Many pre-med students consider Harvard to be the medical school of their dreams. And it’s no wonder why. Getting into Harvard Medical School is incredibly difficult but well worth the effort. The GPA and MCAT score requirements can seem unreachable, but the curriculum is state-of-the-art and will prepare you like no other for a career in medicine.
So, where is Harvard Medical School? And just how hard is it to get into Harvard Medical School? In today’s definitive guide, we’ll be answering those questions and more. We’ll discuss the Harvard Medical School acceptance rate and the requirements you must meet to even be considered.
Harvard Medical School is difficult to get into, but it’s not impossible. If this is the school of your dreams, continue reading to see what it takes to get in. We believe in you!
Medical Programs Offered at Harvard Medical School
There are two different ways to dive into the traditional MD curriculum at Harvard Medical School. The first way is called Pathways. The second way is known as Health Sciences & Technology (HST). Let’s take a look at each one.
Pathways is focused on “pedagogical approaches” that “foster active learning.” Early clinical experience and exposure to population science are key parts of the Pathways program. You’ll also complete a scholarly project.
Health Sciences & Technology (HST) is a joint venture between Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). HST is designed for students who want to conduct biomedical research or physical or molecular science. The program focuses on “quantitative understanding of modern biomedical sciences and pathophysiologic processes.”
Pathways
The Pathways curriculum is as follows:
You’ll begin Year 1 with Foundations courses:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
- Introduction to Anatomy
- Histology
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Immunology
- Microbiology
Immunity in Defense and Disease courses immediately follow:
- Dermatology
- Rheumatology
- Allergy
- Immunology
Next is Homeostasis I & II:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Hematology
- Gastroenterology
- Renal
- Endocrinology
- Reproductive Endocrinology
Throughout your first year, you’ll engage in the Practice of Medicine, where you apply what you learn in presentations, exams and some clinical experience. There are also two Professional Development weeks.
Upon successful completion of Year 1, you’ll move into Year 2.
Year 2 Curriculum
Practice of Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Psychopathology
Transition to the Principle Clinical Experience
- Clinical Skills / OSCE
- Clinical Anatomy
- Imaging
- Clinical Epidemiology and Medical Ethics
- Culture of the Wards
- Addiction
- Human Development
Once you’ve completed PCE, you’ll formally begin your clerkships. You’ll take the following courses:
- Medicine
- Neurology
- OB/GYN
- Pediatrics
- Primary Care
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Surgery
These clerkships will take up the remainder of your sophomore year in medical school.
Year 3 Curriculum
The first part of Year 3 still has you immersed in clerkships. Upon completion, you’ll transition to Advanced Clinical and Science Experiences. You’ll also study for and take USMLE Step 1 by December 31st of Year 3. You’ll take Advanced Integrated Science Courses and complete a scholarly project. You’ll also study through clinical electives and subinternships.
Year 4 Curriculum
In the first part of Year 4, you’ll take USMLE Step 2 CK (no later than December 31st). You’ll also complete a Clinical Capstone experience. Throughout all this, your Advanced Integrated Science Courses will continue.
Upon successful completion of all of this curriculum, you’ll successfully graduate from Harvard Medical School’s Pathways program and become a medical doctor.
Health Sciences & Technology (HST)
Year 1 of the HST program begins with Growth of Physician Scientist (GPS). During this time, you’ll take the following courses:
- Biostatistics
- Matlab for Medicine
- Introduction to Biochemistry
- Anatomy
- Pathology
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Molecular Diagnostics / Bioinformatics
- Introduction to Care of Patients
- Hematology
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Pathophysiology
- Respiratory Pathophysiology
- Renal Pathophysiology
- Muscular Pathophysiology
After completing these courses, you’ll be introduced and immersed in the Research phase of HST. Research continues into Year 2, when you’ll take the following courses:
- Microbiology
- Human Reproductive Biology
- Gastroenterology
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
- Pharmacology
- Psychopathology
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine
Year 3 is mostly made up of Principle Clinical Experience with Core Clerkships in:
- Medicine
- Neurology
- OB/GYN
- Pediatrics
- Primary Care
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Surgery
Toward the end of Year 3, you’ll begin Advanced Clinical & Science Experiences. You’ll also need to take USMLE Step 1 by December 31st (of your third year).
Year 4 continues where Year 3 left off: with more Advanced Clinical & Science Experiences. You’ll also have a one-month Clinical Capstone and take USMLE Step 2 CK.
As you can see, the Pathways and HST routes are different. It comes down to what you want to study and how you want to practice medicine for your career.
Combined Degrees
Doctor of Medicine / Doctor of Philosophy
Harvard Medical School and MIT come together to provide this program with sponsorship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Medical Scientist Training Program trains physician-scientists to perform laboratory research and treat medical patients. The program seeks to “train the next generation of premier and diverse physician-scientist leaders.” One of the key goals of the MD/PhD program is to train doctors from all fields of medicine in research areas ranging from “basic and translational sciences to bioengineering to the social sciences.”
The MSTP curriculum lasts eight years, which isn’t bad, considering that you’ll graduate as a Doctor of Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy. The curriculum is as follows:
Year 1
- Summer Course and Research Rotation
- Introduction to the Profession
- Biostatistics
- Matlab for Medicine
- Introduction to Biochemistry
- Anatomy
- Pathology
- Biochemistry
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Bioinformatics
- Growth of Physician Scientist
- Essentials of the Profession
- Principles of Biomedical Engineering
- Introduction to Care of Patients
- Hematology
- Endocrinology
- Cardiovascular Pathophysiology
- Respiratory Pathophysiology
- Renal Pathophysiology
- Musculoskeletal Pathophysiology
Year 2
- Research
- Microbiology
- Human Reproductive Biology
- Gastroenterology
- Neuroscience
During and after completion of these courses, you’ll apply to graduate school.
- Epidemiology
- Pharmacology
- Psychopathology
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine
Years 3-5
During your third year, you’ll study for and take USMLE Step 1. You’ll then spend the rest of the year doing graduate school coursework, research rotations and thesis research.
During your fourth and fifth years, you’ll continue your thesis research.
Year 6
You’ll complete your thesis research and requirements. You’ll then take Reintroduction to Clinical Medicine and Principal Clinical Experience.
Year 7
Your second-to-last year in the MD/PhD program takes you back to the MD side of things. You’ll take the following clerkships:
- Medicine
- Neurology
- OB/GYN
- Pediatric
- Primary Care
- Psychiatry
- Radiology
- Surgery
Upon completing your core clerkships, you’ll go on to advanced clerkships. These include elective courses, meaning that you can choose which courses you’d like to take until you’ve met your credit hour requirements.
Year 8
Your final year in the MD/PhD program concludes with more advanced clerkships, USMLE Step CK 2 and a Clinical Capstone that lasts for a month.
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Academic Discipline
This dual degree can be completed in five years. After your third year in the medical school program, you’ll take a break to complete 36 credit hours in the Master of Academic Discipline course of study. This degree option is offered through the Master of Bioethics and Master of Biomedical Informatics degree programs. You can read more here.
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Business Administration
Harvard University merges curriculum from Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School to make this degree happen. This joint program is designed to train doctors in medicine and business, enabling them to confidently take on leadership roles in the medical field. An emphasis on finance also helps doctors guide their patients through treatment options. You can read more here.
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Medical Science
Harvard offers a Master of Medical Science degree in conjunction with the MD program. This dual-degree option also has you completing the MMSc portion after your third year. You must complete 56 credit hours to earn the MMSc degree. Those 56 credits include 32 credits of a mentored research requirement. This project can be related to clinical investigation, global health delivery, immunology and medical education. You can read more here.
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Public Health
The Harvard Chan School of Public Health works with Harvard Medical School to provide this dual degree. Following the same timeline as the other dual-degree programs, this degree is for students interested in public health or preventative medicine. You can read more here.
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Public Policy
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University works with Harvard Medical School to provide this option. If you want to work in policy or create and develop public health programs, this is a great option for you. While you can earn an MPH on its own, this dual degree will allow you to practice medicine and be immersed in issues related to public health. Many graduates work with state and local governments, international organizations, nonprofit institutions, large service delivery organizations or research centers. You can read more here.
Cost of Attendance
Finances are a huge part of deciding which medical school to attend. So, when it comes to finances, how hard is it to get into Harvard Medical School?
Your total cost of attendance isn’t just about tuition. It also involves your cost of living. Having a place to sleep and food to eat is as important as medical school itself. Let’s look at how much attending Harvard Medical School will cost. Keep in mind that these costs are for the MD and HST programs. To calculate the cost for the dual-degree programs, you’ll need to contact the admissions departments.
Year 1:
Cost of Tuition: $66,284
Health Insurance Fee: $4,040
Living Expenses: $27,045
Additional Fees: $208
Total Cost of Attendance: $99,416
Year 2:
Cost of Tuition: $66,284
Mandatory Fees: $1,314
Health Insurance Fee: $4,040
Additional Fees: $274
Living Expenses: $33,050
Total Cost of Attendance: $104,962
Year 3:
Cost of Tuition: $66,284
Mandatory Fees: $1,314
Health Insurance Fee: $4,040
Additional Fees: $928
Living Expenses: $31,840
Total Cost of Attendance: $104,406
Year 4:
Cost of Tuition: $66,284
Mandatory Fees: $1,314
Health Insurance Fee: $4,040
Additional Fees: $259
Living Expenses: $31,535
Total Cost of Attendance: $103,432
Total cost for all four years: $412,216
The total cost of attendance for the HST program is a bit lower: $407,146.
Attending Harvard Medical School is most definitely not cheap. If you’re paying out of pocket for your education, these numbers could seem overwhelming. That’s why financial aid exists. For the Class of 2025, 70% of students received financial aid. Most received around $50,000 per year. Between scholarships, grants and student loans, you can get a good part of your education covered. Now, it would be hard to graduate from medical school without some debt. But it’s also very possible to offset some of those costs.
Grades and Coursework Requirements
Before we show you the numbers, we want to remind you that it’s hard for anyone to get into Harvard Medical School. The Harvard Medical School acceptance rate is very low because of the number of applicants vs. the number accepted. If fewer people applied, the acceptance rate would be higher. But that’s not the case. There will always be a lot of competition to get into Harvard Medical School.
So, how hard is to get into Harvard Medical School? The acceptance rate sits at 3.5 percent.
Applicants: 8,002
Interviews: 851
Matriculants: 164
For the Class of 2025, there were 134 Pathways students, 30 HST students and 15 MD/PhD students.
Three-fourths of the Class of 2025 were undergraduate science majors. The average GPA was 3.9/4.0, and the average MCAT was a 519. Keep in mind that 528 is the highest possible score. Most Johns Hopkins Medical School students earned a 522. Johns Hopkins ties with Harvard for the #1 ranking in most categories, so we offer this information as a comparison.
The required coursework is as important as the grades. The Harvard Medical School requirements are as follows:
- Behavioral Sciences is strongly recommended but not required.
- Biology:
– One year with accompanying labs – 8 credit hours
– Molecular and cellular biology are required.
– AP credits cannot be used unless that coursework was used to satisfy college-level biology requirements. - Chemistry/Biochemistry:
– Two years with accompanying labs – 4 courses
– Inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry are required. - Physics:
– One year is required – 2 courses
– Pathways students must take one full semester at the college level. One AP course may satisfy one-half of this requirement.
– HST students must take one full year at the college level. Calculus-based physics are highly recommended. - Math:
Strongly encouraged for both Pathways and HST students. Calculus and statistics are recommended for Pathways students. Differential equations and linear algebra are recommended for HST students. - Writing:
– One year is required – 6 credits
– AP courses will not be accepted.
– Writing-intensive courses, humanities or social sciences courses will satisfy this requirement.
The Harvard Medical School websites states: “HST candidates are required to demonstrate competency in upper-level mathematics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and calculus-based physics.”
The Harvard Medical School requirements aren’t unlike any other medical school’s requirements. But because getting into Harvard Medical School is so challenging, every point counts. The higher your grades are, the better.
Extracurricular Activities
Fulfilling every recommended extracurricular activity is key to getting into Harvard Medical School. Like we said, every point counts. So, what does Harvard recommend?
- Research:
– Technically, research is only “encouraged.” But the one percent of applicants who don’t participate in research don’t get in. - Shadowing and patient exposure:
– You’ll want to spend time in clinical and hospital settings shadowing doctors and observing patient treatment. - Community service and volunteering:
– It might seem like a lot, but something as simple as volunteering with your local ER or helping run a blood drive will help boost your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Getting into Harvard Medical School includes submitting letters of recommendation. You can submit up to six, as long as you meet the following requirements:
- 2 letters from Science professors
- 1 letter from a non-Science professor
One committee letter/packet counts as one letter.
Starting Your Application
So, getting into Harvard Medical School is difficult. But, like we said, it’s not impossible. If you want to put your hat in the ring, this next part will show you how to apply. We’ve covered the programs that Harvard Medical School offers. We’ve looked at the grades you need and the courses you must take. Now, it’s time to talk about primaries and secondaries. We’ll also guide you through writing your secondary essays and give you tips to prepare for an interview, should you receive that coveted invitation.
Primary and Secondary Applications
If you’re still learning medical jargon, then you might not know the difference between primary and secondary applications. We’ve written an in-depth article explaining the similarities and differences.
For Harvard Medical School, you’ll submit your primary application via the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). This application will include your Work and Activities section and your personal statement.
Secondary Essays
While you’ll write your personal statement for your AMCAS, you’ll need to write several more essays for Harvard Medical School. Here are the questions you’ll be asked and some sample responses to help get you started. Each essay has a 4000 character limit.
Question #1
“If you have already graduated, briefly summarize your activities since graduation.”
This question only needs to be answered if you’ve graduated with your bachelor’s degree and are now applying to medical school. Taking a gap year would be the perfect example for this question.
Here’s an example:
I chose to take a gap year between earning my bachelor’s degree and applying to medical school. I did this because my husband is a current medical school student. To stay with him when he was accepted to UC Irvine, I transferred. I was halfway through my bachelor’s. Because of this, I ended up needing to repeat some courses that didn’t transfer. I took 20 credits per semester to prevent my bachelor’s degree from taking six years to finish.
Because I was so busy with my classes, my husband and I decided that I would take a gap year. I would use my gap year to work and apply for medical school. This would allow me to pay off some student loans and be thorough in my applications.
I’m glad I decided to take a gap year. I was able to successfully complete my bachelor’s degree. I’m working as a CNA at a doctor’s office. I’ve paid off half of my loans, and I use nights and weekends to work on medical school applications. This gap year has also allowed me to spend more time with my husband, which I’ve treasured.
Taking 20 credit hours as an undergrad science major is a lot of work. It’s no wonder she decided to take a gap year. While she doesn’t mention her mental health, it was probably another factor in her decision. She chose to take care of herself while still following her dreams.
Question #2
Is there anything (not already addressed) from your personal background or identity that you would like to share? If so, please share it here. If you feel that your application is complete without answering this question, that is fine. This is not a required essay prompt.
When considering whether to answer this question, you might consider discussing finances, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or gender identity, coming from a minority background, having a unique religion, etc. If you choose to discuss one of these topics, explain how it connects to medicine.
You might be nervous to answer this question if you do have something to share. And that’s understandable! But when it comes to medical school, our differences add to our diversity. Medical schools are looking for diversity in their applicants. The search for diversity is imperative to meet the needs of America’s diverse population. If every doctor had the same skillset, life experience and background, there would be many patients receiving inadequate healthcare due to lack of understanding and experience.
Having said that, don’t feel like you have to share information that makes you feel vulnerable or uncomfortable. That’s not the intent of the admissions committee.
Question #3
We will conduct interviews for the 2021-2022 cycle from mid-September to January 2022. If you will be unavailable for more than three weeks, please give us those dates. If none, please leave this section blank.
You’ll want to keep your calendar as open as possible. Having said that, don’t feel like you need to cancel important plans. Maybe you have an internship lined up. Or perhaps your plans are personal. It could be wedding season or time for a family reunion. Make yourself as available as possible, but let the admissions committee know if there are times when you can’t interview.
Here’s an example of how to go about this:
There are two different times when I’ll be unavailable to interview.
During the month of October, I will be interning at Rocky Mountain Health Clinic. My schedule will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. I will be unavailable during those working hours. However, I would be happy to interview before or after my shift is over.
During Thanksgiving week, I’ll be at a cabin in the mountains without reception. I’ll be spending this time with both my immediate and extended family. I will be gone from the Monday before Thanksgiving until Black Friday.
This student keeps it short and sweet. He provides the requested information with sufficient detail.
Question #4
We understand that COVID-19 has significantly impacted the lives of many pre-med students. If COVID-19 has affected your ability to prepare for medical school, please share with us what happened. We will take it into consideration when reviewing your application. (This essay is not required. Leaving it blank won’t affect whether you’re accepted.)
It’s hard to imagine just how much COVID-19 has affected the world population. Harvard Medical School wants to be mindful of how COVID-19 has affected their applicants. What if your MCAT score is out-of-date? What if an internship or volunteer hours were canceled? What if you contracted COVID-19 and had to quarantine instead of working in a doctor’s office? All of those circumstances would be out of your control.
Harvard Medical School understands. That’s why they have this optional essay. If you were among the lucky few who weren’t affected by COVID-19 in your medical school preparation, then feel free to skip this one.
Here’s an example:
Everything shut down from COVID-19 one week before I was scheduled to take the MCAT. It was also three months before my summer internship was set to begin. I was sure that COVID-19 would be over by then, but it wasn’t, and my internship was canceled. I was able to volunteer at the hospital, but I’d been volunteering since high school. So, while that increased my total volunteer hours, it didn’t add anything significant to my resume. I felt very frustrated and worried. I had put so much time and effort into preparing for medical school. Now, it felt like everything was falling apart because of this horrible virus.
I was able to take the MCAT when a testing center two hours from me opened on a limited basis. It was a long drive, but it was worth it to meet all the basic requirements for medical school. I didn’t score as well as I would like to, but my 509 still shows how hard I studied. I would have re-taken the test to score higher, but I didn’t want to book an exam that another student needed.
Internships have since re-opened with masks and face shields to keep us safe. I was able to score a two-week internship with a cardiothoracic surgeon, but then I contracted COVID-19 and had to quarantine for the entire two-week period. The surgeon didn’t have any other internship dates that were available, so I missed out on the experience.
COVID-19 interrupted my ability to prepare for medical school in the way I had planned. However, it didn’t diminish my desire to become a doctor. I hope that my application is strong enough without a 517 MCAT score and without the cardiothoracic internship. I want to be a heart surgeon more than anything, so I’m submitting this application with high hopes of being accepted to Harvard Medical School.
We recommend taking your time as you write these essays. Start your application long before the deadline. That way, you’ll be able to focus on writing strong essays. And if you need help, IMA is here for you. We help pre-med students just like you every day. We can help you brainstorm essay ideas, review what you’ve written and proofread your final product. This is available through our hourly consulting and tiered packages. Click here to get started.
Interviewing with Harvard Medical School
Now that we’ve gone over the essays for Harvard Medical School, it’s time to look at the interview process they use. Keep in mind that scoring an interview with Harvard Medical School is a very good sign. It means that your personal statement and secondary essays impressed the admissions committee enough to want to meet you. Of course, with COVID-19 still terrorizing the world, interviews are being conducted virtually.
Harvard Medical School uses the traditional interview format. You can prepare for your interview before the big day by reviewing the sample questions that Harvard has listed on its website.
Sample Interview Questions
- Tell me where you want to be in 10 years.
- Explain your desire to become a doctor.
- Share with me what experiences led you to apply to medical school.
- How did you become interested in medicine?
- “Tell me about a time when you had to compromise.”
- We all make mistakes. Tell me about one you made and how you fixed it.
- Tell me about the most stressful situation you’ve ever found yourself in. What happened and how did you respond to it?
- “Tell me about a time when you collaborated on a successful project.”
- Tell me more about you.
- After this interview, what do you want me to tell the admissions committee about you?
- “What is the biggest challenge that is facing the medical field today?”
- Tell how you plan to balance research and clinical work.
- So, you want a career in healthcare. Why not choose another field?
- “Tell me more about ______ from your personal statement (or AMCAS application).”
- Why Harvard Medical School?
- Share with me the highlights of your undergraduate experience. Is there anything you wish happened differently?
- Tell me what branch of medicine you want to practice.
- Tell me about your undergraduate major.
- You’ve taken plenty of science courses. But tell me about your favorite non-science courses.
- What do you think will be your biggest challenge in medical school?
- Tell me about your strengths and your weaknesses.
- Tell me about your biggest failure. How did you handle it?
- Tell me how you handle stressful experiences. Provide an example.
- “How do you respond to criticism? Describe a situation where your work was criticized. What was your immediate reaction to the situation?”
- There are lots of positives associated with being a doctor. But what are some negative aspects of a medical career?
- What changes could you make to the healthcare system?
- How would your best friend describe you?
- What is the most important quality you want to have as a doctor?
- Tell me about a time where you felt like a fish out of water.
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- What career would you choose if you weren’t interested in medicine?
- “How would you react if a colleague wanted you to keep a medical error they made a secret from a patient?”
- How would you handle a situation where a 15-year-old came to you for an abortion?
- Share your thoughts on physician-assisted suicide. What about alternative medicine?
- Is there anything else you want me to know?
Feeling overwhelmed? While there are a ton of questions listed here, rest assured you won’t be asked even close to this many. Your interviews won’t last for more than 30 minutes each. This is a broad sample of some of the questions you might be asked.
Want more preparation for your interview day? We offer mock interviews as part of our pre-med advising and medical school admissions consulting. Reach out to us to get started.
Conclusion
We know that Harvard Medical School is the school of your dreams. And we sincerely hope that you get in! But it’s not a good idea to lay all your eggs in one basket. This is especially true when you’re applying to a top school in medicine. That’s why we highly recommend applying to other medical schools as well. You might already know this. Maybe you have a list of schools picked out. But if not, we’ve put together a list of medical schools for you to go over.
- Johns Hopkins 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
- Johns Hopkins Medical School
- 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
- Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago
- Georgetown University School of Medicine
- Yale School of Medicine
- Perelman School of Medicine
- UCLA Medical School
- NYU Medical School
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Brown Medical School
If you have any questions or need help along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. IMA has your back.