Institutional Partnership Admissions Process

The medical education program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai welcomes prospective students from diverse and innovative experiences to explore how they can be contributors in the classroom and the health care field.

This unique pathway allows talented individuals who are interested in earning a medical degree to apply for admission to the School unencumbered by the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT):

Our U.S. Military Institutional Partnership allows enlisted men and women, as well as officers, provisional acceptance to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) unencumbered by the MCAT. To be considered for admission, applicants must be on full-time active duty within any branch of service and hold a baccalaureate degree recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Candidates admitted into the Program are offered provisional acceptance to ISMMS and then may defer their acceptance to continue their military service and meet all necessary requirements.

U.S. Military Institutional Partnership Application Timeline

The following are key dates and deadlines that will be helpful to reference as you prepare your U.S. Military Institutional Partnership Application:

Please note that students may only apply via the U.S. Military Institutional Partnership a maximum of two times. A reapplication should demonstrate self-reflection, growth and added accomplishments in the form of premedical coursework, clinical experience, advocacy, and scholarly endeavors.

Application Requirements:

The application opens in August and the deadline is November 15. Students must apply to ISMMS through the Institutional Partnership application system.

• The U.S. Military Institutional Partnership application is open to full-time, active duty personnel members of the military
• Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from a U.S. or Canadian accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be considered for admission
• Three (3) Letters of recommendation, including a letter from a superior (required) and someone you have worked with in a medical capacity during your service who can comment on your passions and skills and interest in pursuing a career in medicine (suggested). Examples of sources includes a Commanding Officer,  Battalion Surgeon, Brigade Surgeon, and/or Physician Assistant  or equivalent
• Articulate a compelling connection between your military service and a career in medicine or biomedical research
  
  • Describe your experience(s) in the military (e.g., training, deployments, or medical internships while on active duty) that you believe will bring a unique perspective and value to a medical school class and the profession of medicine.
  • One year (two semesters or equivalent) of college science in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics (AP credits will not be accepted for this requirement). The requirement must be fulfilled within the same science discipline (i.e., a year of college biology, a year of college chemistry, or a year of college physics), and must be completed at a U.S. or Canadian accredited institution. No online courses can be used to fulfill the requirement.   
  • SAT/ACT Component: The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will continue to use standardized testing (SAT/ACT) as an element in the holistic review of each application for the Early Assurance Programs (i.e. FlexMed and the Institutional Partnership). If you did not take standardized testing you may still apply to our early assurance programs understanding that all applications will continue to receive a thorough, holistic evaluation with the information provided. If you did take standardized testing, please submit your scores as part of your application. 
  • Conferred undergraduate baccalaureate degree and transcripts from all academic institution(s) attended for academic credit  showing all courses, grades, and any degrees received.
  • Resume 

Selected applicants will be invited to interview at the Icahn School of Medicine. These interviews will take place from December through February. Decision notifications are sent out on a rolling basis.

Prior to matriculation:

Prior to matriculation, students will be required to complete the following*:

• One academic year of Biology (not AP or IB, but college course work). Molecular content is required.
• One academic year of General Chemistry (not AP or IB, but college course work)
• One semester of Organic Chemistry (not AP or IB, but college course work)
• One semester of Biochemistry (not AP or IB, but college course work)
• One academic year of English writing intensive coursework 
• One semester of Physics (AP Physics in high school with a score of 5)
• One academic year of lab in biology and/or chemistry
• 100 hours of clinical experience occurring after acceptance to the Program  

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

*No online courses can be used to fulfill the pre-matriculation requirements

** Exclusion to matriculate: dishonorable discharge

Applicants are not permitted to have taken the MCAT or to take the MCAT during the application process. 

Admitted students will be required to achieve a 'B' in all required courses, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and are not permitted to take the MCAT. 

For additional information on the ISMMS U.S. Military Institutional Partnership, contact the Office of Admissions.