Reviewed by:
Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine
Reviewed: 10/06/23
The Yale School of Medicine is prestigious, and getting in can be challenging. Follow along for everything you need to know about getting into Yale Medical School.
As one of the most prestigious schools in the U.S., Yale is known worldwide for its stellar programs. The Yale School of Medicine MD program is arguably one of the most well-regarded programs the school offers, receiving high rankings from several publications each year.
We’ll review everything you need to know about how to get into the Yale School of Medicine. We’ve included a full list of programs offered, tuition and scholarships, how to write Yale Medical School essays, and more. Let’s get started!
Yale offers several different medical programs to fit your educational aspirations. Yale’s offerings include:
The Yale School of Medicine also offers several dual-degree programs in collaboration with other Yale schools. For example, med students can achieve a dual MD/JD, MD/MBA, or MD/MDiv degree.
Here are the Yale School of Medicine admissions requirements. It’s important to note that while you may meet all requirements, your application must be competitive for your best chance of acceptance.
The pre-medical education requirements for Yale Medical School are:
You must complete your Yale Med School prerequisite courses at a U.S., U.K., or Canadian institution. AP courses don’t fulfill these requirements.
Like most U.S. medical schools, Yale requires applicants to submit MCAT scores. For 2023 applicants, the earliest submittable MCAT score is from January 2020 onward. Yale matriculants have a a median MCAT score of 522.
Yale’s application is the same one you send to all medical schools through the AMCAS website. After selecting Yale School of Medicine and submitting your application, you’ll be invited to complete a secondary application.
All Yale MD and MD/PhD applicants are invited to complete a secondary application via email within two weeks of submitting their primary AMCAS application. This is the secondary essay portion of your application, where you’ll respond to two questions in an essay format.
Yale School of Medicine recommends submitting a recommendation from your school’s pre-medical committee. If your school doesn’t have one, you must submit three recommendation letters from individuals who are qualified to speak knowledgeably about your accomplishments and abilities.
At least one letter from a science professional is recommended. Students must send their letters through the AMCAS Letter Service.
Students with strong primary and secondary applications will be invited to interview at Yale. Interview invitations are sent via email. You should always send a thank-you note to your interviewer via email after your meeting.
Once you’ve completed these steps, all that’s left to do is wait to hear back from Yale. All applicants can expect to receive an admissions decision by mid-March and must respond by late April.
Yale School of Medicine admissions statistics can help you see how you compare to admitted students. We’ve included Yale Medical School’s median GPA, MCAT score, and acceptance rate.
In the most recent admissions cycle, Yale received 5,495 applications, of which 105 students matriculated. Considering the admitted students who chose to attend school elsewhere, the Yale School of Medicine acceptance rate is 5.5%
Other data shows the percentage of in-state, out-of-state, and international students in another recent admissions cycle who applied, were invited to interview, and matriculated:
The Yale Medical School median GPA is 3.92. This data shows the GPA breakdown of admitted students:
The median Yale Medical School MCAT score is 522. The middle 50% of MCAT scores achieved by matriculants range from 518 to 524.
The Yale secondary essay prompts may change each academic year. These are the most recent secondary essay prompts:
“If you are not currently in college, what are your plans for this year?”
This prompt is optional as it may not apply to you. If it does, just answer it honestly and concisely.
The next prompt is mandatory:
“Yale School of Medicine values diversity in all its forms. How will your background and experiences contribute to this important focus of our institution and inform your future role as a physician? (500 words limit).
The next prompt you answer depends on the program you’re applying to:
MD applicants: Please answer either one of the following questions
MD/PhD applicants: Please answer question 2 as it pertains to your proposed PhD research.
1. While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine. (500 words limit)
2. Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills, and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine. (500 words limit).”
There is also an additional information section where you can write about anything else you think the admissions committee should know:
“Additional Info Section:
This section is optional. It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information (personal, academic, or professional) not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application. Please limit your response to 500 words.”
A typical Yale Medical School interview day includes two 45-minute interviews with admissions committee members. Students often report having interesting, in-depth conversations that aren’t very intimidating. Some materials you should review before your Yale med school interview are:
Most students report having a pleasant experience during their Yale interview. You should prepare for questions you may be asked, but remember to remain calm and confident.
If you’re considering applying to Yale, it’s best to understand scholarship opportunities and tuition costs. Here’s everything you need to know about the Yale School of Medicine’s tuition and scholarships.
Full-time tuition at Yale Medical School is $72,290 and remains the same each year of your degree. Here are additional fees and expenses you can expect as a first-year med student at Yale:
Source: Yale School of Medicine
However, be advised that the total cost of additional fees and expenses varies annually.
Yale offers scholarships and financial aid to help reduce family contributions and student debt. Students can receive scholarships based on financial need; Yale doesn’t offer merit scholarships. Government financial aid is available for Yale students.
Here are all the important deadlines you need to know on the Yale Medical School application timeline:
Source: Yale School of Medicine
You should begin preparing to apply at least one year in advance to allow yourself enough time to complete prerequisite courses, acquire documents, and complete your application.
Here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions about how to get into Yale School of Medicine:
Yale is one of the top medical schools in the country and is highly competitive. Your application must meet all requirements and showcase why you’re an excellent candidate.
Yale has no minimum GPA requirement. However, the school is extremely competitive. The current median GPA of Yale School of Medicine’s entering class is 3.92.
The median MCAT score of the incoming class at Yale Medical School is 522.
Yale isn’t a free medical school; financial aid is offered to qualifying Yale matriculants.
Yale Medical School’s acceptance rate is low, sitting at 5.5% for the most recent incoming class.
Only complete this section if you have something on your application that needs to be explained. For example, consider writing this essay if you have an abnormally long gap in your resume, a period of low grades, medical issues relevant to your application, or other additional information of that nature.
While Harvard Medical School is ranked higher than Yale, both are excellent institutions to pursue your medical education. Ultimately, the better school is the one that aligns most with your goals, needs, and preferences.
Yes, Yale School of Medicine is a great place to pursue your MD. U.S. News World and Report ranks Yale as a Tier 1 med school for research.
Now that you know how to get into the Yale School of Medicine, you can create a stellar application. To ensure your application stands out, you’ll have to really commit to the application process.
If Yale is your dream medical school and you’re nervous about getting in, consider enlisting the help of an experienced admissions advisor. Admissions counselors will help you each step of the way, from writing the perfect Yale Medical School essay to interview coaching. Good luck!
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