MD Program Admissions Process

We want to ensure that the application process at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is seamless and that you can learn everything you need to know to make an informed decision. We encourage you to contact us at admissions@mssm.edu with any questions you may have about ISMMS.

We attract students with academic excellence who have also shown a sense of self-awareness and personal humility in their medical pursuit.

— David Muller, MD, Dean for Medical Education

COVID-19 Update for 2022 Application Cycle

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai understands that the COVID-19 public health crisis has impacted different facets of each applicant's portfolio. The Admissions Committee will be flexible in evaluating the following starting Spring 2020: the timing of MCAT tests, the number of P/F grades, the use of online coursework, the abrupt discontinuation of some activities, and other elements impacted by the current pandemic. The Admissions Committee evaluates each application holistically and will continue to maintain rigorous holistic review. If your application is impacted by the current crisis, consider writing a short explanation in your application.

Please note the following information regarding coursework, labs and MCAT:

Pass/Fail Coursework - All Spring and Summer 2020 courses that were required to be taken as P/F will be evaluated in the context of the entire educational portfolio and can be used to meet our premedical requirements

Online Coursework and Labs - All Spring 2020 and Summer 2020 courses which were switched to an online platform will be reviewed in context of the entire educational portfolio and can be used to meet our premedical requirements

MCAT - Given the cancellation of MCAT examination test dates in March, April, and May, we will accept MCAT scores from April 2015 through October 2020. Delayed MCATs will not be viewed negatively during our holistic review process. We are regularly monitoring both infection rates of COVID-19 across the country and information presented by the AAMC about safety and wellness at MCAT testing sites. If you are a current applicant and have personal circumstances that are impacting your ability to take your first MCAT, you should consider reaching out to us. You may contact us at: admissions@mssm.edu

Application and Matriculation Requirements*

To enroll in our MD Program, domestic applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or Canada. International applicants who received their undergraduate degree abroad must provide a course-by-course evaluation of your transcript by a NACES member organization. Please refer to our FAQ page regarding eligibility if you are an international applicant. In addition, applicants must have completed several key subjects in your higher education in the United States or Canada including:

General Chemistry: One academic year (Applicants who received AP credit in Chemistry are required to take advanced science coursework
Organic Chemistry: One academic year or one semester each of organic chemistry and biochemistry (Applicants who received AP credit in Chemistry are required to take advanced science coursework )
Biology**: One academic year (Applicants who received AP credit in Biology are required to take advanced science coursework )
Physics: One semester with laboratory, where applicable (AP credit can be used to fulfill the Physics requirement)
One academic year of lab work in biology and/or chemistry
Math: One semester of Statistics (Biostatistics preferred)
English: One academic year of intensive writing courses

**It is recommended that students take some Biology coursework within 5 years of application

We encourage applicants to develop skills and, if possible, proficiency in a second language other than English. We also suggest knowledge in the following areas:

Integral Social Sciences such as: Political Science, Global Health, Psychology, and Sociology

Courses taken on-line or via distance learning will not be accepted to fulfill the requirements.

Students may apply to ISMMS if they lack one or two of the premedical requirements but completion of these courses is required for enrollment.

Students who take courses at institutions outside of the US or Canada are encouraged to complete additional coursework in the US to demonstrate preparation for medical school content.

***Currently, the Icahn School of Medicine does not accept transfer students who have matriculated at another medical school

Exams

ISMMS requires you to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in order to be admitted into our MD Program. You must take the MCAT within three years of your matriculation start date.

Letters of Recommendation

We require letters of recommendation, submitted through AMCAS. Suitable letters of recommendation include:

A committee letter or packet of letters is preferred. If you do not have a pre-health adviser or committee at your school you must submit at least three letters of recommendation from people who can speak to your passion for a career in medicine and your intellectual journey: sources may include research mentors, professional or service supervisor, professors, or clinical preceptors.

AMCAS Application

You must submit your application to ISMMS through AMCAS, which opens in May. Please submit your application no later than October 1.

Application Review Procedures

The Office of Admissions interviews approximately 700 students each year from a pool of nearly 6,000 applicants for the traditional pathway.

All applicants who have a verified AMCAS application receive a supplementary application.

Complete applications undergo holistic screening by MD Admissions Committee members. The screeners assess the following core areas: academics, clinical exposure, community service, research and other extracurricular activities. In addition, the screeners evaluate applicant attributes that align with the School’s mission. The AMCAS application, letters of recommendation and secondary application are evaluated fully. The above core areas and applicant attributes are modeled on the 15 Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students endorsed by the AAMC Group on Student Affairs.

Interview Procedures

Each applicant who is invited for an interview is randomly assigned to have two 30-minute interviews with members of the MD Admissions Committee. The interviews are semi-structured traditional interviews. During each interview the MD Admissions Committee member conducts a holistic assessment of the candidate. The interviewers assess the following core areas: academics, clinical exposure, community service, research and other extracurricular activities. In addition the interviewers evaluate applicant attributes that align with the School’s mission and assess communication skills. The AMCAS application, letters of recommendation and secondary application are evaluated fully by both interviewers. The above core areas, applicant attributes and communication assessment are modeled on the 15 Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students endorsed by the AAMC Group on Student Affairs.

Applicants who are offered an interview will spend a day at the School meeting students and faculty. We send interview invitations from August to February; we conduct interviews from September to February.

MD Admissions Committee Procedures

At the weekly MD Admissions Committee meetings, each interviewed candidate is presented to the committee by the two interviewers.

The Selection Subcommittee meets throughout the admissions cycle to review the findings of the MD Admissions Committee meetings. Starting in January, the Selection Subcommittee meets to decide on the timing and number of acceptance offers on a rolling basis, as well as creation of the waitlist.

The Selection Subcommittee creates a waitlist in March and makes final acceptance offers until late July.

What are we looking for in Applicants?

The Icahn School of Medicine is looking for applicants who are poised to be the next generation of expert clinicians, physician advocates, physician-scientists, and medical educators.

We review applications holistically and are looking for applicants who demonstrate academic excellence, can articulate a passion for clinical medicine, a commitment to communities and an engagement in advocacy and scholarly endeavors.

Attributes and Criteria of the Successful Candidate

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is looking for medical school applicants who have excelled academically, are collaborative leaders on their undergraduate campuses, and are passionate about medicine, science, and health care. We are leaders in holistic review, committed to diversity in all realms as the driver for excellence in medicine and research. We are looking for applicants who are:

Team Player	Life Long Learner	Self-Improving and Well	Change Agent / Change Leader	Advocate
Collaborative	Disciplined	Adaptive	Innovative	Socially Conscious
	Committed	Self-aware	Curious	Tolerant
	Motivated	Resourceful	Leadership	Empathetic
	Passionate	Mindful
		Resilient

In accordance with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the U.S. accrediting agency for medical schools, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has the following MD Admissions Committee Policies.

Applicant Acceptance Decision Protocols

The Icahn School of Medicine expects accepted applicants to follow the AAMC Application and Acceptance Protocols and ISMMS Acceptance Decision Protocols.

Technical Standards

The Icahn School of Medicine’s MD Program prepares students to be skilled physicians, in accordance with the Technical Standards as outlined by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the U.S. accrediting agency for medical schools.