Yale Medical School: How to Get In

Mission Statement

“Yale School of Medicine educates and nurtures creative leaders in medicine and science, promoting curiosity and critical inquiry in an inclusive environment enriched by diversity. We advance discovery and innovation fostered by partnerships across the University, our local community, and the world. We care for patients with compassion, and commit to improving the health of all people.” 

Admissions Statistics

Admission to Yale School of Medicine is highly competitive. In recent years, the admission stats were as follows:

Overall Acceptance Rate: 1.64%

In-state Acceptance Rate: 2.72%

Out-of-state Acceptance Rate: 1.51%

International Acceptance Rate: 2.82%

Median GPA: 3.95

Median MCAT: 522

Yale overall acceptance rate:

Eligibility

Yale School of Medicine accepts both in-state and out-of-state applicants, as well as international applicants. Yale medical school is one of the Canadian-friendly US medical schools. However, all the medical school prerequisites must be completed at a university in the USA, UK, or Canada.

Selection Factors

MCAT and GPA

Your MCAT score is mandatory for admission to Yale. Your application will NOT be reviewed until your MCAT scores have been received. The average MCAT score of previous years’ matriculants was 522.

Yale states that the admissions process is “holistic and contextual” in its approach, and that they do not have any “rigid ‘cut-offs’” in terms of who they will consider. However, since the median GPA of applicants is 3.95, obtaining a good GPA is crucial for your success in applying to Ivy League medical schools like Yale with very high academic standards.

If you do have a slightly lower GPA (i.e. you struggled in first year before bringing up your marks) make sure to include that in your application materials. Yale may still consider you, especially if there are extenuating circumstances. 

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Coursework and Prerequisites

Yale School of Medicine does not prefer any particular undergraduate major. However, they remind applicants that successful med students must be comfortable with Chemistry and Biology at the graduate level. Obtaining a graduate degree or enrolling in graduate courses in your upper years could be a great way to stand out to Yale admissions. The following prerequisites are mandatory for all applicants:

• General Biology (with labs) – 2 semesters
• General Chemistry (with labs) – 2 semesters
• Organic Chemistry (with labs) – 1 semester
• Biochemistry (lab recommended, but not required) – 1 semester
• General Physics (with labs) – 2 semesters

While you will be considered with just these, to stand out make sure you have upper-level coursework in these fields as well.

Extracurriculars

Almost all (99%) of matriculants in recent years had some premedical research or lab experience at the time of entry, so any medical or research experience you have will make your application more competitive. It is especially important for MD/PhD applicants to demonstrate research experience to be considered for the dual program.

If you are looking to gain more quality research experience, make sure to draft a strong resume and research assistant cover letter.

Yale medical school states that all MD candidates must have the five following skills/attributes. You should consider these in all aspects of your application and always highlight how your previous experiences and extracurriculars reflects one or more of these skills:

Personal Statement

Writing a personal statement for Yale Medical School requires you to showcase your unique skills and abilities. Begin with a compelling introduction that captures your interest in medicine and your specific attraction to Yale's program, with examples from their curriculum or research centers. Highlight key experiences, in particular research and clinical skills, that have shaped your decision to become a physician. Discuss any challenges you have overcome and what you have learned from these experiences, especially if there are any potential flaws in your application. Conclude with a strong statement of your goals in medicine and how Yale's program specifically will help you achieve them.

Secondary Essay

You will be asked to write two medical school secondary essays. To prepare, you should familiarize yourself with some Yale medical school secondary essay samples. After the essay section, you will be given space to provide any additional information you wish the admissions committee to know about you.

Letters of Reference

A Premedical Committee letter is recommended for all MD and MD/PhD applicants. If no Premedical Committee is available, applicants must submit at least three medical school recommendation letters. Although the minimum number of letters is three, you may submit up to seven if you wish. The letters should meet the following criteria:

• At least one letter from someone in the sciences is recommended, although not required.
• Referees should be individuals who have taught or worked with you in an educational, professional, clinical, community, research, or extracurricular setting.
• Referees should know you well and be able to speak of your abilities, experiences, achievements, and relevant personal characteristics.
• Use the five listed desired skills/attributes above as a starting point. Make sure your letter writers can speak to one or more of these attributes and that every attribute is covered explicitly by at least one letter writer.

For MD/PhD Applicants: Letters of reference should speak to your research potential. One of your letters must be from your most recent research mentor.

Check out how to get into an Ivy League medical school:

Interview Format

The interview format used by Yale School of Medicine is one-on-one, open-file interviews, which means that you need to know your application through-and-through in order to be prepared.

All Yale interviews are conducted virtually. You will be sent interview invites on a rolling basis between September and February.



Whether you are an MD or MD/PhD applicant, you should set aside time to learn how to prepare for your medical school interview, as practicing for the interview will help you develop greater confidence and effective strategies. This is especially important because Yale uses rolling admissions so you need to prepare early for your interview and think carefully about when to schedule your interview time. You should also familiarize yourself with some Yale medical school interview questions.

Check out our video if you are planning to apply to Ivy League medical schools:

Acceptance and Waitlist Information

Applicants are usually informed of admissions decisions by March 15th. Approximately 200 applicants are offered positions on the waitlist during the admissions cycle each year. Approximately 30 students get into Yale School of Medicine from the waitlist.

If offered a position on the waitlist, students must confirm their position by April 30th. They will start to be considered for admission after May 1st.

Application Timeline

The standard application timeline is as follows:

Tuition and Financial Aid 

The medical school tuition fees at Yale School of Medicine are $71,389 USD per year. With the inclusion of additional mandatory fees, the total cost is approximately $106,677 USD per year.

The Average Graduate Indebtedness of Yale graduates is $113,254 USD. 

Funding Opportunities

For those wondering how to pay for medical school, there are two main sources: financial aid, and loans. 

Financial Aid

Approximately 81% of students attending Yale School of Medicine receive some form of aid.

If you wish to be considered for aid, you will submit both a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Yale School of Medicine aid application. You must also submit a Needs Analysis Application that covers your current financial situation.

Scholarship opportunities that are available include special funding for MD/PhD students, the Armed Forces Scholarship, the National Health Services Corps Scholarship, and the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship.

Loans

There are several borrowing options available to you from federal loans to loans for disadvantaged students. Yale provides a detailed breakdown of each type of loan on their website.

Residency Match Rates

Yale has one of the highest residency match rates of any medical school. The Yale match rate is regularly above 90% with students applying for competitive residencies. Many students enter directly into the Yale New Haven Medical Centre programs, with other people programs for Yale students being Harvard-affiliated hospitals as well as University of California hospitals. Internal medicine and psychiatry were the two specialties with the greatest number of matches.

Available Programs

Academic Curriculum

MD Curriculum

Yale's medical school operates based on semesters. For three semesters, the Basic & Clinical Science Curriculum includes 8 Master Courses, 3 Longitudinal Courses, and 9 Longitudinal Threads.

Integrated Clinical Clerkships begin in January of your 2nd year, and are organized into 12-week blocks around key themes.

The final 17 months of the program give you more flexibility and opportunities for pursuing your own interests through clinical electives, research, and thesis completion. 

Campus and Faculty

The Yale School of Medicine is part of Yale University's vibrant and historic campus. The area is well-served by public transit, including the New Haven Union Station, which is a major hub for Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad, providing convenient access to New York City and Boston.

The proximity to Yale New Haven Hospital allows you to transition easily from classroom to clinical setting.

Yale’s setting is perfect for you if you want a more traditional small-town college feel but also proximity to many larger urban centers.

Affiliated Teaching Hospitals

Yale School of Medicine is affiliated with several prestigious teaching hospitals:

1. Yale New Haven Hospital: The primary teaching hospital for Yale School of Medicine, YNHH is one of the largest hospitals in the country and offers comprehensive care in a wide range of specialties. It includes specialized centers such as the Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale New Haven Children's Hospital.
2. VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven Campus: This facility provides healthcare services to veterans and serves as an important site for clinical training in various medical disciplines, particularly in primary care and geriatrics.
3. Bridgeport Hospital: A member of the Yale New Haven Health System, Bridgeport Hospital offers extensive training in areas such as emergency medicine, internal medicine, and surgery.
4. Greenwich Hospital: Another member of the Yale New Haven Health System, Greenwich Hospital provides a community hospital setting for training in family medicine, pediatrics, and other specialties.
5. Griffin Hospital: Located in Derby, Connecticut, Griffin Hospital is known for its patient-centered care and serves as a teaching site for Yale medical students, particularly in the primary care disciplines.

Many Yale students match into one of these hospitals for their residencies. Expressing interest in one of these hospitals in your application or interview is a great way to show that you’ve done your research!

Research Fields

The Yale School of Medicine is renowned for its extensive and innovative research across a variety of medical and scientific disciplines. Some of the main research areas at Yale include:

Even if you are not planning on doing an MD/PhD it can be useful to familiarize yourself with one or more of these research areas. You can bring this up during an interview to show your knowledge of the school.

Notable Faculty

The Yale School of Medicine has an impressive, including Nobel Prize winners and renowned researchers. This includes Dr. James Rothman, awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2013, for his work on the molecular mechanisms of vesicle trafficking and Dr. Sydney Brenner, Nobel laureate in 2002, who made significant contributions to genetics and molecular biology.

Contact Information

Website: https://medicine.yale.edu/education/admissions/

Email: [email protected]

FAQs

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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