Wake Forest School of Medicine is one of four medical schools in North Carolina. Located in downtown Winston-Salem, Wake Forest School of Medicine is just three miles shy of the main Wake Forest University campus. The primary location of the MD program is in the Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education, a $50 million state-of-the-art medical facility,. Learn everything there is to know about its requirements, statistics, and how to get into Wake Forest School of Medicine to boost your chances for admission.
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Mission Statement
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s mission is to improve the health of our region, state, and nation by:
- Generating and translating knowledge to prevent, diagnose and treat disease.
- Training leaders in healthcare and biomedical science.
- Serving as the premier health system in our region, with specific centers of excellence recognized as national and international care destinations.
Available Programs
In terms of medical programs, Wake Forest School of Medicine offers the traditional Doctor of Medicine Degree (MD) and three other combined degrees, including MD/Ph.D., MD/MS, and MD/MA. Any students interested in the MA or MS programs must apply to these programs during their second year of medical studies.
Recap of admission stats, available programs, and interview formats at Wake Forest
Academic Curriculum
The Wake Forest School of Medicine MD Program offers a specific curriculum known as “Wake Ready!” known for taking a more individualized approach to standard medical schooling. Rather than following a traditional curriculum that includes two years of preclinical and two years of clinical curriculum, a more flexible program allows students to explore areas of their interest.
The “Wake Ready!” curriculum is broken into three primary phases that include Foundations (preclinical), Immersion (clinical), and Individualization (clinical).
Phase 1 - Foundations (Preclinical)
The first phase of the “Wake Ready!” curriculum is known as Foundations and lasts 18 months. During this preclinical period, medical students learn the foundations of science as needed for practicing medicine. Foundations are developed of the following sciences:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Embryology
- Histology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Pathology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Public health sciences
Phase 2 - Immersion (Clinical)
The second phase of “Wake Ready!” is known as Immersion and follows a 12-month calendar cycle. This clinical phase involves the development and demonstration of competencies in Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for residency programs. Core clerkships include:
- Emergency medicine
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- OB-GYN
- Psychiatry
- Neurology
- Pediatrics
Phase 3 - Individualization (Clinical)
The third phase of “Wake Ready!” is called the Individualization phase, where the overall curriculum’s flexibility begins to take form. This phase lasts 13-months and includes required selective in Acting Internships and Critical Care with a variety of additional electives.
Application Timeline
Below is the general medical school application timeline of the Wake Forest School of Medicine application process. Since the Admissions department constantly updates this information, it is best recommended to check the exact dates and timelines prescribed directly through the school’s portal.
Admissions Statistics
Here is a look at the typical profile of the admissions cycle for Wake Forest School of Medicine:
Profile of the typical entering class includes:
- Overall acceptance rate = 1.57%
- In-state = 4.90%
- Out-of-state = 1.20%
- International = 0%
- Average total GPA = 3.76
- Average science GPA = 3.70
- Average MCAT = 513
Wake Forest Medical School Overall Acceptance Rate:
In order to for an application to be reviewed, all applicants must meet the following minimums:
- Science/Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math (BCPM) GPA = 3.70
- MCAT = 502
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for the Wake Forest School of Medicine MD Program, all applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. If you have completed any of your undergraduate or premedical recommended courses outside of the U.S. or Canada, you must complete equivocal coursework within the U.S. or Canada before applying.
In addition to limitations on international students, Wake Forest School of Medicine also does not accept applicants for transfer or transfer students to the MD Program.
Recommended Courses
Wake Forest School of Medicine does not have any specific coursework requirements. It is expected that all applicants can show that they have proper competencies in each content area demonstrated by their MCAT scores.
Any students who come from non-science majors are suggested to complete a wide variety of courses in the field to keep themselves a competitive candidate.
The Wake Forest School of Medicine Admissions department strongly recommends the following coursework for applicants:
Are you wondering why medical school prerequisites are important?
Tuition and Debt
The estimated average graduate indebtedness for Wake Forest School of Medicine is $197,299.
Annual Tuition and Fees
- In-state students: $61,200
- Out-of-state students: $61,200
Total Cost of Attendance
The total costs of attendance are approximate:
- In-state students: $88,600
- Out-of-state students: $88,600
Funding Opportunities
In addition to the federal loan programs available to Wake Forest School of Medicine students, several medical school scholarships and grants are available. 79% of the students attending Wake Forest School of Medicine receive some form of financial aid.
Wake Forest School of Medicine Dean’s Medical Excellence Scholarship
The Wake Forest School of Medicine Dean’s Medical Excellence Scholarship is offered to students who meet specifically satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and satisfactory professional conduct. With your submission of your secondary application, you will automatically be considered for this scholarship without needing to submit any additional information.
The Dean’s Medical Excellence Scholarship is renewable each year as long as you can uphold your satisfactory standards.
Need-Based Scholarships
In total, Wake Forest School of Medicine awards nearly 250 scholarships each year. An extensive list of the available scholarships is available in the Financial Aid Handbook. The deadline to submit applications for these need-based scholarships is March 15th.
Selection Factors
Since Wake Forest School of Medicine receives over 9,000 applications annually, with only 145 chosen to matriculate, many factors go into the selection process. In addition to academic and personal qualifications, Wake Forest School of Medicine also looks to individuals who exemplify the values of the school, including:
- Excellence
- Compassion
- Service
- Integrity
- Diversity
- Collegiality
- Innovation
All applications must be submitted through the AMCAS to be considered. With your applications, you must submit the following required documents:
- Transcripts
- Work experience
- Extracurricular activities
- Awards
- Letters of Evaluation (al due by December 14th)
- Personal comments essay
- MCAT exam scores
Letters of Evaluation
Letters of evaluation for Wake Forest School of Medicine follow the AMCAS letter service. You are able to submit a minimum of two letters and six letters through this service.
The Committee on Admissions (COA) prefers a committee letter but accepts individual letters as well. Should you decide to submit individual letters, it is highly recommended that at least one come from someone who can speak on behalf of your extra-curricular experiences, including research, clinical work, or volunteer work.
Letters of recommendation that do not meet these guidelines are considered unofficial and will not be used to evaluate an applicant’s file.
Check out our tips for how to secure medical school recommendation letters:
Personal Comments Essay
The personal comments essay of the Wake Forest School of Medicine application provide candidates with the opportunity to differentiate themselves from others with comparable academic achievements.
Interview Formats
Currently, the interview format for Wake Forest School of Medicine is the AAMC VITA. A practice test will become available through the AAMC beginning in mid-July. Following that, applicants will receive an email notification from the admissions office to schedule their virtual session. These invitations are sent on a rolling basis beginning in August through March.
In addition to the AAMC VITA, applicants will also be required to attend virtual sessions, in which they will be able to meet with faculty, staff, and students of Wake Forest School of Medicine to ask any questions they might have about the MD Program.
All applicants must complete their AAMC VITA and virtual sessions prior to having their application reviewed for final decision. Failure to do so will result in the applicant’s withdrawal from consideration.
Acceptance and Waitlist Information
The EDP acceptance offers are sent out beginning October 1st. Following that, regular acceptance offers begin going out October 15th through March 15th.
The Wake Forest School of Medicine’s incoming class is typically comprised of 40% of applicants who had initially been waitlisted. If you are initially waitlisted, do not be discouraged. On average, 111 acceptance offers are granted to applicants who fall on the waitlist.
The waitlist for Wake Forest School of Medicine moves as enrollment positions become available for the upcoming class. On a typical academic calendar year, waitlist acceptance happens after April 30th.
Contact Information
Wake Forest School of Medicine homepage
Wake Forest School of Medicine admissions website
Wake Forest School of Medicine MD Program homepage
FAQs
1. What is the overall acceptance rate?
The overall acceptance rate at Wake Forest School of Medicine is 1.57%, with in-state matriculants making up 4.90% and out-of-state making up 1.20%. Since Wake Forest School of Medicine does not accept international students, 0% of matriculants were from an international population.
2. What is the average GPA?
The average GPA for acceptance at Wake Forest School of Medicine 3.76, with an average science GPA of 3.70.
3. What is the average MCAT?
The average MCAT score for Wake Forest School of Medicine is 513. A breakdown of the average MCAT scores are as follows:
4. What is the interview format?
The current interview format for Wake Forest School of Medicine is a Video Interview Tool for Admissions (VITA), which is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
All applicants are also required to complete a virtual session, in which they will meet with faculty, staff, and students of Wake Forest School of Medicine. These virtual sessions are an excellent opportunity for applicants to ask questions they might have about the MD Program.
Failure to complete the AAMC VITA and virtual session in a timely manner will result in the withdrawal of an applicant’s application.
5. How should letters of recommendation be formatted?
All letters of recommendation, also referred to as letters of evaluation by Wake Forest School of Medicine Committee on Admissions, must be submitted through the AMCAS letter service. Applicants are required to submit a minimum of two letters with a maximum of six.
Committee letters are preferred, but individual letters will also be accepted. The Committee on Admissions highly recommends that any applicants submitting individual letters submit at least one from someone who can address extra-curricular experiences the applicant may have been involved with.
6. Is there a secondary application?
Yes, all verified students are sent a secondary applications. To be reviewed by the Committee on Admissions, applicants must have a minimum MCAT score of 502 and a 3.2 science/BCPM GPA.
7. What are the minimum academic requirements for applicants?
A minimum of 90 hours of college coursework is required in all applicants, including any advanced placement (AP), P/F courses, and the like. Any of these courses taken outside of the U.S. or Canada must be retaken within these countries before application.
A minimum science/BCPM GPA of 3.2 is also required for your application to be reviewed by admissions. If you do not meet this minimum GPA but have completed a minimum of 15 hours of post-baccalaureate or graduate science coursework with a 3.2 average, the Dean of Admissions.
8. What is the tuition cost?
The medical school tuition cost for both in-state and out-of-state students at Wake Forest School of Medicine is $61,200. With additional annual fees, including other fees and health insurance, the total cost of attendance is approximately $88,600 per year. The estimated average graduate indebtedness for Wake Forest School of Medicine is $197,299 upon completing the MD Program.
9. Does Wake Forest School of Medicine accept transfer students?
No. Wake Forest School of Medicine does not accept transfer students and also does not accept any applicants for transfer from the MD Program.
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