Pritzker School of Medicine: How to Get In

September 17, 2024
Contents

”Jonathan

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 10/10/23

Are you ready to gain admission to the Pritzker School of Medicine? Read on to learn more and get the competitive edge you need! 

The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine is a popular choice for medical school applicants. Ranked #18 in the U.S. News medical school rankings, Pritzker upholds a prestigious reputation and is considered a challenging school to get into.

If you’re looking for tips on how to get into the Pritzker, look no further. This is your ultimate guide to getting in; let’s get started!

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About Pritzker School of Medicine

Before applying, you should always research your target schools. Here we'll outline what you need to know about Pritzker.

Pritzker School of Medicine Mission Statement

Since 1927, Pritzker has focused on developing its world-renowned research institutions and academic programs. Pritzker’s mission statement is as follows:

 “At the University of Chicago, in an atmosphere of interdisciplinary scholarship and discovery, the Pritzker School of Medicine is dedicated to inspiring diverse students of exceptional promise to become leaders and innovators in science and medicine for the betterment of humanity.”
Pritzker school of medicine
Source: Pritzker School of Medicine

The school takes its name from the Pritzker family, who have made sizable donations to the school.

Grading System 

Pritzker mainly operates on a pass/fail grading system, except for the third year of your four-year program. According to Pritzker, during the third year (or the “clerkship year”), students are given the grade of Honors, High Pass, Pass, or Fail. 

According to Pritzker, their pass/fail and uncurved grading systems have resulted in a highly collaborative and supportive learning environment.

Programs: What UChicago Pritzker Offers 

Pritzker offers multiple programs that allow MD students to incorporate their academic interests. Here are the MD program options at Pritzker.

Program Description
Accelerated Medical Scholars Program Pritzker’s Baccalaureate/MD program allows students to begin their MD degree during their final year of college. You must have a GPA of 3.7 or higher and an MCAT score of 515 or above to apply.
MD Program Pritzker’s MD program curriculum teaches a solid foundation of the basic sciences and is “designed to emphasize the relationship between the basic and clinical sciences.”
MD/MBA Program MD/MBA students typically complete the first three years of med school, then complete a year of graduate studies at Chicago Booth before returning to Pritzker.
MD/MA in Public Policy Students in the MD/MA program spend three years at Pritzker, complete their fourth year at the Harris School of Public Policy, then return to Pritzker to take electives in both schools.
MD/MPH Pritzkers MD and Master of Public Health (MPH) students spend three years at med school, complete their fourth year studying MPH coursework, and take electives in each subject for their final year. During their final year, MD/MPH students complete a capstone project.
MD/MS in Biomedical Informatics The combined MD and Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics (MScBMI) program at Pritzker is a new option designed to prepare students for the future of the medical field.

Sources: Pritzker Accelerated Medical Scholars Program | Pritzker MD Program | Pritzker Combined MD Programs

*Important Note: Each combined degree program requires two separate admissions and financial aid applications.

Beyond the degrees mentioned above, Pritzker offers other MD/PhD programs

Pritzker Application Timeline 

To ensure you have enough time to complete your application, follow the Pritzker MD application timeline. You should begin preparing for medical school applications during college by taking prerequisite courses, volunteering, taking the MCAT, and building up your experience.

For expert MCAT prep in Chicago, book a free consultation with Inspira Advantage tutors. With over 15 years of experience, they know how to get you a guaranteed 520+ score.

Here are some Pritzker medical school deadlines you should know: 

What’s Due Deadline
AMCAS Filing Begins May 31st
AMCAS Deadline November 15th
Supplemental Application Deadline December 1st
Letters of Recommendation Deadline December 1st
MD Interview Dates August - February
(on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays)
Acceptance Notification Begins October 15th (Rolling)
Acceptance Response Deadline April 30th

If you’re accepted to multiple schools, you have until the end of April to decide which one to attend. 

Pritzker School of Medicine Admissions Requirements 

We’ll outline Pritzker’s MD program admission requirements. Remember, separate admission and financial aid applications are required for combined MD programs, meaning these degrees have additional requirements.

Prerequisite Courses

The first University of Chicago med school requirement is to complete 90 credit hours from an accredited four-year U.S. or Canadian college or university. Although a bachelor’s degree isn’t required, it’s highly preferred. 

Pritzker doesn’t technically have prerequisite courses but requires high competency levels in relevant topics. Pritzker’s required competencies are:

Competency and Number of Years Concepts/Description
Biology (one year recommended + lab) Gene Expression
Cell Structure & Organization
Metabolism, Membrane Receptors, Signal Transduction & Signaling Pathways
Reproduction
Differentiation
Basic Physiology
Immunology
Chemistry (one year recommended + lab) Biochemistry
Organic Chemistry
General Chemistry
Physics (one year recommended + lab or AP) Mechanics
Electricity
Magnetism
Optics
Thermodynamics
Quantum Theory
Nuclear Theory
Mathematics (one semester of Statistics or Biomathematics recommended) Must have the ability to organize, analyze, and evaluate data for proper medical and scientific education and investigation.
Humanities (one course in any of the following recommended) Arts
Social Sciences
Communications
Foreign Language
Writing & Analysis (one year recommended) Must show evidence of writing and analysis strength, such as assessing evidence and writing theses.
Interpersonal Skills Must show experience in extracurriculars demonstrating teamwork and leadership.
Clinical Exploration Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of clinical exposure opportunities, whether through paid or volunteer work.

You don't technically need to complete all recommended courses to gain admission to the Pritzker School of Medicine, but you do need to be competent in each subject. 

MCAT 

Although Pritzker doesn’t have a minimum MCAT score, it’s a competitive school. The median MCAT score achieved by admitted students is 522. 

GPA

Pritzker doesn’t have a minimum GPA requirement. The GPAs of the entering class can be used as a jumping-off point; the average cumulative GPA and the average science GPA both equal 3.93. 

Secondary Application

During the Pritzker School of Medicine application process, every student who applies through AMCAS receives a secondary application via email. The secondary application requires a (waivable) fee of $85 and must be submitted with letters of recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation

Pritzker requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation, one of which must be a committee letter, composite letter, or premedical advisor’s letter. Your Pritzker medical school recommendations are submitted with your secondary application. 

If you’re submitting individual letters, it’s recommended that two of them should come from the science faculty.

Pritzker School of Medicine Essays

As part of your secondary application, you must answer three different prompts (with an optional fourth): 

“1. Students at the Pritzker School of Medicine complete the majority of their clinical training at UChicago Medicine (UCM). UCM is one of the top ten most racially inclusive hospitals in the United States with a primary service area of 12 South Side zip codes where poverty is over double the state level. Additionally, our students lead six free clinics in diverse neighborhoods throughout the city of Chicago.

Please share with us the personal and professional experiences that have best prepared you to work in this diverse clinical environment.”
2. All MD students participate in our longitudinal Scholarship & Discovery research program, which offers protected curricular time, mentoring, and funding for students to pursue their scholarly interests. Please describe your research interests and share how our research opportunities will help you advance your career goals.
3. Share with us a difficult or challenging situation you have encountered and how you dealt with it. In your response, identify both the coping skills you called upon to resolve the dilemma, and the support person(s) from whom you sought advice.” 

The fourth prompt is optional: 

“4. Please feel free to use this space to convey any additional information that you might wish the Committee to know. For example, if you are not currently completing a degree, please share your planned or current activities for this application cycle. We suggest that you limit your text to about 300 words.” 

These secondary essays are another opportunity to show why you’re a great fit for Pritzker and why you’d make a stellar physician. 

Pritzker School of Medicine Interview 

If your primary and secondary applications are successful, you’ll be invited to an interview. MD Interviews occur from August to September of the admission year, with interviews taking place on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

To prepare for a Pritzker interview, try watching mock interviews, practicing with a friend, or enlisting the help of an interview coach.

Pritzker School Of Medicine Acceptance Rate

The Pritzker School of Medicine’s acceptance rate is 1.37%. In the most recent application cycle, 6,564 people applied to Pritzker for one of the 90 available spots. The University of Chicago med school’s acceptance rate makes it one of the nation’s most selective schools.

Pritzker School of Medicine Class Profile 

As a potential Pritzker student, you may wonder who you’ll be studying alongside. Let’s look at Pritzker's class profile and other helpful statistics.

As a potential Pritzker student, you may wonder who you’ll be studying alongside. Let’s look at Pritzker's class profile and other helpful statistics.

Class Profile

The entering class at Pritzker is composed of 79 MD and 11 MD/PhD students. Of those students, 80% took a gap year, 40% belonged to groups underrepresented in medicine, and 80% were out-of-state students. 

Academics

The MCAT scores of the Pritzker entering class ranges from 505 to 527, with a median MCAT score of 522. Additionally, the cumulative GPA for Pritzker students currently ranges from 3.3 to 4.0

Tips to Get Into Pritzker Medical School 

If you’re looking for ways to improve your Pritzker application, look no further. Here’s how to get into Pritzker medical school and improve your candidacy. 

Take Every Recommended Course

UChicago Pritzker doesn’t have a minimum GPA, MCAT, or prerequisite course requirements. However, this isn’t a sign that you don’t have to push yourself as hard academically. 

Students talking to a professor about the recommended courses to get into Pritzker School of Medicine

Our number one tip isn’t to take these recommendations lightly. You should take every course, lab, extracurricular, and opportunity to show your commitment to attending Pritzker. Remember, this is a highly competitive school, so you should do everything you can to strategically position yourself as a stellar candidate.

Learn About Pritzker

You should do plenty of research on Pritzker’s history and what it has to offer. This is especially important for your interviews, as you’ll likely be asked why you want to attend Pritzker or what drew you to the MD program. 

Conduct Thought-Provoking and Interesting Research

While research is not a technical requirement of admissions at Pritzker, it will play a big role in your future studies. As such, it’s important that you can demonstrate an innate curiosity about medicine and problem-solving skills ahead of time so that the Pritzker admissions committee can see that you are a natural fit for the MD program. 

Close up photo of someone holding a beaker with blue liquid

Almost all (98%) of a recent incoming class reported research experience! Individual research projects can also demonstrate your passions and interests to further supplement your secondary essays. Simply put, it’s hard evidence that your passions are what you mentioned in your essay, so don’t forget to include them.

Pritzker School of Medicine Tuition & Fees

Tuition at Pritzker costs $60,012 for the first two years (three quarters each) and $79,624 (four quarters each) for the final two years. However, your tuition doesn’t factor in other costs such as books, room and board, transportation, insurance, personal expenses, and more. Here’s a chart detailing Pritzker’s estimated cost of attendance: 

Expenses M1 M2 M3 M4
Tuition $60,012 $60,012 $79,624 $79,624
Student Life Fee $1,398 $1,398 $1,864 $1,864
Med Equipment $529 N/A N/A N/A
Lab Fee $150 $35 N/A N/A
Disability Insurance $315 $315 $328 $340
Transcript Fee $75 N/A N/A N/A
USMLE Fees N/A $645 TBD N/A
Loan Fees $312 $312 $312 $312
Room & Board $16,800 $14,400 $19,200 $19,200
Personal Expenses $3,389 $2,901 $3,868 $3,868
Expenses M1 M2 M3 M4
Transportation $2,226 $1,908 $2,636 $2,544
Books & Supplies $1,200 $1,950 $1,800 $852
Total $86,406 $83,876 $109,632 $108,604
Student Health Insurance $4,917 $4,917 $4,917 $4,917
Total Including Student Health Insurance $91,323 $88,793 $114,549 $113,521

Remember, these are tuition estimates for the Pritzker School of Medicine – depending on your lifestyle and needs, these costs may be greater or lesser. 

Pritzker FAQs 

Still wondering how to get into Pritzker medical school? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.

1. What Is the Pritzker School of Medicine Tuition Fee?

Pritzker tuition costs $60,012 for the first two years and $79,624 for years three and four of a four-year degree.

2. Is Pritzker a Good Medical School?

Yes, Pritzker is considered a competitive and highly prestigious medical school. Pritzker School of Medicine is ranked #18 in the U.S. News world medical school rankings. 

3. What Is the Best Medical School in Chicago?

Pritzker is known as the best medical school in Chicago and is renowned for its research programs and academic excellence. 

4. Does Pritzker Have Combined MD Degrees?

Yes, the Pritzker School of Medicine offers several combined MD programs, including MD/MBA, MD/MA, MD/MPH, MD/MS, and MD/PhD degrees.

5. How Long Is the MD Program at Pritzker?

The standard MD program at Pritzker takes four years to complete. However, the several combined MD degrees offered at Pritzker take at least five years to complete, depending on your course load. 

6. What Is Unique About the Pritzker School of Medicine? 

Pritzker’s pass/fail grading system makes it unique and fosters student collaboration. It’s also one of the few medical schools located physically on a university campus. 

7. What Is the Average MCAT Score for Pritzker? 

The average MCAT score at Pritzker is 522. 

8. What Is the GPA for the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine?

The average cumulative GPA of Pritzker students is 3.89, and the average BCPM GPA is 3.93. 

Final Thoughts 

The Pritzker School of Medicine is an excellent option for any med student, especially if you’re particularly interested in research. Pritzker is a competitive school, so your application should show your passion, leadership skills, and academic achievements. 

If you’re ever stuck at any point in the application cycle, reach out to an admissions expert to help get you into your dream medical school. Good luck!

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