View Other Schools
🇺🇸 United States

The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College

Scranton, PA Class Size: 115
Visit School Website
QUICK LINKS
Statistics Tuition Friendliness Mission Statement Situational Judgement Tests Dates & Deadlines Prerequisite Courses Dual Degree Tracks Contact Information Secondary App Questions Interview Questions

Gaining admission to The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College is Moderately Competitive. Applicants typically have an average GPA of 3.86 and an average MCAT score of 512.

Statistics

To summarize, listed below are the most important academic statistics for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College applicants:

Average GPA:
3.86
Average MCAT:
512
Competitiveness:
Moderately Competitive
Note: Competitiveness is assessed based on the school's acceptance rate, average MCAT, and average GPA.

Tuition

Affording medical school can be tough, often requiring students to take on significant loans. Information about the yearly tuition for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College is below.

In-State Tuition:
$62000
Out-of-State Tuition:
$68000

For more information about tuition at The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College, visit the following link: https://www.geisinger.edu/gchs/education/gcsom/admissions-financial-aid/financial-aid/cost-of-attendance-md-program

Friendliness

Some schools prefer in-state candidates, while others are more receptive to out-of-state or international applicants. View our school "friendliness" scores for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College below:

IN-STATE

In-State Friendliness:
Friendly

OUT-OF-STATE

Accepts Out-of-State:
Yes
Out-of-State Friendliness:
Friendly

INTERNATIONAL

Accepts Canadian:
No
Accepts International:
No
International Friendliness:
Not Friendly

Note: Most schools will be labelled "Neutral" for In-State Friendlines because they don't have a strong bias for in-state applicants compared to out-of-state applicants. In other words, we believe these schools view In-State and Out-State applicants more or less equally. Schools labelled as "Out-of-State Friendly / Very Friendly" have a high proportion of their class filled with Out-of-State applicants.

Mission Statement

It is always important to read and understand a medical school's mission statement before applying. Often, you will find out what the medical school stands for, and if you fit in with the general "vibe" of the medical school. However, being honest, most medical schools have the same run-of-the-mill mission statement as everybody else. Anyways, you can be the judge. Below you can find the mission statement for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College:

The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College Mission Statement:
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine educates aspiring physicians and scientists to serve society using a community-based, patient-centered, interprofessional and evidence-based model of education that is committed to inclusion, promotes discovery and utilizes innovative techniques.

For more information on the mission statement for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College, visit the following link: https://www.geisinger.edu/gchs/education/gcsom/about/mission-history#:~:text=Mission%20statement%20Geisinger%20Commonwealth%20School%20of%20Medicine%20educates,to%20inclusion%2C%20promotes%20discovery%20and%20employs%20innovative%20techniques.

Situational Judgement Tests

The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College requires the completion of the AAMC PREview™ examination.

CASPer®:
No
AAMC PREview™:
Yes
AAMC PREview™ QBank PREPARING FOR PREview™?

AAMC PREview™ Question Bank

Excel on the AAMC PREview™ exam with 500+ questions & answers.

100+ Scenarios
500+ Questions & Answers
Test Simulation Platform
Time Yourself
Score Yourself & Review Answers
Access 500+ Practice Questions and Explanations

Dates, Deadlines, and Fees

Throughout your application cycle, there are many dates to be cognizant of in order to ensure the successful completion of your application.

Primary Application Deadline:
December 15
Secondary Application Deadline:
Jan 1
Secondary Application Fee:
$100
Note: The primary application deadline refers to when your primary application (i.e., the initial AMCAS/AACOMAS/TMDSAS application) needs to be completed. Please be aware that there are processing times associated with primary applications—for instance, there can be a several week processing time associated with verifying your acadmic transcripts when initially submitting the AMCAS application. Upon receipt of the primary application, most schools will then shortly send you a secondary application with targeted essay questions relevant to the specific school.

The secondary application deadline is the final day for all your application materials to be together, which includes submitting the secondary essays, all letters of recommendation, all test scores, etc. Sometimes, schools may have earlier deadlines for letters of recommendation. However, note that for the vast majority of schools it is best to submit your secondary application as soon as possible: within 2 weeks of receiving the secondary application is a good rule-of-thumb.

Below are some other helpful dates:

Interview Cycle Start:
Sep
Interview Cycle End:
December
Medical School Interview QBank INTERVIEW COMING UP?

Medical School Interview Question Bank

Learn to provide expert answers with expert questions & model answers.

100+ Questions & Answers
Interview Simulation Platform
Time & Record Yourself
Save Your Video Responses
MMI & Traditional Style
Access 100+ Expert Answers to Common Interview Questions

Prerequisite Courses

Most schools have a list of prerequisite courses that you need to have completed before matriculating. View information provided for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College below:

Interpreting Semester Hours
Typically,
3 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course = 1 or 2 quarters
4 Semester Hours = A single semester-long course + associated lab unit
6 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses = 3 quarters
8 Semester Hours = Two semester-long courses + two associated lab units

PHYSICS

Semester Hours:
8
Lab?
Required

CHEMISTRY

GenChem = General Chemistry

OChem = Organic Chemistry

Biochem = Biochemistry

GenChem Semester Hours:
8
GenChem Lab?
Required
OChem Semester Hours:
8
OChem Lab?
Required
Biochem Semester Hours:
Biochem Lab?
Not Required

BIOLOGY

GenBio = General Biology

HL Bio = Higher Level Biology

GenBio Semester Hours:
8
GenBio Lab?
Required
HL Bio Semester Hours:
HL Bio Lab?
Not Required

HUMANITIES & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Semester Hours:

ENGLISH/WRITING

Semester Hours:
3

MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Mathematics Semester Hours:
Statistics Semester Hours:

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

SOURCE: https://www.geisinger.edu/gchs/education/gcsom/admissions-financial-aid/admissions-requirements

Special Programs

Many schools have dual-degree programs for motivated applicants. View the ones offered at The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College below:

MD+PhD (MSTP - Medical Scientist Training Program):
MD+MPH (Public Health):
MD+MBA (Business, Healthcare Administration):
MD+JD (Law):
MD+MA (Master of Arts):
MD+MS (Master of Science):

Contact Information

View contact information (phone and email) available to contact The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College below:

CONTACT #1

Title:
E-mail:
admissions@tcmc.edu
Phone:

CONTACT #2

Title:
E-mail:
Phone:

Secondary Application Essay Prompts

Below are the past secondary (supplemental) application essay prompts for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College.

If you are applying to the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program, please share with the Admissions Committee what primary care and/or psychiatry means to you, and why you believe you are a good fit for the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program. (1500 characters)
If not:
Given Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine's unique mission and values, please tell us why you believe you are a good fit for our institution. (1500 characters)
List the five most important attributes you believe a physician should possess. Please choose one that you believe you embody and describe a personal experience that demonstrates this trait. (1500 characters)
Geisinger Commonwealth values diversity, health equity, inclusion, and social justice. Tell us how you will share in this mission. (1500 characters)
If you have previously applied to medical school, please describe your significant experiences between this year’s application and your previous application. If you are not a previous applicant, please type, “N/A” in the response area. (1500 characters)

Interview Questions

Below are common interview questions that you might encounter on your important day for The Geisinger Commonwealth Medical College.

How would you define resilience?
According to your secondary application essay, which of the five qualities that a physician should possess is most important to you?
What question would you like us to ask you?
Share a memorable clinical experience that stands out in your mind.
How can we encourage medical students to stay in the NEPA (Northeastern Pennsylvania) area after graduation?
If you were a kitchen appliance, which one would you be and why?
What aspect of GCSOM interests you the most?
Name a healthcare problem specific to Northeastern Pennsylvania and provide a potential solution for it.
Why are you interested in family medicine and how is it different from other medical specialties?
Talk about your experience working in teams.
Why did you decide to switch from your current career path to becoming a physician?
Can you explain the difference between empathy and sympathy?
Describe any negative experiences you have encountered while shadowing.
If a staff refused to treat a patient based on their race or ethnicity, how would you handle the situation?
Can you elaborate on your involvement in various organizations?
Why did you not pursue a PhD or an MD/PhD program?
What factors are you considering when choosing a medical school?
What aspects of your undergraduate school did you appreciate the most?
Discuss your greatest strengths and weaknesses.
Describe how your current job relates to the role of a physician.
Discuss your research experience.
How do you demonstrate resiliency?
In your opinion, what is the biggest problem currently facing healthcare?
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Describe yourself briefly.
How do you handle and manage stress?
Why are you interested in pursuing a career in medicine?
What specifically attracts you to Geisinger?
What makes you specifically interested in GCSOM?
What motivated you to apply to GCSOM?
If you don't get into medical school, what will you do?
What is your motivation for pursuing a career as a physician?
Why did you choose MD instead of DO or PA?
What specialties are you interested in pursuing?
Highlight one of your strengths or weaknesses.
Are you leaning towards a specific specialty in medicine?
Tell me about your clinical experiences.
Is there anything you would like me to convey to the admissions committee?
What book have you recently read and can you tell me about it?