How to Get Into Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science: The Definitive Guide (2026-2027 Cycle)

Since 1912, Chicago Medical School (CMS) has trained physicians, and it was one of the first medical schools in the country to admit women, persons of color and religious minorities. Today it is the MD-granting school of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFU, also written RFUMS), a private health sciences university on a single campus in North Chicago, Illinois, about 35 miles north of downtown Chicago in Lake County. CMS offers the four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a combined MD/PhD.

Being part of RFU shapes everything about the school. Medical students share classrooms, simulation labs, housing and a student-run clinic with future pharmacists, podiatrists, physician assistants, physical therapists, nurses, psychologists and biomedical scientists. That interprofessional setting lets medical students learn alongside peers in pharmacy, podiatry, health sciences and biomedical sciences, and it builds an early understanding of the healthcare team and the role each professional plays on it.

Purpose of this Guide

This guide covers the 2026-2027 application cycle, which is for applicants who plan to start medical school in 2027. It explains who can apply, what the newest class profile shows, what CMS costs in 2026-2027, how the curriculum and clinical sites are organized, and how to answer all five current secondary essay prompts, with a full illustrative example and analysis for each one. Facts were checked on October 17, 2026.

Topics Covered in the Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science Guide

The guide moves in the order most applicants need it: key takeaways and statistics, the mission, accreditation, programs and affiliations, curriculum, admissions requirements and deadlines, costs and financial aid, campus life, clinical rotations and research, notable people, the class profile, admissions strategy, secondary essays, the interview, frequently asked questions, related guides and how International Medical Aid can help.

Key Takeaways

• Eligibility: you must be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident or DACA-eligible when you submit your application. Other international applicants are not eligible.
• Academic context: the 2026 entering class of 203 students posted a cumulative GPA of 3.72, a science GPA of 3.63 and an MCAT of 508. The school does not state whether these figures are averages or medians. For all accepted applicants in the 2025 entering class, the median MCAT was 510 and the median total GPA was 3.79. The school says most successful applicants have cumulative and science GPAs around 3.5 and an MCAT of at least 510.
• Mission: CMS educates students “from a variety of backgrounds and experiences in a community-engaged, interprofessional learning environment.” Service, teamwork and communication carry real weight in review.
• Key dates: AMCAS by November 1, 2026; the CMS supplemental application and its $140 fee by December 1, 2026. Early Decision applicants need a complete application, including MCAT scores, by August 1.
• Secondary: every verified applicant who meets the citizenship rules receives five required essays of 150 words each. All five prompts are new this cycle.
• Cost: 2026-2027 tuition is $74,290 for every student, with no in-state discount. The first-year cost of attendance is $112,567 for a student without dependents, and student health insurance ($1,636 for a full year) is billed on top of that.
• Distinctive training: interprofessional courses with other RFU programs, a student-founded free clinic, and clinical sites that range from Lake County community hospitals to Chicago safety-net hospitals and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
• Next step: submit AMCAS early, because admission is rolling, and plan your experiences so you can show service, interprofessional teamwork and communication in all five essays and in a live virtual MMI.

Key Statistics About Rosalind Franklin Chicago Medical School

The snapshot below collects the figures applicants ask about first. Median MCAT, median GPA and interview figures describe all accepted applicants and applicants for the 2025 entering class. Class size describes the 2026 entering class, and costs are for the 2026-2027 academic year. The table that follows gives the cohort and source for each number.

Keep two cautions in mind. First, 16,269 applicants and 203 enrolled students do not produce an acceptance rate. Dividing one by the other gives a matriculation ratio, which leaves out every applicant who was admitted but chose another school. The number of acceptance offers is not published, so the closest selectivity signal is the interview ratio: 724 interviews from 11,973 verified applications for the 2025 entering class, about 6.0%, which fits the 5% to 10% range the school describes. Second, a class figure is not a minimum. The class MCAT of 508 sits below the 510 that the school describes as typical of successful applicants, and a median of 510 for accepted applicants means about half of those admitted scored 510 or lower, which is a reminder that the committee weighs the whole file. Read these numbers as context for your own record, not as a cutoff.

Mission and Educational Priorities

Mission Statement

Chicago Medical School states its mission this way:

“Chicago Medical School’s mission is to educate a student body of dedicated individuals from a variety of backgrounds and experiences in a community-engaged, interprofessional learning environment. Our graduates become exemplary, compassionate physicians and scientists dedicated to improving the health and wellness of their patients and communities through clinical excellence, scientific discovery, service, and leadership.”

Its vision is “to be an exemplary community-engaged medical school, recognized for excellence and innovation in medical education, scientific discovery, interprofessionalism, service, and leadership.” Both statements appear on the CMS mission and vision page.

What the mission means for applicants

The mission highlights the school’s dedication to a student body with varied backgrounds, to community engagement and to interprofessional education. By building a class with many kinds of life experience, CMS aims to prepare physicians to serve a wide range of patients. The emphasis on community engagement reflects a commitment to reducing health disparities and improving public health close to home in Lake County and across the Chicago area.

Three words in the mission translate directly into what the admissions committee looks for:

• Community-engaged. CMS tells applicants it wants students “dedicated to serving others” who have shown leadership potential. Service that is sustained and local to the people you serve reads more clearly than a long list of one-day events. The school’s own students founded the Interprofessional Community Clinic in 2013, so the expectation is visible on campus.
• Interprofessional. The committee looks for students “who understand healthcare teams and the role of a physician on the team,” and it says this is usually shown through prior employment and volunteer work. Experiences where you worked beside nurses, pharmacists, therapists, medical assistants or social workers are directly relevant. The first secondary prompt asks about interprofessional collaboration by name.
• Compassionate physicians and scientists. The mission treats science and care as one job. Research is valued, and CMS offers an MD with Distinction in Research and an MD/PhD, but there is no research requirement for the MD. What the committee states as a requirement is “a caring attitude and strong interpersonal communication skills.”

The practical takeaway is that a strong CMS application shows the mission in action. Pick experiences where you served a community over time, worked on a team that included other professions and communicated with people who were sick, scared or struggling. Then describe what you did, what you learned and how it changed what you do next.

Accreditation and Institutional Identity

The MD program at Chicago Medical School is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accreditor for U.S. MD programs. The most recent award came in March 2021 for a full eight-year term, and the next full survey visit is scheduled for the 2027-2028 academic year. LCME accreditation means CMS students and graduates can take the USMLE and have unrestricted eligibility to enter ACGME-accredited residency programs. All RFU degree and certificate programs are approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Details are on the CMS accreditation page.

A few naming points help when you research the school:

• Chicago Medical School is the medical school. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is the parent university. AMCAS lists the school under the RFU name.
• RFU has six colleges and schools on one campus: Chicago Medical School, the College of Health Professions, the College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The physician assistant, physical therapy and other health professions programs are separate from the MD program and have their own applications.
• CMS is an MD (allopathic) school. Applicants comparing it with the DO program at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine should know the two schools use different application services and accreditors.
• The campus has been in North Chicago since 1974. It is not in the city of Chicago, which matters for housing, commuting and the second secondary prompt about the Chicago and North Chicago region.

Accreditation confirms that the program meets national standards. It is not a ranking, and it does not say how a school compares with others on outcomes, so pair it with the curriculum, clinical-site and match information below.

Medical Programs and Affiliations

Programs Offered and Affiliations at the Chicago Medical School (CMS-RFUMS)

Chicago Medical School prepares students for careers in medicine and research through two degree programs, plus a research distinction within the MD.

MD Program

The Doctor of Medicine is a four-year program in which students learn “the essential knowledge, skills and attitudes of a physician, including excellent communication skills, technical expertise and the ability to reason and solve problems.” The curriculum adds mentoring, the chance to do bench or clinical research, and interprofessional learning in both classroom and clinical settings. It is organized in three phases:

• Phase I (Years 1 and 2): scientific and clinical foundations of medicine, followed by eight organ-system blocks, four interprofessional courses, a patient safety course and time for self-reflection and professional development.
• Phase II (Year 3): seven core clerkships and one four-week elective for career exploration.
• Phase III (Year 4): residency preparation, with a four-week sub-internship, 31 weeks of electives and a one-week Transition to Internship course.

The MD curriculum puts weight on early clinical exposure, interprofessional education and community health. Students take part in service learning, simulation, global health experiences and direct patient care. The CMS MD program overview describes Level 1 trauma center rotations, suburban and rural community clinic placements and training at one of the nation’s largest veterans hospitals.

Combined Degree Programs

CMS currently lists one combined degree: the MD/PhD, run with RFU’s School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for students training as physician-scientists in academic medicine and biomedical research. There are two ways in:

• Track I (at entry): indicate “MD/PhD” on AMCAS. Most MD/PhD applicants invited to interview have at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA and an MCAT of 515 or higher. Applicants not chosen for Track I are still considered for the MD program.
• Track II (after matriculation): CMS students who complete a successful research experience in the summer after M1 can apply during M2. A competitive Track II candidate has an RFU MD program GPA of 3.5 or above and strong evidence of research potential. Admitted students start the PhD portion after M2.

In RFU’s combined degree model, students complete the first two years of the clinical program and USMLE Step 1, move into the PhD phase in a mentor’s laboratory, defend the dissertation and then return for the third year of medical school. Combined degree students are typically supported by tuition waivers and stipends after admission, and the university may require repayment from students who leave the program, case by case.

The MD with Distinction in Research (MDDR) is not a separate degree track you apply to. It is awarded to MD students who “conduct, present, and defend an original project involving basic or clinical research.” Several students earn it each year.

CMS’s degree programs page lists only the MD and the MD/PhD. MD/MBA, MD/MPH and MD/MA in Bioethics programs are not offered as CMS combined degrees, so plan around the two current options.

Other Programs

RFU offers master’s degrees in biomedical sciences through the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, along with health professions master’s programs in the College of Health Professions. These are separate programs, not part of the MD, and admission to one does not lead automatically to CMS. CMS does not list a one-year postbaccalaureate program of its own. RFU also runs a Pre-Matriculation Program (PMP), a multi-track, non-degree academic enrichment program that lets post-baccalaureate students from disadvantaged backgrounds take medical school level coursework at no cost while they prepare to take or retake the MCAT.

CMS also lists undergraduate affiliations with DePaul University (an articulation agreement) and Lake Forest College (a Health Professions Program), both in Illinois. RFU says it considers students from any accredited undergraduate program, and these partnerships are meant to help students prepare for and move into RFU. If you attend either college, ask its health professions advisor for the current terms.

Affiliations

CMS trains students across a wide network of hospitals, clinics and physician offices in Lake County, the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southeast Wisconsin. The current clinical sites list includes more than 30 hospital sites. Students learn from a very diverse group of patients, which is part of why CMS says its graduates are prepared to pursue residency in any specialty. Several sites stand out for applicants.

Advocate Condell Medical Center

Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville is one of the closest hospital sites to campus. Its services include cancer care, orthopedics and neuroscience, and it gives CMS students a busy Lake County hospital setting close to home.

Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center

The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center is in North Chicago and is part of the VA Great Lakes Health Care System. It provides care for veterans and for U.S. military personnel. Students who rotate there learn the health needs of veterans and active-duty service members, and CMS describes it as one of the nation’s largest veterans hospitals.

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital is not on CMS’s current clinical sites list. CMS’s current Northwestern Medicine sites are Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital in the northwest suburbs.

NorthShore University HealthSystem

NorthShore University HealthSystem is not on the current clinical sites list either. For large north and northwest suburban hospitals, the current list includes Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ascension Saint Alexius in Hoffman Estates and Endeavor Health Edward Hospital in Naperville.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Lurie Children’s appears on the current list as Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Franciscan Health Crown Point, its pediatric site in northwest Indiana. CMS also lists Advocate Children’s Hospital at both Oak Lawn and Park Ridge for pediatric training.

Other current sites

The rest of the current list shows how far the network reaches: Advocate Christ Medical Center, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Advocate South Suburban Hospital, AdventHealth Hinsdale, Ascension Saint Joseph Chicago, Elgin Mental Health Center, Froedtert South Pleasant Prairie Hospital in Wisconsin, Holy Cross Hospital, Humboldt Park Health, Insight Hospital and Medical Center Chicago, John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County, Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Mercyhealth, Mount Sinai Hospital, Palmdale Regional Medical Center in California, Resurrection Medical Center, the Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinics, Saint Anthony Hospital, Saint Bernard Hospital, Saint Francis Hospital, Saint Mary Hospital and Silver Cross Hospital, plus a group of private physician offices. The full list is on the CMS clinical sites page.

These affiliations put students in community hospitals, urban safety-net hospitals, children’s hospitals, a mental health center and a federal health care center, which is a wide range of settings for one school.

Curriculum Overview

Curriculum at the Chicago Medical School (CMS-RFUMS)

The goal of the CMS curriculum is a program that “integrates clinical and basic science, engages students in active learning, provides early opportunities for clinical experience in the community, ensures that students will have skills needed for life-long, independent learning, and builds upon our experience and strength as an interprofessional university.” The four years are divided into three sequential phases, laid out on the CMS curriculum page.

Phase I: Building a Strong Foundation (Years 1 and 2)

This phase lays the groundwork for medical knowledge and clinical skills. It begins with Scientific and Clinical Foundations of Medicine and then moves into eight system blocks, four in each year.

M1 year courses:

• Scientific Foundations of Medicine and Clinical Foundations of Medicine, which introduce the science and the clinical reasoning and patient-interaction skills that the rest of the curriculum builds on
• Clinical Anatomy
• Essentials of Clinical Reasoning I
• Foundations of Interprofessional Practice, taken with first-year students from RFU’s other clinical programs during the fall and winter quarters
• Infection-Immunology-Hematology
• Clinical Epidemiology
• System blocks: Skin; Gastroenterology; Cardiovascular-Pulmonary-Renal
• Bioethics
• Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity I

The M1 year ends in May. Students may choose research or global health experiences during the summer before they return in August for M2.

M2 year courses:

• System blocks: Neurobehavioral Health; Musculoskeletal; Endocrine-Reproductive; Multisystem
• Essentials of Clinical Reasoning II
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Skills, with more in-depth hands-on training
• An M2 elective
• Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity II

Phase I ends with a one-week course that prepares students for clerkships. The M2 year ends in late March, and students then have several weeks to prepare independently for USMLE Step 1.

Phase II: Clinical Immersion (Year 3)

Phase II builds on Phase I with seven core clerkships:

• Internal Medicine
• Surgery
• Psychiatry
• Pediatrics
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Family Medicine/Primary Care
• Neurology

Students also complete one four-week elective for career exploration and the third course in the Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity sequence. Clerkship start dates vary by student, so classmates move through the rotations in different orders.

Phase III: Residency Preparation (Year 4)

Phase III prepares students for residency:

• Sub-internship: one four-week sub-internship in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Neurology, Pediatrics, Family Medicine or Emergency Medicine, with more responsibility for patient care.
• Electives: 31 weeks of intramural and extramural electives to explore specialties and strengthen residency applications.
• Transition to Internship: a one-week course that teaches and assesses the skills needed to move from M4 student to first-year resident.
• Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity IV.

Key Distinctions:

• Diagnostic structure. Within the system blocks, each week is organized around a patient presentation that shows the key decision points in diagnosis. You learn the science in the order a physician would need it for a real patient.
• Early clinical exposure. Clinical Foundations of Medicine and clinical reasoning courses start in M1, and simulation runs through the preclinical years in RFU’s network of six simulation labs.
• Interprofessional education. Four interprofessional courses in Phase I bring medical students together with students from pharmacy, podiatry, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, nursing and other programs. RFU’s DeWitt C. Baldwin Institute for Interprofessional Education coordinates these experiences across the university.
• Professional development across four years. The Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity sequence runs from M1 through M4, so ethics, communication and health equity are part of every year, not a single course.
• Flexibility. An M2 elective, an M3 elective and 31 weeks of M4 electives let students explore career paths, including research electives.

Assessment

CMS publishes its assessment approach on a separate Assessment page in the MD program menu. If grading and evaluation matter to you, read it before interview day so you can ask informed questions.

Admissions Requirements and Application Process

Admissions at the Chicago Medical School (CMS-RFUMS)

Admission to CMS is a holistic review. The committee looks for academic preparation, motivation for medicine, strong interpersonal skills and the potential to become a compassionate, competent physician. It emphasizes “medical, humanitarian, research, employment, leadership and other diverse life experiences,” and it uses a rolling process, so earlier complete applications are reviewed first. The full rules are on the CMS application requirements page.

Selection Criteria

CMS names three qualities it looks for beyond academics:

• Motivation for a career in medicine: “We look for students who understand healthcare teams and the role of a physician on the team. This is typically demonstrated through prior employment and volunteer work.”
• Service and leadership: students “dedicated to serving others” who have shown leadership potential “through academic, research, or other pursuits.”
• Communication skills: “a caring attitude and strong interpersonal communication skills.”

When it reviews files, the committee considers cumulative and science GPAs, graduate coursework and degrees, academic rigor, letters, the personal statement, supplemental essays, medical experience, humanitarian and community service, employment, leadership and other life experiences. The MCAT is “just one” of these factors. CMS adds that, in addition to a strong profile, most successful applicants have either a strong science GPA or an MCAT of 510 or above, and cumulative and science GPAs around 3.5.

Eligibility and citizenship

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, hold a permanent resident visa or be eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process at the time of application submission. Other international applicants are not eligible. CMS accepts transfer students case by case through a separate transfer process.

Academic preparation and prerequisites

You must complete at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate coursework at a regionally accredited college or university before you apply, and you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school before you matriculate.

A grade of C or higher is required in every prerequisite. CMS accepts AP and CLEP credit when it appears on your college transcript, community college coursework (the rigor of your overall course of study is considered), online coursework verified by AMCAS (some prerequisites may need a lab component) and pass/no pass grades for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, without prejudice. Coursework from outside the U.S. and Canada must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) and sent to the Office of Admissions and Enrollment.

MCAT

The MCAT is required. For the 2026-2027 cycle, CMS accepts scores from exams taken on or after January 1, 2024, and the latest administration it will consider is September 30, 2026. If you test after that date, the school encourages you to apply in the next cycle. CMS sees all of your scores but uses your highest. One timing rule matters a great deal: if your AMCAS application lists a future MCAT date, CMS will not review any part of your application until that score arrives. Our MCAT score calculator guide explains how section scores add up to the total.

Clinical experience, service and research

CMS does not publish a minimum number of clinical, shadowing or volunteer hours. What it asks for instead is evidence that you understand healthcare teams and the physician’s role on them, usually shown through work and volunteering. Hands-on roles where you worked with patients and with other professions (medical assistant, EMT, scribe, patient care technician, clinic volunteer) show this most clearly. If you are still building that record, clinical internships for pre-med students are one way to add supervised patient contact and see a care team at work in another health system. Research is encouraged, not required.

Letters of recommendation

Choose one of three options, and submit all letters through AMCAS:

• one committee letter, or
• three individual letters, or
• one letter packet containing no more than three individual letters.

CMS will not consider more than three individual letters, one committee letter or one packet. If you send individual letters, the school prefers, but does not require, at least one from a medical professional you have worked with, who does not have to be an MD. Our guide to Letters of Recommendation covers how to ask, and our article on medical school recommendation letters explains who to ask and when.

AAMC PREview and Casper

CMS recommends, but does not require, the AAMC Professional Readiness Exam (PREview) for the 2026-2027 cycle, to support what it calls its “mission-aligned review process.” CMS does not list Casper among its requirements. Because PREview is recommended, a score is a reasonable addition if you can test in time. The exam looks at professional competencies such as teamwork and service, which line up with what the mission names.

Primary Application (via AMCAS)

You apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Our AMCAS application guide walks through every section. Key components include:

• Personal Statement: a narrative essay about your motivation for medicine, your most relevant experiences and the qualities you would bring to patient care.
• Letters of Recommendation: one of the three options above.
• MCAT Scores: official scores released to AMCAS.
• Transcripts: official transcripts from every undergraduate and graduate institution you attended.

Deadlines:

• AMCAS opens: early May each year; applicants can submit beginning in June.
• CMS AMCAS deadline: November 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EDT.
• Early Decision Program (EDP): EDP AMCAS applications must be received on or before August 1, and EDP candidates need a complete application, including MCAT scores, by that date. Candidates who cannot meet August 1 are welcome to apply as regular applicants. EDP is open to Illinois residents and nonresidents, EDP applicants are notified by October 1, and an EDP applicant may not apply to other medical schools while the EDP decision is pending.
• Application review begins: July 20, 2026.

Secondary Application (CMS-Specific)

CMS does not screen before the secondary. Once AMCAS verifies your application, CMS sends its supplemental application to every applicant who meets the citizenship requirements. The supplemental includes:

• Supplemental essays: five required essays, each limited to 150 words. All five are covered in full later in this guide.
• Supplemental application fee: a non-refundable $140 processing fee, paid on the last page of the supplemental form. Applicants approved for the AMCAS Fee Assistance Program (FAP) receive an automatic waiver and pay nothing.
• AAMC PREview (recommended): not required, but encouraged.
• Supplemental deadline: all supplemental materials, including the fee, by December 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. CST.
• Early Decision Program (EDP) supplemental deadline: August 1, 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Your application is not complete, and will not be reviewed, until the supplemental application and fee are both received. Use a compatible browser when you submit to avoid submission errors. After you submit, CMS does not accept updates or new materials unless they are explanations of an Institutional Action, felony, misdemeanor or military discharge. Anything else is discarded, so make the supplemental complete the first time.

Virtual Interview (Multiple Mini Interview, MMI)

After holistic review, selected applicants are invited to a virtual Multiple Mini Interview. The interviews are live, not asynchronous, and run from September through mid-April. The first invitations for the 2026-2027 cycle go out in August 2026, and there are no regional or recorded video interviews. Over the past several years, about 5% to 10% of the applicant pool has been invited to interview; for the 2025 entering class, 724 applicants were interviewed out of 11,973 verified applications. The interview section below covers preparation.

Additional Requirements

• Background check: CMS uses the AAMC Facilitated Background Check Service, and the school reviews the results.
• Technical Standards: read the CMS Technical Standards for Admissions to confirm you can meet the program’s essential requirements.

Decisions, enrollment and deferral

CMS participates in the AAMC Choose Your Medical School (CYMS) tool. Accepted applicants must select Plan to Enroll by April 30, 2027 and Commit to Enroll by late May 2027 (the CMS common questions page lists May 28, 2027). Exact deadlines are communicated directly to accepted applicants, and missing them can lead to a withdrawn offer. Acceptance notices go out from October 15, 2026 through July 15, 2027. Accepted applicants have two weeks to respond to an offer made on or before April 30, and less time after April 30, in line with the AAMC application and acceptance protocols. The admission deposit is $100 for residents and nonresidents, is refundable, is due by April 30, 2027 and is applied to the first-term bill. The alternate list is ranked, and the committee reviews applications regularly, so there is no set time frame for a final decision.

All decisions of the Student Admissions Committee are final, and appeals are not accepted. Denied applicants may reapply in a future cycle. An accepted student may request a one-year deferral by email for unusual, unforeseen and serious events; requests are decided case by case, and no deferral is considered for students accepted from the alternate list. One student deferred entry in the 2025 entering class.

How to Apply

1. Read the Application Requirements on the RFU admission and aid website.
2. Create an account with AMCAS and submit your primary application, ideally in June.
3. Complete the CMS supplemental application, five essays and the $140 fee (or FAP waiver) when it arrives.
4. Prepare for and attend a live virtual MMI if invited.
5. If accepted, complete the AAMC background check and the CYMS steps on time.

For questions, contact the Office of Admissions and Enrollment at [email protected] or 847-578-3204. CMS does not offer one-on-one counseling sessions about individual applications, but it runs small-group information sessions and tours every two weeks year-round and larger open houses in the fall and spring.

2026-2027 timeline

Tuition, Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid

Financial Information

Medical school is a major investment, and the CMS budget is clearer than most because RFU publishes it line by line. All figures below are for the 2026-2027 academic year from the RFU tuition and fees page for CMS and the CMS cost of attendance budget.

Tuition and Fees (2026-2027 Academic Year)

CMS is a private school, so tuition is the same for Illinois residents and nonresidents.

Key Points:

• Tuition is the same in all four years and reflects board-approved rates for 2026-2027. RFU updates tuition and fees each April.
• Some fees apply only in certain years, such as UWorld in Years 2 and 3 and the graduation fee in Year 4.
• Tuition is billed in three terms (nine months) in Years 1 and 2 and four terms (12 months) in Years 3 and 4, because the clinical years run year-round.
• Annual fees are billed in the first term of each year, except disability insurance, which is billed in the fall.

Cost of Living and Other Expenses

RFU builds living costs into the official budget. For a student without dependents, the 2026-2027 estimate is:

Year 2 living costs are lower because the M2 year is shorter; Years 3 and 4 are 12-month years. Students who live with a parent have a much smaller living budget ($8,525 in Year 1), and students who support dependents receive a dependent care allowance ($14,300 in Year 1). Actual costs vary with your housing and lifestyle.

Total Cost of Attendance

The first-year cost of attendance for a student without dependents is $112,567. Adding the four years of that budget gives about $451,000 before insurance. That sum is our own arithmetic, not a school figure, and it assumes no change in rates after 2026-2027.

Health insurance is extra. RFU student health insurance is not included in the cost of attendance. Students must keep active coverage. The RFU Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO costs $1,636 for the 12-month period from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (student only), and separate rates apply to new students who start in August. Insurance is billed quarterly and may not be prorated. Students with other coverage can apply for a waiver. Financial aid can cover insurance if you file a Health Insurance Budget Adjustment Form. Voluntary dental and vision plans are also available. See the RFU student insurance page for current rates.

Financial Aid Options

RFU’s Office of Student Financial Services describes three basic types of aid: loans, scholarships and federal work-study.

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: awarded through the FAFSA with no financial need requirement. RFU lists the limit as between $20,500 and $50,000 depending on program and class level.
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: now available only to current graduate or professional students who borrowed a Grad PLUS loan before July 1, 2026. New students entering in 2027 should plan on other sources for costs above the federal unsubsidized limit.
• Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL): at RFU, this need-based federal program is directed to students in the College of Pharmacy and the Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, so it is not a main option for CMS students.
• Private loans: offered by banks, credit unions and other lenders, often with a cosigner. RFU provides an ELMSelect lender comparison tool and certifies private loans up to the cost of attendance minus other aid.
• Scholarships: CMS offers a limited number of institutional scholarships to incoming students, including a small number of need-based awards. Eligibility is determined from your AMCAS application, and no separate scholarship application is required. RFU also keeps a list of external scholarships, and CMS encourages applicants to look at military and public service scholarships.
• Federal work-study: listed by RFU as one of the three basic types of aid for eligible students.

Average Graduate Indebtedness

CMS graduates who borrowed for medical school left with an average of $303,611 in medical school debt in the 2024-2025 academic year, and 83% of CMS students received financial aid that year. Given a four-year budget above $450,000 and federal loan limits well below the annual cost, expect to plan for private loans, service scholarships or family support unless you receive substantial scholarship aid. The RFU Office of Student Financial Services offers counseling and financial literacy resources to help students borrow carefully and manage debt.

Tips for Prospective Students

• Start planning early: research scholarships, compare loan options and build a budget well before you matriculate.
• Complete the FAFSA: it determines your eligibility for federal aid and is required for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
• Contact the Office of Student Financial Services: CMS encourages applicants to speak with a representative about available aid and funding.
• Explore external and service scholarships: military and public service scholarships can cover tuition in exchange for service. Every scholarship dollar is a dollar you do not borrow.
• Consider cost-saving measures: living with a parent, sharing an apartment, commuting by Metra or carpooling and using student discounts all lower the living budget.

Attending CMS is a substantial financial commitment, but with careful planning it can be manageable. The financial services staff help students work through aid options and find solutions that fit their situation.

Campus Facilities and Student Life

Campus Facilities and Student Life

RFU’s campus covers 97 acres and about 1.29 million square feet of facilities in North Chicago, less than two miles from the Lake Michigan shoreline, about 35 miles north of downtown Chicago and 45 miles south of Milwaukee. The campus is big enough for labs and programs but small enough that students across all six colleges see each other daily.

A Cutting-Edge Learning Environment

• Simulation labs. RFU runs a network of six simulation labs that support its hands-on, interprofessional teaching. CMS students sharpen patient communication and clinical reasoning there during the preclinical years.
• Rothstein Warden Centennial Learning Center (RWCLC). This central building houses the fitness center and the Student Health and Wellness Center, among other spaces.
• Teaching spaces. Campus facilities include the Morningstar Interprofessional Education Center, a gross anatomy laboratory, classrooms equipped for multimedia teaching and the Education and Evaluation Center, where students train in physical examination skills. Research space includes a $10 million research wing expansion.
• Student Union. The Student Union houses the University Bookstore, the Union Cafe and a computer lab, and campus recreation also includes a game room.
• Boxer Library. The library space is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it provides databases such as MEDLINE, AccessMedicine, CINAHL and PsycINFO, plus online chat support on weekdays.
• Research facilities. RFU research spans cancer, neurobiology and neurodegenerative disease, regenerative medicine, cardiology, infectious disease and immunity, psychiatric disorders and more, and the campus includes an Innovation and Research Park.

A Community Hub

Campus spaces are designed for community as well as study. RFU points to a fitness center, a cafe, on-campus housing, athletic fields and plenty of places for group study and student organization meetings. The fitness center in the RWCLC is free with a valid RFU ID and open 24 hours a day (except for short cleaning breaks), with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, free weights, circuit machines and floor space. RFU also offers fitness classes, intramural sports and relaxation spaces.

Housing Options to Suit Your Needs

RFU has two on-campus housing options. North On Campus apartments are the closest to classes, and South Campus (Woodlands) is within walking distance, is exclusively for RFU students and includes amenities such as a pool. Housing mixes students from all programs, so a medical student may live next door to pharmacy or podiatry students. The Office of Student Housing also supports students looking off campus, and many students rent in nearby Lake County communities. Plan for on-campus space early, since RFU offers priority housing registration.

Living in Lake County means a quieter, more affordable pace than the city, with more than 30,000 acres of forest preserves, nearly 200 miles of trails and beaches along the lake. Chicago and Milwaukee are each about an hour away, and the Metra Union Pacific North line makes trips into Chicago easy without a car.

A Vibrant and Engaging Student Life

RFU has more than 80 student organizations, more than 1,000 events a year and more than 400 student leaders. A Student Activities Fair at the start of each academic year lets new students meet most groups, and all RFU organizations are open to all students. Students can also start new organizations, as many have.

For medical students, two kinds of involvement stand out:

• Service. The Interprofessional Clinic Initiative (ICI) is the student organization that runs the free Interprofessional Community Clinic. It is one of the most direct ways to give back to the community around campus while gaining clinical and leadership experience.
• Creative and reflective work. CMS supports Synapses, a creative journal, and the school’s community programs include the Mini Medical School and Parent Hero Academy.

Specialty interest groups, cultural and identity organizations and recreational clubs fill out the list. The current directory, with contacts, is linked from RFU’s student organizations page, and it is worth checking before you write the fourth secondary essay, which asks how you would contribute to the learning environment.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The CMS mission commits the school to educating students “from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.” RFU’s Division of Community and Campus Outreach works to build connections between the university and the surrounding community through education, collaboration and service. All RFU student organizations are open to all students regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, national origin or any other protected basis, and the Student Counseling Service describes an atmosphere that is welcoming of every student’s identity.

A Holistic Approach to Student Well-being

Medical school is demanding, and RFU builds support into campus life. The Student Counseling Service, part of the Student Health and Wellness Center in the RWCLC, offers individual and group counseling at no additional charge to enrolled students, with limited flexible tele-psychotherapy to fit student schedules. CMS’s Office of Student Affairs, led by associate and assistant deans, supports students academically and personally, and an assistant dean for career and specialty advising helps students plan for residency.

CMS is a place to learn, grow and connect. Its interprofessional campus, service culture and support services give aspiring physicians an environment where they can thrive.

If the interprofessional side of RFU appeals to you, you may also want to see how nurses and physicians share care in other settings through nursing internships abroad, or compare options across professions with pre-health internships before you commit to one path.

Clinical Rotations and Research Opportunities

Clinical rotations and research are central to a CMS education. They give students hands-on training and the chance to apply what they learn in real settings.

Clinical Rotations

CMS’s clinical network gives students a wide range of experiences. In Phase II, every student completes seven core clerkships:

• Internal Medicine: diagnosis and management of a wide range of adult medical conditions.
• Surgery: preoperative, operative and postoperative care.
• Pediatrics: care of infants, children and adolescents.
• Obstetrics and Gynecology: reproductive health, including prenatal and postnatal care.
• Psychiatry: diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders.
• Family Medicine/Primary Care: comprehensive care for individuals and families.
• Neurology: diagnosis and management of neurological disorders.

An M3 elective and 31 weeks of M4 electives let students explore other specialties, and the M4 sub-internship can be in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Neurology, Pediatrics, Family Medicine or Emergency Medicine.

Where rotations happen

CMS calls itself “a community-based medical school with diverse clinical placements and experiences.” Students rotate at Level 1 trauma centers, in suburban and rural community clinic settings and at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. The current site list spans:

• Lake County and the north suburbs: Advocate Condell Medical Center, the Lovell Federal Health Care Center and the Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinics next to campus.
• Chicago safety-net and community hospitals: John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County, Mount Sinai Hospital, Humboldt Park Health, Saint Anthony Hospital, Saint Bernard Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Insight Hospital and Medical Center Chicago and Ascension Saint Joseph Chicago.
• Large suburban systems: Advocate Christ, Lutheran General, Illinois Masonic and South Suburban; AdventHealth Hinsdale; Endeavor Health Edward Hospital; Silver Cross Hospital; Little Company of Mary; Northwestern Medicine McHenry and Huntley; Ascension Saint Alexius; Resurrection, Saint Francis and Saint Mary.
• Pediatrics: Advocate Children’s Hospital (Oak Lawn and Park Ridge) and Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago at Franciscan Health Crown Point in Indiana.
• Psychiatry: Elgin Mental Health Center.
• Beyond Illinois: Froedtert South Pleasant Prairie Hospital in Wisconsin, Mercyhealth and Palmdale Regional Medical Center in California.

Because sites are spread across a large region, expect real travel time in M3 and M4, and plan transportation early. If psychiatry draws you, the mix of the Elgin Mental Health Center, the Lovell center’s veteran population and a required psychiatry clerkship is a real strength, and mental health internships abroad are one way to explore behavioral health before medical school.

Match lists

Each March, M4 students learn their residency placements at the CMS Match Day ceremony. CMS posts match lists by year, most recently for 2026, on its match lists page. Reading two or three recent years shows which specialties and regions CMS graduates enter.

Research Opportunities

Research is a major strength at RFU, in both clinical and basic science. CMS lists special strengths in neuroscience, physiology, structural biology, cancer and regenerative medicine. Student routes include:

• Summer research fellowship: between M1 and M2, students can conduct research with a CMS faculty member or through an affiliated program.
• Research electives: three elective courses, two at the sophomore level and one at the senior level, provide time for research in a chosen area.
• MD with Distinction in Research: for students who conduct, present and defend an original basic or clinical research project. Several students earn it each year.
• MD/PhD Track II: students with a successful M1 summer research experience can apply to the MD/PhD during M2.

CMS reported $3,896,882 in direct federal research grants and contracts for fiscal year 2024. Among students entering in 2025, 89% had research or laboratory experience before medical school, so most of your classmates will arrive with some time in a lab.

Service clinic and global health

The Interprofessional Community Clinic (ICC) is a pro bono clinic founded in 2013 by CMS students. It is now led by students from allopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine and psychology. The clinic is open on Thursday evenings from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Rosalind Franklin University Health Clinics building next to campus, and on most Thursdays it offers uninsured patients primary care, podiatry, physical therapy, behavioral health counseling and health coaching at no cost. Students can join patient care teams or the Interprofessional Clinic Initiative, the organization that runs the clinic. The ICC page has details.

The curriculum also leaves the summer after M1 open for research or global health experiences. In the 2025 Graduation Questionnaire, 6% of CMS graduating seniors reported a global health experience during medical school, so students who want one need to plan for it. Applicants who want to show global health interest before medical school can do so through medical internships abroad, where pre-health students work with supervised clinical teams in other countries.

Notable Alumni, Faculty, Leadership and Admissions Staff

Notable Alumni and Faculty

CMS has more than a century of graduates and a faculty spread across its foundational and clinical science departments. The profiles below come from CMS’s leadership page, RFU’s president’s office and the CMS Distinguished Alumni Awards. Roles were checked on October 17, 2026. Knowing who leads the school helps you understand its priorities; it does not mean any of these people will review your file.

School and university leadership

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD, is Dean of Chicago Medical School and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs at RFU. She leads the dean’s cabinet listed below. CMS also posts a strategic plan, and reading it before your interview gives you a clearer sense of where the school is heading.

Jeanette Morrison, MD, is Executive Vice Dean of CMS, Vice Dean for Medical Education and Professor of Medicine. Her role covers the curriculum described above, from the system blocks through Transition to Internship.

Aron Sousa, MD, FACP, became President and CEO of Rosalind Franklin University on November 10, 2025. He came from Michigan State University, where he was dean of the College of Human Medicine, a community-based medical school, and led public health initiatives in Flint, Michigan, including creation of the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health. He is a practicing general internist. His background in community-based medical education and public health fits the CMS mission’s emphasis on community engagement.

Admissions, student affairs and advising

Michael Ellison, EdD, is Associate Dean for Admissions and Assistant Professor of Humanities and Health Care. He leads CMS admissions, the office that runs the supplemental application, the MMI and the Student Admissions Committee process.

Antwione Haywood, PhD, is Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Jessica Lewis, PhD, is Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Student Affairs supports students from orientation through graduation.

Monique Jones, MD ’93, is Assistant Dean for Career and Specialty Advising and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is also a CMS graduate. Her office helps students choose specialties and prepare for the residency match.

Faculty leaders in community health, curriculum and research

Melissa Chen, MD, is Assistant Dean for Community Health and Engagement, Associate Professor of Medicine and Clinical Director of the Interprofessional Community Clinic. If service and community engagement are central to your application, her work with the ICC is the clearest example of how CMS puts the mission into practice.

Sheryl Juliano, MA, MS, is Assistant Dean for Curriculum and Instruction, and Lalita Prasad-Reddy, PharmD, MS, is Assistant Dean for Basic Science Education. Their roles shape how Phase I is taught.

Robert Marr, PhD, is Assistant Dean for Research and Associate Professor of Neuroscience. Joseph Reynolds, PhD, is Interim Vice Dean for Research at CMS, Director of the Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, and Associate Professor and Discipline Chair of Microbiology and Immunology. Applicants interested in the summer research fellowship or the MD with Distinction in Research can explore the research areas these leaders oversee.

Nutan Vaidya, MD, is Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs and Equity and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Alumni

CMS recognizes graduates each year with Distinguished Alumni Awards for Achievement, Service and Early Career Achievement. Recent recipients show the range of careers CMS graduates build:

John Shufeldt, MD ’86, JD, MBA, FACEP (2026 Award for Achievement) is an emergency physician, attorney and healthcare entrepreneur. He completed his emergency medicine residency as chief resident at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, and founded ventures including NextCare and MeMD. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Eric Handler, MD ’76, MPH, FAAP (2026 Award for Service) has led large public health systems. He served as public health officer for Orange County, California, deputy secretary for Children’s Medical Services at the Florida Department of Health and chief medical officer for the Boston regional office of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He created Waste Not OC, which connects excess food with families facing food insecurity.

Karthik Rajasekaran, MD ’11, FACS (2026 Award for Early Career Achievement) is an associate professor of otorhinolaryngology: head and neck surgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, specializing in head and neck cancer surgery, microvascular reconstruction and transoral robotic surgery.

Steven Kirshblum, MD ’86 (2025 Award for Service) is chief medical officer of the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and professor and chair of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He served as the spinal cord injury physician for Christopher Reeve and earned the CMS Dean’s Award at graduation.

Vivian (Wai Chong) Wong, MD ’14, PhD ’12 (2025 Award for Early Career Achievement) is a board-certified dermatologist who earned both her MD and a PhD in cellular and molecular pharmacology at RFU and graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha honors. She formerly directed the Hair Loss Clinic on the Harvard Medical School faculty, and she now holds a clinical assistant professor appointment at RFU and advises its dermatology interest group. Her path is a useful example for MD/PhD applicants.

Sharon L. Hame, MD ’91 (2024 Award for Achievement) is a professor of clinical orthopaedic surgery at UCLA, a team physician for UCLA athletics and USA Basketball and head team physician for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Kaleem A. Malik, MD ’96, MS ’92 (2024 Award for Service) is an emergency medicine and trauma physician who, at the time of his award, was Assistant Dean of Global Health at CMS. He directs medical disaster response for Humanity First USA and has deployed on disaster missions, including the earthquakes in Turkey.

Basil K. Williams, Jr., MD ’11 (2024 Award for Early Career Achievement) is vice chair of diversity, equity and inclusion and an associate professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami. He was elected to the Gold Humanism Honor Society at CMS.

Kimberley Darey, MD ’04 (2022 Award for Service) is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist who was named president of Elmhurst Hospital in Illinois, effective January 2023, after serving as medical director of its Family Birthing Center and as chief medical officer. She was the first African American medical director at Elmhurst Hospital in obstetrics and gynecology.

CMS’s list of past Distinguished Alumni Award recipients also includes Theodore Bayless, MD ’57, Josephine W. Hall, MD ’63, Marshall A. Falk, MD ’56 and Sanford I. Cohen, MD ’52, all now deceased, and early career award recipients Kevin de la Roza, MD ’04 and Sara J. Pavitt, MD ’15. The full list is on the past recipients page.

These careers, from emergency medicine entrepreneurship and public health to academic surgery, dermatology research and hospital leadership, reflect the mission’s goal of physicians who lead through clinical excellence, discovery and service.

Admissions Statistics and Class Profile

Admission Statistics for Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

The newest figures CMS publishes describe the 2026 entering class, which started in 2026. They come from the CMS class profile.

The newest national data, for the 2025 entering class, adds verified applications, interview counts and accepted-applicant medians. Each figure below carries its cohort.

Verified Applications

• AMCAS applicants: 16,269 for the 2026 entering class.
• Verified applications, 2025 entering class: 11,973 in total, made up of 1,385 Illinois residents, 10,542 out-of-state applicants and 46 international applicants. Verified applications count only completed, submitted applications, not those started and abandoned.

Interviews

• Applicants interviewed, 2025 entering class: 724, of whom 192 were Illinois residents, 532 were from out of state and none were international.
• Interviewed/applicants, 2025 entering class: 724 of 11,973 verified applications, about 6.0%. For Illinois residents the ratio was 192 of 1,385 (about 13.9%), and for out-of-state applicants 532 of 10,542 (about 5.0%). These are interview ratios, not acceptance rates.
• Over the past several years, about 5% to 10% of the applicant pool has been invited to interview, and there is no fixed minimum or maximum number of interview spots.

Acceptances

• The number of acceptance offers is not published for either the 2025 or the 2026 entering class, so a true acceptance rate (offers divided by applications) cannot be calculated.

Matriculated Students

• Class size: 203.
• In-state residents (by permanent address): 66%, so about one third of the class comes from outside Illinois.
• Region: about half of a recent class came from the Midwest.
• Average age at matriculation: 24, with a range of about 20 to 35 in a recent class.
• Age ranges, 2025 entering class: 78 students aged 19 to 23, 115 aged 24 to 29, 10 aged 30 to 39 and none aged 40 or over.
• Background, 2025 entering class: 26% of matriculants held a graduate degree, 67% were science or math majors and 45% reported disadvantaged status on their application.
• Deferrals, 2025 entering class: one student deferred entry.
• International students: not eligible, apart from DACA-eligible applicants.

Academic Metrics

For the 2026 entering class (CMS class profile):

• Cumulative GPA: 3.72.
• Science GPA: 3.63.
• MCAT: 508.

The school does not state whether these GPA and MCAT figures are averages or medians.

For all accepted applicants in the 2025 entering class:

MCAT figures use each applicant’s most recent score. CARS is the lowest median section, at 126. There is no minimum GPA or MCAT for screening, and the committee considers each applicant’s highest total MCAT score. Postbaccalaureate or graduate coursework is considered when an applicant has a lower undergraduate GPA, provided it totals at least 24 credit hours.

The school’s own guidance for applicants is that most successful applicants have cumulative and science GPAs around 3.5 and an MCAT of at least 510, or either a strong science GPA or an MCAT of 510 or above along with a strong overall profile. Read the class figures, the accepted-applicant medians and the guidance together: neither is a cutoff.

Premedical Experiences

Among matriculants in the 2025 entering class:

• Community service or volunteering: 90%.
• Medical or clinical paid employment: 90%.
• Research or laboratory work: 89%.
• Physician shadowing or clinical observation: 84%.
• Medical or clinical volunteering: 84%.
• Military service: 2%.

Nine in ten entering students reported community service, and nine in ten reported paid clinical work, which matches the school’s emphasis on applicants who understand healthcare teams.

Gender Distribution

A gender breakdown is not published for the 2025 or 2026 entering class.

Application and Enrollment Deadlines

• AMCAS deadline: November 1, 2026.
• Supplemental deadline: December 1, 2026.
• Classes begin: August 9, 2027, for the entering class of 2027.

How to read these numbers

With more than 16,000 applicants for about 200 seats, CMS is selective. Still, the 16,269 figure counts everyone who applied, including people who never completed the supplemental, and CMS does not publish how many offers it makes, so you cannot calculate a true acceptance rate. The interview ratio is the clearest signal: about 6% of verified applicants were interviewed for the 2025 entering class, and Illinois residents were interviewed at a higher rate (about 13.9%) than out-of-state applicants (about 5.0%). What the numbers also show is that CMS draws a large national pool, keeps about two thirds of its class from Illinois and admits students of many ages. Applicants should prepare carefully, with a strong academic record, healthcare involvement, leadership, service and research where it fits.

Tips and Strategies for Admission

Applying to medical school takes careful planning. CMS wants applicants who are academically ready and who show, through what they have actually done, the service, teamwork and communication its mission describes. These strategies translate what CMS says it values into concrete steps.

Highlight Healthcare Involvement

Your experience in healthcare settings is one of the most important parts of your application. CMS looks for applicants who understand healthcare teams and the physician’s role, and it says this usually shows up in employment and volunteer work. Clinical volunteering, paid patient care roles and shadowing all count, but roles where you had your own responsibilities with patients count most. When you describe them, focus on what you did, how you worked with patients and other professionals and how the experience shaped your decision to become a physician. If you need more direct patient contact, pre-med internships with supervised clinical work are one way to build it.

Showcase Leadership and Service

CMS values students “dedicated to serving others” with demonstrated leadership potential. Highlight leadership roles in student organizations, community groups, workplaces or research teams, and explain the difference you made. Emphasize service, especially service tied to health or to communities with limited access to care. Depth matters: two years with one free clinic or food pantry says more than a dozen single-day events.

Show that you understand interprofessional teams

This is the most CMS-specific strategy in this guide. Interprofessional education is built into RFU, from the Foundations of Interprofessional Practice course to the student-run clinic. The first secondary prompt asks about interprofessional collaboration directly. Before you apply, make a list of moments when a nurse, pharmacist, therapist, medical assistant, interpreter or social worker changed the outcome for a patient you saw. Those moments are your best essay material, and they prepare you for MMI stations about teamwork.

Emphasize Research Experience

Research is valued at CMS, which offers a summer research fellowship, research electives, the MD with Distinction in Research and an MD/PhD. It is not required for the MD. If you have research experience, describe your own contribution, any presentations or publications and what you learned about asking good questions. If you plan to apply MD/PhD, aim for the profile CMS describes for interviewees, typically at least a 3.75 cumulative GPA and a 515 MCAT, along with substantial research.

Craft a Compelling Personal Statement

Your personal statement is where you tell your own story and explain why you want to practice medicine. Reflect on your experiences, challenges and motivations, and show how they shaped you. Be honest and specific. A statement that fits CMS will show care for patients, an understanding of teamwork and a connection to communities, but it should never read like a summary of the school’s mission. Our AMCAS personal statement examples show how strong statements are built.

Prepare for the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI)

CMS uses a live, virtual MMI: a series of short, structured stations that test communication, ethical reasoning and problem solving. Practice answering a variety of scenarios out loud, on camera, with a timer. Focus on clear reasoning, empathy and a willingness to consider other viewpoints. Mock MMIs with peers, advisors or mentors help a great deal.

Focus on Academic Excellence

Academic performance remains the foundation of your application. Your coursework and grades should show you can succeed in a demanding curriculum. Earn a C or better in every prerequisite (the minimum CMS requires), take the recommended statistics and advanced biology courses and aim for an MCAT score at or above the 510 that CMS describes as typical of successful applicants. If your GPA is below about 3.5, an upward trend, strong recent science coursework or graduate work can show readiness.

Seek Strong Letters of Recommendation

Letters give the committee an outside view of your abilities and character. Choose recommenders who know you well and can speak to your academic ability, clinical experience and personal qualities. Give them your CV, your personal statement draft and a short note on what you hope they can address. If you send individual letters, include one from a medical professional you have worked with, which CMS prefers. Strong letters from faculty, research mentors or healthcare professionals can meaningfully strengthen your application.

Apply early and completely

Admission at CMS is rolling, and the school urges applicants to apply as early in the cycle as possible. Submit AMCAS in June if you can, and return the supplemental within about two weeks of receiving it. Remember that CMS will not review any part of your file while it waits for a future MCAT score, and that it will not accept updates after you submit, except for the specific explanations it lists. A complete, polished file in July is worth more than a slightly better one in October.

Plan your gap years and summers with purpose

The average CMS matriculant is 24, so many students take time between college and medical school. Use that time to deepen one or two commitments rather than adding many short ones. If you are mapping out a break year, pre-med gap year programs can add structured clinical experience, and if you have only a summer, pre-med summer internships can fit between semesters. Whatever you choose, keep a short journal of patient encounters and team moments; you will need those details for 150-word essays.

If you are reapplying

CMS decisions are final, but denied applicants may reapply in a future cycle. Use the time to change something meaningful: retake the MCAT if it was below about 510, add sustained clinical or service work, take the PREview, or strengthen letters. Because the 2026-2027 prompts are all new, a reapplicant cannot reuse old essays; every answer should reflect what you did since your last application.

Look Beyond CMS-RFUMS

Even if CMS is your top choice, apply to a balanced list of schools that fit your goals and values. Applying broadly improves your chances of acceptance and gives you real choices. Compare location, curriculum, research, community engagement and cost. Our guide to medical schools in Illinois compares every program in the state, and the related guides near the end of this article, along with a long list of other school guides, can help you build your list.

Prospective students aiming for CMS should focus on these key areas:

• Healthcare involvement: experiences in healthcare settings that show you understand the care team.
• Leadership and service: sustained roles, especially those tied to health and to underserved communities.
• Research experience: your own contribution to scientific work, if research is part of your path.
• Personal statement: a clear, honest account of why you want to practice medicine.

By following these strategies, you can present yourself as a well-prepared, committed candidate. The path to medical school is demanding, but with careful preparation and a genuine commitment to patients, you can reach your goal.

Secondary Application Questions, Example Responses and Analysis

Secondary Application Questions and Expert Responses

CMS sends its supplemental application to every verified AMCAS applicant who meets the citizenship requirements. For the 2026-2027 cycle it contains five required essays. The portal introduces them with this instruction: “Applicants are asked to complete the following essays to further inform our committee. Each essay answer should be no longer than 150 words.” CMS confirms the limit: “Please limit your response to each of the supplemental application essays to 150 words.” The fee is $140 (waived automatically for AMCAS FAP recipients), and everything is due by December 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST, or by August 1 at 5:00 p.m. CDT for Early Decision.

All five prompts are new for 2026-2027. The same five apply to every applicant, including in-state, out-of-state and MD/PhD applicants. No track-specific or reapplicant essay has been published for this cycle, so if your portal shows an additional question, answer it within the limit the portal states. Compare these prompts with other schools’ in our medical school secondary essay prompts database.

Five rules for 150-word essays. Answer every part of the prompt. Use one specific example, not a list. Give at least one sentence of reflection. Name CMS programs only when you can explain why they matter to you. Count your words in the portal before you submit, because 150 is a hard ceiling.

The examples below are original teaching samples written for this guide. Each is labeled “Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay.” They show structure and specificity. Do not copy them or submit them: your essays must describe your own experiences.

Essay 1: Service, interprofessional collaboration and community engagement

Prompt (required, 150 words): “Chicago Medical School values service, interprofessional collaboration, and community engagement. Describe an experience that reflects one or more of these values and how you hope to continue this work during your time in medical school.”

What it asks: two things. First, one experience that shows service, interprofessional collaboration or community engagement. Second, how you would continue that work at CMS. The three values come straight from the mission, so this is the essay where fit matters most.

Approach: spend about 100 words on one scene with a clear role for you and, ideally, for another profession. Spend about 40 words on a concrete plan at CMS, such as the Interprofessional Community Clinic or a service organization. Keep one sentence for what you learned.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (148 words):

For two years I volunteered at a free clinic in Waukegan that runs out of a church basement on Tuesday nights. I started at the front desk, checking patients in and taking blood pressures, and later helped the volunteer pharmacist with medication reviews. One evening a man with diabetes told us his insulin “stopped working.” The pharmacist asked me to bring his bag of medications to the table, and together we learned he kept his pens in a hot car. Nothing in his regimen changed. The fix was a small cooler and a ten-minute conversation. That night taught me that the right answer often belongs to someone other than the physician. At Chicago Medical School, I hope to join the Interprofessional Community Clinic, where students from medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy and psychology care for uninsured neighbors together, and keep asking who on the team sees what I miss.

Analysis: The prompt has two parts: an experience that reflects service, interprofessional collaboration or community engagement, and a plan to continue that work in medical school. The first two thirds answer part one with a single, concrete scene. It shows all three values without listing them: service (a free clinic), collaboration (the pharmacist solves the problem) and community (a clinic a few miles from the North Chicago campus). The turn, “the right answer often belongs to someone other than the physician,” is the reflection the committee wants from a school built on interprofessional education. The last sentences answer part two by naming a verified CMS opportunity, the student-founded Interprofessional Community Clinic, and describing it accurately. Mistakes to avoid: listing every volunteer role you have held, praising teamwork in the abstract, or ending without a specific plan for medical school.

Essay 2: Why CMS and how it fits your career goals

Prompt (required, 150 words): “Which specific programs, opportunities, or aspects of Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University motivated you to apply, and how do they align with your career goals?”

What it asks: specific CMS programs or features that drew you, and how each connects to a stated career goal. “Specific” is the key word.

Approach: state a career direction early, even a tentative one. Then name two or three verified CMS features and tie each to your past experience and your goal. Good candidates include the Interprofessional Community Clinic, the Foundations of Interprofessional Practice course, the summer research fellowship and MD with Distinction in Research, the MD/PhD tracks, the Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity sequence and particular clinical sites.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (147 words):

My father served twenty years in the Navy, and after he retired I watched him wait months for a mental health appointment. I want to become a psychiatrist who works in systems that care for veterans and service members, and three parts of Chicago Medical School fit that goal. First, CMS students rotate at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, which cares for both veterans and active-duty personnel. I want to learn how shared care works. Second, the summer research fellowship after M1, followed by an MD with Distinction in Research, would let me continue the PTSD screening project I began as a research assistant and finish it as a defended study. Third, the Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity courses that run through all four years would give me a structured place to study access, the problem my family lived through.

Analysis: This prompt asks for specific programs or aspects of CMS and how they align with career goals, so the example states a clear career goal (psychiatry for veterans and service members) in the second sentence and then names three verified features: the Lovell Federal Health Care Center clinical site, the M1-M2 summer research fellowship with the MD with Distinction in Research, and the Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity course sequence. Each feature is tied to something the applicant has already done or lived, which keeps it from reading like a brochure. The numbered structure is easy to scan in 150 words. Mistakes to avoid: naming programs without saying why they matter to you, listing features every school has (“excellent faculty,” “diverse patients”), or claiming a guaranteed rotation or research placement.

Essay 3: Training in the Chicago and North Chicago region

Prompt (required, 150 words): “What interests you about training in the Chicago/North Chicago region, and how might this environment shape your medical education and future career as a physician?”

What it asks: your interest in this region, and how training here would shape your education and your career.

Approach: be accurate about geography. The campus is in North Chicago, in Lake County, and rotations range from Lake County to Chicago, the western and southern suburbs, northwest Indiana and southeast Wisconsin. Give one honest reason for the region (family, a past job, a patient population you know) and connect the range of clinical settings to the kind of physician you want to become.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (148 words):

I grew up in Kenosha, twenty minutes north of North Chicago, and my family’s health care has always crossed the state line. My grandmother had her heart surgery in Milwaukee, and my cousin’s son was treated in Chicago. I learned early that where you live shapes what care you can reach. Training in this region would let me see that from every side: suburban and rural Lake County practices, a federal health care center, and Chicago safety-net hospitals such as John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County and Humboldt Park Health. I plan to practice family medicine in a mid-sized Midwestern city, where I will be both the doctor who refers patients to large centers and the one who cares for them when they come home. Lake County’s slower pace, its forest preserve trails and an easy Metra ride to the city would also keep me balanced.

Analysis: The prompt has two parts: what interests you about the Chicago and North Chicago region, and how that environment would shape your education and career. The example opens with a real geographic tie, then explains why the region matters medically: it contains suburban, rural, federal and urban safety-net settings, and it names two hospitals that are on CMS’s current clinical sites list. The second half connects that range to a specific career plan (family medicine in a mid-sized Midwestern city) and to the referral relationship the applicant expects to manage. The last sentence addresses quality of life honestly without making it the main reason. Mistakes to avoid: writing only about downtown Chicago when the campus is in Lake County, praising the city’s restaurants or sports teams, or naming hospitals that are not current CMS sites.

Essay 4: How you would contribute to the CMS learning environment

Prompt (required, 150 words): “If you joined the Chicago Medical School community, how would you contribute to the learning environment through initiatives, organizations, or areas of involvement that interest you?”

What it asks: concrete ways you would add to CMS through initiatives, organizations or areas of involvement.

Approach: choose one or two contributions that grow out of something you have already done well, and describe actions, not traits. Check RFU’s student organizations directory so you name groups that exist. Mentioning the interprofessional campus shows you understand who your classmates will be.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (149 words):

I learn best by teaching, and I would bring that to Chicago Medical School in two ways. For three years I led weekly organic chemistry study sessions, where I learned to explain one reaction four ways until one landed. In medical school I would like to organize small peer review groups for the system blocks, especially for classmates who are returning to science after years in other careers. I would also bring my writing. I have published short essays about helping care for my grandmother through her dementia, and I would submit work to Synapses, the school’s creative journal, and help host readings that bring together students from every RFU program. Writing is how I process hard days. A campus where future physicians, pharmacists and psychologists train side by side will have plenty of hard days, and a shared space to talk about them would strengthen our learning environment.

Analysis: The prompt asks how you would contribute to the learning environment through initiatives, organizations or areas of involvement. The example offers two contributions, each backed by evidence from the applicant’s record: peer teaching (three years of study sessions) and reflective writing (published essays). Each contribution is tied to something at CMS, the system-block curriculum and Synapses, the creative journal listed among the school’s programs, and to the interprofessional campus. It answers “how” with concrete actions (organize review groups, submit work, host readings) instead of adjectives. Mistakes to avoid: listing clubs you might join without explaining what you would add, promising to found organizations that already exist, or describing contributions with no history behind them.

Essay 5: Responding to difficult or unexpected feedback

Prompt (required, 150 words): “Describe a time when you received difficult or unexpected feedback about your academic performance or behavior. How did you respond to that feedback, and what changes did you make as a result?”

What it asks: three parts: the feedback, your response and the changes you made.

Approach: pick real feedback that was hard to hear, about academics or behavior. Show your first reaction honestly, then how you sought to understand it, then two or three specific changes and a sign that they worked. Spend the most words on the changes.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (150 words):

In my second year as an EMT, my field training officer pulled me aside after a call and told me I had talked over an elderly patient three times while taking her history. I was surprised; I thought I had been efficient. I asked him to walk me through it. Every time she started a sentence about her late husband, I steered her back to my medication questions. At the hospital, the nurse let her finish, and she mentioned that she had stopped one of her blood pressure pills a week earlier. I had missed it. I changed how I take histories. I now begin with one open question, I wait before redirecting anyone, and I ask partners to flag me when I interrupt. Six months later, the same officer wrote in my evaluation that patients open up to me. The feedback stung, but it made me a better listener.

Analysis: This prompt has three parts: describe difficult or unexpected feedback about academic performance or behavior, explain how you responded, and describe the changes you made. The example covers each in order. The feedback is specific and about behavior (interrupting a patient). The response shows maturity: surprise, then a request to understand, not a defense. The consequence (a missed medication change) explains why the feedback mattered. The changes are concrete and checkable (an open first question, waiting before redirecting, asking partners for accountability), and the evaluation six months later shows that they worked. Mistakes to avoid: choosing feedback that is really a compliment, blaming the person who gave it, describing a grade without any change in behavior, or ending with a vague lesson such as “I learned to be more open.”

Common mistakes across all five essays

• Going over 150 words. The limit is firm. Draft long, then cut.
• Repeating your personal statement. Each essay should add something new.
• Recycling last cycle’s answers. The 2025-2026 prompts (on inspiration for medicine, a challenge or setback, helping someone through a hard time, something you feel self-conscious about and two causes you care about) and the older prompts on diversity, plans for the coming year, a major setback and areas for improvement are not part of the 2026-2027 secondary.
• Naming programs CMS does not offer. CMS currently lists only the MD and MD/PhD as degree programs, and its clinical sites list changes over time. Check before you write.
• Using the same story twice. With five essays, plan your examples together so each one shows something different.

Interview Format and Preparation

What CMS confirms about the interview

• Format: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).
• Delivery: virtual and live. CMS states that interviews “will not be done asynchronously,” so you will speak with real interviewers in real time, not record answers.
• Timing: the first invitations go out in August, interviews begin in September and they end in mid-April. There are no regional interviews and no recorded video interviews.
• Who is invited: about 5% to 10% of the applicant pool in recent years, chosen after holistic review. For the 2025 entering class, 724 applicants were interviewed out of 11,973 verified applications. There is no fixed number of interview spots.

What the MMI is designed to show

An MMI is a series of short stations, each with its own scenario or question and its own interviewer. Stations typically test communication, ethical reasoning, teamwork, problem solving and how you handle uncertainty. CMS does not publish its station count, timing or scoring rules, so the preparation advice below is general practice for MMIs, not a description of CMS’s rubric.

How to prepare

• Practice the format, not scripts. Work through ethics, teamwork, policy and personal stations out loud with a two-minute reading period and about six to eight minutes to answer.
• Use a simple structure. Restate the issue, identify who is affected, consider at least two options, choose one and explain why, then say what you would do next.
• Bring the mission into the room naturally. Many stations reward the same qualities CMS names: understanding the care team, service and clear, caring communication. When a station asks what you would do, think about who else on the team you would involve.
• Know your own file. Be ready to expand on every activity and every one of your five supplemental essays.
• Prepare your setup. Test your camera, microphone, lighting and internet ahead of time, and have a backup device ready. Dress as you would for an in-person interview.
• Review common questions. Our list of medical school interview questions is a good bank for practice, and mock MMIs with peers or an advisor help you get used to the pace.

After the interview

CMS admits on a rolling basis, and acceptance notices go out from October 15, 2026 through July 15, 2027. The alternate list is ranked. Check your applicant portal regularly rather than relying on email alone. CMS does not accept letters of intent or other updates after submission, except explanations of an Institutional Action, felony, misdemeanor or military discharge, so focus your energy on your other applications while you wait.

If you would like one-on-one practice, our medical school admissions consulting services include mock MMIs and feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline for Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science?

The AMCAS deadline for CMS is November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The supplemental application and its $140 fee are due December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time. Early Decision applicants need a complete AMCAS application, including MCAT scores, by August 1, with EDP supplemental materials due by 5:00 p.m. CDT that day. Because admission is rolling, aim to submit AMCAS in June and the supplemental within two weeks of receiving it.

What is the median MCAT score for accepted students?

The median MCAT for all accepted applicants in the 2025 entering class was 510, with a mean of 510.1. The median section scores were 128 in Chemical and Physical Foundations, 126 in CARS, 128 in Biological and Biochemical Foundations and 129 in Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations. CMS lists an MCAT of 508 for its 2026 entering class without saying whether that figure is an average or a median, and its guidance is that most successful applicants score at least 510. Treat 510 or higher as a strong target and remember that the committee reviews the whole application.

What financial aid options are available?

CMS students can use Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans (RFU lists limits between $20,500 and $50,000 depending on program and year), private loans, a limited number of institutional scholarships, including a small number of need-based awards decided from your AMCAS information, and federal work-study. Grad PLUS loans are now available only to students who borrowed one before July 1, 2026. File the FAFSA, look for external and service scholarships and talk with RFU’s Office of Student Financial Services early.

What clinical rotation opportunities are available?

Every student completes seven core clerkships in the third year: internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine/primary care and neurology, plus an elective. The fourth year adds a sub-internship and 31 weeks of electives. Rotations take place at more than 30 hospital sites, including Advocate Condell, the Lovell Federal Health Care Center, John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County and Advocate Children’s Hospital, as well as clinics and private offices.

How does Chicago Medical School support diversity and inclusion?

CMS’s mission commits it to educating students “from a variety of backgrounds and experiences,” and the school was one of the first medical schools to admit women, persons of color and religious minorities. At RFU, all student organizations are open to all students, the Division of Community and Campus Outreach builds ties with the local community, and the Student Counseling Service offers free counseling in a setting welcoming to every identity. The secondary no longer includes a separate diversity essay.

What are the Chicago Medical School requirements?

You need U.S. citizenship, permanent residency or DACA eligibility; at least 90 semester hours completed before applying and a bachelor’s degree before matriculation; the prerequisites (a year each of biology and physics with lab, a two-year chemistry sequence including biochemistry, and two behavioral or social science courses, all with a C or better); an MCAT taken between January 1, 2024 and September 30, 2026; letters through AMCAS; and the five-essay supplemental with its $140 fee.

What is the Chicago medical school acceptance rate?

CMS does not publish an acceptance rate. For the 2026 entering class it reported 16,269 AMCAS applicants and 203 enrolled students, but enrolled students divided by applicants is a matriculation ratio, not an acceptance rate, because it leaves out admitted applicants who chose other schools. The school says about 5% to 10% of applicants are invited to interview, and for the 2025 entering class 724 of 11,973 verified applicants were interviewed (about 6%). That is an interview ratio, not an acceptance rate, because the number of acceptance offers is not published. Focus on a strong, complete, early application.

How can I learn more about RFU medical programs?

Start with the CMS MD program pages on the Rosalind Franklin University website, including the common questions, application requirements, curriculum and class profile pages. CMS holds small-group information sessions and tours every two weeks year-round and larger open houses in the fall and spring. Admissions staff do not hold individual counseling sessions, but you can email [email protected] or call 847-578-3204 with questions.

What specialties are available at Chicago Medical School?

All students train in internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine and neurology during the third year, and sub-internships are offered in internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, neurology, pediatrics, family medicine and emergency medicine. Electives cover many more fields. CMS says its graduates are prepared to pursue residency in any specialty, and its yearly match lists show where recent graduates matched. In the most recent year of AAMC Graduation Questionnaire data shown (through July 31, 2025), the most common intended specialties among graduating seniors were internal medicine (23.7%), emergency medicine (10.5%) and family medicine (10.5%), followed by psychiatry (7.9%).

Are there opportunities for research at Chicago Medical School?

Yes. RFU has research strengths in neuroscience, physiology, structural biology, cancer and regenerative medicine. CMS students can do a summer research fellowship between M1 and M2, use research electives (two in the second year and one in the fourth), earn an MD with Distinction in Research by defending an original project, or apply to the MD/PhD through Track I at entry or Track II during M2.

How does Chicago Medical School integrate community service into its curriculum?

Service is part of the mission and of daily life. Students learn in community settings early, take four interprofessional courses in Phase I and can volunteer at the student-led Interprofessional Community Clinic, a free clinic for uninsured patients founded by CMS students in 2013. The Principles of Professionalism, Health Care, and Health Equity courses in all four years connect clinical training to the social factors that shape health.

What is the role of pre-med study abroad programs at RFU Medical?

RFU does not run pre-med study abroad programs for applicants. Pre-med programs abroad, such as IMA’s clinical internships, are separate from CMS and do not affect admission. Their value is the experience itself: supervised patient contact and a close look at a care team in another health system, which you can reflect on in your essays and interview. CMS students can pursue global health experiences during the summer after M1.

What kind of support does Chicago Medical School offer for medical school admissions?

For applicants, CMS offers information sessions, tours, open houses and detailed common questions pages, and the Office of Admissions and Enrollment answers questions by email and phone. It does not offer one-on-one counseling about individual applications. CMS is not partnered with International Medical Aid; applicants who want individual help with essays or interviews can use independent advising such as IMA’s admissions consulting.

How can clinical shadowing opportunities benefit Chicago Medical School students?

For applicants, shadowing shows what physicians actually do and helps you explain why you want the role. CMS especially values experience that shows you understand healthcare teams, so pair shadowing with hands-on roles where you work with patients and other professionals. Programs that offer medical internships for undergraduates can add supervised clinical tasks such as taking vitals and helping with intake.

What distinguishes Chicago Medical School from other medical schools in Chicago?

Three things stand out. CMS sits within a single-campus health sciences university, so interprofessional education with pharmacy, podiatry, PA, physical therapy, nursing and psychology students is built into the curriculum. It is based in North Chicago in Lake County, not in the city, with clinical sites stretching from Lake County to Chicago’s safety-net hospitals and the Lovell Federal Health Care Center. And it has a long history of admitting students who other schools once excluded.

What is the role of International Medical Aid in supporting Chicago Medical School students?

International Medical Aid is an independent organization and is not affiliated with Chicago Medical School. IMA offers clinical internships abroad for pre-health students, in which interns take vitals, do intake and triage and help with direct care under supervision, along with admissions consulting for medical school applicants. These services can help you build experience and prepare your application, but they do not affect CMS admissions decisions.

How do global health initiatives at RFU Medical prepare students for international healthcare?

The CMS curriculum leaves the summer after M1 open for research or global health experiences, and RFU’s emphasis on teams and health equity prepares students to work in settings with different resources. Applicants who already have global health experience should explain what they learned about patients, teams and limited resources, not simply list the country they visited.

What are the benefits of participating in pre-med study abroad programs at Chicago Medical School?

CMS itself does not offer pre-med study abroad programs. For applicants, a supervised clinical program abroad can add patient contact, show how care teams adapt to limited resources and give you strong material for the first secondary essay about service and collaboration. What matters to the committee is what you did and what you learned, so keep notes during any program you join.

What resources are available to help students meet Chicago Medical School requirements?

Your college’s health professions advisor is the best first resource for prerequisites and letters. CMS publishes its requirements and answers common questions online, and it holds information sessions and open houses. Students at DePaul University and Lake Forest College can ask about those schools’ pathways with RFU. Once enrolled, CMS students have academic support through Student Affairs, career and specialty advising, the Boxer Library and the Student Counseling Service.

How can students maximize their chances of acceptance at Chicago Medical School?

Apply early, because review is rolling. Meet every prerequisite with a C or better, aim for an MCAT of 510 or higher and keep your GPA strong. Build sustained clinical and service experience that shows you understand healthcare teams, and consider taking the recommended PREview. Write five specific, mission-focused 150-word essays, prepare for a live virtual MMI and use advising if you want feedback on essays or interviews.

Is Chicago Medical School an MD or DO school?

CMS is an MD (allopathic) school, accredited by the LCME. The DO school in the Chicago suburbs is Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is a separate institution with its own application service.

Does Chicago Medical School accept international students?

Only applicants who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents or eligible for DACA at the time they apply are eligible. Other international applicants are not considered. CMS does accept coursework from outside the U.S. when it has been evaluated by WES or ECE.

How much does Chicago Medical School cost?

For 2026-2027, tuition is $74,290 for every student, and annual tuition and fees for Year 1 are $76,367. The full first-year cost of attendance, with living costs for a student without dependents, is $112,567. Student health insurance, $1,636 for a full year, is billed separately unless you waive it with other coverage.

Is CMS cheaper for Illinois residents?

No. CMS is private, and tuition is the same for residents and nonresidents. About two thirds of the 2026 entering class (66%) were Illinois residents by permanent address, but that reflects who applies and enrolls, not a tuition difference.

What is the CMS secondary application fee, and can it be waived?

The supplemental application fee is $140 and is non-refundable. Applicants approved for the AMCAS Fee Assistance Program receive an automatic waiver and do not need to pay, and fee waivers are available for the supplemental. Pay the fee on the last page of the supplemental form; your file is not complete until both the form and the fee are received.

Does everyone receive the CMS secondary?

Yes, as long as your AMCAS application is verified and you meet the citizenship requirements. CMS does not screen before sending its supplemental application. That means the five essays are the first real step of review, so treat them seriously.

Does Chicago Medical School require Casper or PREview?

CMS recommends, but does not require, the AAMC PREview exam for the 2026-2027 cycle. Casper is not listed among its requirements. If you can fit PREview into your schedule, taking it adds information about the professional competencies CMS values.

How many letters of recommendation does CMS require?

Submit one committee letter, or three individual letters, or one letter packet with no more than three letters, all through AMCAS. If you send individual letters, CMS prefers at least one from a medical professional you have worked with, who does not have to be a physician.

Can I apply to the MD/PhD program at CMS?

Yes. Indicate MD/PhD on AMCAS to apply through Track I; most MD/PhD applicants invited to interview have at least a 3.75 GPA and a 515 MCAT. If you are not selected, you are still considered for the MD. CMS students can also apply through Track II during M2 after a successful summer research experience.

Can I update my CMS application after I submit it?

Generally no. CMS does not accept additional information or materials after submission unless they are explanations of an Institutional Action, felony, misdemeanor or military discharge, and it discards anything else. Make sure your AMCAS and supplemental are complete before you submit.

Can I defer admission at CMS?

Possibly. An accepted student can request a one-year deferral by emailing the Office of Admissions, but requests are considered only for unusual, unforeseen and serious events, and they are decided case by case. Students accepted from the alternate list cannot defer, and a deferred student must withdraw other acceptances. One student deferred entry in the 2025 entering class.

What GPA do you need to get into Chicago Medical School?

There is no minimum GPA for screening. For all accepted applicants in the 2025 entering class, the median total GPA was 3.79 and the median science GPA was 3.74. The 2026 entering class reported a cumulative GPA of 3.72 and a science GPA of 3.63, and the school says most successful applicants have GPAs around 3.5. If your undergraduate GPA is lower, at least 24 credit hours of postbaccalaureate or graduate coursework can be considered.

How many people interview at Chicago Medical School?

For the 2025 entering class, CMS interviewed 724 applicants: 192 Illinois residents and 532 out-of-state applicants. That is about 6% of the 11,973 verified applications. Interviews are live virtual MMIs that run from September to mid-April, and the first invitations for the 2026-2027 cycle go out in August 2026.

Does Chicago Medical School have an Early Decision Program?

Yes. EDP is open to Illinois residents and nonresidents. You need a complete AMCAS application with MCAT scores by August 1 and EDP supplemental materials by 5:00 p.m. CDT that day, and EDP applicants are notified by October 1. While your EDP application is pending you may not apply to other medical schools. No students entered through EDP in the 2025 entering class.

What is the average debt for Chicago Medical School graduates?

CMS graduates who borrowed left with an average of $303,611 in medical school debt in the 2024-2025 academic year, and 83% of CMS students received financial aid that year. Tuition is the same for every student, so plan your borrowing early with RFU’s Office of Student Financial Services.

How much is the Chicago Medical School deposit?

The admission deposit is $100 for residents and nonresidents. It is refundable, it is due by April 30, 2027 for the 2026-2027 cycle and it is applied to tuition.

When does Chicago Medical School send acceptances?

Acceptance notices go out from October 15, 2026 through July 15, 2027, on a rolling basis. Offers made on or before April 30 allow two weeks to respond, and the response time is shorter after April 30. The alternate list is ranked.

Related Medical School Guides

If CMS is on your list, these guides cover schools that applicants often consider alongside it. They are related by geography, degree or applicant profile, not by equal selectivity.

• Carle Illinois College of Medicine: a newer Illinois MD school in Urbana-Champaign built around engineering and innovation, a useful contrast with CMS’s interprofessional health sciences model.
• Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center: a private Chicago MD school that is part of an academic health system, often paired with CMS by applicants who want to train in the Chicago area.
• Southern Illinois University School of Medicine: a public Illinois MD school with a downstate focus, worth comparing if you are an Illinois resident weighing private and public tuition.
• Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago: a private MD school in the western Chicago suburbs with a service-centered mission similar in spirit to CMS’s.
• University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine: a research-intensive MD school on Chicago’s South Side, for applicants comparing a community-engaged school with a research-focused one.
• Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine: a downtown Chicago research MD school that many Illinois applicants include on the same list as CMS.

To compare every MD and DO program in the state, read our guide to medical schools in Illinois. You can also browse all of our Medical School Guides.

More medical school guides

Here is a comprehensive list of other medical schools to consider:

• Central Michigan University College of Medicine
• Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
• University of Minnesota Medical School
• Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
• Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
• Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• Georgetown University Medical School
• Yale School of Medicine
• West Virginia University School of Medicine
• West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Indiana University School of Medicine
• Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
• Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Meharry Medical College
• Howard University College of Medicine
• University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUMC)
• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science College of Medicine
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine
• John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM)
• Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (KansasCOM)
• UC Irvine School of Medicine
• Nova Southeastern University College of Allopathic Medicine
• Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
• Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM)
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)
• Tulane University School of Medicine
• LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine
• LSU Shreveport Medical School
• Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
• University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine
• University of Arizona College of Medicine-Tucson
• University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix
• Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (BCOM)
• The University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM)
• University of South Alabama College of Medicine
• University of Alabama School of Medicine
• FIU College of Medicine
• UCF College of Medicine
• USF Morsani College of Medicine
• Florida State University College of Medicine
• Morehouse School of Medicine
• Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
• Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM)
• Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM)
• ECU Brody School of Medicine
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
• University of South Carolina Medical School
• Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
• Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
• Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM)
• Penn State Medical School
• CUNY School of Medicine
• SUNY Downstate Medical School
• NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
• NYU Long Island School of Medicine
• Albany Medical College
• TOURO College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Norton College of Medicine at Upstate Medical University
• Jacobs School of Medicine at the University at Buffalo
• Hofstra Zucker School of Medicine
• Weill Medical College of Cornell University
• University of Rochester Medical School
• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
• Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
• University of Toledo College of Medicine
• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
• Ohio State University College of Medicine
• Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
• Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM)
• Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS)
• Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
• Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU)
• A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Saint Louis University School of Medicine
• University of Missouri Medical School
• Kansas City University (KCU)
• UMKC School of Medicine
• New York Medical College
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
• University of Wisconsin Medical School
• VCU School of Medicine
• University of Maryland School of Medicine
• Case Western Medical School
• University of North Carolina Medical School
• University of Florida Medical School
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Boston University College of Medicine
• California University of Science and Medicine
• UC San Diego Medical School
• California Northstate University College of Medicine
• Touro University of California
• CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine
• UC Davis School of Medicine
• Harvard Medical School
• UC Riverside School of Medicine
• USC Keck School of Medicine
• UT Southwestern Medical School
• Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
• University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine
• UT Austin’s Dell Medical School
• UTMB School of Medicine
• McGovern Medical School at UT Health
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• UNT Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of Houston College of Medicine
• Texas A&M College of Medicine
• Baylor College of Medicine
• George Washington University School of Medicine
• Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
• St. George’s University School of Medicine
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (in Pennsylvania)
• Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
• Wake Forest University School of Medicine
• Western University of Health Sciences (in California)
• Drexel University College of Medicine
• Perelman School of Medicine
• UCLA Medical School
• NYU Medical School
• Washington University School of Medicine
• Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University

How International Medical Aid Can Help

How International Medical Aid’s Initiatives Align with Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science

International Medical Aid (IMA) offers programs that fit well with what CMS asks of applicants: real experience with patients, an understanding of care teams and a record of service. IMA is independent and is not affiliated with Chicago Medical School or Rosalind Franklin University, and participation does not affect admissions decisions. Its value is the experience itself and what you learn from it.

Global Health Initiatives

IMA’s global health initiatives give pre-health students a chance to take part in healthcare delivery and public health work in communities with limited resources. That hands-on exposure is useful preparation for CMS’s mission of improving the health of patients and communities, and it gives you concrete examples for the first secondary essay.

Pre-Med Study Abroad Programs

IMA’s pre-med internships abroad, in Kenya and other sites, place students with supervised clinical teams. Interns take vitals, do intake and triage and help with direct patient care under the supervision of local physicians and nurses. Working in a different culture and health system helps students understand care across varied social and economic settings, which connects to the CMS focus on community and health equity. Our internships for pre-med students are designed for undergraduates and gap year students, and you can compare all of our healthcare internships abroad by discipline and location.

Clinical Shadowing Opportunities and Admissions Consulting Services

Beyond hands-on clinical work, IMA interns see experienced clinicians make decisions with limited resources, an early lesson in compassionate, practical care. Our Medical School Admissions Consulting program helps applicants communicate their motivation, experiences and fit with a school’s mission. For CMS, that means planning five distinct 150-word essays, reviewing your AMCAS materials and practicing for a live virtual MMI. Contact us here to learn more.

Final Thoughts and Sources

Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University offers an MD built on interprofessional teamwork, community service and broad clinical training across Lake County and the Chicago region. The school is clear about what it wants: academically prepared applicants who understand healthcare teams, serve others and communicate with care. Confirm your eligibility, take the MCAT by September 30, 2026, submit AMCAS early, consider the recommended PREview and return the five 150-word essays and $140 fee well before December 1. Then prepare for a live virtual MMI. Take each step carefully, and be genuine.

If you would like a more personal approach, our Medical School Admissions Consulting program can help, and you can contact us with any questions about the application process or our guides.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked on October 17 and 18, 2026. School class figures are for the 2026 entering class; MSAR medians, applications, interviews and matriculant data are for the 2025 entering class; tuition and cost of attendance are for the 2026-2027 academic year; deadlines and prompts are for the 2026-2027 application cycle (entering class of 2027).

• CMS MD class profile, 2026 entering class (source S0d45b9cecf13; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD application requirements, 2026-2027 cycle (source S8abc245e3440; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD how to apply (source S47b1a6109872; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD common questions (source Sc28d40086b32; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD curriculum (source S11209f1240bd; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD clinical rotations and sites (source Sc20232b90d4a; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD undergraduate affiliations (source S835a7e409b54; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS match lists (source Sa88caf97c550; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD program overview (source S11b9ab6f08b8; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS tuition and fees 2026-2027 (source Se8edfe39c007; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD cost of attendance budget 2026-2027 (source S026e11b5a23b; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU student insurance 2026-2027 (source Sa1818aac6d77; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS accreditation (source S1991410778ba; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS mission and vision (source S0dc7bc2dc0a4; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS leadership (source S6511307ef637; checked October 17, 2026)
• About CMS (source S24586ab1d722; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS degree programs (source Saf68499ac182; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS distinguished alumni awards (source S77606f4dbfe2; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS alumni award past recipients (source S6c79fd8621ba; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU office of the president (source Se904ac5356f6; checked October 17, 2026)
• Sousa appointment news (source S95c74e1e8842; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU admission and aid (source Saddf98e44477; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU our campus (source S68f1452edbe1; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU student housing (source Sec05a1a10991; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU student organizations (source S803d6e33b54f; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU fitness center (source Scb3b39024640; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU student counseling service (source S9ac0041838ff; checked October 17, 2026)
• Living in Lake County (source Se8d0fa732dd0; checked October 17, 2026)
• Interprofessional Community Clinic (source Se86222348086; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU interprofessionalism (source S02d47a0bca9a; checked October 17, 2026)
• CMS MD/PhD program (source Sc1c76d585c3d; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU Boxer library (source S6ff69257cdf6; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU research (source Sb907a59f3a69; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU community and campus outreach (source S2b6a39112356; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU financial aid sources-of-aid (source Sd2505b9144a4; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU financial aid common-questions (source S2feaef21e33a; checked October 17, 2026)
• RFU financial aid external-scholarships (source S1596113606b0; checked October 17, 2026)
• AAMC Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University profile, 2026 edition: 2025 entering class admissions data (AAMC Data Warehouse as of October 29, 2025), LCME Part I-B 2024-2025 aid and debt, 2025 Graduation Questionnaire (source S5e3456783436; subscription profile, checked October 18, 2026)
• SDN 2026-2027 CMS at Rosalind Franklin thread (applicant portal paste of secondary prompts) (source S4e786458aef9; checked October 17, 2026)
• Med School Insiders CMS secondary prompts database, 2026-2027 tab (source S2231c6f48b82; checked October 17, 2026)