Emory Medical School: How to Get in

Mission Statement

“The Emory University School of Medicine is a leading institution with the highest standards in education, biomedical research, and patient care.We are committed to recruiting and developing a diverse group of students and innovative leaders in biomedical science, public health, medical education, and clinical care.We foster a culture that integrates leading edge basic, translational, and clinical research to further the ability to deliver quality health care, to predict illness and treat the sick, and to promote health of our patients and community.”

Available Programs

Besides their MD program, Emory School of Medicine offers a number of other graduate level medical programs including a PhD in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master’s degrees in various biomedical topics, etc. They also offer the option of combining your MD program with another degree to pursue a dual degree education. The work you complete towards your second degree, including lectures and any research work, counts towards the requirements of the “Discovery” phase of the MD curriculum.

The following are the MD dual degree options available at Emory:

MD/PhD

Emory’s Laney Graduate School and the School of Medicine offer an MD/PhD program to train the future leaders of clinical academic medicine and biomedical research. This dual degree offers students the chance to combine a rigorous, clinically-focused MD curriculum with cutting-edge medical research in their preferred area of specialization.

To apply to this program, you must first submit your primary application via AMCAS for medical school, where you can indicate your interest in the MD/PhD program. You’ll also have to submit additional essays including the MD PhD essay. If you meet the program eligibility criteria and minimum requirements, you will receive the supplementary application. MD/PhD applicants must submit additional application requirements including MD/PhD specific supplemental essays, research-specific letters of recommendation, and so on. Depending on the PhD discipline, you may be required to submit your GRE score as well as the MCAT score. And finally, you’ll go through a 2-day interview process including interviews with both medical school and graduate school admissions committees. The most competitive applicants are those who can demonstrate sufficient research experience, excellent academic ability, and long-term commitment to the MD/PhD path.

Emory’s MD/PhD program takes 7 to 8 years to complete, with students finishing the first 3 years of medical school and taking the USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 exams before starting their PhD curriculum and research work. This can be completed over 3 or 4 years, after which students return to complete the final year of medical school.

Want to learn more about MD/PhD programs? Take a look at this video:

MD/MPH

Emory medical school and the Rollins School of Public Health jointly offer the MD/MPH dual degree for students who want to pursue an education in clinical medicine with a focus on public health.

This program can be completed over 5 years, which includes 4 years of medical school and 1 year dedicated to the MD/MPH curriculum. This includes directed studies, elective courses, thesis projects, fellowships, and field experiences in the arena of public health, with a chance of international exposure as well. Emory recommends that students complete the MPH year between the 3rd and 4th year of medical school.

To apply for the dual MD/MPH degree, you must complete your AMCAS application for the MD program and also submit an additional one-page essay about your interest in public health along with your secondary application. Successful applicants are invited for an interview with admissions committees from both degrees and their joint evaluation will determine if you are accepted into the program or not.

MD/MBA

The Goizueta Business School and the Emory School of Medicine offer a dual MD/MBA degree to train physicians for leadership roles in medical businesses and health systems. This degree can be completed in either 5 or 6 years, depending on which MBA program format you pick:

• Full-time format, in which you start your MBA degree in the fall semester after the 3rd year of medical school and take 2 years to complete it
• One-year format, in which you start your degree the summer after the 3rd year of medical school and complete all requirements within a year

After completing their MBA requirements, students return to complete the 4th year of medical school. This dual degree requires students to complete the following curriculum requirements in addition to their MD requirements: 3 semesters in residency, 50 credit hours including two global requirements and a specific project involving a topic that combines the study of medicine and business.

You must apply to and secure your admission in each program separately, and you can apply during medical school as well. You can complete the MCAT in lieu of the GRE or GMAT exam, though you can submit the scores for the latter if you have them. MBA admissions committee will be looking at your academic record, work experiences, letters of recommendation, interview performance, and program-specific essays to determine if you are accepted.

MD/MA

Emory also offers a dual degree combining an MD education with an MA in Bioethics. This dual degree prepares students to identify, assess, and respond to the complex ethical issues they may encounter in the medical profession. This includes issues in the area of patient-care, public policy, and ethical foundations of clinical medicine. You can complete this degree is 5 years, including 4 years at the School of Medicine and 1 year at the Laney Graduate School, ideally completed between the 3rd and 4th year of medical school.

You can apply to the dual degree concurrently with your med school application, or you can apply separately during medical school. Like with the MD/PhD degree, you complete the regular MD application process via AMCAS and receive the supplemental application, where you can indicate your interest in the MD/MA program. You’ll then be notified about the additional application components you have to submit:

• A personal statement discussing your interest in the MA in Bioethics
• An essay with a brief analysis of a bioethics case
• An extra letter of recommendation that comments on your communication skills and critical thinking

If you apply during medical school, you must follow the standard MA application process, with a few exceptions. You do not need to submit your GRE, you only need 1 letter of recommendation, and you must authorize the School of Medicine to share your medical school application.

MD/MS

Students can also opt for a dual degree combing their MD curriculum with an MS in Clinical Research (MSCR) from the Emory Laney Graduate School. This dual degree provides a thorough grounding in clinical skills and biomedical knowledge with a study of key analytical sciences such as analytical epidemiology, statistical reasoning, probability theory, decision analysis, and informatics. It prepares students for advanced clinical and translational research training. This is a 5 year degree, with the MS requirements completed in an extra year between the 3rd and 4th year of medical school. The MS curriculum consists of classes, a research thesis, a written grant proposal, 2 semesters of class work, and mandatory rotations at the IRB and Clinical Research Network.

MD students are encouraged to apply for this dual degree in the first half of their 3rd year of medical school. Acceptance into this program depends on your professional conduct and academic standing in medical school.

MD/JM

You can also opt to pursue a Juris Master (JM) degree while completing your MD program. The dual MD/JM degree provides a deeper understanding between law and medicine, and prepares students for a future career in health care administration, medical legal research, and medical regulation policy making. This dual degree can be completed in 5 or more years, depending on how students chose to customize their JM coursework. You can work with your program advisors to develop a customized schedule that allows you to complete the JM degree requirements with 9 months of full-time work between the 3rd and 4th years of medical school.

Academic Curriculum

Emory has a rigorous, innovative medical school curriculum with a special focus on research and clinical training. Their goal is to produce learning-oriented physicians with superior clinical skills and a passion for community engagement, and who are able to use all the resources at their disposal to find innovative solutions to medical problems. Their MD program covers the following curriculum phases:

Grading

Emory medical school follows a Pass/Fail grading system for all courses in the first 18 months of the curriculum. Subsequently, all curriculum components are letter-graded, except for the elective rotations, which are also graded on a Pass/Fail system.

Application Timeline

Emory uses the AMCAS portal for their medical school admissions process. Make sure you know all the critical dates in their medical school application timeline so that you don’t miss any important submissions.

The following diagram shows the key dates for the Emory School of Medicine application process. You can also check their admissions website or MSAR to confirm the exact application dates.

Emory University School of Medicine does not offer an Early Admissions Medical Program. However, they do recommend that all students submit their applications as early as possible to maximize their chances of success. They use rolling admissions and send out admission decisions every month between October and February. All acceptance, waitlist, and rejection notices will be sent out by March, and subsequently waitlisted students will be accepted as spots open up. 

Admissions Statistics and Eligibility

Eligibility

Emory University School of Medicine accepts applications from US citizens, permanent residents, and DACA status residents, as well as international applicants. As a private university, they do not differentiate between applicants based on their residency status, and all applicants, whether in-state, out-of-state, or international, must meet the same admissions standards to be accepted.

All applicants to Emory University School of Medicine must complete an undergrad education consisting of at least 90 semester hours (or 135 quarter hours) from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or Canada, with a strong preference given to applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the US or Canada (or are on track to complete it before matriculation). If you hold an undergrad degree from a university outside the US, you must have completed all 32 semester hours of the required science coursework from a regionally accredited university in the US or Canada.

Finally, your latest MCAT score must be 500 or higher with a score of 123 or higher on each section. Your MCAT score cannot be older than 4 years and you must have taken the MCAT no more than 3 times. Your application will not be reviewed unless you meet these MCAT requirements.

Check out this infographic:

Recommended Courses

Emory medical school asks for the following mandatory medical school prerequisite courses:

• Physical Science: 8 semester hours (with lab)
• Biology: 8 semester hours (with lab)
• Chemistry: 8 semester hours (with lab)
• Organic Chemistry: 8 semester hours (with lab)
• English: 6 semester hours
• Humanities/Social Sciences: 18 semester hours. Examples include (but not limited to) the following courses: Anthropology, Art/Art Appreciation/Art History, Black Studies/African American Studies, Classical Studies, Economics, Foreign Languages, History, Journalism, Literature, Music/Music Appreciation, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, Theater/Film Studies, Women’s Studies

The above courses constitute the minimum required coursework. Emory does not have any preference for a specific pre-med or biology major, as long as you meet these minimum requirements. Applicants are encouraged to pursue a balanced, rigorous undergrad curriculum consisting of a variety of science and humanities courses to prepare them for medical school.

In rare cases, Emory may grant exceptions to the course requirements for students who can prove their academic prowess in other areas of their application (MCAT, published research work, etc.) and are able to adequately explain the gaps in their coursework. For instance, if you’ve taken some other equivalent coursework that sufficiently meets the academic requirement, you can add a note to your supplemental application to explain this to the admissions committee.

Tuition and Debt

Emory University School of Medicine asks for the same medical school tuition from in-state, out-of-state, and international students.

Funding Opportunities

Emory medical school offers numerous financial aid options to assist students with their medical school costs. This includes scholarships, grants, loans, and awards. If you wish to apply for all the avenues of financial aid, you’ll need to complete both the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE application. The latter asks for details about your parents’ income and assets, regardless of your age and situation. If you only want to apply for federal loans, then you can skip the PROFILE application. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for most of the institutional aid and federal loan options, with the exception of the merit-based scholarships.

The following are the key funding opportunities at Emory medical school:

Institutional Aid

Emory University School of medicine students can apply for the following institutional aid options:

In addition to these financial aid options, Emory also offers an “Emory Payment Plan”, under which students can pay their medical school tuition for the semester over four monthly payments rather than as a lump sum at the beginning of the semester. This offers a more convenient, flexible payment method for students who need it.

Federal Loans

You can also opt for federal loans to help pay for medical school. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for these loans. Their key benefit is that they offer a low rate of interest and more flexible repayment options. They are not based on financial need – however, how much funding you receive from other sources could impact the amount you’re eligible for.

• Federal Stafford Loans
• Federal PLUS Loans

External Scholarships

Along with institutional and federal sources of funding, you should also investigate which external medical school scholarships you are eligible for to help pay for medical school. These can be provided by various medical institutions, charity organizations, trust funds, and so on. You can apply to multiple scholarships for varying sums, from full tuition coverage to specific grant amounts. Make sure you complete a thorough search of all available options to find the scholarships that could benefit you based on your unique background, identity, community, achievements, etc. These scholarships with specific selection criteria are likely to have less competition.

Private Loans

If you need additional funding after exploring all the above options, you can turn to private loans from financial institutions, banks, corporations, and so on. These loans generally don’t offer flexible repayment options and also charge a higher interest rate as compared to federal loans. However, they may have less rigorous eligibility criteria than federal loans.

Selection Factors

Emory University School of Medicine receives thousands of applications every year, and, as we explained above, only about 1.16% of applicants actually matriculate. They employ a comprehensive, rigorous application review to find a diverse, talented student body that can become the future leaders in medicine. They are looking for candidates who demonstrate superior academic prowess, backed up by their grades, scores, and letters of recommendation, as well as strong commitment to the practice of medicine and meaningful community involvement, as demonstrated by their medical school extracurriculars.

The key selection factors to get into Emory University School of Medicine are:

Technical Standards

Emory focuses on finding applicants who can meet their technical standards for the successful practice of medicine. This includes communication skills, the ability to perform complex social, personal, and professional roles, appropriate behavioral characteristics like integrity and empathy, manual dexterity and critical clinical skills, superior judgement, and the capacity to function well under pressure. Keep these standards in mind as you complete the various components of your application, especially the personal statement, supplemental essays, activity descriptions, and interview. When talking about yourself, emphasize the skills, abilities, experiences, and behaviors that align with Emory’s technical standards.

Early Submission

It’s important to remember that the Emory medical school admissions committee won’t start reviewing your application until they receive your completed secondary application, including supplemental essays, MCAT scores, letters of recommendation, application fee, and photo. Since Emory employs rolling admissions, it’s highly recommended that you submit all of your application components as early as possible to maximize your chances of success.

Additionally, you won’t receive your secondary application materials until you submit your completed primary application with MCAT score. Emory screens applicants based on their MCAT score, and you only receive your secondary application if you meet their minimum requirement: an overall score of 500 or higher and a section-wise score of at least 123. So, applicants should select their MCAT test dates keeping this requirement in mind, and with the goal of submitting their completed primary application as early as possible.

GPA

Your academic record is a crucial selection factor for Emory medical school. We’ve already outlined the minimum coursework requirements above, but it’s not enough to simply complete these required courses. Emory is looking for students who can prove that they have the academic ability to handle medical school, with a proven aptitude for science. They prefer applicants who have pursued a challenging undergrad curriculum, with a strong GPA maintained throughout their undergrad. Their average accepted GPA is 3.8 and that’s what you should aim to have to be competitive. In particular, Emory medical school emphasizes a strong foundational base in science subjects, so it’s critical that you should take on challenging science coursework and have an excellent GPA for all these subjects.

While they accept non-traditional medical school applicants such as non-science majors, or students who have been out of school for a while, evidence of academic ability is still an important application requirement. They encourage students who have been out of school for a while to complete post-bacc programs or post-graduate courses to refresh their science concepts. Your post-bacc coursework will be calculated along with your undergrad coursework to create an accumulative GPA, but your grades for a post-graduate course such as a special master’s program or PhD will be considered separately. Regarding your IB and AP credits, Emory accepts some AP courses in lieu of college credits, but does not accept IB coursework.

While having a good GPA makes your application much more competitive, it’s not completely impossible to get into medical school with a low GPA. Emory will consider the general “trend” of your grades i.e., they will consider how your grades improved over time and you should aim for a general ascending trend as that proves your focus, determination, and personal growth journey. Additionally, you should be able to prove your academic ability via the other application components like an excellent MCAT score, research projects, etc.

MCAT

Your MCAT score is one of the most important medical school requirements for Emory. As we’ve already mentioned before, they have a minimum MCAT score requirement of 500 overall, and 123 in each MCAT section. They screen all primary applications and only applicants who meet this minimum requirement (along with their other eligibility criteria) will receive a secondary application. They accept an MCAT score achieved within the last 4 years, and if you’ve taken the exam more than once, you must submit all your MCAT scores. They consider the latest one while screening your primary application and will look at all of your MCAT scores separately during the more detailed application review stage.

Remember that the minimum MCAT score is just what you need to get a secondary application. Competitive applicants generally have much higher MCAT scores. Consider that the average accepted MCAT score for Emory medical school is 517. To achieve a good MCAT score, you’ll need to prepare months in advance, with an efficient MCAT study schedule that covers the required knowledge and skills for each of the MCAT sections. Make sure you complete plenty of practice tests in a mock-MCAT environment, as the format and length of the MCAT can often prove the most challenging factor for many students. If necessary, you can also get expert coaching by signing up for an MCAT tutor or MCAT prep course. Remember, it’s important to only sit for the exam when you feel fully prepared and capable of achieving a good score as retaking the MCAT involves numerous logistical and financial hassles, not to mention the stress and pressure of re-taking such a strenuous exam. Moreover, Emory does not accept applicants who have taken the MCAT more than 3 times.

Check out our blog for more useful tips on how to study for the MCAT.

Extracurriculars

To be a strong applicant at Emory medical college, your medical school resume should include a variety of extracurricular activities that prove your leadership experience, community involvement, clinical skills, and commitment to medicine. These activities are listed in the AMCAS Work and Activities section and each activity should contribute to a meaningful narrative of your journey towards medical school and your particular suitability for the practice of medicine.

These are the types of activities that are most likely to impress Emory medical school’s admissions committee:

Clinical Experience: To get admission into Emory medical school, previous experience in a clinical setting is extremely important, especially in-person exposure to practicing physicians and actual patients. While they don’t have a specific number of required shadowing hours, they highly recommend that you complete at least some shadowing experience where you get the chance to observe the doctor-patient relationship. They also prefer applicants with in-person clinical experience with face-to-face patient interactions.

Remember that when it comes to your clinical experiences, the “how” and “why” is just as important as the “what”. This means that you should be able to talk about the personal impact and meaningful takeaways of your experiences in the AMCAS Most Meaningful Experiences section of your application, and potentially also in your interview. Since Emory places so much importance on clinical and shadowing experience, we also recommend referring to it in your medical school personal statement. Make sure you don’t just list your activities; instead, include details of actual experiences and real examples to build a personal, believable narrative.

Would you like help on your AMCAS Most Meaningful Experiences? Check out this video!

Research: Emory’s MD program curriculum emphasizes biomedical research and one of their missions is to be a leading research institution, producing cutting-edge medical research for the benefit of society. They look for applicants who can prove a high level of scholarship via research experience they’ve already completed. This could include published research papers, research assistant experience, research projects under the guidance of science faculty members, etc.

Volunteer Experience: Volunteer experience in your CV is an excellent chance to show your leadership skills, commitment to community engagement, and affinity for social service, all of which are important qualities of successful applicants at Emory medical school. They recommend that applicants should have some experience of volunteering in a medical setting like a local hospital, free medical clinics, and so on. Like your clinical experiences, make sure you talk about your volunteer experiences in a meaningful way, expanding on the key skills and qualities you developed, your personal impact, and actual changes you were able to enact.

Letters of Recommendation

Emory medical school prefers that all applicants submit a composite letter packet from the pre-medical or pre-health advisory board of their undergrad institution. They also accept a similar letter packet from a Career Center or Letter Writing Service. If you do not have access to any of these options, you can submit 3 individual letters, including 2 letters from referees such as professors or other mentors who can meaningfully comment on your aptitude for science. However, you will be asked to explain in your supplemental application why you submitted individual letters rather than a committee letter. So, if possible, try and submit a committee letter.

They recommend that students do not submit more than 3 letters, with the exception of MD/PhD applicants, who need to provide additional letters from research mentors, and can submit as many as they choose. All letters must be submitted via the AMCAS Letter Service.

Your medical school letters of recommendation play an important role in your application review, providing crucial external validation for your academic and extracurricular achievements and suitability for medical school. Make sure at least two of your referees are science faculty members in hard science subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. This is because your aptitude for science and familiarity with scientific concepts is a crucial selection factor at Emory and your letters of recommendation should attest to the same. If you can’t arrange for letters from science professors, try to include letters from scientific research mentors, departmental heads, or other mentors who can comment on your scientific skills and interests. Your third letter can be from other employers, advisors, or educators, with a preference given to clinical experience mentors or employers.

Approach your referees well in advance, at least a couple of months before the deadline, so that they have enough time to write your letter. When you approach them, provide a short summary of your achievements and skills, preferably in a written format. That way, their knowledge of your achievements is fresh in their minds, and they can write a more well-informed, in-depth letter about you.

Want to learn more about recommendation letters? Check this out:

Supplemental Application

Emory University School of Medicine screens all primary applications to check if applicants meet their minimum eligibility requirements including the minimum MCAT score, undergrad education, etc. If you meet these requirements, you will receive a secondary application. You must submit a completed secondary application to be considered for the interview.

As part of their supplemental application, Emory asks applicants to provide medical school secondary essays of no more than 200 words for each of the following prompts:

1. List your entire curriculum plan for the current academic year. If you are not currently in school, please briefly describe your plans for the coming year.
2. Briefly describe your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences.
3. Briefly describe your interest in Emory and the Emory degree program you have selected.
4. What do you consider to be the role of the physician in the community?
5. If you have any updates or new information to report since you have submitted your AMCAS primary application, please briefly describe below.

The prompts may vary from year to year, so it’s not always possible to prepare perfect medical school secondary essays in advance. However, you can definitely work with old prompts and general secondary essay topics to brainstorm ideas create rough drafts of your secondary essays. That way, when you receive the secondary applications, you can work on tailoring and refining your secondary essays rather than starting from scratch. As we mentioned earlier, submitting your secondary application as early as possible boosts your chances of receiving an interview invitation.

In your Emory secondary application, you can also include optional notes or essays to explain specific gaps in your application such as missing mandatory coursework, a period of low GPA, and absence of committee letter packets. Emory has a highly competitive admissions process, so if you are missing any of required application components, make sure you use the provided space to explain the extenuating circumstances and advocate for yourself.

Interview Formats

At Emory University School of Medicine, all complete applications are reviewed and successfully applicants are issued an interview invite on a rolling basis between August and February. In this period, they only issue interview invites, and subsequently, acceptance decisions – no rejections or waitlist decisions are shared. Note that they don’t have a strict timeline for responding to applications. If you haven’t heard from them, then your application is still being considered. Emory notifies students about their interviews via email or telephone.

Interview day at Emory medical school consists of multiple sessions including the following:

In addition to the above, students can also request a meeting with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and a virtual "overnight stay" with a current medical student. 

Emory medical school also offers the option of video interviews completed over Zoom. 

The interview is a crucial component of your application. Only about 20.5% of interviewed applicants actually matriculate. To prepare for your medical school interview, make sure you practice with common medical school interview questions and conduct mock interview sessions so you can work on your presentation, body language, and communication skills, as well as the content of your answers. Try to avoid memorizing answers, and instead focus on getting familiar with the key topics and themes you would like to discuss in the interview.

Acceptance and Waitlist Information

Emory University School of Medicine utilizes a rolling admissions process. The admissions committee meets once a month between October and March to review the applications of interviewed candidates and issue acceptance letters. If you don’t hear back from them within a month of your interview, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re rejected. You will be considered again in the next admissions committee meeting and could be issued an acceptance after that meeting.

Interview invitations are issued till late February and the last admissions committee meeting takes place in March. After this last meeting, no further interviews take place and only interviewed candidates remain in the admissions pool. This means:

• All non-interviewed candidates receive rejection notices at this time.
• Interviewed candidates receive acceptance notices, rejection notices, or they may be given “Alternate Status”.

“Alternate Status” is Emory’s version of a medical school waitlist. You will be notified via email if you are on their waitlist. Waitlisted candidates may receive an acceptance letter over the next few months, as spots open up, until the class is filled.

The number of accepted applicants from the waitlist varies from year to year. In the past, Emory has accepted fewer than 10 or as many as 30 students from the waitlist.

Contact Information

Emory Medical School Admissions Website

Contact Email: [email protected]

FAQs

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Disclaimer: BeMo does not endorse or affiliate with any universities, colleges, or official test administrators. The content has been developed based on the most recent publicly available data pro-vided from the official university website. However, you should always check the statistics/requirements with the official school website for the most up to date information. You are responsible for your own results.

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