The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) was originally established as the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. It ranks among the top 20 research-based medical schools and the first to create a Department of Geriatrics in the United States. Additionally, it is the home of the FlexMed program.
Located in one of the most densely populated areas of the world, Icahn is a private medical school in New York and serves as the teaching arm of the Mount Sinai Health System. In this blog, you will learn how to get into The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, including the admission requirements, application process, selection factors, interview formats, and tips to boost your chances.
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Mission Statement
“Our mission is to produce physicians and scientists who are prepared to enter society as informed advocates and activists, able to advance clinical care and science, and capable of promoting change. We strive to develop new approaches to teaching, translate scientific discoveries into improvements in patient care, and identify new ways to enhance the health and educational opportunities of the communities we serve.”
Available Programs
The Icahn School of Medicine attracts thousands of students thanks to its impressive rankings and outstanding research programs. Applicants to this institution can select from some of the following programs of study:
Check out a recap of admission stats, available programs, and interview format
Academic Curriculum
Year 1
In year one, you are introduced to basic scientific principles and core patient-care skills. The curriculum comprises formal skills-based guidance on research techniques, knowledge on global health, and research skills. First-year courses include art and science of Medicine and Longitudinal Clinical Experience, Molecular, Cellular and Genomic Foundations, immunology, pathology, physiology and medical microbiology.
Year 2
The year two curriculum is mostly an amplification of the core scientific principles that students learned in Year 1. It focuses more on an organ system-based technique in pathophysiology and treating diseases. Also, students practice and improve key patient care competencies with longitudinal ambulatory and inpatient clinical experience.
Year 3
In year three at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), students will go through clinical rotations in major clinical fields and an optional ten weeks of career study. The schedule includes four 12-weeks modules, providing experience in anesthesiology, ambulatory care, neurology, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and surgery.
Year 4
In the fourth year, ISMMS students are prepared for a residency program by being exposed to experiences developed to enhance in-depth understanding and skill development using a personalized approach. During this period, senior students have enough elective time to curate a defining and individualized course of study.
Application Timeline
Don't forget to check Icahn's official website for more detailed medical school application timeline.
Admissions Statistics
Medical school acceptance rates of the Icahn School of Medicine are as follows:
Overall acceptance rate: 1.9%
In-state acceptance rate: 2.5%
Out-of-state acceptance rate: 1.9%
International students: 0.4%
Average MCAT score: 519
Average GPA: 3.87
Icahn School of Medicine overall acceptance rate:
Recommended Courses
Although applicants to Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai need to have taken specific college courses to be admitted, students have the liberty of majoring in any subject they choose. These prerequisite courses include:
Students are expected to have completed the coursework within five years of application. 57 percent of students who get admission into this school major in a science or math course.
Tuition and Debt
ISMMS is a private medical school, so it is not one of the cheapest medical schools for both in-state and out-of-state students. The total cost of medical school tuition and other fees for the came up to approximately $58,000. Although 75 percent of students get financial aid, the average debt of an ISMMS graduate is around $130,046.
To reduce the indebtedness of medical school graduates, ISMMS introduced the Enhanced Scholarship Initiative (ESI). The initiative is a need-based scholarship program for students with proven needs and lowers the maximum graduate indebtedness to $75,000. Current students can apply for ESI for their remaining years in school. DACA and international students also have access to the program.
The ESI supports student's attendance costs through institutional loans, federal loans, and institutional scholarships if their estimated family contribution falls short. Even those who are ineligible for need-based scholarships can qualify for private loans and federal financial aid. Every medical student with proof of financial need qualifies for institutional financial aid, irrespective of their citizenship status.
Funding Opportunities
Students have access to funding opportunities. Some of the options include medical school scholarships, special awards, contracts, crowdfunding, National Institutes of Health Funding Opportunities, and MSI STEM Research & Development Consortium (MSRDC). Students can use online databases and CO funding opportunities packets to find prospective sponsors, contracts, requests for proposals and other funding information.
Selection Factors
The Icahn School of Medicine evaluates and selects applicants based on academic excellence, evident passion for clinical medicine, dedication to community service and involvement in advocacy and scholarly activities. Successful candidates are those who have shown they have what it takes to be expert clinicians, medical educators, physician-scientists and physician advocates. A good way to show this is to show this is join a community health clinic for clinical experience and participate in volunteer or advocacy programs.
Students are required to submit at least three medical school recommendation letters through their AMCAS account. These letters should be from people who can attest to the student’s passion for medicine and intellectual journey. After submitting the AMCAS application, students will need to work on their medical school secondary essays. The prompts include:
Question 1 (Optional): If you are currently not a full-time student, please briefly describe the activities you are participating in this academic year. (100 words)
Question 2: If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity or a commitment to a particular community, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Aspects might include, but are not limited to significant challenges in or circumstances associated with access to education, living with a disability, socioeconomic factors, immigration status, or identification with a culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. Completing this section is optional. (100 words)
Question 3: What is the toughest feedback you ever received? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it? (250 words)
Question 4: Please tell us about a situation in which working collaboratively on a team was challenging. What did you do? What did you learn? (200 words)
Check out some stellar medical school secondary essay examples:
Interview Formats
Only 15% of applicants get interview invites. If you are one of them, you must learn how to prepare for your medical school interview.
MD applicants have two open-file interviews with the admissions committee that last about 30 minutes each. Students will visit the ISMMS campus in Manhattan. Be ready to talk about some of the experiences and extracurriculars mentioned in your application. Note some of the major features of the Icahn Medical School that you find interesting that you can incorporate into your answers. The interview evaluates students in four major aspects – academics, community service, research, and clinical exposure. They also want to know if the student fits the mission and values of ISMMS.
This is why it’s important to prepare your answers to some of the most common medical school interview questions. In your answers, try to relate why you would be the perfect fit for the Icahn School of Medicine. Keep in mind that one in three interviewed students get accepted! Work hard to leave a lasting impression.
Acceptance and Waitlist Information
ISMMS usually sends acceptance notices around mid-January. Students will have about two weeks to respond to the acceptance offer. Applicants get waitlist notifications in March. You can use the application portal to accept your position and submit medical school letter of intent and updates.
Contact information
EMAIL: [email protected]
FAQs
1. What courses are needed for admission?
To enroll in the MD program, students need to have completed various medical school prerequisites in an accredited college, including biology, physics, organic chemistry, general chemistry, mathematics, and English. Students must meet the academic requirements before matriculation.
2. Is there any medical school requirement indicating where to take the courses – either community college or university?
ISMMS places no preference on where students completed prerequisite courses, but the admissions committee often considers it during application review.
3. Can I still apply if I have not completed one of the compulsory courses?
Yes, but if you get an acceptance offer, it would be on the condition that you complete the requirement before matriculation.
4. Can I talk to an admissions adviser or visit the school?
School visits are only arranged after an invitation for the interview. The school does not offer admissions counselling.
5. Does the school accept transfer students?
No, ISMMS does not take transfer applications.
6. How old can an MCAT score be?
The MCAT score cannot be older than 5 years.
7. Can I get a fee waiver for the supplemental application?
The school only offers waivers to applicants who have received approval for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program. It will show automatically after you complete the online supplemental application.
8. What are the chances of getting admission to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai?
There is an overall acceptance rate of 1.9%. There is a holistic review process that evaluates applicants academic performance and experience.
9. How many recommendation letters are required?
ISMMS only accepts recommendation letters via AMCAS. There is a preference for a letter given by your premedical advisory committee. If this is not feasible, students must submit at least three recommendation letters from people who can vouch for their passion for medicine and intelligence. These people can be professional supervisors, professors, research mentors or clinical preceptors.
10. What is the cost of tuition and fees?
The tuition cost for Icahn School of medicine is $57,000. With fees, room, board, supplies, and personal expenses, the cost of attendance is approximately $81,000 per year.
11. Is there any preference for New York residents?
The school does not differentiate students based on their residency, whether for the fees or the admission.
12. Is housing guaranteed for all students?
Students enrolled in full-time MD and MD/PhD programs are guaranteed housing. MD students will usually be allotted the Jane B. Aron Residence hall, a student housing just across the street from the school.
13. If I get regular admission into ISMMS, can I proceed to apply for MSTP (MD/PhD program) in the second year?
Although most MSTP students apply for the program right from the start, you can still apply for the program in your second year of medical school.
14. What diversity initiatives and programs are available at ISMMS?
ISMMS promotes and supports diversity and inclusion in clinical and community service, educational research, and community collaboration settings. The school's diversity center is the Patricia S. Levinson Center for Multicultural and Community Affairs (CMCA). The primary mission of CMCA is to remove health disparities with integrative, pioneering and harmonized strategies in the community and aspects like education, research, and clinical care. CMCA's goal is to enhance population health through workplace diversification and intervention measures in health policy and research.
15. Can an international student apply to the MD program?
The school accepts applications from international students. Candidates who got their undergraduate degrees in the US will be subjected to similar processes as US citizens. The school requires a WES (World Education Services) from students who got their undergraduate degrees overseas. Alternatively, there will be a course-by-course evaluation of the transcript forwarded directly to the admissions office. It is advisable to take some coursework in the United States, whether post-baccalaureate or graduate-level coursework.
16. What is the average MCAT and GPA of accepted students?
The average MCAT score is 519, while the average GPA is 3.87.
17. What is the interview format?
Interviews at ISMMS takes the semi-structured conventional interview format. Applicants will have two 30-minute interviews with the admissions committee.
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