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In this guide, we’ll learn how to get into the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine (MCASOM), including acceptance rates, admissions statistics, GPA and MCAT benchmarks, application requirements, and what the admissions committee values most.
If you only want the quick requirements, click here.
The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine has an acceptance rate of 1.84%. According to AAMC’s Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database, MCASOM received 5,920 verified applications and welcomed 109 matriculants into its 2025 class.
Here’s a breakdown of MCASOM acceptance rate over the last six years:
The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine has a highly competitive admissions landscape, with an average acceptance rate of 1.84% over the past six admissions cycles. AAMC data shows that annual applicant volume has stayed high, ranging from 5,067 to 6,327 verified applicants, while class size has remained steady at around 104 to 109 matriculants each year.
Getting into MCASOM is extremely difficult. In 2025, only 109 students matriculated out of 5,520 applicants, resulting in a 1.84% acceptance rate. With 5,920 applicants competing for just over 100 seats, MCASOM could fill its class more than 54 times over.
The MCASOM’s Admissions Difficulty Scale was created by comparing acceptance rates and overall selectivity across all accredited US medical schools.
Want deeper insights into your chances of acceptance to Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine? Use our quick Med School Competitiveness Calculator to get an instant estimate.
You can work with our expert admissions counselors for extra MCASOM application help to ensure you stand out in a competitive pool of applicants!
MCASOM’s median MCAT score was 521 in 2025. MCASOM does not have a minimum MCAT score requirement.
According to data from the AAMC’s MSAR database, students admitted to the 2025 cycle achieved:
| MCAT Section | Median Score |
|---|---|
| Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems | 131 |
| Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) | 129 |
| Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems | 131 |
| Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior | 131 |
Here’s a closer look at how MCASOM’s 2025 entering class performed on the MCAT:
| Percentile | MCAT Score for Accepted Applicants | MCAT Score for Matriculants |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | 514 | 513 |
| 25th Percentile | 519 | 518 |
| Median | 521 | 521 |
| 75th Percentile | 523 | 523 |
| 90th Percentile | 525 | 526 |
MCASOM’s median MCAT score of 521 for the 2025 entering class falls in the 99th percentile of all MCAT test-takers from 2022 through 2025. For context, only about 1% of examinees nationwide achieve a score at or above this level.
MCASOM’s median GPA was 3.95 in 2025. MCASOM does not set a minimum GPA requirement.
Here’s a breakdown of the GPA range of successful Mayo Clinic Alix 2025 applicants:
| Percentile | Total GPA of Accepted Applicants | Total GPA of Matriculants |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | 3.71 | 3.71 |
| 25th Percentile | 3.89 | 3.86 |
| Median | 3.95 | 3.95 |
| 75th Percentile | 3.99 | 3.99 |
| 90th Percentile | 4.00 | 4.00 |
For perspective, the national average GPA for medical school applicants and matriculants in the 2024-2025 cycle was about 3.67. With an average GPA of 3.95, Mayo Clinic Alix admits sit well above the typical applicant — their gap to a perfect 4.0 is roughly one-seventh the size of the average applicant's.
MCASOM’s median science GPA was 3.95. Here’s a breakdown of the science GPA range of the matriculants:
| Percentile | Science GPA of Accepted Applicants | Science GPA of Matriculants |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | 3.68 | 3.63 |
| 25th Percentile | 3.84 | 3.82 |
| Median | 3.95 | 3.95 |
| 75th Percentile | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| 90th Percentile | 4.00 | 4.00 |
Applicants must submit:
There are no course requirements to apply to MSASOm. However, there are certain prerequisites that MCASOM applicants are recommended to have:
Successful applicants have a strong background in the life sciences and social sciences.
MCASOM uses a traditional, semi-structured on-campus interview format. Each applicant invited to interview participates in two 30-minute, one-on-one conversations with members of the MD Admissions Committee. Interviews provide a holistic evaluation, covering academics, research, clinical exposure, community service, and extracurricular involvement.
Interviewers also assess qualities such as communication skills, maturity, professionalism, and alignment with Mayo’s mission of patient-centered care, collaboration, and innovation.
Applicants also participate in welcome sessions, Q&A sessions, and a campus tour to meet current students and experience Mayo’s community firsthand, ensuring you feel connected to the school as if you were already part of it.
In our recent webinar, “The RIGHT Way to Write The AMCAS Work and Activities Section,” Dr. Aditya Khurana, a Mayo Clinic radiology resident, Duke Neuroscience graduate, and admissions expert at Inspira Advantage, underscored that interview performance is built through intentional practice and deep familiarity with one’s application:
“Interviewing is a skill set, and the name of the game is practice. The more that you practice interviewing, the more it’s going to feel like a natural skill on interview day. It’s also really important to have a strong understanding of your application. You need to be the expert on your application.”
Because Mayo’s interviews are conversational and committee-led rather than purely scripted, applicants who rehearse articulating their experiences and can clearly connect their work to Mayo’s values tend to perform best.
Strong interview preparation is not about memorized answers, but about confidently explaining your own journey, motivations, and fit with Mayo’s collaborative, patient-centered culture.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine's secondary application consists of two required essay prompts, both with a 500-word limit.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine's 2025-2026 secondary essay prompts are:
"At Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, we seek students whose values align with our mission to put the needs of the patient first. Please share why you are drawn to our school and the top track you selected. What unique strengths do you bring to our community to advance our commitment to excellence, compassion, and innovation?" (500 words)
"At Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, we value the vast lived experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our students as they contribute to a vibrant learning environment and enhance how we care for our diverse patient population. Reflect on how your personal, cultural, or professional experiences have shaped your identity, and how they may help you contribute to a collaborative learning environment and advocate for your future patients." (500 words)
Here are three tips to get into the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
Most MCASOM matriculants bring substantial patient‑facing or volunteer experience. According to MSAR data, 89% had community service or volunteer experience, leaving 11% who did not. Similarly, 95% had physician shadowing or clinical observation, meaning 5% lacked any shadowing experience.
For medical or clinical community service/volunteer work, 86% participated, leaving 14% without this type of exposure. Applying without meaningful clinical or volunteer experience risks placing you in this small minority, which could raise red flags for admissions committees, as they look for applicants with demonstrated commitment to patient care and community service.
As Nate Overholtzer, a USC Keck/Caltech MD‑PhD candidate, former clinical research coordinator, and admissions consultant at Inspira Advantage, explained in his webinar What You Need to Know About Gaining Clinical Experience for Med School:
“There is no magic number and there is no magic threshold … volunteering and clinical shadowing are really important … but you can also demonstrate your interest in medicine through other activities and other opportunities.”
Dr. Katherine Munoz, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery resident at UW–Madison Med and an admissions counselor at Inspira, reinforced this point in our webinar on “Everything You Need to Know Before Applying To Medical School” by saying “a longitudinal investment means a lot more than a scramble at the end.”
As such, you should aim for sustained, hands-on, patient- or community-centered volunteering or shadowing.
Paid clinical or medical-related employment is common among competitive applicants. Approximately 62% of matriculants had medical or clinical paid employment experience, often in roles such as scribing, clinical research assistant, CNA, or EMT. These positions offer more exposure and responsibility than passive shadowing.
Overholtzer shared his experience, saying he:
“Worked as an emergency department scribe … worked in a clinical research department … [and] was paid … [he] probably got a lot more clinical exposure than [he] would have gotten through shadowing.”
Similarly, Andrew Warburton, an anesthesia resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and advisor at Inspira admissions, shared this advice in our What You Need to Know About Gaining Clinical Experience for Med School webinar:
“About whether it is paid or unpaid, it is a lot about initiative, leadership and what you have done with the clinical experience … you really want to push yourself.”
Applicants should understand that simply holding a paid position is not enough. Superficial or administrative roles without meaningful patient contact or responsibility will not impress admissions committees.
Instead, aim for positions where you can take initiative, demonstrate leadership, and actively engage with patients or clinical teams. Doing so not only mirrors the experiences of successful matriculants but also gives you concrete examples to highlight in your application and interviews, helping you stand out in a competitive pool.
Research and clinical experience go hand-in-hand in MCASOM admissions. Almost all students have research experience (96%), and nearly all have clinical exposure or shadowing. Admissions committees look for applicants who can combine these experiences into a cohesive narrative that demonstrates both intellectual curiosity and commitment to patient care.
Dr. Aditya Khurana, a Radiology resident at Mayo Alix Clinic, shared this insight in our webinar, “The RIGHT Way to Write the AMCAS Work & Activities Section”:
“This is not a check box. If you are checking a box, you might actually not be a great candidate. Screeners ask: do they hit thresholds for research, community service, and commitment to medicine?”
Applicants should demonstrate how volunteering, clinical work, and research connect to tell a story of sustained commitment and growth. Admissions committees are less impressed by fragmented or last-minute experiences. Thoughtfully framed, longitudinal engagement shows resilience, intellectual curiosity, and readiness for medical school.
Here is the profile of a recent MCASOM admit, illustrating the combination of academics, clinical experience, research, and service that helped them get accepted.
MCASOM offers the following MD programs:
The Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine tuition for the 2026-2027 academic year is $70,280.
The estimated total cost of attendance for a first-year medical student, including tuition, housing, food, transportation, personal expenses, and other indirect costs, is $110,400.
Here's a complete breakdown of the estimated cost of attendance for one year at Mayo Clinic Alix:
The total estimated cost of attendance for four years at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine is approximately $441,600, based on current 2026-2027 costs. The estimate assumes consistent tuition and living expenses across all four years and does not account for annual increases.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine offers financial support through institutional scholarships, grants, and loans. Scholarships are awarded based on merit and financial need and are renewable each year, provided students maintain satisfactory academic performance. The school uses parental income and asset information to determine eligibility.
In addition to institutional scholarships, students are encouraged to pursue external grants and scholarships to further reduce loan dependence.
Mayo Clinic uses a need-aware admissions process where financial aid is awarded after admission based on demonstrated need. All financial aid is applied first to tuition bills, and excess funds are refunded to students.
Here is the full MCASOM application timeline, along with when you should start preparing your application to submit on time:
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine has campuses in Rochester, Minnesota; Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida.
No, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine does not accept transfer students from other medical schools at any of its campuses. All applicants must apply as first‑year students through the standard admissions process and complete the full curriculum at MCASOM to earn their MD degree.
Yes, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine uses a pass/fail grading system across its curriculum. The school does not rank students or use tiered letter grades during the preclinical years.
MCASOM adopted pass/fail grading over two decades ago, and the school has published research showing lower stress, better mood, and stronger group cohesion among students under the system.
In practice, pass/fail grading means your clinical and board performance carry more weight for residency applications than internal class rank, which MCASOM does not generate.
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