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In this article, we’ll help you learn Drexel University College of Medicine’s application requirements, timeline, interview process, and more to get in this cycle.
If you’re just here for the requirements, click here.
Drexel University College of Medicine’s acceptance rate is 1.84%. In the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, Drexel University College of Medicine received 16,547 verified applications and 305 matriculants, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Applicants and Matriculants Data database, an official resource that reports general admissions data.
The table below shows how Drexel University College of Medicine’s acceptance rate has fluctuated over the past four admissions cycles, which can help you understand how competitive the admissions landscape has evolved.
Drexel University College of Medicine consistently maintains an exceptionally low acceptance rate, averaging 1.90% across four admission cycles, which corresponds to an average rejection rate of 98.10%. This means that roughly 98 out of every 100 applicants are not admitted to the MD program, making it one of the most selective medical schools in the nation.
It’s extremely difficult to get into Drexel University College of Medicine. In the 2025-2026 application cycle, Drexel University College of Medicine accepted only 1.84% of applicants, meaning 98.16% of students were rejected. Your odds of matriculating to Drexel University College of Medicine are fewer than 2 in 100.
We created the Drexel University College of Medicine Admissions Difficulty Scale by comparing acceptance rates and overall selectivity across all accredited U.S. medical schools.
The median MCAT score of matriculants at Drexel University College of Medicine is 512, and there is no official minimum score requirement.
The table below highlights MCAT section scores for 2024-2025 matriculants at Drexel University College of Medicine, to help you understand what score to aim for:
The table below highlights MCAT score percentiles for 2024-2025 matriculants at Drexel University College of Medicine:
For the table above, we’ve used the most recent MSAR data available.
According to the AAMC, the national average MCAT score of medical school matriculants is 512.1 for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle. Drexel University College of Medicine’s matriculant MCAT average is 512.4, which is only 0.3 points higher than the national average.
Based on these averages, you should aim for an MCAT score at least 1 point above the national average to be considered competitive for admission, which is highly achievable with a proper study plan and multiple practice tests.
The median GPA of Drexel University College of Medicine matriculants in the 2024-2025 admissions cycle was 3.82. There is no official minimum GPA requirement.
Here is a table showing Drexel University College of Medicine’s range of GPA percentiles of the 2024-2025 matriculants:
The national average GPA for medical school matriculants is 3.81, per the AAMC's 2024-2025 data, placing it 0.04 points above Drexel University College of Medicine's matriculant average of 3.77.
The median science GPA of matriculants at Drexel University College of Medicine is 3.77, with no minimum science GPA requirement.
The table below shows the full range of science GPA percentiles of matriculants at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Here are the MD program requirements to gain admission to Drexel University College of Medicine.
Drexel University College of Medicine shifted away from mandating specific prerequisite courses for premedical students and now focuses on skills-based guidelines. The school uses a framework of academic competencies that students demonstrate through various courses. It strongly recommends that applicants demonstrate proficiency in the core subject areas shown in the table below.
Drexel University College of Medicine’s secondary application includes three essay prompts that allow applicants to express their motivations and alignment with the College of Medicine’s mission. These secondary essay prompts include:
1. Tell us about yourself and why you feel like you may be a good fit for Drexel University College of Medicine.
Sample Answer:
Growing up in a medically underserved community in North Philadelphia, I watched my neighbors navigate a fragmented healthcare system that seemed designed to fail them — long waits, language barriers, and physicians who had little time to listen. That experience pushed me toward medicine not as a career, but as a calling rooted in equity. During my undergraduate years at Drexel University, I volunteered at the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services clinic, where I saw firsthand how an integrated, community-embedded model of care could transform patient outcomes. That clinic — operated by Drexel — became the lens through which I understood what medicine could be when it prioritizes the whole person.
Drexel's dual-degree pathway and its emphasis on urban medicine and social determinants of health align precisely with the physician I am working to become. I am particularly drawn to the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (IHS) curriculum, which brings together students from nursing, public health, and medicine from the very first year. I believe this training model will make me a more collaborative and effective clinician — one who understands that healing a patient requires understanding their home, their community, and their circumstances. Drexel's location in Philadelphia, a city with some of the nation's starkest health disparities, means that from day one, the classroom will never be isolated from real-world urgency.
My research experience in social epidemiology, combined with clinical hours in safety-net settings, has prepared me for the rigorous but mission-driven environment Drexel cultivates. I am not looking for a medical school that will simply train me to diagnose and treat; I am looking for one that will shape me into a physician-advocate. Drexel's explicit commitment to producing doctors who serve diverse and underserved populations is not an add-on to its mission — it is the mission. That is why I am not just applying to Drexel; I am genuinely excited by the prospect of becoming part of this community.
Why this essay works: This secondary essay response begins with a single, specific personal narrative that immediately establishes authentic motivation for Drexel University College of Medicine. The writer refers to specific programs at Drexel University College of Medicine, which signals genuine research into the school. Each paragraph builds onto the other with personal origin, alignment with Drexel University College of Medicine's specific program offerings, and then a forward-looking synthesis, so the reader sees both who the applicant is and why Drexel University College of Medicine is the right fit for them, not just any medical school.
2. We recognize that each applicant’s journey is unique. If there were any extenuating circumstances that limited your involvement in service, academic, or other preparatory experiences — including MCAT preparation/taking — please share them here. If none, simply type “N/A” in the response area.
Sample Answer:
During the spring semester of my junior year, my mother was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer, and I became her primary caregiver while maintaining my full-time coursework. Over the following eight months, I coordinated her chemotherapy appointments, managed her medications, communicated with her care team, and handled household responsibilities while my father worked night shifts. As a result, I withdrew from two extracurricular commitments — my position as a medical scribe and my leadership role in a campus health education program — and my MCAT preparation, which had been scheduled for that summer, was postponed by nearly a year. My GPA dipped slightly in two courses during that period, though I was able to salvage my overall standing through strong performance in subsequent semesters.
This experience was not without its gifts. Living inside the healthcare system as a family member — navigating insurance denials, watching my mother's oncologist take the time to draw diagrams and explain her treatment options in plain language, sitting beside her during infusions — gave me a depth of perspective that no clinical volunteering experience could have replicated. I emerged with a clearer, more grounded understanding of what patients and families actually need from their physicians: not just competence, but presence, patience, and honest communication. My MCAT score, ultimately taken in the spring of the following year after a condensed but focused preparation period, does not fully reflect what I am capable of when circumstances are stable — but I believe my trajectory since then does.
I share this not to excuse any gaps in my application, but to provide the context that makes my timeline make sense. I am proud of how I managed an extraordinarily difficult period while keeping my commitment to medicine intact. My mother is now in remission, and I carry her experience — and those of every patient I have encountered since — into every aspect of my preparation for medical school.
Why this essay works: This secondary essay response is honest and specific without being self-pitying. The applicant clearly names the circumstance they struggled with, explains the impact on their application, and then pivots to the insight and growth that they learned through their hardship. The essay avoids vague language and instead gives the reader enough detail to genuinely understand the complete timeline before submitting their application. The essay ends with agency and forward momentum rather than leaving the reader with a sense of ongoing limitation.
3. If you have applied to medical school before, reflect on any meaningful experiences, growth, or updates that you feel have enhanced your application since the last time you applied. If this is your first application cycle, simply type “N/A” in the response area.
Sample Answer:
When I received my last round of interview waitlist notifications without an acceptance, I spent several weeks sitting with genuine disappointment before doing the harder work of honest self-assessment. I asked myself what I would tell a close friend who had received the same outcome, and the answer surprised me: I would have told them their application was too thin on clinical depth and too narrow in scope. I had strong research credentials and a compelling narrative, but my direct patient care hours were limited, and my personal statement, in retrospect, leaned too heavily on intellectual interest without grounding it sufficiently in human connection. I took that diagnosis seriously.
Over the past year, I significantly expanded my clinical presence. I accepted a position as a medical assistant at a federally qualified health center in West Philadelphia — not far from Drexel's own campus — where I now have over 800 additional hours of direct patient care, including work with patients managing chronic illness, substance use disorder, and housing instability. This environment challenged me to grow in ways a research lab never could; I learned how to meet patients with compassion during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and I learned to hold space for complexity without needing to resolve it. I also retook the MCAT, improving my score by four points after a more disciplined and structured preparation process.
Perhaps most importantly, I have grown in my conviction. A year ago, I was choosing medicine because I believed I would be good at it. Today, I am choosing medicine because I cannot imagine a life that does not center on caring for others — and because the past year, difficult as it has been, has only deepened that certainty. Drexel's commitment to community-centered, equity-focused medicine resonates even more strongly with me now than it did during my first application cycle, and I am confident that I am bringing a more complete, more grounded version of myself to this process.
Why this essay works: This secondary essay response demonstrates the rarest and most valuable quality in a reapplicant essay: genuine self-awareness without defensiveness. The applicant names a specific, honest weakness from their prior application, shows clear and measurable steps taken to address it, and closes with a reflection that demonstrates emotional and intellectual maturity. The Drexel University College of Medicine tie-in at the end is natural rather than forced, and the overall narrative gives the reader a clear sense of a candidate who has used adversity productively.
In the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, all Drexel University College of Medicine interviews took place remotely. Drexel University College of Medicine has not yet stated the interview format for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle, but interviews will likely be conducted remotely. Candidates will receive details about the remote interview format after receiving an interview invitation and confirming their interview time.
Candidates chosen to interview will get a notification via email from the Admissions Office. Once they've completed the competency grid, they can book their interview slot via the web-based scheduling platform. The interview period runs from September to April. An interview is mandatory for acceptance with no exceptions.
The Drexel University College of Medicine interview rate is approximately 9.06%, according to the MSAR. In the 2024-2025 application cycle, Drexel University College of Medicine received 15,654 total applicants and invited 1,419 to interview.
Only 303 students matriculated from the 1,419 invited to an interview, suggesting that, on average, more than 1 in 5 students who were interviewed received an offer of admission. That means if you receive an interview offer, you must prepare to speak about your nontraditional background and how it adds diversity to Drexel University College of Medicine’s community.
Follow these tips to improve your chances of gaining admission to Drexel University College of Medicine.
Your AMCAS essay is a great place to showcase leadership abilities, community involvement, and clinical exposure, key qualities that distinguish strong candidates at Drexel University College of Medicine. The AMCAS essay is where admissions reviewers learn about you beyond your academic record.
Drexel University College of Medicine values leadership, community service, and clinical experience. You should highlight these experiences in your AMCAS essay and use specific examples that reinforce your overarching application narrative.
Inspira Advantage recently hosted a webinar on What You Need to Know About Gaining Clinical Experience for Med School. In the webinar, Dr. Andrew Warburton, a graduate of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, an expert counselor at Inspira Advantage, and a successful founder of a medical technology startup, provides advice to incoming applicants.
“You can really start to show leadership and initiative through clinical experiences,” he says. “That actually changes a lot of the aspects of both your application and how medical schools will view the application itself, because it shows that you're a leader, and it shows that you're not just doing it for the hours."
Dr. Warburton suggests that clinical experiences can demonstrate impactful leadership qualities, especially if applicants show that they’re not just there to collect arbitrary hours. He suggests that, rather than simply listing activities, applicants should demonstrate how they've grown as leaders and how those experiences have shaped their path to medicine.
Most premedical students have around 550 hours of community service when they apply to medical school, so surpassing this benchmark can demonstrate exceptional dedication to serving others, as long as your experiences were meaningful.
Inspira Advantage also spoke with Dr. Bima Hasjim in the Pre-Med 101: How to Get Accepted to Your Dream Med School webinar. Dr. Hasjim is a general surgery resident at UC Irvine, an expert application advisor at Inspira Advantage, and a former admissions officer with over 10 years of experience conducting interviews and reviewing applications.
"One of the most common questions that we get is, ‘What is considered clinical exposure?’” he says. “The rule of thumb is that if you are interacting with patients, assisting with the physical exam, or helping them walk around the clinic, that counts as clinical exposure. If you are just checking a patient in or doing administrative tasks within a clinic, that's not the clinical exposure that schools will be looking for.”
Dr. Hasjim reinforces that clinical exposure can be as simple as supporting the doctor during the physical examination or helping a patient walk down a hallway. If you’re unsure if your experience truly counts as clinical exposure, ask your supervisor if you can take on more hands-on responsibilities, as this is what Drexel University College of Medicine values.
In the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, 22% of Drexel applicants were non-science or non-math majors, according to the AAMC. This means nearly 1 in 5 candidates brought non-traditional perspectives, helping them stand out among other applicants.
In Inspira Advantage’s How to Get Into Med School as a Non-Traditional Applicant webinar, Dr. Jennifer Talbot provides valuable advice for non-traditional medical school applicants. Dr. Talbot is an MD graduate of the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and a resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University who has mentored dozens of pre-medical students. In the webinar, she says:
"Those experiences that maybe aren't directly related to medicine and science that you might not feel like including are going to be what help you stand out the most from the crowd and are really going to give you those skills that are going to make you successful as a physician. Definitely include them, be proud of them, be proud of the path that you took to get here, and just know that all of those rich life experiences are really going to set you up for success later."
Dr. Talbot emphasizes the importance of non-traditional backgrounds. Drexel University College of Medicine explicitly states that it encourages non-traditional applicants, so use this to the fullest advantage. Find every opportunity to highlight your unique perspective, whether that be in the AMCAS essay, interview, or secondary application.
Drexel University College of Medicine identifies eight scientific competencies and nine personal competencies that applicants should exhibit. While not strict requirements, addressing these competencies strengthens your application and demonstrates you're well-prepared for medical school.
The lists below present the core competencies, as outlined in the Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians, authored by the HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) and the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges).
Scientific Competencies:
Personal Competencies:
Don't simply list competencies or mention them superficially. Instead, choose one meaningful experience that demonstrates each competency and incorporate it naturally into your AMCAS essay, interview responses, or secondary essays.
Strategically address each competency somewhere across your complete application materials for the best chance of admission.
To help you stand out as a competitive Drexel University College of Medicine applicant, consider expert medical school admissions consulting with Inspira Advantage. Our team includes former admissions officers who understand exactly what Drexel University College of Medicine is looking for in prospective students.
Here are the five MD programs offered at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Drexel University College of Medicine’s tuition for first-year students is $73,880, with no difference between in-state and out-of-state students, for the 2025-2026 academic year.
When factoring in additional costs such as health insurance, student association fees, instruments, and transportation, the estimated cost of attendance rises to about $110,939 for the first year.
The total estimated cost for four years at Drexel University College of Medicine is $451,718.
This breaks down as:
This total includes tuition, fees, living expenses (room and board), health insurance, books and supplies, exam fees, and other associated costs, such as residency interviews in the fourth year.
Drexel University College of Medicine offers nine scholarship opportunities. To be eligible for scholarship consideration, you need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April for the current school year and a separate application profile.
Here is Drexel University College of Medicine’s 2025-2026 application timeline.
Drexel University College of Medicine only accepts international applications from graduates of Drexel University. Drexel University College of Medicine will not accept any applications from international applicants who received their undergraduate degree at any other institution.
Yes, all applicants must complete the Casper test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics). Drexel University College of Medicine only requires Casper and not Snapshot or Duet. Results are valid for one admissions cycle only.
No. Drexel University College of Medicine has shifted from requiring specific prerequisite courses to a competency-based approach. Instead of mandating specific classes, they ask applicants to demonstrate proficiency in key areas such as biological, chemical, and physical sciences; laboratory skills; statistical analysis; communication; social/behavioral understanding; community engagement; and clinical exposure.
Drexel University College of Medicine requires a minimum of three and a maximum of four letters of recommendation. They prefer a committee letter if your school offers one, but also accept individual letters from people who can provide objective evaluations and with whom you've had a recent professional relationship.
You cannot choose your campus when you apply to Drexel University College of Medicine. Campus preference is requested only after you accept your offer of admission. Drexel University College of Medicine makes every effort to assign students to their first-choice campus, but it's not always possible. Campus assignments are released after March 30 for students admitted before that date. If you're not assigned to your preferred campus, you can submit a reassignment request by the second Monday in May.
Yes. Beginning with the 2025-2026 AMCAS application cycle, Drexel University College of Medicine incorporates artificial intelligence into its admissions process to assist in initial application screening. However, AI is used alongside human reviewers and does not replace human judgment. All final screening decisions are made by admissions personnel. Every completed application receives both AI-assisted and human review, according to the school.
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Reviewed by:
Neurologist, Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
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