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Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA Class Size: 170
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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 Harvard Medical School is Ultra Competitive. Applicants typically have an average GPA of 3.96 and an average MCAT score of 521.

Statistics

To summarize, listed below are the most important academic statistics for Harvard Medical School applicants:

Average GPA:
3.96
Average MCAT:
521
Competitiveness:
Ultra 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 Harvard Medical School is below.

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

For more information about tuition at Harvard Medical School, visit the following link: https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/md-cost-attendance

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 Harvard Medical School below:

IN-STATE

In-State Friendliness:
Neutral

OUT-OF-STATE

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

INTERNATIONAL

Accepts Canadian:
Yes
Accepts International:
Yes
International Friendliness:
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 Harvard Medical School:

Harvard Medical School Mission Statement:
To nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.

For more information on the mission statement for Harvard Medical School, visit the following link: https://hms.harvard.edu/about-hms/campus-culture/mission-community-values-diversity-statement

Situational Judgement Tests

Harvard Medical School does not require the completion of either the CASPer® nor the AAMC PREview™ examinations.

CASPer®:
No
AAMC PREviewâ„¢:
No

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:
October 15
Secondary Application Deadline:
October 22
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:
September
Interview Cycle End:
January
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Prerequisite Courses

Most schools have a list of prerequisite courses that you need to have completed before matriculating. View information provided for Harvard Medical School 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:
6
Lab?
Not Required

Lab experience is desirable but not required.

CHEMISTRY

GenChem = General Chemistry

OChem = Organic Chemistry

Biochem = Biochemistry

GenChem Semester Hours:
8
GenChem Lab?
Required
OChem Semester Hours:
4
OChem Lab?
Required
Biochem Semester Hours:
3
Biochem Lab?
Required

"Two years of chemistry (four courses) including inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry are required." "AP credits that enable you to take a higher-level course will satisfy one semester of inorganic chemistry."

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

"Should include cellular and molecular aspects. AP credits cannot be used; however, if students have earned college credit for biology through AP coursework, upper level courses in biology will satisfy this requirement."

HUMANITIES & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Semester Hours:

Not required but encouraged.

ENGLISH/WRITING

Semester Hours:
6

"Writing intensive courses are preferred. Humanities or social science courses involving substantial expository writing will satisfy this requirement"

MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Mathematics Semester Hours:
Statistics Semester Hours:

Not needed but heavily encouraged (one semester of Calculus and Stats, preferably Biostats)

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

SOURCE: https://meded.hms.harvard.edu/admissions-prerequisite-courses

Special Programs

Many schools have dual-degree programs for motivated applicants. View the ones offered at Harvard Medical School below:

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

Contact Information

View contact information (phone and email) available to contact Harvard Medical School below:

CONTACT #1

Title:
E-mail:
admissions_office@hms.harvard.edu
Phone:

CONTACT #2

Title:
E-mail:
Phone:

Secondary Application Essay Prompts

Below are the past secondary (supplemental) application essay prompts for Harvard Medical School.

If you have already graduated, briefly summarize your activities since graduation. (4000 characters)
If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity not addressed elsewhere in the application that may illuminate how you could contribute to the medical school and that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, or other aspects of your personal or family background to place your prior academic achievements in context or provide further information about your motivation for a career in medicine or the perspectives you might bring to the medical school community. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. (4000 characters)
The Committee on Admissions understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted applicants in various ways. If you wish to inform the Committee as to how these events have affected you and have not already done so elsewhere in your application, please use this space to do so. (This is an optional essay; the Committee on Admissions will make no judgment based on your decision to provide a statement or not.) (4000 characters)
The HST MD program draws on the combined resources of Harvard and MIT to provide a distinct preclinical education tailored to preparing students for careers as transformative physicians who will shape the future practice of medicine. Our students come from the full spectrum of disciplines including biological, physical, engineering and social sciences. HST classes are small, commonly include graduate students and have an emphasis on quantitative and analytic approaches. The unique HST pre-clinical curriculum prepares students well for the HMS clinical education while also emphasizing disease mechanisms and preparing students to solve critical unmet needs in medicine and healthcare (ranging from novel diagnostics and therapeutics to applications of ‘big data’ and systems engineering). Please focus on how your interests, experiences and aspirations have prepared you for HST (rather than identifying specific HST faculty or research opportunities. (4000 character maximum)
The interview season for the 2024-2025 cycle will be held virtually and is anticipated to run from mid-September through January 2025. Please indicate any significant (three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none, please leave this section blank. (1000 characters)

Interview Questions

Below are common interview questions that you might encounter on your important day for Harvard Medical School.

Describe a time when you encountered a difficult patient or challenging behavior and how you managed it.
How do you plan to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge and innovation?
Explain the importance of effective communication skills for a physician.
How have you demonstrated your commitment to serving others and making a positive impact in your community?
Why medicine?
Describe a situation where you had to show leadership and how it benefited your team.
How do you plan to keep up with the rapidly evolving field of medicine?
Describe your journey towards deciding to become a doctor.
What role do you believe a physician should play in advocating for their patients?
Share a challenging situation you have faced and how you overcame it.
Can you discuss a time when you had to prioritize competing commitments or tasks?
How do you plan to address burnout and foster wellness within the medical profession?
What are your thoughts on the use of technology in healthcare delivery?
How will your background and experiences contribute to the diversity and culture within our medical school?
What qualities do you possess that will make you an effective medical student and future physician?
What do you consider to be the most important qualities of a good doctor?
How do you plan to approach and address healthcare disparities as a future physician?
Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in pursuing a career in medicine.
Can you explain the significance of medical research in your future career as a physician?
Explain the role of humility and self-reflection in becoming a better physician.
Describe a situation where you had to work as part of a team. What was your role and what did you learn from it?
How do you plan to address the mental health challenges that medical students and physicians often face?
What experiences have you had that have shaped your desire to become a physician?
Describe a time when you had to advocate for a patient's rights or needs.
Discuss a healthcare-related topic you are passionate about and explain why.
Describe a time when you had to resolve a conflict within a team and how you reached a resolution.
How do you balance empathy and the need to maintain professional boundaries?
Can you discuss a time when you had to make a difficult decision and explain your reasoning?
Can you discuss a time when you had to deliver difficult news to someone and how you approached it?
Describe a time when you had to show resilience and adaptability in the face of a setback.
How do you plan to address the social determinants of health in your medical practice?
Can you describe a time when you had to demonstrate empathy and compassion towards others?
Discuss a time when you had to work with a person whose values or beliefs differed from yours and how you handled it.
Can you discuss a time when you had to work under strict deadlines and how you adjusted to meet them?
How do you handle stress and pressure? Give an example.
Describe the importance of cultural competency in providing effective patient care.
What steps have you taken to ensure you are well-informed about the challenges and realities of a medical career?
Discuss a current healthcare issue and explain how it affects your decision to pursue medicine.
How do you plan to manage the demands of medical school and maintain a healthy work-life balance?
Describe a medical ethical issue you have encountered and explain how you would approach it.