Entrance Requirements
MCAT
Applicants to the Pritzker School of Medicine must complete the MCAT exam. September 2007 is the latest accepted test date for the 2008 admissions cycle. Applicants may submit MCAT scores from up to three years prior to matriculation. Beyond that period of time, an applicant is required to retake the exam. For more information on the MCAT, please visit www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm.
Credit Hours
AP Credits
Students with AP credits may meet these credit hour requirements in alternative ways. For more information, please follow this link.
Applicants must have completed 90 credit hours (using the AMCAS methodology) prior to matriculation from an accredited four-year degree-granting U.S. or Canadian college or university. A baccalaureate degree is not required but is strongly preferred by the Admissions Committee. If you completed a baccalaureate degree in a country outside of the U.S. or Canada, we require you to complete at least 1 year of full-time coursework (predominately in the sciences) in a U.S. or Canadian institution. Courses pursued in other English-speaking countries will also be considered.
Pritzker has a standard entrance requirement for a total of 32 semester credit hours (using AMCAS methodology) of undergraduate science comprised of an 8-credit, academic year each of General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Physics, and Introductory Biology, all with accompanying laboratory.
Personal characteristics and learning skills are as important as demonstrated excellence in academic performance. There must be evidence of commitment, not only to acquire an excellent knowledge base but also to developing learning and problem-solving skills which will sustain life-long learning. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to service to others and to society in general. Finally, applicants should demonstrate well-informed and carefully explored reasons for seeking a career in medicine.
All applicants to the School of Medicine are evaluated and judged on an individual basis. Pritzker does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, age or handicap, and has no residency requirements.
Major
Since the medical profession needs individuals with a wide range of talents and academic backgrounds, the undergraduate major of applicants is not a factor in decisions by the Committee on Admissions.
Waiver
Applicants may request a waiver for any of the requirements listed above. A request should be made in a letter to the Admissions Committee (pritzkeradmissions@bsd.uchicago.edu). The request should explain why a waiver is reasonable, necessary, and appropriate. A copy of a completed AMCAS application should also accompany a request.
