ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Academic excellence indicated through coursework and MCAT scores is very important for the study of medicine. However, evidence of compassion, service, integrity, cooperation, motivation and strength of character are equally important. The Committee on Admission looks for these qualities in deeds as well as words. Experience in leadership, healthcare, research, community service and other enriching activities are scrutinized, as are letters of recommendation and personal comments.
  
  
• At the time of application, applicants must have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours at an accredited American or Canadian college or university prior to matriculation. Transfer coursework from foreign schools is not acceptable. Online coursework is not acceptable.
  
  
• Applicants must be U.S. or Canadian citizens or current U.S. Permanent Residents. (If neither status applies to you, please refer to the International Medicine Program)
  
  
• Applicants must have completed 6 credits of English as well as 6 credits of lecture and 2 credits of lab in each of the following sciences at an accredited American or Canadian college or university prior to matriculation: Biology (botany or biochemistry courses do not fulfill this requirement), General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physics. Last year's entering class averaged an overall GPA of 3.64.
  
  
• Applicants must take The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) by September and release their scores to The George Washington University Admissions Office. (MCAT registration packets can be requested from: MCAT Program Office, P.O. Box 4056, Iowa City, IA, 52243.) NO MCAT SCORES PRIOR TO APRIL WILL BE ACCEPTED. Last year's entering class averaged a 9.7 in Physical Sciences, a 10.2 in Biological Sciences, a 9.6 in Verbal Reasoning, and a P on the written essay.
  
  

• The faculty of The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences consider it essential for all medical graduates to have the knowledge and skill to function in a variety of clinical situations and to provide a wide spectrum of patient care as required by the curriculum. Therefore, every medical student must master a common body of basic science knowledge and master the principles, knowledge, and procedures of the major required clinical specialty clerkships, including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and primary (ambulatory) care medicine. This requires that every student have sufficient capacities and abilities in:

  • Communication
  • Observation
  • Motor/tactile function
  • Emotions/Intellect

  The MD degree is, thus, an undifferentiated degree requiring that each student independently demonstrate these capabilities. Surrogates cannot be used to accomplish the essential requirements. Students may not have undue dependence on technology or trained intermediaries.

  Communication includes the ability to speak, hear, read, and write sufficiently to achieve adequate exchange of information with other healthcare professionals and patients and their support network.

  Observation includes the ability to perceive, using senses and mental abilities, the presentation of information through lectures, small groups and one-to-one interactions, and written and audiovisual materials. Students must be able to directly observe a patient’s medical condition. Other examples of use of perceptual abilities include, but are not limited to: gross and microscopic studies of organisms, cadaver dissections, and various diagnostic studies (including, but not limited to: interpreting electrocardiograms, chest x rays, mental status examinations, and auscultatory findings.)

  Motor function includes the ability to perform physical examinations, basic laboratory, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures. These procedures include, but are not limited to: urinalysis, airway management, insertion of nasogastric tubes and urinary catheters, pelvic and rectal examinations, obstetrical maneuvers, suturing, venipuncture, and arterial blood draws.

  Emotional and higher level-intellectual abilities must be demonstrated. These include aptitude for rapid problem solving; rational thought; visual-spatial comprehension; understanding, synthesizing and recalling materials; interpreting results of patient interactions, examinations and procedures; and ability to formulate diagnostic and treatment plans. Students must have the ability for sound judgment and be able to function under physically taxing and stressful situations such as overnight call and lengthy working hours.

  Reasonable accommodations will be made for applicants with disabilities who can meet the requirements noted above. These accommodations must be accomplished without altering the essential requirements of our medical education.

  
  
• The application process is very competitive, as there are approximately 10,000 applicants for 177 seats. Because interviews and acceptances are offered as applications and letters of recommendation are received and processed, we strongly urge you to complete your file as early as possible. Please review the following information carefully so that you will not experience delays in the processing of your application.

COMPLETE THE AMCAS APPLICATION

• Applicants must complete an on-line application from the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and submit via the AMCAS web site by December 1,2009. For more information, AMCAS can be contacted at 2450 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037-1123 or (202) 828-0600 or www.aamc.org/students.
   

• Visit AspiringDocs.org, the new AAMC Web site and campaign to increase diversity in medicine.

COMPLETE THE GW MEDICAL SCHOOL SECONDARY APPLICATION

• After the GW Admissions Office receives the on-line application via AMCAS, the office will provide each applicant with a secondary application and information about the school. Applicants must return the completed secondary application and the $125 application fee to the Admissions office no later than January 1, . Applicants are advised to complete the secondary application early, as files are not processed until after we receive a completed and signed application AND the $125 application fee.

SUBMIT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

• To complete their file, applicants are required to submit either

          A Pre-Health or Pre-Medical Committee Letter (required if available to you)
              OR
         Three individuals letters (with a maximum of 5), at least one of which must be from     
            science faculty familiar with your academic work.

• GW participates in the AMCAS letter service. All letters of recommendation must be submitted to AMCAS, which then electronically forwards the letters to the participating medical schools. For full information, please see the AMCAS application site at www.amcas.org. All letters of recommendation MUST come through the AMCAS letters system. Please DO NOT send letters directly to our office.
   
• Your file will be considered complete when all of the letters designated in the AMCAS System are marked as complete. If you submit additional letters after your file is complete, they will be included in the review of your file ONLY if your file has not been reviewed.
   
• A letter of good standing is also required from all graduate programs attended. If you are in a post-baccalaureate program, we require a composite letter from the program advisor or director.
   
• Inform your recommenders that letters of recommendation should be postmarked by
  January 1 2010.
  
  
  

INTERVIEWS, IF OFFERED

• Each year the Admissions Office offers approximately 1,000 interviews (via written notification) to selected applicants. These interviews are "blind" (the interviewers do not read the applicant's file prior to the interview). Although we only offer interviews from September to March, acceptances into the class may be offered anytime after the initial interview up until the day before classes start in August. All final decisions will be mailed to those interviewed.

CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE

• All accepts to the MD program will receive a contract to sign and return immediately to initially hold the seat.
  
  
• All acceptances are contingent upon satisfactory completion of all future course work, including premedical requirements. If you are in a degree program, you must complete the program. A grade of “D” or below will result in a re-evaluation of the application. If you have made changes in the selection of courses after filing your AMCAS application, please notify the Admissions Office in writing. The Admissions Office should also be notified of any decision to take a course for credit/no credit, pass/fail, audit, take courses at a school other than the one indicated on the AMCAS application or of a decision to graduate early or enroll as a part-time student.
  
  
• AMCAS does not forward transcripts. Before you matriculate, you must have official transcripts sent to the Admissions Office from each college or university you have attended. Student copies are not acceptable. These transcripts will become an official part of your permanent medical school record and will be used for verification purposes after you graduate.
  
  
• If you are the recipient of any institutional disciplinary or legal action, it is your responsibility to inform the Admissions Office immediately.
  
  
• A $100 deposit is due between May 1 and May 15.
  
  
• Applicants are permitted to hold only one medical school position after May 15. AMCAS will report to the medical schools which acceptances you are holding.
   
• All accepted students will be subject to a criminal background check through the AAMC criminal background check service.

Failure to meet these Conditions of Acceptance may result in withdrawal of your acceptance.