View Other Schools
🇺🇸 United States

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine

Los Angeles, CA Class Size: 185
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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine is Very Competitive. Applicants typically have an average GPA of 3.86 and an average MCAT score of 517.

Statistics

To summarize, listed below are the most important academic statistics for University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine applicants:

Average GPA:
3.86
Average MCAT:
517
Competitiveness:
Very 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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine is below.

In-State Tuition:
$70000
Out-of-State Tuition:
$70000

For more information about tuition at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, visit the following link: https://financialaid.usc.edu/graduate-professional-financial-aid/keck-school-of-medicine/the-cost-of-your-medical-school-education/

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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine below:

IN-STATE

In-State Friendliness:
Very Friendly

OUT-OF-STATE

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

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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine:

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine Mission Statement:
To cultivate breakthroughs that fundamentally change the practice of medicine

For more information on the mission statement for University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, visit the following link: https://keck.usc.edu/about/

Situational Judgement Tests

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine does not require the completion of either the CASPer® nor the AAMC PREview™ examinations.

CASPer®:
No
AAMC PREview™:
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:
November 1
Secondary Application Deadline:
December 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:
July
Interview Cycle End:
Feburary
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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine 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:
Lab?
Not Required

CHEMISTRY

GenChem = General Chemistry

OChem = Organic Chemistry

Biochem = Biochemistry

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

BIOLOGY

GenBio = General Biology

HL Bio = Higher Level Biology

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

HUMANITIES & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Semester Hours:

ENGLISH/WRITING

Semester Hours:

MATHEMATICS/STATISTICS

Mathematics Semester Hours:
Statistics Semester Hours:

Stats recommended.

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES

"No. The path to becoming a physician is as variable and unique as the applicants themselves. Successful applicants have distinguished themselves in their chosen field of study and show evidence of competency in the physical, biological and social sciences. We require that applicants take the MCAT and that they obtain a baccalaureate degree by the time they intend to matriculate into the program"

OTHER RECOMMENDED COURSES

Spanish.

SOURCE: https://keck.usc.edu/md-program/admissions/frequently-asked-questions/

Special Programs

Many schools have dual-degree programs for motivated applicants. View the ones offered at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine 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 University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine below:

CONTACT #1

Title:
E-mail:
medadmit@usc.edu
Phone:

CONTACT #2

Title:
E-mail:
Phone:

Secondary Application Essay Prompts

Below are the past secondary (supplemental) application essay prompts for University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

What is the most fun you’ve had lately? (65-word limit)
If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be? (65-word limit)
What are three things you don't care about at all? (65-word limit)
Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved. (65-word limit)
Are you a member of a group that is under-represented in medicine? (Yes/No)
If yes: Which Group? How does underrepresentation affect your community? (200-word limit)
Have you previously applied to medical school (M.D., D.O., international)? (Yes/No)
If yes: Upon reflection, what do you think went wrong? (200-word limit)
(Optional): Is there anything else you would like us to know? If yes, please answer the question in 200 words or less.

Interview Questions

Below are common interview questions that you might encounter on your important day for University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

What should the admissions committee know about you that isn't in your application?
What qualities would you look for in an applicant if you were on the admissions committee?
Tell me about a time when you made a mistake and what you did to fix it.
Why USC?
What is your favorite fast food place?
What is a problem you see with medicine?
If you were a fruit, what would you be?
What adjectives would friends use to describe you?
What do you think is the biggest issue in healthcare?
Why did your family come to the United States?
Who has most inspired you?
Why medicine? Why not other health care professions?
How did you get to where you are today?
How did you come to choose medicine?
What is your greatest strength/weakness?
How well do you work in groups?
Why do you want to attend Keck School of Medicine of USC?
What's an ethical issue doctors are faced with today?
How would your friends describe you?
What are the biggest problems in healthcare today?
What do you do for fun?
What has been your greatest accomplishment?
What is one current issue you see in healthcare?
What qualities do you look for in friends?
Tell us about an ethical issue you faced and what you did in that situation.
What is one major challenge you faced on your journey to med school?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
What qualities should a medical school look for in an applicant?
Have you had any leadership experiences?
What is one of the problems with our health care system you are concerned about?
What is your opinion on healthcare in the US?
What are some of the problems you anticipate as a practicing physician?
What are some ethical dilemmas you have experienced in your life?
How have you demonstrated the ability to resolve conflict in the past?
What single accomplishment are you most proud of?
Tell me a little bit about yourself?
What area of medicine do you see yourself in?
What are your motivations for becoming a physician?
Can you think of a time when you were struggling with something and how you dealt with it?
If you could allow for-profit kidney transplants, would you do it? Why or why not?