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Reviewed by:
Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine
Reviewed: 4/26/24
If you’re wondering how to get into UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine, you’re in the right place. Read on to learn more about UPenn medical school requirements and boost your chances of acceptance!
Perelman School of Medicine, also known as Penn Medicine, is one of the oldest medical schools in the U.S. And getting in is a challenge.
Some of the most important medical advancements have spawned from this Ivy League med school or were developed by alumni. These achievements have placed Perelman in the country’s top ten medical schools.
Getting into the UPenn School of Medicine doesn’t have to be impossible: we regularly receive reviews like this from overjoyed students each cycle when they receive their acceptance notices.
If you’re ready to get into Perelman, read on to become an unbeatable candidate!
The four-year MD program at Perelman School of Medicine is one of the country’s oldest. It developed the first teaching hospital in the country, and the program’s high standards make it challenging to enter.
Perelman offers numerous programs, most of which are focused on dual concentrations:
Each program centers on different aspects of the medical field. So you’ll want to ensure you find a degree combination that fits your goals. You can also earn certificates in specialized concentrations in every Perelman program. Some certifications offered include Clinical Neuroscience and Research.
Perelman School of Medicine’s prestige and limited spots make it one of the country’s most competitive schools. With historically single-digit acceptance rates, Perelman is hard to get into.
Penn Medicine’s acceptance rate is 3.8% Out of thousands of applicants, only 154 students enrolled in a recent admissions cycle. The low UPenn medical school acceptance rate may be low, but one positive result of the low admittance is a lower faculty-to-student ratio.
Perelman School of Medicine has one of the best faculty-student ratios at 4.3:1. In comparison, other top U.S. med schools like Johns Hopkins and Harvard Medical School have a ratio of 4.8:1 and 13.1:1, respectively.
No matter your chosen program, you’ll apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Penn Medicine recommends applying as early as possible and submitting all AMCAS medical school application materials on time. Once verified through AMCAS, you will have to complete a supplemental application.
A complete medical school application will consist of the following:
Remember — you have only one chance to apply each year, so ensure you have everything ready in advance. We’ll explore the University of Pennsylvania medical school requirements, so you’re ready to submit all materials by the deadline.
Perelman stresses that students must have a broad span of knowledge in the sciences. The admissions committee reviews the coursework and cumulative achievement of applicants. Before applying, all applicants must have a BS or BA from an accredited university in the U.S. or Canada.
Suppose you have received an undergraduate degree from a foreign institution. In that case, you must complete one year of science coursework at a university in the U.S. before applying.
UPenn medical school requirements for courses include the following:
While it doesn’t seem like a lot, this list of necessary coursework requires multiple classes within each subject. Your transcript should demonstrate rigorous science preparation.
Your coursework shows you studied the necessary material. But the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Exam will be the time to demonstrate your knowledge.
The MCAT is a multiple-choice exam medical schools use to assess applicants’ relevant skills and knowledge. The UPenn Medical School average MCAT score is 522. Applicants are required to take the MCAT within three years of applying to Perelman School of Medicine.
You must secure strong letters of recommendation. These recommendations strengthen your application because the admissions committee gets a third-party perspective on your candidacy.
All recommendations are submitted through AMCAS. Applicants must provide at least three letters. But you cannot submit more than ten through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application. All letters must be signed and written on official stationery. You have two options when you search for recommendations:
You should ask for recommendations as soon as possible to ensure they’re complete before the application deadline. After all, writers need ample time to write nice things about you!
Your work experiences are good indicators of your fit for Perelman. You must demonstrate abilities that are translatable into the medical field and show your passion for medicine.
Research experience is almost essential when applying to the Perelman School of Medicine. In a recent admissions cycle, over 91% of entering students had research experience.
While you don’t have to participate in several research projects, you’ll want to include at least one or two. If you don’t have research experience but want some, you can look for opportunities at local universities or colleges.
Medical shadowing is another type of experience you must have in your arsenal. While shadowing isn’t technically mandatory, admissions committees highly recommend shadowing experience.
Approximately 88% of Perelman’s students had shadowing and clinical research experience. This shows the admissions committee your passion for medicine and the experiences that led you to apply to medical school.
When deciding which experiences will bolster your application, you must consider quality over quantity. Perelman School of Medicine’s admissions committee looks more favorably on applicants with a few high-quality experiences than one with many experiences that do not demonstrate their abilities.
While you must write a personal statement, your work isn’t done. The UPenn medical school supplemental essays are essential to your application.
You’ll complete the Perelman secondary essays after you’ve passed the first round of the review process. Your responses help the admissions committee determine whether you’re serious about medical school and a good fit for Penn Medicine.
Perelman School of Medicine secondary essays include:
1. “Were there changes to your academic work and/or personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic that you would like to share with the committee? (If yes, please describe these changes during this time in 500 characters or less.)”
To answer this prompt, consider:
2. “If you were offered an option to continue courses with a standard grading system or switch to Pass/Fail, and you elected Pass/Fail, please describe the reason(s) for your decision here.” (500 characters)
This is another pandemic-related prompt. Your first step is to decide your stance on pass/fail versus graded courses. Your second step is to back up your stance with your reasoning. Again, keep your writing concise and factual.
3. Independently of the COVID-19 pandemic, have you taken any online courses for credit? (Y/N) (If yes, list the courses.)
The answer to this question should be simple and straight to the point. A list of all the courses and how they improved your learning is all that’s necessary here.
4. Have you been nominated for or received an award from any state, regional or national organization? (Y/N) (If yes, list.)
This is a great opportunity to include any recognitions you’ve received through the years. This is hyper-relevant to your Perelman acceptance as they only recruit the best of the best. Presenting them with a regional or national organization is a great way to set yourself apart.
5. “Have you taken or are you planning to take time off between college graduation and medical school matriculation?” (500 characters)
Before you answer this prompt, consider:
6. “Have you participated in any global activities outside of the U.S. prior to submitting your AMCAS application?” (1000 characters)
This is your opportunity to dive deeper into any medical mission trips or study abroad programs you did during undergrad. If you answered “yes” here, don’t just simply list your activities. Explain why these experiences were impactful, how they broadened your cultural awareness, and how they’ll make you a better physician.
7. Did you participate in a pre-medical enrichment or pathway program during your undergraduate studies? (Y/N) (If yes, 1000 characters max.)
If you participated in a pre-med pathway program, now would be your time to include this. When speaking about your experience, make sure to mention how the opportunity led you to where you are today. Remember, everything is a stepping stone and this pre-med enrichment program is no different.
8. The Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) is deeply committed to recruiting a diverse class to enrich an inclusive team-based learning experience. How would you and your experiences contribute to the diversity of the student body and/or how would you contribute to an inclusive atmosphere at PSOM? (1,000 characters)
This UPenn Medical School supplemental essay prompt is a classic diversity essay. Before answering, consider:
9. “We are all navigating through challenging times, and physicians and physician-scientists must contend with many instances of uncertainty. Describe a time when you faced a situation that was ambiguous, confusing, or uncertain, and how you navigated making a decision without complete information.” (3,000 characters)
This prompt is fairly new. If, at first glance, you’re unsure what to write about, don’t panic! These tips can help you focus your response:
If you’re struggling with this prompt, you may find jotting down bullet points from the situation’s beginning to end helpful. This strategy can help you focus your narrative and preserve a thematic thread.
10. Do you identify as a first-generation college graduate and/or having a low-income background? We recognize that the definition of “low income” can vary based on geographic location, zip code, and size of your household, but there are some factors typically associated with being low-income, such as qualifying for free/reduced lunch in middle/high school, receiving Pell grants or work-study aid during college, qualifying for Medicaid/Social Security benefits, or attending a high school with low per capita funding, Title 1 designation and/or a low percentage of seniors receiving a high school diploma. (Y/N)
Like with the other questions, answer this prompt honestly. Perelman is trying to learn more about your background and where you come from with this question. There’s no need to embellish when answering this one.
11. “Have you or your family experienced economic hardships?” (1,000 characters)
You can think of this prompt as an “adversity” essay. If you responded “yes” to this question, detail how your economic hardships have impacted your journey to medical school. However, don’t stop there. You should also write about how you’ve risen above these obstacles or what steps you’ve taken to lessen economic hardship.
12. Have you ever been employed at the University of Pennsylvania Health System or Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and worked with a University of Pennsylvania faculty mentor(s)? If yes, please indicate name, department, phone number of faculty member(s), and start/end dates (Y/N) (If yes, list only; no essay is required.)
As the prompt says, there is no essay required for this question. Perelman just wants to see if you have any connections to the University of Pennsylvania here.
13. “Please explain your reasons for applying to the Perelman School of Medicine.” (1,000 characters)
You can read this prompt as a “Why us?” essay. Think about:
Remember, you don’t have much space to communicate your thoughts. Be as concise as possible!
The Penn Medicine interview process kicks off with an invitation to meet with faculty and students. Perelman interviews occur between September and January. The Office of Admissions will select the date and time for your one-on-one, traditional interviews.
Your Perelman interview is your chance to show your passion for medicine and that you possess the knowledge and skills necessary to join the UPenn community. You must interview to be offered admission at the Perelman School of Medicine.
Interviewers will ask questions related to medical school and your application. You’ll want to be clear and concise: live interviews means limited time to answer each question. The committee will determine final offers of admission to Perelman after a comprehensive review of your application.
When you apply to UPenn medical school, you need to know your medical school application time. Please keep in mind the following dates and deadlines:
Failure to complete your application results in delaying its review or an overall rejection. We can’t stress this enough: keep track of application dates and deadlines.
Medical school is expensive. Tuition alone for a full-time student at Perelman School of Medicine is $68,512. This amount doesn’t include books, materials, or living expenses.
Here is a fee breakdown for your first year at Perelman:
While you can save money in areas like food and housing, you’re still paying over $112,000 per year. However, there are several medical school financial aid options. Perelman School of Medicine’s financial aid opportunities include approximately 30 full-tuition scholarships per year. All students are eligible for these scholarships.
Selection criteria include outstanding academic performance and achievement and a broad range of intellectual interests. Other criteria include:
Student loans, grants, and scholarship opportunities outside UPenn Medicine can also help ease the costs.
Getting into Perelman isn’t easy. However, we’ve compiled questions and answers to help you understand how to get into the Perelman School of Medicine.
No. Perelman has the same admissions standards for all students. However, there are a few things to consider. If you received a degree from a foreign institution, you must complete a year of science coursework at a U.S. college or university before applying. This coursework must include biology, chemistry, and physics.
Additionally, international students are not able to apply for federal financial aid.
Yes! Perelman has a limited Early Decision Program. This program is filled with competitive applicants who meet admitted students’ average GPA and MCAT scores. The average MCAT score is 522, and the average GPA is 3.97.
No. However, the average Perelman School of Medicine MCAT score is 522, and the average GPA is 3.97.
While these are not required scores, they’re good indicators of what you should aim for. UPenn’s acceptance rate is low. A good MCAT score and high GPA will help you stand out.
Yes, Perelman accepts international students. However, the school does not release data on how many international students it accepts each cycle.
Applying to Perelman School of Medicine seems challenging, but by following this guide, you know what it takes to get accepted. The most important thing to remember is to meet all Perelman School of Medicine requirements and deadlines. Ideally, you want your application submitted with time to spare.
There are excellent resources available to you. If you’re looking for help, our expert team is passionate about elevating your application and getting you accepted at Penn Medicine. By starting early and using the right resources, you have a better chance of getting accepted at the Perelman School of Medicine.
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