation within 5-7 business days of the date of verification. The email is sent from medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu with the subject line: Secondary Application Invitation. If you do not receive the invitation email please check your spam, junk or bulk mail folders before contacting the Office of Admissions.
Special Note for Hotmail users: To ensure receipt of communications from our office, please add the following email addresses to your “Safe Senders” list: medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu; medicalinterviews@georgetown.edu.
If you do not receive a Secondary Application invitation email within the timeframe outlined above, please contact the Office of Admissions for assistance. Extensions will not be granted beyond the Secondary Application deadline (December 15) for applicants who did not receive their invitation and who did not contact the Office of Admissions within a reasonable amount of time from the date of verification of their AMCAS application.
Updates to the Secondary Application
To ensure timely application review, post-submission updates will be limited to text updates submitted via the online Secondary Application portal. Emails – and any associated attachments – sent to the Office of Admissions will be disregarded and not be uploaded to your application.
Academic Record and Transcripts
The Committee on Admissions will review your coursework as verified by AMCAS in the Academic Record section of the AMCAS application. AMCAS requires you to list all attempted and future coursework.
For purposes of review, the Committee on Admissions requests that transcripts be submitted directly to AMCAS. Due to the volume of requests received — and to ensure fairness in the application process — transcripts received outside of AMCAS will not be added to your application file (unless you are are granted a delayed review). Please do not send transcripts to our office unless specifically requested, as they will be discarded.
Applicant Contact Information
Any changes to your email and/or mailing address must be made directly with AMCAS through your online portal. This information will be automatically updated in your Secondary Application, typically within 24 hours.
The completed Secondary Application, essays, application fee, and uploaded Letters of Recommendation (via the AMCAS system) must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m., EST, on December 15. The Committee on Admissions will not consider required documents received after the deadline and will discard the application of any candidate who fails to submit these required credentials by the deadline. The School of Medicine has no obligation to inform the applicant regarding erroneous or incomplete applications.
Please note: Our deadline falls during the Winter Break and holiday period during which many offices are closed. Deadlines are submission/receipt deadlines, not postmarked-by dates.
Application Fee and Waivers
Along with the Secondary Application, a non-refundable application fee of $130 is required. Fee waivers are only granted to AMCAS FAP-approved applicants and the fee waiver must appear on the verified AMCAS application. We will not issue fee waivers without this verification.
Completed Applications
When your application is complete (all of the required credentials have been received), you will be notified by email. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to notify applicants of missing credentials. If you believe that more than three weeks have passed since credentials were submitted to complete your application, and you have not received notification from the Office of Admissions, email medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu to inquire about the status of your application. Only completed applications are forwarded to the Committee on Admissions for review and interview consideration and are reviewed only once.
Special Policy for Students in One-Year Graduate Degree Programs
Any applicant pursuing a one (1) year graduate degree during the year of application may petition the Committee on Admissions not to review his or her file until completion of the first semester.
- Only applicants who are/will be enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program who have completed all of the prerequisite courses are eligible to apply.
- Students enrolled in post-bac programs are not eligible.
- Students enrolled in a graduate certificate program may apply.
- Students enrolled in the Special Master’s Program in Physiology at Georgetown University are not covered under this policy and must follow the policies of the SMP Program.
Eligible applicants must submit a petition request via e-mail to medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu by September 15th of the application year. Please include your full (legal) name, AMCAS ID, the graduate program, and a contact (advisor or dean) at the graduate program.
International & DACA Applicants
International Applicants
Beginning with the 2023-24 cycle, we no longer consider international applicants for admission. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold a permanent resident visa, or be eligible
for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process of the U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application.
All applicants must provide the appropriate documentation which would include
submission of a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, U.S. permanent resident
card, Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization, or other documentation to show
asylee, refugee or DACA status.
DACA Applicants
All applications are considered without regard to residency, citizenship, or visa status, and all applicants must meet the same criteria. For Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) applicants requiring financial aid, we encourage you to research funding options well in advance, as eligibility for traditional funding programs may be limited.
Review of Applications
Notification and Decisions
The Committee on Admissions will notify applicants when a decision has been made via email to the email address provided in the AMCAS application. To ensure receipt of communications from our office, please add the following email addresses to your “Safe Senders” list: medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu; medicalinterviews@georgetown.edu. The Office of Admissions will not share decisions over the phone. All applicants completing an application will be notified as to whether or not they will be invited to interview.
Extensions will not be granted and applications will be withdrawn for applicants who received an interview invitation and did not schedule their interview within the required two week time period of notification of the invitation.
Interviews
Interviews are conducted virtually with the School of Medicine and are by invitation only. Applicants invited to interview will be notified approximately 4-6 weeks in advance.
Application Withdrawal Requests
Applicants who wish to withdraw from the application process must notify the Office of Admissions in writing to medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu. Please include your AMCAS ID number and legal name.
Disclaimers
Guide to Application Disclaimer
This Guide is published for prospective students of Georgetown University School of Medicine. The School of Medicine reserves the right to alter the contents of this Guide and any policies described herein. Any such alterations apply to new and current students at the time the alteration is put into effect. The “Guide to Application” is not a contract, or an offer to contract.
While making every effort to contain costs, the School of Medicine specifically reserves the right to increase tuition or other fees without prior notice. Georgetown University and the School of Medicine further reserve the right to alter the requirements regarding admission, to change the arrangement of courses, the requirements for graduation or degrees, and to modify all other policies applicable to its students. Such changes could affect current and new students, and would become effective whenever determined by the School of Medicine or another appropriate University component.
Students are responsible for staying informed about, and complying with the policies, regulations, and requirements set forth in this Guide, as well as those in the School of Medicine’s “Student Handbook,” the “Prospectus,” the “Financial Aid Guide,” and any other University policies or rules that may apply.
Student Right-to-Know Act and Campus Security Act
In compliance with the Student Right-To-Know and Campus Security Act, it is the policy of Georgetown University to make readily available information concerning the completion or graduation rate of all certificate or degree-seeking, full-time undergraduate students entering the University, as well as the average completion or graduation rate of students who have received athletically-related student aid. This information is available upon request from the Director, Department of Athletics, McDonough Gym, Georgetown University, Box 571121, Washington, D.C. 20057, (202) 687-2435.
The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1992, requires that the University prepare information on current campus law enforcement policies, crime prevention programs and campus security statistics. This information is available upon request from the Director, Department of Public Safety, 116 Village C, Georgetown University, Box 571120, Washington, D.C. 20057, (202) 687-4343.
Before contacting the Office of Admissions, please review the Guide to Application and the M.D. FAQ in their entirety.
Contacting the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid
Email: for Admissions inquiries: medicaladmissions@georgetown.edu Financial aid inquiries: medfinaid@georgetown.edu
Twitter: @GUMedAdmissions
Facebook: Georgetown University School of Medicine Office of Admissions
Instagram: @gumedadmissions