The Yale School of Medicine is prestigious, and getting in can be challenging. Follow along for everything you need to know about getting into Yale Medical School.
Let's review everything you need to know about how to get into the Yale School of Medicine. We’ve included a full list of programs offered, tuition and scholarships, how to write Yale Medical School essays, and more.
We know what committees want—our ex-admissions officers wrote the playbook.
The Yale School of Medicine also offers several dual-degree programs in collaboration with other Yale schools. For example, med students can achieve a dual MD/JD, MD/MBA, or MD/MDiv degree.
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Yale Medical School Requirements
Here are the Yale School of Medicine admissions requirements. It’s important to note that while you may meet all requirements, your application must be competitive for your best chance of acceptance.
Prerequisite Courses
The pre-medical education requirements for Yale Medical School are:
“Attendance for three academic years, or the equivalent, at an accredited college, university, or institute of technology.
Satisfactory completion of the following courses, including laboratory work:
General Biology or Zoology (2 semesters)
General Chemistry (2 semesters)
Organic Chemistry (1 semester)
Biochemistry (1 semester - laboratory recommended, but not required)
General Physics (2 semesters).”
You must complete your Yale Med School prerequisite courses at a U.S., U.K., or Canadian institution. AP courses don’t fulfill these requirements.
MCAT
Like most U.S. medical schools, Yale requires applicants to submit MCAT scores. The 2025-2026 admits had an average MCAT score of 520.5.
AMCAS Application
Yale’s application is the same one you send to all medical schools through the AMCAS website. After selecting Yale School of Medicine and submitting your application, you’ll be invited to complete a secondary application.
Secondary Application/Essays
All Yale MD and MD/PhD applicants are invited to complete a secondary application via email within two weeks of submitting their primary AMCAS application. This is the secondary essay portion of your application, where you’ll respond to two questions in an essay format.
Letters of Recommendation
Yale School of Medicine recommends submitting a recommendation from your school’s pre-medical committee. If your school doesn’t have one, you must submit three recommendation letters from individuals who are qualified to speak knowledgeably about your accomplishments and abilities.
At least one letter from a science professional is recommended. Students must send their letters through the AMCAS Letter Service.
Interview
Students with strong primary and secondary applications will be invited to interview at Yale. Interview invitations are sent via email. You should always send a thank-you note to your interviewer via email after your meeting.
Once you’ve completed these steps, all that’s left to do is wait to hear back from Yale. All applicants can expect to receive an admissions decision by mid-March and must respond by late April.
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Yale Medical School Admissions Statistics
Average MCAT
520.5
Average GPA
3.9
Number of Applications
6,597
Acceptance Rate
1.6%
Yale School of Medicine admissions statistics can help you see how you compare to admitted students. We’ve included Yale Medical School’s average GPA, MCAT score, and acceptance rate.
Yale Medical School Acceptance Rate
In the most recent admissions cycle, Yale received 6,597 applications, of which 104 matriculated and 2 deferred their acceptance. This puts the Yale Med acceptance rate at around 1.6%.
Please note that this is an approximate acceptance rate, and refers to the percentage of matriculants and deferred students compared to verified applications. Medical schools often don’t release data pertaining to accepted applicants and verified applications.
Here is some more data on Yale’s applicants:
Type of Student
Applied
Interviewed
In-State Students
216
16
Out-of-State Students
5891
572
International Students
490
61
Yale Medical School GPA
The Yale Medical School average GPA is 3.92. This data shows the GPA breakdown of admitted students:
10th Percentile GPA
Median GPA
90th Percentile GPA
Cumulative GPA
3.80
3.96
4.0
Science GPA
3.71
3.96
4.0
Yale Medical School MCAT Scores
The average Yale Medical School MCAT score is 520.5.
Less than 2 in 100 applicants make it to Yale—we'll guarantee you're 1 of them.
Yale Medical School Secondary Essays Prompts + Examples
Prompt #1:
“Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (500 words limit)”
How to answer: To give Yale a deeper understanding of who you are, use this secondary essay as an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective. As this prompt is a "diversity essay," consider the various aspects of your identity that make you stand out. This can include your ethnicity, culture, interests, background, and values.
Reflect on experiences from your past that have shaped your identity and choose one to focus on in your essay. Be authentic in your writing and avoid cliches. Additionally, make sure to connect your background to how it will contribute to your future as a physician and conclude your essay by highlighting how it makes you a suitable fit for the role.
“MD applicants: Please answer either one of the following questions
MD/PhD applicants: Please answer question 2 as it pertains to your proposed PhD research.
While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine. (500 words limit)
Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills, and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine. (500 words limit).”
How to answer number one:
To respond to the first prompt, which asks you to connect your experiences to the value of treating communities and populations, consider a specific experience from your past that had a significant impact on you.
Your topic could be a time when you volunteered, were part of an underserved community, or had a role as a representative. When selecting your topic, focus on a time when you learned something through a community experience that changed you.
Share your story from a position of growth, highlighting any challenges or mistakes you encountered but also how you learned and improved from them. Conclude by explaining how the experience has made you a better person and how it will contribute to your future as a physician.
How to answer number two:
Prompt two is targeted at MD/PhD applicants who are interested in medical research.
Use this opportunity to elaborate on any experiences that have sparked your interest in the field of medicine. Whether it was encountering an incurable disease, facing obstacles in research, or other experiences, highlight your passion for uncovering answers and understanding.
Keep in mind that you do not need to have specific experience in medical research to answer this prompt; think broadly about any experiences that have contributed to your growing passion for learning. Reflect on what answers you hope to uncover in the future and how your experiences and passions will make you an excellent doctor one day.
Most importantly, be genuine in your response and avoid writing what you think Yale wants to hear. This is the chance for Yale to get to know you, your motivations, and why your experiences and passions will make you a great fit for the program.
Prompt #2
Required Essay 1: "Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?"
Required Essay 2 (choose one):
Option 1: "While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine."
Option 2: "Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills, and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine."
Optional Essay: "This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application. If you are a recent graduate, please also list your post-graduation plans/activities in the 'Additional Information' section and submit any relevant updates for finalized plans/activities as the application year progresses. Please limit your response to 500 words."
Prompt #3
Required Essay 1: "Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?"
Required Essay 2 (choose one):
Option 1: "While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine."
Option 2: "Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills, and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine."
Optional Essay: "This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application. If you are a recent graduate, please also list your post-graduation plans/activities in the 'Additional Information' section and submit any relevant updates for finalized plans/activities as the application year progresses. Please limit your response to 500 words."
Prompt #4
Required Essay 1: "Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician?"
Required Essay 2 (choose one):
Option 1: "While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine."
Option 2: "Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills, and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine."
Optional Essay: "This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application. Please limit your response to 500 words."
Yale Medical School Secondary Essay Samples
Reading successful secondary essay examples can be a helpful tool when writing yours. With over 20 sample essays, our database can help you craft the perfect response.
Additionally, here are some examples of successful Yale essays to use as a writing guide.
Essay Prompt #1 Example
The first prompt asks the applicant to write a “diversity essay,” which intends to express how your unique point of view has shaped your current goals. Here’s an example of a successful medical school diversity essay.
“Being South Asian, I have firsthand knowledge of what it means not to access basic health care. As a child, my mother took me to Pakistan every year, where I spent summers with my grandfather, a top pediatrician in the nation. He had a free clinic attached to his home in Faisalabad, and his practice was so renowned and respected that people from all over the country would travel great distances to have my grandfather treat their children. Pakistan is a third-world country where a significant part of the population remains illiterate and uneducated due to the lack of resources and opportunities. This population is the most vulnerable, with extremely high numbers of infectious disease and mortality rates. Yet, it is entirely underserved. With the lack of hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices in rural Pakistan, parents of ailing children must travel great distances and wait in long lines to receive proper health care. Every summer at my grandfather’s clinic, from ages five to 17, my job was to open the doors to long lines of tired, hungry, and thirsty parents with their sick children. I would pass out bottled water and pieces of fruit. I would record names, where the patients came from, and the reasons for their visits. I would scurry back inside with the information for my grandfather to assess, and then he’d send me running back out again to let the next family inside. I learned in my formative years how to communicate with diverse patient populations with special needs and a lack of basic necessities. I learned to listen to every family’s unique reasons for their visit, and some of their desperation and pleading for the lives of their children will stay with me forever. When I get into medical school, I hope to share the story of how Gulzarah carried her dehydrated daughter for 12 miles in the Pakistani summer heat without rest (thanks to my grandfather, she later made a full recovery). I want to tell my peers that doctors like my grandfather are not only healers in biology but healers in the spirit by the way he made up heroic songs for the children and sang the fear out of their hearts. I want to show my peers that patients are unique individuals who have suffered and sacrificed to trust us with their health care, so we must honor their trust by providing quality treatment and empathy. My formative experiences in pediatrics contributed to my globally conscious mindset, and I look forward to sharing these diverse insights in my medical career.”
Why this essay works: The writer chose to focus mainly on their childhood experiences as their unique point of view.
They successfully describe how they first became passionate about medicine with their compelling stories of their grandfather’s practice. In the end, they include how they would like to use their unique point of view to contribute to the field of healthcare.
This writer has a moving story, and although not everyone has such a drastic connection to medicine, it’s important to recognize the three main points in this essay:
The writer describes their unique perspective.
The writer presents how their unique perspective lends itself to their interest in medicine.
The writer concludes by stating how their unique perspective will help them become a better physician.
When writing your essay, you should include those three main points to connect your story regardless of your subject.
This essay focuses on underserved communities, though you should keep in mind that your own essay should concentrate on the area of medicine and the community or population you are most passionate about.
“On Wednesdays, I was the only visitor for Jorge, an elderly patient in the AIDS and Tropical Disease Ward at Carlos III Hospital in Madrid. A native of Equatorial Guinea, Jorge had full blown AIDS and had been living in Spain illegally because, according to Jorge, his country lacked enough resources and trained doctors to provide an adequate level of treatment. Over several weeks I witnessed his losing battle, not only with a terminal illness but also with cultural incongruence and a continual feeling of unease, thousands of miles away from home. Talking with Jorge during my experience as a volunteer for the NGO Soldarios Para el Desarollo in the fall of 2001, led me to question the justice of health care discrepancies that make it so difficult for people like Jorge to get sufficient treatment in underdeveloped nations. Jorge was a victim of health care inequality, a subject that has been at the forefront of my mind since enrolling in “Race and Medicine in America” during my sophomore year. The course revealed to me the historically poor distribution of quality medical attention and how treatment continually evades socio-economically disadvantaged communities. I came to understand how, in the US, a national shortage of physicians and unlikely prospects of financial gain have caused few doctors to take an interest in these communities, leaving a diminishing level of access to services and expertise. This unfortunate reality inspired me to take an interest in treating these populations, in hopes of helping to improve the care for our country’s poor and underserved. Jorge’s story broadened my perspective, as I further realized that this need is exponentially worse in developing nations. The combination of my studies and real world experience strengthened my desire to practice medicine focused on treating underserved populations, nationally and abroad. In pursuit of my goal, I sought additional exposure to medical conditions in the developing world. During the summer of 2002, I contributed to a public health research initiative in Ghana. My research on malaria infectivity in and around the capital city Accra sent me to shanty town communities with poor hygiene and chronic illness and gave me yet another perspective on the impact of economic disparity in health outcomes and treatment options. Exorbitant patient volume and endemic disease are but a few of the many obstacles to doctors serving these communities and trying to provide quality care. Despite these difficulties, I witnessed skilled physicians in this setting performing complex procedures in substandard conditions. At the Komfo Ankye Teaching Hospital in 7 the urban village of Kumasi, I scrubbed-in during the removal of an osteosarcoma tumor from a man’s jaw and an ileostomy, where I saw a scalpel filling the role of an absent screwdriver and doctors working in a hot ward with minimal ventilation and only basic amenities. These resourceful doctors were still able to perform, reaffirming my expectation that despite complications, the addition of well-trained doctors can make a marked difference. I began to understand how, by taking my medical school training to such environments, I could serve as an intermediary - bringing first world knowledge into a third-world context. Since my time in Ghana, I have continued to participate in health care projects in poor communities. During the summer of 2003, I conducted research in an obstetrics ward of a public hospital in Sao Paulo, and the following fall participated in an infectious disease initiative that brought medical attention to impoverished suburbs of Lima, Peru. Most recently, I worked at a bilingual health clinic in Chicago serving a primarily Latino immigrant community. With each experience, I gained a deeper understanding of the complementary skills necessary to make a real difference. I have learned that medical knowledge, cultural understanding, and political savvy are critical components to a holistic approach to community health care and development, and are skills possessed by the most effective contributors to positive change. I continue to hone my language skills in anticipation of serving Spanish and Portuguese-speaking populations; and I am building an understanding of how to work in a complex funding environment and link medical treatment with public policy. I wish to pursue my medical training and a Master’s in Public Health, so that I can improve access to health care and serve as an effective physician. My desire to perform medical public service developed from concern and sympathy for people in need of medical care, most specifically those with the least access. I further recognize the importance such compassion plays in effective communication between doctors and their patients. It was my childhood doctor’s ability to convey understanding and elicit trust that inspired my initial interest in the medical field. He combined calm and compassion with medical expertise in a thorough form of healing that I grew to expect, but have infrequently witnessed in poor communities. As I strive to bring better health care to underserved populations, I hope to do so with the same personal care and attention that comforted me in my youth.”
Why this essay works: In this example, the writer clearly highlights their passion for healthcare and how it all began.
Importantly, they clearly emphasize the communities they are most passionate about helping through medical care. Whichever population or community you intend to care for later on should be clear in this essay, even if you change your mind later on. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your unique perspective and attributes to Yale.
You should also take a look at Inspira's Secondary Essay Prompt Database. It's a useful collection of essay prompts for med school applicants, helping you stay organized and proactive during the 2025-2026 admissions cycle. It includes prompts from various schools, making it easier for you to craft your responses and keep track of deadlines.
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Yale Medical School Interview Format
Students often report having interesting, in-depth conversations that aren’t very intimidating during their Yale interviews. Some materials you should review before your Yale med school interview are:
Your application and resume (you will be asked about it)
Most students report having a pleasant experience during their Yale interview. You should prepare for questions you may be asked, but remember to remain calm and confident.
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Yale Medical School Tuition and Scholarships
If you’re considering applying to Yale, it’s best to understand scholarship opportunities and tuition costs. Here’s everything you need to know about the Yale School of Medicine’s tuition and scholarships.
Tuition & Fees
Full-time tuition at Yale Medical School is $74,460 and remains the same each year of your degree. Here are additional fees and expenses you can expect as a first-year med student at Yale:
Expense/Additional Fee
Cost
Activity Fee
$600
Books and Supplies
$3,175
Equipment
$1,602
Technology Fee
$925
Background Fee
$5
Room and Board
$25,540
Personal and Transportation
$5,010
Yale Hospitalization and Misc. Medical Expenses
$3,356
Travel to Rotations
$1,018
Total
$115,691
However, be advised that the total cost of additional fees and expenses varies annually.
Scholarships
Yale offers scholarships and financial aid to help reduce family contributions and student debt. Students can receive scholarships based on financial need; Yale doesn’t offer merit scholarships. Government financial aid is available for Yale students.
Yale Medical School Application Timeline
Here are all the important deadlines you need to know on the Yale Medical School application timeline:
Application Material
Deadline
AMCAS Application
October 15
Yale Secondary Application
November 15
Letters of Recommendation
November 15
Interviews
September - January
Decision Notification
By March 15
Respond to Offer of Admission
April 30
You should begin preparing to apply at least one year in advance to allow yourself enough time to complete prerequisite courses, acquire documents, and complete your application.
FAQs: How to Get Into Yale Medical School
Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions about how to get into Yale School of Medicine:
1. How Difficult Is It To Get Into Yale Medical School?
Yale is one of the top medical schools in the country and is highly competitive. Your application must meet all requirements and showcase why you’re an excellent candidate.
2. What GPA Do You Need for Yale Medical School?
Yale has no minimum GPA requirement. However, the school is extremely competitive. The average GPA of the most recently admitted Yale students was 3.92.
3. What is Yale Medical School’s Average MCAT?
The average MCAT score of the successful 2025-2026 applicants was 520.5.
4. Is Yale Medical School Free?
Yale isn’t a free medical school; financial aid is offered to qualifying Yale matriculants.
5. What Percent Of Yale Applicants Get Into Medical School?
Yale Medical School’s acceptance rate is low, sitting at 1.6%.
6. Should I Write the Yale School of Medicine Optional Essay?
Only complete this section if you have something on your application that needs to be explained. For example, consider writing this essay if you have an abnormally long gap in your resume, a period of low grades, medical issues relevant to your application, or other additional information of that nature.
7. Is Yale or Harvard Better for Medical School?
One isn’t necessarily better than the other. Both are excellent institutions to pursue your medical education. Ultimately, the better school is the one that aligns most with your goals, needs, and preferences.
8. Is Yale a Good Medical School?
Yes, Yale School of Medicine is a great place to pursue your MD, and it consistently ranks as a top school in the nation.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to get into the Yale School of Medicine, you can create a stellar application. To ensure your application stands out, you’ll have to really commit to the application process.
If Yale is your dream medical school and you’re nervous about getting in, consider enlisting the help of an experienced admissions advisor. Admissions counselors will help you each step of the way, from writing the perfect Yale Medical School essay to interview coaching. Good luck!
Dr. Jonathan Preminger was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.
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