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Some students I work with often miss one or two key application requirements, which is a huge mistake, as there’s almost no room for error when it comes to building your medical school application.
I’ve spoken with some of our top admissions officers, and they’ve told me that many medical school applicants remember the academic requirements but often forget the importance of non-academic factors that set their applications apart. I created this guide to help you stay on top of everything throughout the medical school application process.
Below is a complete checklist for everything you need before applying to medical school:
You’ll send most of these application materials in your American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) primary application.
Use Inspira’s custom application checklist to stay on top of your medical school application.
For even more tips on a good AMCAS application checklist, watch the video below:
Prerequisite courses are specific classes that medical schools want you to take before applying. Admissions requirements vary by school, so check the prerequisites listed on each program’s website.
Here is a table of the most common courses that medical schools like to see on your transcript:
You don’t need to take all of these courses in order to apply to medical school. Confirm with your school by checking their website which courses you need to complete, as most vary in which specific courses you need.
You may be able to use AP credits instead of prerequisites at some medical schools, but don’t count on this. If the school requires the course, there’s a high chance that admissions officers want to see that course on your transcript.
Nearly every medical school will have some form of requirements, though a select few may mark courses as “Recommended.” In this case, you don’t need to take any courses labeled as such to apply to the school, but you should still take them anyway to be competitive.
You don’t need a specific major to get into medical school. Some students major in the sciences, while others major in the Arts. You should major in something you’re genuinely passionate about so that you can eventually earn a high GPA.
Watch the video below for more tips on medical school course prerequisites:
AMCAS calculates several GPAs from your coursework (including your cumulative and science GPAs), and both play a major role in admissions decisions. AMCAS recalculates your GPA using its own methodology, which differs from how your university calculates it.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the national matriculant median GPA is 3.81. In general, aim for that benchmark to submit a good GPA, but this will change based on the school you’re applying to.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for a 75th percentile GPA of previous matriculants. This helps you show that you’re competitive enough to study medicine at that specific medical school.
Most medical schools require a good MCAT score to stand out in the application screening phase. Many schools use MCAT scores as a screening threshold, not a final decision factor. However, submitting a higher MCAT score will drastically improve your chances of standing out.
The Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database provides MCAT data on previous matriculants to each school. Use this to know what MCAT score you should aim for to be competitive. In general, it’s a good idea to aim for the 75th percentile MCAT score of previous matriculants or higher.
In the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, matriculants had an MCAT score of 512.1, according to the AAMC. You can aim for this MCAT score as a good benchmark, but use the MSAR to get more specific about which score to aim for at each school.
You don’t necessarily need to take the MCAT to get into medical school, as some medical schools don’t require it. Some programs offer MCAT-optional or MCAT-free pathways, often with specific eligibility criteria or academic prerequisites.
Before filling out your AMCAS application, you'll need to request that every post-secondary institution you've attended send an official transcript directly to AMCAS. AMCAS won't accept copies you upload, so transcripts must come directly from the registrar's office. AMCAS will verify these courses against the transcripts it received.
Submit Casper scores to medical schools that require them. You might also need to submit a PREview score, as 14 schools currently require it. You don’t have to submit either of these scores if the medical school doesn’t list it as a requirement.
Medical school admissions committees look for evidence of sustained experience in your extracurricular activities. This can include:
Extracurricular activities are important for your application because they help you differentiate your application from thousands of other students. When two applicants have similar stats, extracurriculars usually help sway the final decision.
Your extracurriculars don’t need to be medical, but you should have enough hours to connect them seamlessly to your application narrative. You can list impactful volunteer activities in the Work & Activities section of your AMCAS application.
Community service/volunteering isn’t a necessity to get into most medical schools, but it’s highly recommended. You should have at least 100 hours of volunteering experience, especially if you’re interested in working with a specific population.
Nearly all medical schools require some form of clinical experience on your application, as this is the only way to prove that you know what it’s like to work in a clinic or hospital setting. If you’re applying to medical school with no clinical experience, you’re at a massive disadvantage.
Medical school admissions officers like to see extracurriculars that highlight your leadership, knowledge of what it takes to be a physician, communication, and teamwork. You’ll rely on these skills daily as a future physician, so highlight them in your experiences.
Medical schools require a personal statement that highlights your background, voice, and reason why you want to attend medical school. Your personal statement should provide more insight into your character, as it’s one of the first things admissions committees will read after reviewing your GPA and MCAT score.
Admissions committees use the personal statement to assess whether you can:
In our medical school admissions-cycle webinar, Dr. Bima Hasjim, an Inspira Advantage admissions expert and former admissions officer at UC Irvine School of Medicine, shares his insights on what makes an effective personal statement.
“Your intro attunes the reader that you're going to answer the prompt right away,” he says. “Once you’re done with the hook in your introduction, you want to prep the reader. Show them that these are the types of experiences you’re going to talk about, and then you’re going to explain why you want to become a doctor. The personal statement doesn't necessarily need to be awe-inspiring; it really just needs to be genuine and organized.”
By splitting your personal statement into organized sections and concluding with your motivation for pursuing medicine, you make it easier for reviewers to understand your story.
Take a look at our webinar for more personal statement tips:
Medical schools require letters of recommendation to learn more about your academic ability and non-academic abilities. A good letter of recommendation will validate the claims you made in your other application materials, such as your personal statement.
Aim for at least four letters of recommendation from people who know you well. Admissions officers want to see how others discuss your achievements and performance in a collaborative, evaluative environment.
In our medical school webinar, Dr. Callie Ginapp, an admissions expert at Inspira Advantage and a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine, emphasizes the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships over time.
“You want recommenders who are going to sing your praises, not like, ‘Oh I took one class with you and raised my hand twice — can I get a letter?’ … You want to be developing these relationships over years so they really know you personally and can highlight your background in ways other parts of your application might not.”
The best letters of recommendation come from faculty members, research supervisors, physicians you’ve worked or shadowed with, and mentors from sustained clinical or service roles.
Get expert advice from former admissions officers on how to ask for recommendations by watching the video below:
Medical schools require secondary applications, which usually ask you to submit secondary essays that evaluate why you want to study medicine at that specific school. Your secondary essays should highlight specific clinical offerings, courses, and faculty that you’re genuinely excited to engage with.
Try to connect your reasons for applying to a specific field of medicine that you’re interested in, because it’ll help admissions officers understand why you’re applying to their specific school.
Schools send secondary applications after reviewing your primary application, and most applicants receive anywhere between one and five secondary essay prompts.
While the prompts vary by school, admissions committees expect a two-week turnaround time, although you should ideally submit them within a week of receiving them.
Watch the video below for more tips on secondary essays for medical school:
Medical schools use interviews to evaluate how you speak, how you respond, and how ready you are for medical school. The interview is usually the last step in the admissions process, so this is your last opportunity to leave a good impression.
Medical schools use different interview formats. Research the interview formats your schools use, either by checking their website or using the MSAR’s Interview Policies by Medical School Report.
Some medical schools use traditional one-on-one interviews, some use panel interviews, and some use the multiple mini interview (MMI). Know which questions to ask your interviewer to improve your chances of standing out.
Mock interviews are one of the best ways to prepare for common interview questions. Practice with personal, academic, extracurricular-based, and goals/motivations questions.
After the interview comes the waiting game. If a school offers you admission, they’ll let you know. You’ll also get notified if you’re waitlisted. At this point, you can send a letter of intent to your top-choice school.
Work with admissions experts at Inspira Advantage. Our former admissions officers provide comprehensive support to help you stay on top of each medical school requirement.
No, not all schools have strict cutoffs. Some consider your full academic and experiential profile. Always check each school’s admissions website for specific benchmarks.
You can find admissions support through advising, workshops, and application guidance. You can also work with admissions experts, such as the former adcom members at Inspira Advantage, for comprehensive support, including MCAT prep, personal statements, interview coaching, and full application guidance.
Yes, some medical schools require the Casper or other situational judgment tests like the PREview exam. Look into your school’s specific requirements to ensure you complete everything before you apply.
Dr. Jonathan Preminger was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.
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