Many premeds wonder “do I need a PhD or master’s degree to apply to med school?”. The short answer is no—most medical schools do not require a PhD or master’s degree to apply. In exploring how to get into medical school, you’ll discover that strong grades, a competitive MCAT score, and meaningful extracurricular experiences matter far more than earning another degree. This article explains when a graduate degree may be useful, when it is unnecessary, and how medical schools actually evaluate graduate training.
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Does a Graduate Degree Improve Your Chances of Getting into Medical School?
Now that you know more about some of the pros and cons, you must face the question of whether or not you “need” a graduate degree (master’s or PhD) to gain successful admission into medical school. The short answer is no, you don’t need a master’s degree or doctorate to secure admission. Admissions committees evaluate each applicant's GPA, MCAT, medical school recommendation letters, personal statement, research, volunteer experiences, and extracurricular activities. Each committee will weigh these differently, but the majority will pay attention to your MCAT score and GPA as the most influential factors. This guidance reflects the experience of physicians who pursued different paths to medical school, including applicants who entered directly from undergraduate studies and those who completed graduate degrees first.
Can Grad School Help Increase These Statistics?
Med school admissions committees have filters that will weed out incompetent applicants. For example, if you have a 3.4 GPA and their cut-off is a 3.5, then your application will face medical school rejection. You must get by their initial screening of your statistics to continue in the competition. A graduate degree GPA might offset your undergrad grades, but it depends on whether your chosen medical school considers your graduate school GPA. Each school calculates this differently, so research their admissions processes before applying. Keep in mind that for your grades to count, you have to finish the program.
Can Grad School Help Your MCAT Score?
In most cases, no—graduate coursework does not meaningfully improve MCAT performance. The MCAT tests very basic scientific knowledge, which is typically studied in introductory undergrad courses. You only need to take medical school prerequisites to have enough knowledge to start your MCAT prep, so graduate education is absolutely not necessary to ace the MCAT. I want to emphasize that grad school education would not hurt your chances of getting a good MCAT score, but it's certainly not a requirement for doing well on the test.
Can Grad School Help Your Other Application Components?
You can apply and gain acceptance to medical school with or without a graduate degree, but additional research experiences, and strong letters of recommendation from your supervisors can add to your candidacy. However, it's worth repeating that graduate school is not an easy path, so acceptance to medical school should not be the only reason you pursue a master's or a PhD.
If you are simply looking to boost your med school acceptance chances and have no real interest in research and graduate work, our best advice would be to do as well as you can on your MCAT and get a high GPA, write a killer medical school personal statement, get as much experience shadowing and volunteering as you can, and practice with common medical school interview questions.
You can also use grad school admissions consulting to help you put all these components together.
At the end of the day, if you think applying to graduate school is right for you, then you should go for it! There are many things to be gained by having that experience. Don't do it to simply "boost" your med school application, though. There are many cheaper and easier ways to do that!
Not sure if a grad degree before med school is right for you? Take a look at this infographic:
Should You Go to Graduate School Before Medical School?
First, ask yourself why grad school. Are you afraid you won’t get in? Have you been wondering "How hard is it to get into medical school?" and thought a graduate degree might help your chances? Whatever the reason, answer that question before doing anything else.
Grad school is a serious commitment. Getting into grad school is challenging and can be expensive. It’s an excellent idea to pursue graduate education if you are passionate about a discipline or want to further your education, but the decision to enter grad school takes careful planning and should not be used as a backup plan to medicine. If you are worried that your medical school application is weak, address those weaknesses first. If you need more clinical hours, then volunteering and shadowing a physician would be a better step. On the other hand, if you are worried about your grades, graduate school could help show the admissions committee that you can handle the advanced coursework. Keep in mind that each committee will evaluate your graduate GPA differently. Some might include it in the overall GPA calculation, some might not include it at all, and some may even replace your undergrad GPA with the grad school GPA. Again, remember, this is specific to each school. You will have to do your research to understand how this process works for each school you apply to.
If you decide that you want to attend graduate school before you commit to the path of medicine, let's examine how a grad degree can help you.
Will a Masters or PhD Help You Get Into Med School? Watch this video:
How a Graduate Degree Can Help Medical School Applications
How a Graduate Degree Can Hurt Medical School Applications
Can Graduate School Skills Help You Succeed in Medical School?
Medical schools consistently emphasize skills such as critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and communication, competencies that are also central to graduate-level training. Graduate degrees develop these desirable skills. In my experience, these traits and skills are useful in medical school and the medical profession. Appraising evidence-based bodies of work becomes second nature. Medicine is full of discoveries, breakthroughs, and research. As a doctor, you have to be up to date on the newest information and glean important information from studies. Graduate students are adept at parsing dense material to unearth relevant information. From being able to review and critique the evidence to summarizing findings and applying them to discussions, having a graduate degree can be beneficial. By the time you graduate, you will know how to publish as a graduate student, which will show the medical school admissions committee that you’re scientifically competent and research savvy.
As you know, medical schools value strong written and oral communication skills, and these are developed during grad school. Grad students become proficient in writing and communicating scientific articles and concepts. So, as you prepare for medical school applications, you will be able to write student-led medical publications, textbooks, papers, medico-social opinion pieces, articles, and commentaries. So for anyone wondering how to get into grad school, it’s a good idea to consider a graduate school admissions consultant. As you can see, there’s a lot to be gained from graduate school in terms of skills.
Research projects in graduate school can give you an edge when it comes time to apply for residency. Learning research methodology and self-directed planning will give you an advantage in research-driven medical programs.
What Graduate Programs Are Best Before Applying to Medical School?
Admissions committees will look favorably upon graduate training that is applicable to medicine. You may want to look into Special Master's Programs (SMP) geared toward medical school hopefuls. SMPs provide graduate-level coursework over 1–2 years. They are designed specifically for premed students, and you graduate with a master's degree. It is well known that premeds who take the time to pursue an SMP after their undergrad are doing so to strengthen their medical school application, whether it's to increase their GPA or gain more research skills, and this presents as an advantage. Each medical school in the US (similar to Canadian schools) has its own system for assessing GPA, but in general, if an applicant has applied with a subpar undergrad GPA, their SMP GPA will help compensate for it.
Another great benefit of SMPs is that many are directly affiliated with medical schools! You would be taking classes alongside medical school students and have access to the same facilities. Plus, the faculty and staff will know your name and witness your hard work and progress. If one of your SMP instructors agrees to be a strong reference for you, you will have support from internal faculty, which can be beneficial in the admissions process.
Admissions for SMP programs are highly competitive and tuition is very costly. The intensity of SMP programs is similar to that of medical school, even more so than regular programs, such as a Master of Public Health, an MBA, etc. Should you be in a position where your medical school application needs a boost, pursuing an SMP might be a smart choice.
If you are passionate about research, applying to MD-PhD programs could also be beneficial. Many institutions offer a dual MD-PhD track that allows you to earn both degrees. Most start with the same 2 years of medicine followed by 2–3 years of research and thesis writing. After completing the PhD portion, you begin your clinicals. This allows you to finish both degrees quicker than doing them separately. A PhD alone can take between 5–9 years, in addition to the 4 years of medical school and subsequent years of residency training, so doing a combined degree is advantageous.
Thinking of pursuing MD-PhD programs? Check out our tips below:
How Will Graduate School Affect My Career Timeline?
How graduate school affects your career timeline mostly depends on your goals and what you plan to do after you graduate from medical school. Different specialties can vary in terms of the standard track for becoming a practicing physician. For example, cardiologists usually complete a residency in internal medicine, or pediatrics if they want to be a pediatric cardiologist. Then, once they complete their residency training, they complete a fellowship, which will take another 3 years. If they want to continue to specialize further – let’s say, in electrophysiology – then they will have to complete another fellowship, which will take an additional 1–2 years.
Pursuing a master’s or PhD before medical school can add anywhere from 1 to 7 years to your total training timeline.
Should You Pursue a Graduate Degree Before Medical School?
Graduate school could be just the thing for you. So could a post-bacc, an SMP, or even an MD-PhD program. If you can’t stand the idea of not going right into medicine, then don’t go to grad school. If you are enthusiastic about research, then joining a graduate program may be the right choice.
The path to medical school is different for everyone. Dr. Szczupak went straight into medical school and loved it. Dr. Wafa finished a PhD and then went to medical school and loved it. Both of us value our experiences and how we decided to go into medicine. I even know some people who got a master's after their MD. It is a difficult decision, but one that is ultimately leading you to your goals.
FAQs
1. Do I need a graduate degree to get into medical school?
No, you do not need a graduate degree to get into medical school. Most medical schools will simply ask for an undergraduate degree or a number of completed undergrad credits. A graduate degree is totally optional.
2. Does having a graduate degree increase my chances of getting accepted into medical school?
Some medical schools give applicants with graduate degrees additional ranking points. But these points are not enough to overshadow weak application elements, such as a low GPA or MCAT. Typically, a graduate degree is not a significant advantage when it comes to medical school acceptance.
3. I am not ready to pursue medicine. Should I enroll in a graduate degree?
If you are thinking of taking a gap year before medical school, you can certainly choose to attend a grad program. This experience will help you hone your research and communication skills. However, you can also choose to get a premed gap year job or use the gap year to prepare for the MCAT.
4. What kind of graduate degrees should I pursue before medical school?
If you choose to attend a graduate program before med school, you should try to enroll in a health care-related degree, which will help you will gain useful and transferable skills.
5. Are there any grad programs that are specifically designed to help me get into medical school?
Yes. You should investigate Special Master's Programs (SMPs), which are often associated with medical schools. These programs are specifically designed to help you transition from graduate studies to medical school.
6. How expensive are graduate degrees?
Graduate degree costs vary widely depending on the program, institution, and country. Many master’s programs are tuition-based and can be expensive, particularly at private institutions, while others—especially research-focused programs—may offer partial funding or scholarships. PhD programs, particularly in the sciences, are often fully funded and may include a tuition waiver and living stipend, though this is not guaranteed in all fields. Applicants should research funding structures carefully, as cost and financial support can differ significantly between programs.
7. Should I do a master’s or PhD if my undergraduate GPA is low?
A graduate degree can help address a low undergraduate GPA only in specific situations. Some medical schools will consider graduate coursework as evidence of academic improvement, but policies vary widely. In many cases, graduate GPA does not replace undergraduate GPA and may be evaluated separately or not at all. To be useful, the graduate program must be completed successfully and demonstrate sustained academic performance. Applicants with GPA concerns should research how each medical school calculates GPA before pursuing graduate study.
8. Is a post-baccalaureate or SMP better than a traditional graduate degree for med school?
For applicants whose primary goal is medical school admission, post-baccalaureate programs and Special Master’s Programs (SMPs) are often more effective than traditional graduate degrees. These programs are designed specifically to strengthen medical school applications by improving academic metrics and demonstrating readiness for medical coursework. Traditional master’s or PhD programs may still be valuable for applicants with strong research interests, but they are not always the most direct or efficient way to address application weaknesses.
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2 Comments
Bri • 04/13/2021 05:45
Thank you!! This was so helpful!!!!!
ReplyMufaro Mugari • 01/25/2022 00:47
l am PhD candidate in South Africa and would like to Do an accelerated MD program in America. l do not have any USA or Canadian academic experience. How can achieve the goal of becoming an MD student in America?
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