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 Emeritus of Medical Education

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 evaluates each application holistically and will continue to maintain rigorous holistic review. If your application has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, consider writing a short explanation in your application. 

Application and Matriculation Requirements*

To enroll in our MD Program, 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
    • One semester of Organic Chemistry
    • One semester of Biochemistry
  • Biology**: One academic year
  • Physics: One semester(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

* (Applicants who received AP credit in Biology or Chemistry are required to take advanced science coursework in the corresponding area of study)

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

Students are encouraged to complete coursework (for example sociology, public health, political science, global health, bioethics, urban studies, history, economics) or experiences that provide exposure to content about social determinants of health and disparities in healthcare outcomes. 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.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 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. We will accept MCAT scores from April 2015 through September of the current application cycle.

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 and up to six 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 7,000 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 applicaton, 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.

ISMMS conducts a holistic review of applicants, in compliance with the law. ISMMS remains committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism. 

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 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 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:

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.