We’re sharing everything you need to know to get into Harvard Medical School. With an acceptance rate of 2.3%, it's a challenge to get accepted to one of the most prestigious Ivy League medical schools in the world, but it’s not impossible. This blog includes the admissions requirements, tuition costs, and expert insights to help you get into Harvard Medical School.
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Harvard Medical School Mission Statement
"To nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.”
Harvard Medical School Available Programs
MD Curriculum Tracks at Harvard Medical School
In addition to programs of interest, our admissions expert and current resident at Harvard South Shore emphasizes the importance of picking a medical school based on more than just its reputation, as there are multiple factors that should be considered when deciding where to settle for the next few years.
“My main priority was location. Since I knew I was going to spend four years there I wanted it to be in a location that I could see myself having support and enjoying. Beyond that I looked at opportunities for research support [and] patient population diversity”. - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, Harvard South Shore Resident
Harvard Medical School Admissions Statistics
Harvard Medical School overall acceptance rate
- Success rate (In-State): 3.15%
- Success rate (Out-of-State): 1.99%
- Success rate (International): 1.75%
- Average Accepted GPA: 3.96
- Average Accepted MCAT Scores: 521
Harvard Medical School Admission Timeline
The following deadlines are a general guideline. Make sure to check the official schedule on the school's website before you start preparing your application.
Harvard Medical School Prerequisites
Recommended Courses
- Behavioral Science
- Biostatistics/Statistics
- Calculus
- College English
- College Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Genetics
- Humanities
- Psychology
- Social sciences
Rather watch an in-depth video?
Tuition & Funding Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
According to their website, Harvard Medical School boasts one of the most generous MD financial aid programs in the nation. It maintains an average graduating debt at around half the national average for private medical schools and significantly below the national average for state schools. The Harvard Medical School Financial Aid Office provides financial support to 73% of students.
Selection Factors at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School receives, on average, 7,000 applications competing for less than 800 interviews and 165 program positions. The admissions committee is focused on attracting and admitting students who possess maturity, have a commitment to helping others, leadership skills, and the ability to work with others. In addition, the following factors are used to evaluate applicants:
1. GPA & MCAT
The median GPA of students admitted to Harvard Medical School is 3.96 and the median MCAT score is 521, with section scores averaging between 129 and 131.
Here are some tips to help you ace the MCAT:
- Confirm the MCAT test dates.
- Find out when to start studying for the MCAT so you can begin preparing an MCAT study schedule at least 6 months in advance.
- Use section specific study tools, like the MCAT CARS practice resources
- Take the MCAT when you are doing well on the practice exams and you feel ready
2. Applicant Essays
Harvard Medical School places high importance on applicant essays to determine who will be selected for interview and admission. Your medical school personal statement and medical school secondary essays need to stand out to the admissions committee.
Make sure that your Harvard medical school personal statement incorporates examples of how you possess the skills and qualities that Harvard Medical School is looking for.
The admissions committee is reviewing hundreds of personal statements, and you want to get their attention. BeMo Consultant Dr. Monica Taneja explains her strategy for a successful personal statement:
“I focused on my journey to medicine and opportunities that I sought out along the way. Everyone’s path and validation is unique, so walking the reader through your growth to the point of application will naturally be different. I also found it helpful to give schools a ‘punch-line’ as in I wanted them to remember 1-2 things about me that are my differentiators and I reiterated those throughout.” - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD.
Check out our video for Harvard Medical School personal statement examples:
3. Harvard Medical School Secondary Application
The Harvard Medical School secondary essay is your opportunity to show the admissions committee that you are a good fit for the program. Your answers should follow the essay prompt, demonstrate critical thinking, and incorporate the values and skills the school is looking for.
Dr. Monica Taneja cautions students that secondary applications are a lot of work. She approached them in a methodical way that helped make the process much more manageable.
“I started to pre-write secondaries in mid-June. For each school I read their mission statement and tailored my answers to their priorities. Since many essays also overlap between schools I was able to morph different essays based on length to reduce overall writing. Pre-writing allowed me to have <1 week turn around on all of my secondary application returns.” - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD.
4. Letters of Recommendation
Harvard Medical School accepts up to six letters of recommendation and requires a minimum of three letters. The admissions committee recommends the following:
- At least two (2) should be from science professors.
- At least one (1) should be from a non-science professor.
- For the MD-PhD program or the MD program, letters from all research supervisors are required.
- Additional letters can be included if they are from research supervisors.
- If supplementing a premedical advisory committee evaluation, it counts as one (1) letter.
- Letters from employers are not required, but if applicants have been working, a letter from their place of employment is advised.
When choosing someone to write a letter of recommendation, be sure to ask people who know you well enough to provide specific examples of your skills and personal qualities and can articulate how these factors make you a good fit for Harvard Medical School.
5. Extracurriculars
Extracurriculars for medical school should show that you have a proven track record of commitment, growth, and a desire to help others. They demonstrate that you have skills and experiences that will help you excel in all aspects of the Harvard Medical School program.
According to MSAR, successful applicants to HMS had these types of experience::
Shadowing a physician can be a great way to get extracurricular experience and see first-hand the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges that doctors face. Check out our resources about how many hours of shadowing are required for medical school and how to ask to shadow a doctor.
Did you know that 99% of HMS matriculants have research experience?
Interview Format
Harvard Medical School’s Office of the Committee on Admissions Candidates emails candidates with available interview dates. Interviews are conducted virtually, in a 1-on-1 format.
The interview process is stressful and many students focus on making a good impression with their academic skills. Dr. Taneja took the time to prepare for the knowledge-based parts of the interview process, but also focused on another aspect that helped her stand out from the crowd:
“My strategy was usually to go into the interview with an agenda, but focus on being personable. Most of the time I knew who I was interviewing with in advance, so I would look them up and see if we had any similarities to highlight. When I was talking to a student the most important thing was seeing if this was someone I vibed with and making sure we had a friendly/jovial conversation. That impression tends to stick more than anything you say, so focus on being relaxed and happy.” - Dr. Monica Taneja, MD, Resident at Harvard South Shore
Two resources that can help you prepare are our video interview guide and our tips on Harvard Medical School interview questions.
Acceptance and Waitlist Information
Harvard Medical School does not have an early decision program or a rolling admissions policy. All their admissions decisions are emailed in March, whether candidates are accepted, declined, or waitlisted. All admissions decisions are final.
If offered a position on the waitlist, the Office of Committee on Admissions will send you information about waitlist procedures. Learn how to get off a medical school waitlist in our blog.
Contact information
Harvard Medical School Admissions Page
Phone: (617) 432-1550
Email: [email protected]
FAQs
1. WHAT KIND OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE DO I NEED TO GET INTO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
Harvard Medical School does not require a specific undergraduate degree and believes students from any undergraduate concentration can be successful provided they have adequate science preparation.
2. WHAT GPA AND MCAT SCORE DO YOU NEED TO GET INTO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
The median GPA is 3.96 and the median MCAT is 521.
3. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO TO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
The total annual cost for in-state students is $103,980 and $106,580 for out-of-state students.
4. DOES HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL ACCEPT TRANSFER STUDENTS?
No. You are ineligible to apply if you are currently enrolled or were previously enrolled in any medical school. There are no exceptions.
5. ARE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
Yes, but you must have studied for at least one year at an accredited institution in the United States or Canada, and have completed the undergraduate course requirements. Harvard Medical School is considered “Canadian-friendly” and welcomes students from north of the border.
6. HOW MANY TIMES CAN I APPLY TO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
You can only apply for admission a maximum of two times. If you have already made two previous application attempts, you will be rejected. Note that incomplete application attempts count toward the two-time maximum.
7. DO I NEED TO COMPLETE ALL THE REQUIRED COURSES BEFORE SUBMITTING MY APPLICATION?
No, prerequisites do not need to be completed in order to submit an application to Harvard Medical School. The required courses must be completed prior to matriculation.
8. CAN I SEND UPDATED INFORMATION AFTER I HAVE SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION TO HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL?
Yes, Harvard Medical School accepts updates through the “Application Updates” tab on the admissions portal. Applicants may provide up to two updates to the Committee.
9. IS THE SECONDARY APPLICATION SENT OUT TO EVERYONE WHO APPLIES OR TO SELECTED APPLICANTS ONLY?
All applicants who submit an AMCAS application and choose Harvard Medical School will receive a secondary application.
10. HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFER OF ADMISSION?
The maximum allowed time for an applicant’s response to an offer is three weeks.
To your success,
Your friends at BeMo
BeMo Academic Consulting
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 provided 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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