Admissions Requirements
General Admission Guidelines
The admissions committee strives to identify and accept applicants who will
help meet the health care needs of a widely dispersed and highly diverse
Georgia population. Applicants with the academic ability, personal
attributes and interests consistent with MCG's mission. The Admissions Committee expects applicants to have
experiences shadowing physicians and/or volunteering in a clinical setting.
Information used for assessing academic accomplishments, personal attributes and interests includes but is not limited to the applicant’s:
- responsibilities prior to application to medical school (e.g., work, providing financial support for family)
- involvement in extracurricular and community activities, experiences shadowing physicians and/or volunteering in a clinical setting.
- ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural background (e.g., income, education level of family members)
- region of residence with respect to its health professional needs
- commitment to practice in underserved area of Georgia
- letters of recommendation by a premedical advisor and two personal references
- motivation and potential for serving as a physician
- personal interviews
- performance on the Medical College Admission Test
- college grades including undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate
Technical Standards for Admission
Qualification for admission to, and graduation from, the Medical College of
Georgia School of Medicine requires:
- Intellectual capacity to fulfill the curricular requirements of basic medical science and clinical science departments;
- Ability to effect multi-modal communication with patients, colleagues, instructors and other members of the health care community;
- Physical ability to learn and implement technical skills required by the faculty to practice of medicine;
- Emotional stability to withstand the stress, uncertainties and changing circumstances that characterize the practice of medicine.
The School of Medicine has developed technical standards to evaluate prospective students. These standards are guidelines and are subject to revision. For further information visit www.mcg.edu/som/admit/admitreq.htm
General Academic Requirements
Preference is given to applicants with a baccalaureate
degree in an accredited* college prior to entering the MCG School of Medicine.
The minimum requirement is 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours. A limited
number of highly competitive non-degree applicants may be accepted each year.
The non-degree college curriculum, in both quality and quantity, must be
acceptable as the equivalent of the first three years leading to the bachelor of
science or art in an accredited* college of arts and sciences.
Applicants enrolled in a graduate-degree program are expected to complete all requirements of their graduate degree prior to enrolling in medical school.
*Accredited by the appropriate regional agency for colleges and schools, i.e., the equivalent of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Required Courses
An applicant may major in any undergraduate discipline but must have:
Biology
One academic year** of general biology or zoology with lab
Chemistry
- One academic year of general/inorganic chemistry with lab
- One academic year of advanced chemistry, two quarters or one semester of which must be organic chemistry with lab. The other quarter or semester may be fulfilled by any advanced chemistry course (lab not necessary). Biochemistry is strongly recommended.
Physics
One academic year of physics with lab
English
One academic year of English or whatever portion in the academic year is
required for the baccalaureate degree in an accredited college or university.
Courses recommended
Cellular biology and statistics
All required courses should be taken on a graduated grading scale (e.g., A,B,C,D,F) when possible. A pass/fail type system should not be used.
** One academic year equals three quarters, two semesters, or one semester and two quarters.
MCAT Requirements
Every applicant must take the Medical College Admission Test, preferably in the spring befor applying. The deadline is September 2007. All applicants must have taken the MCT no earlier than April 2005 and no later than September 2007. Early Decision Program applicants must take the MCAT by June 15, 2007. Regular applicants must take the MCAT by September 2007.
For applications and information, contact: MCAT Program Office, 2255 North Dubuque Road, PO Box 4056, Iowa City, IA 52243-4056; 319-337-1357.
Interviews
Interviews, by invitation only, are with members of the
School of Medicine Admissions Committee and other School of Medicine faculty who
help assess personality, motivation and ability to make
adjustments necessary for Medical School.