How to Get Into the University of Maryland School of Medicine: The Definitive Guide (2026-2027 Cycle)

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It was also the first U.S. public medical school to open its own teaching hospital, in 1823, and it was the first to establish shock trauma as a medical field. Its faculty and alumni have made important contributions in infectious disease, vaccine testing and transplant surgery, including the first pig-to-human heart transplant and work on the first generation of COVID-19 vaccines. Today UMSOM is Maryland’s public MD program, based on the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus in downtown Baltimore beside the University of Maryland Medical Center.

What does it take to get into Maryland’s medical school? For the 2026 entering class, the school received 6,806 applications for 175 first-year seats. Accepted students averaged a 3.84 GPA and a 514 MCAT. Every AMCAS applicant receives the secondary application, so the real competition happens in the secondary essays, the letters and the interview.

This guide covers the 2026-2027 application cycle, for students who want to start medical school in August 2027. It explains the MD and combined-degree options, the Renaissance Curriculum, the 2026-27 cost of attendance, the requirements and deadlines, the virtual interview day and all eight current secondary questions, each with a full illustrative example and analysis. It also profiles current leaders, admissions deans, faculty and alumni. Facts were checked on October 18, 2026. Consider bookmarking this page for easy reference during your application process.

Key Takeaways

• Eligibility is specific. UMSOM considers U.S. citizens, permanent residents, citizens of Canada and Maryland DACA students who are eligible for Maryland State Financial Aid. Permanent residency applicants are reviewed only after they have the green card.
• Maryland residents have an edge, but non-residents get in. The first-year class averages about 75 percent Maryland residents and 25 percent non-residents.
• The numbers are high. Accepted students in the 2026 entering class averaged a 3.84 GPA and a 514 MCAT. For the 2025 entering class, the median accepted applicant had a 3.9 GPA and a 514 MCAT. The school encourages a retake below 502 and gives interview priority at 506 and above. There is no GPA cutoff.
• Know the dates. AMCAS is due November 1, 2026, and the secondary is due December 1. Letters must arrive by January 15. Early Decision runs on an August 1 and August 8 timeline, and MD/PhD applicants face October 1 and October 15 deadlines.
• The secondary has eight prompts. Six are required and two are optional, with limits of 400 to 1,500 characters. The fee is $80.
• Clinical and service experience are required. You must have observed the doctor-patient interaction through shadowing, scribing or interpreting, and you need volunteer service.
• Costs are significant. For 2026-27, tuition is $44,259 for residents and $77,567 for non-residents, and the first-year cost of attendance is $86,154 and $119,462.
• Next step: submit AMCAS early in the summer, prewrite the 1,500-character essays and line up a committee letter or three faculty letters now.

Key Statistics About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

The snapshot below gathers the figures applicants ask about first. Admissions figures describe the 2026 entering class, the newest class the school reports. Costs are the 2026-27 budgets for the MD program. Median scores and the counts of verified applications, interviews and matriculants describe the 2025 entering class. Graduate debt and aid describe the 2024-25 academic year. No count of offers is published, so the acceptance rate row says “not published.”

Read the averages as a description of who was accepted, not a cutoff. Many accepted students scored below 514 and many had GPAs below 3.84. The most useful number in the table is the MCAT guidance: a score of 506 or higher puts you in the group the school prioritizes for interviews, and a score below 502 is a signal to retake before you apply. Interviewers do not see your GPA or MCAT, so once you reach the interview, the rest of your application carries the decision.

Mission and Educational Priorities

The School of Medicine states its mission this way: “We pursue excellence across biomedical research, education, and patient care to advance health equity and wellness for people in Baltimore, the State of Maryland, and around the world. Together, we work to solve generational health challenges and make lasting contributions to the betterment of our diverse and interconnected communities.”

Its vision is to be one of the nation’s leading public medical schools, committed to vibrant and healthy communities through discovery science, education and “personalized, equitable patient care.” The school’s mission page links to the University of Maryland, Baltimore core values: Respect and Integrity, Well-Being and Sustainability, Equity and Justice, and Innovation and Discovery.

The MD program has its own goal, written into the Renaissance Curriculum: to “Actualize the Renaissance Physician; life-long learners who are clinically excellent and possess humanism, professionalism, scholarship, leadership, critical thinking and attention to social justice and diversity.”

What the mission means for applicants

Baltimore and Maryland come first. The mission names Baltimore and the State of Maryland before the rest of the world. As a state-assisted school, UMSOM gives preference to Maryland residents, and most of the class comes from the state. The curriculum puts students into West Baltimore through required Service Learning, and the Rural-MD Scholars Program trains students for practice on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. If you have real ties to Maryland, make them visible.

The school names its “generational health challenges.” UMSOM lists obesity and metabolic syndrome, an aging population, emerging pathogens and climate medicine, mental health and addiction, and health inequity and health disparities. These are the problems the school wants its research and graduates to address. Your experiences do not have to match one of them, but if they do, the mission essay is the place to say so.

Research is part of every student’s training. UMSOM directs more than $500 million a year to research and ranks 12th among public medical schools for total research grants and contracts reported by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Every MD student completes a mentored, hypothesis-based scholarly project through the Foundations of Research and Critical Thinking (FRCT) course. Research experience is “highly valued” in admissions, though it is not a formal requirement.

Service and access to care are selection criteria. Beyond academic excellence and leadership, the admissions office lists service, compassion and humanism; commitment to service, including service of underserved communities; commitment to the accessibility of health care and addressing health disparities; and the ability to work as part of a team.

Overall, UMSOM is a strong fit for applicants interested in research, clinical care or both, especially those who want to train and later practice in Maryland.

Accreditation and Institutional Identity

The University of Maryland School of Medicine’s MD program is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The LCME directory lists the program with full accreditation, initial accreditation “on or prior to 1942” and its next full survey in academic year 2031-32. LCME accreditation is what allows graduates to take the USMLE and enter U.S. residency programs; it is a baseline standard, not a ranking.

A public medical school with a long history

UMSOM is part of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the founding campus of the University System of Maryland. Key points of identity:

• Chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. The school’s 2026 graduating class was its 217th.
• First U.S. public medical school to open a teaching hospital (1823). Faculty physicians practice at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), one of the nation’s first teaching hospitals, and at sites across the state. Inpatient and outpatient visits totaled 1.7 million in 2025.
• First to establish shock trauma as a medical field. Faculty treat critically injured patients at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the nation’s first and only integrated trauma hospital. Core Surgery includes a two-week trauma rotation.
• Large research enterprise. An operating budget of $1.35 billion, more than $500 million a year directed to research, 24 departments, 5 institutes and 10 research centers.
• Recent milestones. The first-ever pig-to-human heart transplant, the most comprehensive total face transplant (2012), development of aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer (1982) and early testing of COVID-19 vaccines through the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health.

The campus and its neighbors

UMB is Maryland’s only public health, law and human services university, and its campus enrolls only graduate and professional students. The School of Medicine shares it with the schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Social Work and Law and a Graduate School. That mix matters because interprofessional education is one of the threads that runs through all four years of the MD curriculum.

Do not confuse UMSOM with the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), the flagship undergraduate campus. UMCP is a partner for the MD/MS in Bioengineering, the MD/MBA, the MD/MHA and the new BS-MD program, but the MD itself is awarded in Baltimore. Maryland’s other MD programs are at Johns Hopkins and the Uniformed Services University (see F17 below). For students thinking about medical internships for undergraduates while still at UMCP or another college, remember that clinical exposure counts most when you can describe what you learned from patients.

Rankings

U.S. News and other rankings change each year and measure different things. Use them, if at all, alongside facts that affect your training: the clinical sites, the curriculum, the research requirement and the cost. The school’s own research standing (12th among public medical schools for research grants and contracts) is a more stable indicator for research-minded applicants.

Medical Programs and Affiliations

Here are the MD programs available at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. All of them start with the same AMCAS application and the UMSOM secondary. The Office of Student Research lists the current MD/Master’s dual degrees.

• Doctor of Medicine (traditional four-year MD)
• Early Decision Program (MD)
• Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD)
• MD/Master of Public Health (MD/MPH)
• MD/Master in Clinical Research (MD/MSCR)
• MD/Master in Cellular and Molecular Biomedical Science (MD/MS CMBS)
• MD/Master in Bioengineering (MD/MS BIOE)
• MD/Master in Health Administration (MD/MHA)
• MD/Master in Public Policy (MD/MPP)
• MD/Master of Business Administration (MD/MBA)
• MD/Master of Science in Health Professions Education (MD/MS-HPE)
• MD/Master of Science in Clinical Informatics (MD/MSCI)
• Rural-MD Scholars Program
• Elective tracks inside the MD (Combined Accelerated Program in Psychiatry, Social Justice, Primary Care Track, Medical Spanish and others)

A separate BS-MD program with the University of Maryland, College Park is for UMCP undergraduates; it is not an entry route for current college graduates.

Four-year MD program

Most students enter the traditional MD, taught through the Renaissance Curriculum described in F06. Students may extend beyond four years to do research, earn a second degree or strengthen a specialty application.

Early Decision Program

Early Decision (ED) is for applicants who are sure UMSOM is their first choice. You must apply only to UMSOM by the AMCAS deadline of August 1 and submit the secondary, updated MCAT scores and letters by August 8. ED interviews take place in mid-September, and all ED decisions are made by October 1. The committee can accept you, reject you or move you to the regular pool. If accepted, you cannot apply elsewhere. The school discourages ED for applicants with less competitive academic records or without the support of their premedical advisor.

MD/PhD and dual degrees

The University of Maryland School of Medicine attracts many MD students with its dual degree programs, and it offers a Medical Scientist Training Program for students who want to become physician-scientists. All of the MD/Master’s programs are designed to be finished in five years, with most of the master’s coursework in a “step-out” year after the third year of medical school. Some courses count toward both degrees, and each master’s program’s scholarly project also satisfies the FRCT scholarly project requirement. You can apply to a dual degree through the School of Medicine application process, or apply after you matriculate as an MD-only student. Rick Matteson, PhD, directs the dual degree programs.

Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD)

The MSTP’s mission is “to train a creative cadre of physician-scientists who will become leaders in their chosen fields of research, develop new knowledge and translate it to enhance clinical practice.” MD/PhD graduates are prepared to conduct biomedical research that moves from the laboratory to patient care. The MD is combined with PhD programs in the Graduate Program in Life Sciences (GPILS) at UMB:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Epidemiology and Human Genetics
• Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular Medicine
• Neuroscience

PhD options are also available through the University of Maryland, College Park campus. MD/PhD applicants apply through AMCAS and note their interest in the MD/PhD program, then answer additional questions in the secondary. The MD/PhD AMCAS deadline is October 1, and the secondary and letters are due October 15. Dual degree MD/PhD and MD/MS students do not complete a separate FRCT scholarly project.

MD/Master of Public Health (MD/MPH)

This program is for future physicians who want to combine clinical expertise with an understanding of population health. Graduates often combine clinical practice with research, policy development and the planning and implementation of public health interventions, and some focus on underserved populations or community health centers. Three concentrations are offered: Community and Population Health, Epidemiology and Global Health. MD/MPH applicants are eligible for acceptance to the MD/MPH, the MD only or the MPH only. The program takes five years.

MD/Master in Clinical Research (MD/MSCR)

This dual degree trains future physician-scientists in clinical research. Graduates learn to identify important clinical questions, develop protocols, generate pilot data, conduct investigations, analyze and interpret data and write competitive external funding applications. It suits careers in academic medical centers or industry and takes five years.

MD/Master in Cellular and Molecular Biomedical Science (MD/MS CMBS)

The Office of Student Research describes this program as one that “focuses on basic/translational research and combines traditional areas of biomedical study, including molecular and cell biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, cancer biology, and genomics into a unique interdisciplinary graduate training program.” The MD/MS CMBS takes five years.

MD/Master in Bioengineering (MD/MS BIOE)

The master’s is offered by the Fischell Department of Bioengineering in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. Areas include biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomedical device development, biomedical imaging, drug delivery and clinical research. Students with a science or engineering bachelor’s degree are invited to apply; students with non-engineering degrees are reviewed case by case and need gateway courses such as differential equations. The program takes five years.

MD/Master in Health Administration (MD/MHA)

The MHA is conferred by the University of Maryland School of Public Health at College Park. It prepares clinicians to manage hospitals, health systems, accountable care and managed care organizations, rehabilitation and long-term care agencies, public health clinics and federal and state agencies. Students complete the MD in years one to three and five and earn 46 additional credit hours. The program takes five years.

MD/Master in Public Policy (MD/MPP)

The MPP is awarded by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Students specialize in health policy: evaluating needs across a population, studying how policy changes affect health and understanding the medical needs of specific groups.

MD/Master of Business Administration (MD/MBA)

The MBA is awarded by the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business. The program teaches business principles for careers in hospital management, practice leadership and health care organizations. Students earn 54 additional credits (6 in the first summer and 36 in the step-out year, with 12 School of Medicine credits counting toward the MBA) and complete a capstone that solves a real business problem. This is a five-year program.

MD/MS in Health Professions Education and MD/MS in Clinical Informatics

Two newer master’s options round out the list. The MS-HPE prepares future faculty to design courses, curricula, research and assessment in health professions education (32 additional credits). The MS in Clinical Informatics is a joint UMB and UMBC program built on graduate certificates in clinical informatics and data science (34 additional credits). Both take five years.

Rural-MD Scholars Program

The Rural-MD Scholars Program trains physicians for Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where almost the entire region is a federally designated medically underserved area. The school aims to recruit ten students a year who meet all admission requirements and bring a rural background and an intention to practice in a rural setting. The program begins with a summer pre-matriculation program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), continues with the two-year Rural Health Equity and Access Longitudinal Elective (R-HEALE), rural physician mentorship, research or quality improvement, Eastern Shore clerkships in the third year and a fourth-year project and ambulatory rotation. Scholars can receive full in-state tuition scholarships; the 12 current scholarship holders have committed to at least four years of practice on the Shore after residency. Rural-MD applicants follow the November 1 AMCAS and December 1 secondary deadlines.

Elective tracks

UMSOM offers clinical and non-clinical elective tracks inside the MD:

• Combined Accelerated Program in Psychiatry (CAPP), four years
• Social Justice, four years
• Primary Care Track (PCT), four years
• Medical Spanish, one year
• Humanism Symposium, one year
• Critical Issues in Health Care, one semester
• Critical Issues in Global Health, one semester
• Role of Personal Genomes in Medicine, summer

Preclerkship electives also include Global Health, Point of Care Ultrasound, Medical Education and Leadership, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Medical Innovation and the Rural Health Equity and Access elective. CAPP, which began in 1970, gives students interested in psychiatry a long runway; if that is your interest, mental health internships abroad are one way to see behavioral health care in a different system before you apply.

Clinical affiliations

Most clinical instruction takes place at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Baltimore VA Medical Center and other affiliated hospitals. Third-year rotations also use the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute, Spring Grove Hospital Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, Sheppard Pratt and community practices, and Rural-MD Scholars train on the Eastern Shore with the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center (AHEC).

Curriculum Overview

In August 2020, the University of Maryland School of Medicine introduced its Renaissance Curriculum. The 150-week curriculum is designed to be completed in four academic years. Its goal is to “Actualize the Renaissance Physician; life-long learners who are clinically excellent and possess humanism, professionalism, scholarship, leadership, critical thinking and attention to social justice and diversity.”

The Renaissance Curriculum was built around four major changes:

• Integration and optimization of the preclerkship curriculum. Students learn normal and abnormal processes at the same time, with clinical context and earlier, longer contact with patients. The preclerkship phase was shortened (from 73 to 68 weeks at launch) so students reach clinical work sooner and have more time to explore careers.
• Improved longitudinal experiences. Practice of Medicine teaches clinical skills through lectures, small groups, simulation and bedside teaching, and required Service Learning includes a partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools. Topics such as cultural competency, palliative and end-of-life care, the business of medicine, quality improvement, patient safety and interprofessional education run as threads through all four years.
• An expanded clerkship and advanced clinical phase. The clerkship phase grew from 40 to 44 weeks at launch, required clerkships were streamlined for more flexible scheduling, and the advanced phase included a “back to basics” review of the biomedical sciences.
• Educational innovation. More interactive teaching and self-directed learning, and Honors, High Pass and Pass grading across all four years.

Here is a more detailed rundown of the curriculum as it runs today.

Year 1: preclerkship (36 weeks)

• Practice of Medicine I (year long): lectures, small-group workshops, standardized patient exercises and longitudinal clinical sessions with faculty.
• Foundations (11 weeks): anatomy, the Foundations of Research and Critical Thinking and integrated weekly blocks built around a concept and a clinical problem.
• Blood and Host Defense (7 weeks): hematology, immunology and an introduction to infectious diseases.
• Brain and Behavior (10 weeks): neuroscience, neurology, psychiatry and drugs of addiction.
• Digestion and Hormones (8 weeks): gastroenterology and endocrinology.

Service Learning starts in the first year: students complete at least 20 hours with a community partner from October through the end of the year, and 25 hours across the first two years.

Year 2: preclerkship and Step 1 (35 weeks)

• Practice of Medicine II (year long).
• Clinical Integration of First Year (1 week): a case-based review of first-year material.
• Cardiovascular, Renal and Pulmonary (12 weeks).
• Skin, Bones and Musculature (7 weeks), with cadaver dissection.
• Life Cycle (6 weeks): reproduction, embryology, pediatric development and aging.
• Multisystem (2 weeks): sepsis, trauma, pharmacology and simulation.
• USMLE preparation (6 weeks). Students must pass Step 1 before third-year clerkships begin.

There is no elective requirement in the preclerkship years, but students may take approved electives for graduation credit, such as Global Health, Medical Spanish, Point of Care Ultrasound or the Social Justice track.

Year 3: clerkships (48 weeks)

The third year includes 40 weeks across eight required clerkships plus two four-week elective blocks, and Practice of Medicine III.

Year 4: advanced clinical phase (32 weeks)

The fourth year includes two four-week sub-internships, six four-week electives and a four-week Practice of Medicine IV Transition to Residency course. Office of Student Affairs deans help students build a balanced schedule.

Research in the curriculum

Every student takes the Foundations of Research and Critical Thinking course: lectures, online modules and small groups on hypothesis testing, study design, statistics, scientific writing and research ethics, followed by a mentored scholarly project. Each student must state a hypothesis, describe methods, do the background work and write a final report. Students in the top 10 percent of the class for their FRCT projects receive a Certificate of Outstanding Achievement in Research. Rural-MD Scholars do their mentored rural research mainly in the summer after the first year.

What the curriculum means for you

Early patient contact and required service mean that admissions readers look for applicants who already understand patient interaction and community needs. A car helps: Practice of Medicine sites in the first two years and parts of the Medicine, OB/GYN, Surgery and Family Medicine clerkships can be off campus, and the school encourages students to have one.

Admissions Requirements and Application Process

The University of Maryland School of Medicine looks for applicants who explore their academic interests and passions inside and outside the classroom. At UMSOM, “the rigor of a student’s education along with their life experiences and maturity mark readiness for medical education.” Beyond the academic requirements below, the admissions office values academic excellence; leadership; service, compassion and humanism; commitment to service, including service of underserved communities; commitment to the accessibility of health care and addressing health disparities; and the ability to work as part of a team.

Who can apply

• Eligible: U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, citizens of Canada and DACA students in the State of Maryland who are eligible for Maryland State Financial Aid.
• Pending permanent residents may apply, but the application is reviewed only after the green card is issued. You must notify the Office of Admissions and send documentation.
• Degrees earned abroad: you must complete at least one year of study at an approved college or university in the United States or Canada before applying, and the school strongly recommends completing the prerequisites there first. The committee gives preference to applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree.
• Not eligible: applicants who already hold a U.S. MD degree. UMSOM does not consider transfer or advanced standing requests. A student dismissed from another U.S. medical school may apply through AMCAS as a new first-year student.
• Residency preference: as a state-assisted school, UMSOM gives preference to Maryland residents, but “a significant number of non-resident applicants are invited to interview and accepted to enter each freshman class.” For admissions, your residency comes from the Legal Residence field on AMCAS. For tuition, the Office of the Registrar decides through the In-State Classification form, and filing that form does not affect your application status.

GPA and MCAT

There is no minimum GPA, and there is no GPA cutoff. The school says it accounts for GPA trends alongside MCAT scores. Academic excellence is still expected: accepted students in the 2026 entering class averaged a 3.84 GPA and a 514 MCAT.

The MCAT guidance is specific:

• The school encourages applicants who score below 502 to retake the MCAT.
• It prioritizes interview invitations for applicants who score 506 and above.
• The MCAT must be taken within four years of the time of application and no later than the fall of the year before you plan to enter. For the 2026-2027 cycle, the last accepted MCAT date is September 30, 2026. The school does not waive the four-year rule.
• The school expects many students to test twice and looks at the trend of your scores. Applications with three, four or more MCAT attempts are considered less competitive overall, even when scores improve.

Required coursework

The admissions committee bases its prerequisites on the AAMC Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students. The school asks you to think of the prerequisites “as competencies, which must be achieved prior to medical school, and not as specific course requirements.” Any major is fine.

The admissions committee strongly recommends one semester each of immunology, biochemistry (with lab encouraged), physiology, microbiology, genetics and epidemiology. These are not required.

Course policies to know:

• Prerequisites must be completed at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. AP and IB credit, community college courses and online courses all count, but AP credit must appear on your official transcript.
• The committee prefers that most of your courses come from a four-year college, and it values classroom courses “much more highly” than online ones.
• Students who enter college with strong AP science preparation are encouraged to take higher-level science courses in place of the introductory sequence.
• The committee recommends, but does not require, that prerequisites be completed within five years of when you submit your application.
• Waivers are generally not granted. Occasionally a similar course can substitute (for example, a writing-intensive course in place of English) if your advisor writes to the committee, at the committee’s discretion.

The school’s admissions page lists the concepts it expects in each area. In biology, for example, it names nucleic acid structure and epigenetics, the cell cycle, gene regulation, RNA processing, protein translation, viral vectors and signal transduction. In chemistry it lists acid-base chemistry, thermodynamics, enzyme kinetics, bioenergetics and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. In physics it lists Newtonian mechanics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, circuits and electrostatics and diffusion. Use these lists to check whether your courses cover the ground.

Clinical experience requirement

The admissions committee requires that you have experience observing the doctor-patient interaction through shadowing, scribing or interpreting. Exposure to clinical medicine, and knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of medicine as a career, are expected. Your secondary includes a 1,500-character essay on your most meaningful clinical exposure, so choose experiences you can describe in detail.

UMSOM runs its own shadowing program with alumni and faculty physicians at UMMC, open to anyone planning to apply to an MD, MD/Master’s or MD/PhD program, regardless of home state or college. Shadowers complete at least 40 hours within three months and submit a transcript and a 500-character statement of interest. New applications are paused while current shadowers are matched, and the school asks interested students to check back in the late fall. Because matches are limited, it also encourages you to seek clinical experience outside the program.

Structured pre-med internships are another way to build this experience. Clinical internships for pre-med students that place you beside physicians and patients give you concrete moments to write about, as long as you describe your role accurately. If your best window is the break between semesters, plan pre-med summer internships a year ahead so the hours are complete before you submit AMCAS.

Community service requirement

Community service is a separate requirement. It means “any activity in which you are volunteering your time to help other people,” done outside of course credit. The activity does not have to be medical. Research experience and community service are both “highly valued,” and the school stresses that the quality of your activities matters more than the quantity. Activities you do for fun and relaxation matter too.

Letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation “are as important in the selection process as the applicant’s academic credentials and MCAT scores, extracurricular activities, and essays.” The school adds: “Applicants to the School of Medicine should seek out letters of recommendation from individuals who have both personal knowledge of the applicant’s accomplishments and the insight to objectively assess the applicant’s character, work ethic and motivation for a career in medicine.” Letters from friends, family members and political figures carry little or no weight.

The requirements for letters of recommendation at the Maryland School of Medicine are as follows:

• Committee letter: a letter from your Premedical Advisory Committee or official premedical advisor is recommended and preferred if your school has one, but it is not required. If your school has a committee or advisor and you cannot get the letter, upload a short explanation to the secondary portal and ask the committee or advisor to write to the Committee on Admissions saying it will not send one.
• No committee at your school: send at least three letters. At least two should come from undergraduate or graduate faculty whose courses you took, and at least one must come from a science faculty member and one from a non-science faculty member.
• Limit: no more than six letters.
• Out of school: if you cannot get a composite letter, send at least one letter from each part of your education (undergraduate and graduate) and from major work experience. Significant employment or military experience calls for letters from employers, supervisors or commanding officers.
• How: all letters go through AMCAS on official stationery. A letter not on stationery is still accepted if it comes through AMCAS.
• When: letters must arrive by January 15. Early Decision letters are due August 8. Files missing letters are considered incomplete, which “will have a direct impact on the disposition of your application.”
• Exceptions are considered case by case after a written request.

If you are reapplying, the committee highly recommends updated letters, including letters from experiences since your last application and an updated committee letter if you have one.

Other assessments

UMSOM’s admissions requirements do not list CASPer, PREview or another situational judgment test. Check your secondary portal for any change during the cycle.

AMCAS primary application and the UMSOM secondary application

The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) primary application is the first application you are required to submit when applying to medical schools. (Texas public schools use TMDSAS instead of AMCAS.) Your AMCAS application is sent to each school you choose. Our AMCAS application guide walks through each section.

At UMSOM, the AMCAS application is the first of a two-stage process and must be on file by November 1. Transcripts must reach AMCAS by November 15. An extension of the November 1 deadline “WILL NOT be granted under any circumstances.” Every applicant who submits an AMCAS application to UMSOM receives a secondary invitation by email after AMCAS verifies the application. Check your spam folder for messages from som.umaryland.edu, and use Firefox or Chrome for the portal. The secondary fee is $80 and is non-refundable. If you still have questions, we are here to help you understand the differences between primary and secondary medical school applications.

You complete the secondary, upload documents, schedule and attend your interview and receive decisions in the school’s Application Portal (AMP). Use the Personal Comments section of AMCAS to discuss selected activities and their relevance to your decision to pursue medicine.

2026-2027 timeline

If a date falls on a weekend or holiday, the next business day applies.

Admission is rolling for everyone except Early Decision applicants, so earlier complete files have more interview slots available. File review begins in August and continues through January, and every completed application is reviewed by the committee.

Decisions, deposits, waitlist and deferral

After the interview, you receive one of three decisions in writing: accept, waitlist or reject. The school aims to notify you within four to six weeks of your interview.

• Accept: you have three weeks to respond, and you return a non-binding contract to hold your seat. No deposit is required. Applicants with multiple acceptances must withdraw from all but one school by April 30 (May 1 for MD/PhD).
• Waitlist: the committee waitlists many interviewed applicants until interviews end in early February. In late April it reviews and ranks the waitlist and tells applicants whether they are in the upper or lower half. You may send updates about new activities or accomplishments at any time. In the most recent cycle reported, 10 acceptance offers went to waitlisted applicants.
• Reject: the school urges rejected applicants to consult their premedical advisor.
• Deferral: you may request a deferment in writing by June 1, with a focused plan for the year. The usual deferment is one year, and the school allows up to two. Deferred students reapply through the AMCAS Delayed/Deferred Program to UMSOM only. Applicants accepted from the waitlist cannot defer.

The Office of Admissions does not offer pre-application advising and cannot tell you whether you are competitive. It asks applicants to keep calls and emails to a minimum and to contact [email protected] only with significant questions.

Tuition, Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid

Here is the cost to attend the MD program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine for the 2026-27 academic year, from the university’s 2026-27 cost of attendance. Tuition is a flat rate for full-time students (16 or more credits) and is the same in every year of the program. Living, transportation and book costs are estimates in the university’s budget.

2026-27 cost of attendance by year

Year 1 breakdown (2026-27)

Here is a breakdown of the numbers. The resident cost is listed first, followed by the non-resident cost.

• Tuition: $44,259 / $77,567
• Mandatory university fees (technology, student government, shuttle, activities, services, campus center, matriculation, student accident insurance and student health insurance): $6,749 / $6,749
• Mandatory program fees (curriculum technology, anatomy lab, disability insurance and MD liability/malpractice): $928 / $928
• Books, course materials, supplies and equipment: $2,190 / $2,190
• Living expenses: $29,500 / $29,500
• Transportation: $2,000 / $2,000
• Federal Direct Loan fees: $528 / $528

Health insurance is a large part of the university fees. The 2026-27 student health insurance premium is $2,686 for fall and $2,642 for spring, or $5,328 for the year. Full-time students must carry the university plan or show comparable coverage to waive it. Per semester, full-time tuition is $22,129.50 for residents and $38,783.50 for non-residents.

Costs rise in the clinical years. The third- and fourth-year budgets add higher living estimates ($32,450), more transportation ($3,200 in year 3 and $6,300 in year 4) and, in years 2 and 3, $695 for licensing exams. Over four years, the 2026-27 budgets add up to about $362,500 for a Maryland resident and about $500,000 for a non-resident, before any aid and before tuition increases.

Financial aid and scholarships

• Where to start: MD students work with the School of Medicine’s own financial aid team at [email protected]. The UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance publishes the cost of attendance and aid types.
• Timing: applicants who need aid should start early. File the need-analysis forms in January or February of the year you plan to enroll, and ask parents to file taxes early if their information is required.
• Maryland DACA students are not eligible for federal aid and file the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) by March 1. They may qualify for Maryland legislative scholarships (Delegate and Senatorial), which require contacting district legislators directly.
• Rural-MD Scholars can receive full in-state tuition scholarships in exchange for a commitment to practice on the Eastern Shore. The long-term goal is ten full scholarships a year, funded by the state and by donors such as the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation, which gave $2.4 million in 2026 for two full-tuition scholarships.
• Donor scholarships: alumni support named and endowed scholarships, including funds created by Maurice Reid, MD ’99 and the Ted Lewers, MD ’64 Rural Health Scholar award.
• Residency for tuition is decided by the Office of the Registrar, not admissions. If you think you qualify as a Maryland resident, complete the In-State Classification form early.

The cost after scholarships depends on your residency and your award. Non-residents pay $33,308 a year more in tuition than residents, so compare your total four-year budget, not only the first-year sticker price, when you weigh offers.

Average medical school debt among indebted UMSOM graduates was $194,370 in 2024-25, and 76 percent of enrolled and graduated students received financial aid that year. Scholarships and loans are awarded based on need and the funding available in a given year.

Campus Facilities and Student Life

A graduate campus in downtown Baltimore

UMSOM sits on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus on West Baltimore Street, a short walk from UMMC and the Shock Trauma Center. The campus is made up only of graduate and professional students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, social work, law and the graduate school. The school describes Baltimore as “a vibrant and authentic patchwork of neighborhoods,” and it wants students to feel part of the West Baltimore community from the start, through school and campus-wide student groups and service.

Learning spaces

• Maurice N. Reid, MD ’99 Anatomy Teaching Facility. The gross anatomy lab reopened in fall 2024 after its first renovation in 50 years, funded in part by a $1 million gift from Dr. Reid. It has 52 dissection tables with surgical-quality lighting, touch-screen computers and a reading room for medical imaging.
• Davidge Hall. Built for the medical school and now a National Historic Landmark (designated 1997), Davidge Hall holds the Honor Registry that each first-year class signs at the White Coat Ceremony, alongside the Bowers collection of medical artifacts.
• Health Sciences and Human Services Library and the SMC Campus Center serve the whole UMB campus.

Traditions and community

The White Coat Ceremony is held each August at the Hippodrome Theatre. First-year students receive their coats, sign the Honor Registry and receive a stethoscope from the Medical Alumni Association, each with a personal note from an alum. The Class of 2030 began on August 7, 2026. At the Student Clinician Ceremony each March, second-year students mark the move to clinical rotations, and graduation for the Class of 2026 was also held at the Hippodrome.

The Medical Alumni Association, first organized by graduates in 1874 and in continuous operation since 1875, is independent of the school but works closely with students. Its Student Advisory Council, made up of students from all four classes, plans events for each class.

Support and wellness

Students receive academic counseling and mentorship from the Offices of Medical Education and Student Affairs for all four years. The Office of Student Affairs runs wellness initiatives through the year, and the UMB Wellness Hub adds campus-wide resources. John Allen, MD, an assistant dean in the Office of Student Affairs, focuses on student wellness and resiliency. The UMB Student Success Center offers a Peer Mentor Program and the UMB Student Pantry. The Academic Enrichment Program gives structured academic support to preclerkship students who need it.

Service as part of student life

Required Service Learning places first- and second-year students with community partners, many of them in West Baltimore. Current partners include Baltimore City Public Schools programs such as the Gifted and Advanced Learning mentorship, the Ingenuity Project, the UMB CURE Scholars Program, Thread, SquashWise, Joseph Richey/Gilchrist hospice care and the UMB Community Engagement Center. Students log their hours, write a reflective essay and are evaluated by their partner. Students are strongly encouraged to stay with the same partner in the second year.

Housing and getting around

For housing, the admissions FAQ points students to the UMB Off-Campus Housing website, and UMB also posts rooms available on campus. The 2026-27 budget assumes $29,500 for living expenses in the first year. The UMB shuttle serves the campus, and the school encourages students to have a car because some clinical training is off campus.

Clinical Rotations and Research Opportunities

Where students train

Most clinical instruction takes place at the University of Maryland Medical Center, the Baltimore VA Medical Center and other affiliated hospitals. The details by clerkship:

• Core Medicine: two four-week inpatient blocks at two of six hospitals representing University, VA and community sites.
• Core Surgery: wards, operating room, trauma resuscitation unit and clinics, with one four-week general surgery block, one two-week subspecialty block and one two-week trauma block, assigned by preference.
• Emergency Medicine: four weeks of morning, evening, overnight and weekend shifts with procedure, suture, splint and ultrasound labs at every site.
• Family Medicine: the university faculty and residency practice or a community preceptor, mostly outpatient.
• Neurology: UMMC, the Baltimore VA Medical Center or the University of Maryland Rehabilitation and Orthopaedic Institute.
• OB/GYN: labor and delivery, gynecologic surgery and ambulatory clinic, working with residents, faculty physicians and midwives.
• Pediatrics: inpatient, pediatric emergency or urgent care, full-term nursery and general outpatient practice, with optional home visits to families of children with chronic illness.
• Psychiatry: UMMC, the Baltimore VA Medical Center, Spring Grove Hospital Center, St. Joseph Medical Center or Sheppard Pratt, plus outpatient, psychiatric emergency and on-call experiences and attendance at a 12-step meeting.

Students assigned off campus need reliable transportation, and parts of the Medicine, OB/GYN, Surgery and Family Medicine clerkships can involve off-site training. Rural-MD Scholars complete third-year clerkships on the Eastern Shore and an ambulatory rotation with the Eastern Shore AHEC in the fourth year. Norman Retener, MD, the school’s liaison to the University of Maryland Medical System, coordinates student placement in system hospitals.

The fourth year adds two sub-internships and six electives, and every student completes the Transition to Residency course. Visiting students interested in clinical electives at the University of Maryland Medical System contact the Office of Student Affairs.

Match outcomes

For the Class of 2026, 98 percent of students matched, at 58 institutions in 23 states. Twenty-six percent stayed in Maryland. Primary care (family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics) accounted for 36 percent of the class, anesthesiology for 14 percent and psychiatry for 8 percent. In May 2026, 131 graduates received their MD degrees.

Research opportunities for medical students

The Office of Student Research (OSR) is responsible for all research education and programming for UMSOM medical students and oversees the MD/Master’s programs. It provides individual research advising across basic, clinical and translational science.

• FRCT scholarly project: required of every MD student; a mentored, hypothesis-based project with hundreds of options designed for medical students.
• PRISM (Program for Research Initiated by Students and Mentors): a student-mentor research program supported by the OSR.
• M4I (Maryland Infection, Immunization, Intervention, and Impact Training Program): a longitudinal track for students interested in infectious disease and immunology research, with a summer project and a cohort that continues through medical school.
• Research electives and extended research, and the MD/Master’s step-out year for students who want deeper training.
• Medical Student Research Day, the school’s annual research showcase (the 46th was held in November 2023).

UMSOM’s research strengths include transplant science, infectious disease and vaccine development, cancer care at the NCI-designated Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, shock trauma, genomics through the Institute for Genome Sciences and the microbiome.

Research and summer programs before medical school

For pre-med students, two UMSOM programs are worth knowing:

• UM Scholars at UMSOM is a summer research program for undergraduates at the University of Maryland, College Park, who work with UMSOM faculty in Baltimore. For summer 2027 the program runs May 24 to July 23, 2027; applications open in mid-November 2026 and close in early February 2027.
• The UMSOM Shadowing Program (see F07) matches future applicants with alumni and faculty physicians for at least 40 hours of shadowing.

Global health

UMSOM’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health was the first in the U.S. to test the first generation of COVID-19 vaccines. Students interested in global health can take the Global Health preclerkship elective or the Critical Issues in Global Health track and choose the Global Health concentration in the MD/MPH. Alumna Diana Rickard, MD ’05, founded the Ghana Health and Education Initiative while she was a UMSOM student (see F11).

If you are drawn to global health before medical school, pre-med internships abroad can show you how care is delivered with fewer resources. Treat them as clinical experience you reflect on, not as a credential, and describe your role exactly as it was.

Notable Alumni, Faculty, Leadership and Admissions Staff

The people below were chosen because their work connects to what applicants will see at UMSOM: the leaders who set priorities, the deans who run admissions, the faculty who teach the courses and run the programs in this guide, and alumni whose careers show the school’s range. Titles were checked on official school pages on October 18, 2026. Knowing who these people are can help you write a specific secondary and ask informed questions at your interview. It does not mean any of them will review your application or mentor you.

School leadership

Mark T. Gladwin, MD, Dean. Dr. Gladwin became dean of the School of Medicine and Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore in August 2022, and he holds the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professorship. He is a heart, vascular and lung physician-scientist who still leads an active research group, with more than 450 published papers. His research on the nitrite anion led to nitrite therapies tested in human clinical trials. He trained at the University of Miami, Oregon Health and Science University, the NIH Clinical Center and the University of Washington. His speeches to students return to the same themes: the school’s “generational health challenges,” resilience and humanism. At the 2026 White Coat Ceremony he told the new class they would face “the zoonotic era of infectious disease” and “the non-communicable pandemics of an aging population.” Applicants can use those priorities to understand where the school is investing.

Donna L. Parker, MD, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education. Dr. Parker is the Chief Academic Officer for the MD program and a professor of medicine. She earned her MD at UMSOM in 1986, trained in internal medicine at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore and joined the faculty in 1992 after three years at the University of North Carolina’s Area Health Education Center at Wake Medical Center. She has more than 30 years of experience in medical education and has led initiatives including the Rural MD Scholars Program and the BS-MD program. She oversees the Renaissance Curriculum that you will study, which makes her one of the most important people for applicants to know about.

Admissions deans and staff

Sandra M. Quezada, MD, MS, Associate Dean for Admissions. Dr. Quezada leads medical school admissions and is also Associate Dean for Health Strategy and Engagement and a professor of medicine in gastroenterology and hepatology. She is a UMSOM alumna (MD 2006) who completed her internal medicine residency at UMMC, an MS in clinical research at UMSOM and GI fellowship training at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. Her undergraduate degree is from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, and she holds an MS in human nutrition from Columbia University. Her clinical work and research center on high-quality, equitable care for inflammatory bowel disease. She has received the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award and the AAMC Northeast Group on Student Affairs Outstanding Service Award, and she is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. Her path, from a Maryland college to UMSOM and back to its faculty, is a good example of the Maryland-rooted physician the school’s mission describes.

Kathryn S. Robinett, MD, Assistant Dean for Admissions. Dr. Robinett is also Associate Dean for Student Research and Education, director of the Outpatient Practice-Midtown and an associate professor of medicine. She earned her BA in chemistry at Virginia Tech and her MD at UMSOM, completed residency at UNC Chapel Hill and returned to Maryland for pulmonary and critical care fellowship. Her clinical focus is severe asthma, and her research includes work on bitter taste receptors in airway smooth muscle published in Nature Medicine. Her dual role in admissions and student research reflects how closely the school ties research to the MD.

The admissions office team. Raushanah Kareem, MSW, is the Program Director of the Office of Admissions. The current team also includes Maya Dickerson (Program Administration Specialist), Marian Jones (Academic Program Specialist), Towanda Sykes (Academic Services Specialist) and Brandy Vinson (Recruitment Coordinator). The office is in Health Sciences Facility I and asks applicants to email [email protected] with specific questions.

Faculty who run programs in this guide

Donald R. (Rick) Matteson, PhD, Assistant Dean for Student Research Education and Dual Degree Programs. Dr. Matteson directs the MD/Master’s programs and student research education, and he is an associate professor of pharmacology and physiology who studies ion channels in excitable cells. He trained at MIT, SUNY Syracuse and the University of Pennsylvania. If you are considering a dual degree, he is the program director the school names for questions about admission.

Norman F. Retener, MD, Assistant Dean for Longitudinal Undergraduate Medical Education. Dr. Retener earned his MD at UMSOM in 2006, completed residency at UMMC and the Baltimore VA and served as chief resident. He directs first-year Practice of Medicine and oversees all longitudinal parts of the curriculum, including Practice of Medicine, Service Learning and the educational tracks. During the spring 2020 COVID-19 wave he co-led a converted biocontainment unit at UMMC. His role makes him central to the early clinical training and service that the curriculum emphasizes.

John C. Allen, MD, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. Dr. Allen graduated from UMSOM in 2014 after a political science degree at Washington University in St. Louis and post-baccalaureate science courses at the University of Maryland, College Park. He completed residency at UMMC, joined the faculty in 2018 and practices primary care while advising medical students, with a particular focus on wellness and resiliency. His path is a useful model for career changers and post-baccalaureate applicants.

Thomas M. Scalea, MD, Physician in Chief, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Dr. Scalea directs the Program in Trauma and holds the Honorable Francis X. Kelly Distinguished Professorship in Trauma Surgery. The Shock Trauma Center he leads cares for more than 8,000 critically injured patients a year. He created the CSTARS program in 2001, which has trained more than 4,000 Air Force personnel before deployment, and he has led relief missions to Sichuan and Haiti. In 2026 he was named a UMB Distinguished Professor. Every UMSOM student completes a two-week trauma block in Core Surgery.

Diane Marie M. St. George, PhD, MPH Program Director. Dr. St. George directs the MPH program used by MD/MPH students, serves as vice chair for academic programs in epidemiology and public health and directs the Division of Preventive Medicine. She holds a PhD in epidemiology from UNC Chapel Hill, and her work focuses on epidemiology education, health disparities and youth. Applicants interested in the MD/MPH and its Global Health, Epidemiology or Community and Population Health concentrations should know her program.

Leah Millstein, MD, Rural-MD Program Director. Dr. Millstein, an associate professor of medicine, leads the Rural-MD Scholars Program. Under her leadership the program has built partnerships with Eastern Shore physicians and health organizations, and in 2026 it received a $2.4 million endowment for full-tuition scholarships. If you come from a rural area or want to practice in one, this is the program to study closely.

Notable alumni

Maurice N. Reid, MD ’99. Dr. Reid is a board-certified emergency physician, the founder of ExpressCare Urgent Care and CEO of Chesapeake Telemedicine. A former UMSOM faculty member and a member of the school’s Board of Visitors, he gave $1 million toward the first renovation of the gross anatomy lab in 50 years. The lab now carries his name, and every first-year student learns anatomy there. He also funded an endowed scholarship and a collaborative learning space, and he received the Medical Alumni Association’s 2025 Distinguished Service Award.

Diana G. Rickard, MD ’05. Dr. Rickard founded the Ghana Health and Education Initiative (GHEI) while she was a UMSOM medical student, after a trip to Accra showed her rural communities without basic vaccines or antibiotics. She recruited faculty from the schools of medicine, pharmacy and social work to help. Over more than two decades GHEI has added clean water, education, internet access, malaria prevention and maternal health work and has trained hundreds of students in international community health. She practices pediatrics in Los Angeles and received the 2025 Honor Award and Gold Key from the Medical Alumni Association. Her story shows how far a student-led service project can go.

D. Ted Lewers, MD ’64. Born in Salisbury on the Eastern Shore, Dr. Lewers served as an Army medic in the Korean War and graduated cum laude from UMSOM in 1964. He pioneered kidney disease treatment at what is now UMMC, helping establish dialysis programs and early kidney transplants, chaired the Governor’s Commission on Kidney Disease in Maryland and became Chair of the Board of the American Medical Association. A Rural-MD scholarship now carries his name.

More alumni on the faculty. Several leaders profiled above are UMSOM graduates, including Dr. Parker (1986), Dr. Quezada (2006), Dr. Retener (2006), Dr. Allen (2014) and Dr. Robinett. The Medical Alumni Association traces its own history to graduates such as George W. Miltenberger, MD (Class of 1840), who served as dean from 1855 to 1869 and led the 1874 effort to form the association.

Admissions Statistics and Class Profile

The figures below describe the 2026 entering class (the Class of 2030), which began on August 7, 2026, unless the row names the 2025 entering class or another year.

How to read these numbers

Interviews. Roughly 600 interviews for 175 seats means about one interviewee in three or four ends up in the class. For the 2025 entering class, 610 applicants interviewed and 171 enrolled. Interviews do not guarantee anything, but they are where most decisions turn: interviewers see your application without your GPA or MCAT.

Interviewed divided by applicants, by residency. For the 2025 entering class, 323 of 1,082 in-state applicants interviewed (about 30 percent), compared with 287 of 5,870 out-of-state applicants (about 5 percent). This is the share of applicants who interviewed, not an acceptance rate, but it shows how much the state mission shapes the pool.

Selectivity. Dividing 175 seats by 6,806 applications gives about 2.6 percent. That figure is a matriculation ratio, not an acceptance rate, because the school makes more offers than it has seats and some admitted students choose other schools. No count of offers is published, so no true acceptance rate is available.

MCAT and GPA. The 514 and 3.84 are averages for accepted students in the 2026 entering class. For the 2025 entering class, the median accepted applicant had a 514 MCAT, a 3.9 overall GPA and a 3.87 science GPA, so half of accepted applicants were below those marks. The school prioritizes interview invitations at an MCAT of 506 and above and encourages a retake below 502. It has no GPA cutoff and looks at GPA trends. A rising transcript and a 506 or higher score keep you in range; a strong application around those numbers depends on letters, clinical exposure and the secondary.

Residency. About three in four first-year students are Maryland residents. Non-residents are still a meaningful share of each class: in a 175-seat class, a 25 percent share is roughly 44 students. Out-of-state applicants should show a clear, specific reason for choosing UMSOM in the “why us” essay, especially because UMSOM is a public school with a state mission.

Diversity and background. Twenty-seven percent of UMSOM medical students are underrepresented minorities. Students in the Class of 2030 read the Code of Honor in nearly a dozen native languages at the White Coat Ceremony, and the class includes students who are the first in their families to enter medicine.

Recent history. The Class of 2026 drew about 6,000 applicants for its seats, and the 2026 entering class drew 6,806, so the pool has grown. Expect competition to stay at least this strong for the 2027 entering class.

Tips and Strategies for Admission

Every year, UMSOM receives thousands of applications, yet only a few hundred applicants are interviewed and 175 enroll. There is a lot more than academic requirements to keep in mind. The committee looks for evidence of the following qualities in your personal statement, activities, life experiences and letters: psychological maturity, character and integrity, self-discipline, adaptability and flexibility, good judgment, excellent communication skills, empathy and concern for helping others, intellectual curiosity, appropriate motivation for a career in medicine, leadership skills and commitment to excellence. The tips below turn that list into decisions you can make now.

1. Hit the MCAT target, then stop testing

The clearest number the school publishes is the MCAT interview priority at 506 and above. If you are below 502, retake. If you are between 502 and 505, decide whether a retake is likely to move you above 506; the school expects many applicants to test twice, but three or more attempts weaken the application even when scores rise. Plan your test date so scores arrive early in the cycle and no later than the September 30 cutoff.

2. Meet the clinical requirement in a way you can write about

You must show that you have observed the doctor-patient interaction through shadowing, scribing or interpreting. A long-running role (scribe, interpreter, patient care technician) gives you better material than a few short shadowing days because the secondary asks for your single most meaningful clinical exposure. Keep notes on specific patients and moments, without identifying details, while the experiences happen. Internships for pre-med students that include supervised patient contact can add depth if your local options are thin.

3. Treat community service as its own category

Service is required, it does not have to be medical and the secondary has its own essay on it. The strongest applicants show sustained service with people, often in underserved communities, and can explain what they learned. If you plan to train at UMSOM, service in Baltimore or another Maryland community connects naturally to required Service Learning and the mission’s focus on health equity in the state.

4. Build research into your story

Research is not required, but it is “highly valued,” and every UMSOM student completes a mentored scholarly project. Be ready to explain a question you investigated, your role and what you learned, even if the project did not produce a paper. If you are a University of Maryland, College Park undergraduate, the UM Scholars summer research program places students with UMSOM faculty.

5. Plan your letters a year ahead

Letters weigh as much as grades, MCAT, activities and essays. Ask for a committee letter if your school offers one. If not, plan for three faculty letters that include at least one science and one non-science professor, and do not send more than six. Choose writers who know you well enough to speak to character, work ethic and motivation, and remember the January 15 deadline.

6. Apply early and finish the secondary fast

Admissions is rolling, secondaries go out to everyone in early July and interviews begin in September. Applicants in the 2026-2027 cycle reported interview invitations from mid-August after submitting secondaries in July. Prewrite the four 1,500-character essays before your invitation arrives, then personalize the “why UMSOM” and plans answers when it does.

7. Consider Early Decision only if UMSOM is your clear first choice

Early Decision locks you into one school until October 1 and is intended for highly qualified applicants with their premedical advisor’s support. If your MCAT is below the school’s 506 priority line or you are unsure about Maryland, apply regular decision.

8. Show your connection to Maryland honestly

Residents should say where in Maryland they come from and what health needs they have seen there. Non-residents should explain a concrete reason for UMSOM, such as Rural-MD for a rural background, a dual degree you need, Shock Trauma and emergency care interest, or the Medical Spanish and Social Justice tracks. If Spanish-language care is part of your plan, a medical internship in Peru is one way to practice clinical Spanish before medical school.

9. If you are reapplying or taking a gap year

Use the year to change something the committee can see: a new clinical role, sustained service, a stronger MCAT or new coursework in the strongly recommended subjects such as epidemiology or biochemistry. Send updated letters, including one from your newest experience. Structured pre-med gap year programs can give the year a clear focus, and the secondary’s plans question gives you space to describe it.

Personalized help

Applying to medical school takes time, organization and focus. We publish a variety of helpful guides for future medical students. Still, personalized help is only a click away. Our medical school admissions consulting offers guidance throughout the application process and draws on decades of experience to strengthen your candidacy.

Secondary Application Questions, Example Responses and Analysis

The Admissions Committee at UMSOM conducts a holistic review of your application. That means your essay answers are crucial. Academic excellence matters, but how you present your experiences, principles, goals and understanding of health care will show whether you are a good fit. The school says its secondary exists “to better understand our applicants and their commitment to becoming a physician.”

How the UMSOM secondary works

• Who receives it: every applicant who submits an AMCAS application to UMSOM. There is no screen before the secondary.
• When: invitations begin in early July and arrive by email after AMCAS verifies your application.
• Deadline: December 1, 2026 for MD, MD/Master’s and Rural-MD Scholars applicants; October 15, 2026 for MD/PhD; August 8, 2026 for Early Decision. If your invitation arrives after December 1, you have two weeks to return it.
• Fee: $80, non-refundable. A fee waiver is available. If you are approved for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, request the waiver in the portal before you pay.
• Where: the Application Portal (AMP). Use Firefox or Chrome.
• Prompts for 2026-2027: eight in total. Six are required and two are optional, and every prompt has a character limit.

Applicants who indicate interest in the MD/PhD program answer additional questions, and MD/Master’s applicants are asked to outline their academic objectives for the master’s and the concentration they plan to study. The wording and limits of those program questions have not been published for the 2026-2027 cycle, so read them carefully when they appear in your portal and prepare a clear statement of your research or master’s goals in advance. To compare UMSOM’s questions with other schools’ current prompts, see our medical school secondary essay prompts database.

Tips for a strong UMSOM secondary

• Read each prompt closely and answer every part of it. The mission prompt, for example, names the mission, the vision and the values.
• Count characters, not words. A 1,500-character answer is about 230 to 260 words, and a 1,000-character answer is about 150 to 175 words, including spaces.
• The committee receives thousands of applications, so do not use space repeating your AMCAS activities or your other answers. Each essay should add something new.
• Use concrete evidence: a specific patient, a specific change you made, a specific result.
• Prewrite the four required 1,500-character essays (clinical exposure, community service, mission and profession) before invitations go out in July. They are the core of the application, and their wording has stayed similar in recent cycles.
• Proofread every answer. Clear, plain sentences are better than impressive vocabulary.

Each example below is original teaching material written for this guide. It shows one way to answer the prompt. Do not copy it or submit it: your answer has to come from your own experiences.

Prompt 1: Why the University of Maryland School of Medicine (Required, 1,000 Characters)

Describe here the reason why you are specifically interested in attending the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Limit: 1,000 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: Medical schools know you apply widely. This prompt asks whether something specific about UMSOM brought you here. Restating facts from this guide is no substitute for showing genuine interest.

How to approach it: Pick one or two reasons that connect your history to a verified feature of the school: the Renaissance Curriculum’s early patient contact and Service Learning, a dual degree that fits your goals, the Rural-MD Scholars Program, the Medical Spanish or Social Justice tracks, the required FRCT scholarly project or training at UMMC, the VA and Shock Trauma. Feel free to mention real ties to Maryland or to the school, but keep the focus on why UMSOM fits the physician you want to become.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (877 characters):

I grew up in Hagerstown, where my grandmother managed her diabetes through a clinic that was open two afternoons a week. That gap is why the University of Maryland School of Medicine is my first choice. Its mission names health equity for people in Baltimore and across Maryland, and its curriculum acts on that early. Service Learning in West Baltimore would start in my first year, next to Practice of Medicine, so I would learn clinical skills and community context together. I want to use the required FRCT scholarly project to study diabetes follow-up after hospital discharge, building on two years of chart review I did as a research assistant. I also plan to practice in Maryland. Training at the state’s public medical school, with clerkships at UMMC, the Baltimore VA and community hospitals, is the most direct path to becoming the kind of physician my county needs.

Why this example works: The answer gives one clear reason in the first two sentences: a family experience with limited access to care in Maryland. Every sentence after that ties the reason to something the school actually offers: the health equity language in the mission, required Service Learning in West Baltimore, the Practice of Medicine course that starts in year one, the required FRCT scholarly project and clerkships at UMMC, the Baltimore VA and community hospitals. The applicant also names a career intention (practicing in Maryland) that fits a state-assisted school that gives preference to residents, without claiming any special tie the applicant does not have. At 1,000 characters there is no room for a list of ten features. Two or three specific connections, each linked to your own history, do more work. Mistakes to avoid: praising rankings or reputation, copying the mission statement word for word, naming faculty you have never contacted and repeating your personal statement. If you have a real tie, such as growing up in Maryland, attending a UMSOM shadowing match or working at UMMC, say it plainly in one sentence and move on to why it matters.

Prompt 2: Your plans for the 2026-2027 academic year (Required, 1,000 Characters)

Please describe what you will be doing during the 2026-2027 academic year. If you graduated/will graduate in 2026, what are your plans for the coming year until you matriculate to medical school?

Limit: 1,000 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: The committee wants to see that you are organized, on track and using the year before medical school well. There is no wrong answer as long as you can explain how the year helps you grow as a future physician.

How to approach it: If you are finishing a degree, describe your course load, research and activities and how you will balance them. If you have graduated, describe your job, service, research or other plans for the year in concrete terms. Keep the answer organized, roughly in time order, and end with what you hope to gain before matriculating.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (837 characters):

I graduated in May 2026 with a B.S. in biology. During 2026-2027 I am working full time as a clinical research coordinator in a hospital cardiology department, where I screen patients for a heart failure study, help with consent under supervision and track follow-up visits. Two evenings a week I volunteer as a Spanish interpreter at a free clinic, which keeps my language skills current and keeps me close to patients. On Saturdays I tutor high school students in chemistry through a city program. I am also taking an online epidemiology course, a subject I did not study in college. My goal this year is to see medicine from two sides: from a research team that measures outcomes and from patients who struggle to reach care. Both will shape how I approach a scholarly project and my clinical work when I start medical school in 2027.

Why this example works: This is a logistics question, so the best answer is concrete and organized. The example states the degree and graduation date, then lists each commitment with its role, schedule and setting, so a reader can picture a week. It closes with one sentence on purpose, which turns a list into a plan. Two details are worth noticing. The interpreting work matches one of the three ways the school accepts for observing the doctor-patient relationship (shadowing, scribing or interpreting), and the epidemiology course is on the school’s strongly recommended list. Neither claim is inflated. If you are still in school, give your course load, any thesis or research, and the activities you will continue. If your plans are not final, say what you have applied for and when you expect to know. Mistakes to avoid: vague phrases such as ‘gaining experience,’ listing a job without your duties, and describing activities you have not actually arranged. Update the school if your plans change after you submit.

Prompt 3: Academic challenges (optional) (Optional, 1,000 Characters)

(Optional) If you’ve experienced academic challenges while in college and/or graduate or professional school, please describe and explain below. Please be sure to include withdrawals, incompletes, poor grades, etc.

Limit: 1,000 characters, including spaces. Who answers: optional for all applicants.

What it asks: This is your chance to explain any withdrawal, incomplete, poor grade or other academic problem that appears on your transcript or AMCAS. The committee will see every one, so address each of them.

How to approach it: Give the circumstances briefly, then focus on what you did: how you coped, what you changed and what evidence shows the problem will not recur. Try to end on a forward-looking note. If you have nothing to explain, you can leave this optional question blank.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (871 characters):

In the spring of my sophomore year I withdrew from Organic Chemistry II and earned a C in Physics I. My mother had surgery that March, and I drove home every weekend to care for my younger brother while working 20 hours a week. I tried to keep every commitment and did none of them well. After meeting with my advisor, I withdrew from one course rather than fail it and kept the job, which paid for my brother’s after-school care. That summer I retook Organic Chemistry II and earned an A. I took Physics II in the fall with a weekly study group and earned an A-. My science GPA has risen every semester since, and I have not withdrawn from another course. The lesson was practical: I now plan each term around fixed obligations first, ask for help early and treat a lighter course load as a tool, not a failure. I will bring that same planning to a demanding curriculum.

Why this example works: The prompt asks for every withdrawal, incomplete and poor grade, so the example names both items on the transcript in the first sentence. It gives the cause in two sentences without asking for sympathy, then spends most of its space on what the applicant did: talked to an advisor, made a deliberate choice, retook the course and changed study habits. The proof of change is measurable (later grades and a rising science GPA). The close explains a lasting skill and links it to medical school. Answer this question if anything on your record needs context, even something small. Leave it blank only if you truly have nothing to explain; do not invent a minor struggle to fill the box. Mistakes to avoid: blaming a professor, hiding one of several problems, writing more about the hardship than about your response and making promises without evidence. If an issue is still affecting you, say what support you now have in place.

Prompt 4: Your most meaningful exposure to clinical medicine (Required, 1,500 Characters)

Briefly describe your most meaningful exposure to clinical medicine.

Limit: 1,500 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: The committee takes clinical experience seriously. This prompt checks your readiness for medical school, your understanding of what physicians do and the lessons you took from patient care.

How to approach it: Choose one experience, state the setting and your role, highlight patient contact and explain what you observed and how it changed your understanding of medicine. Shadowing, scribing and interpreting all count, and so do paid clinical roles.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (1,295 characters):

For two years I worked as an emergency department scribe at a community hospital, writing notes in real time for physicians during 10-hour shifts. My most meaningful moment came at 3 a.m. with a 68-year-old man who arrived short of breath. He said little and kept apologizing for wasting everyone’s time. The physician I worked with sat down, asked about his wife and learned he had stopped his water pill because he could not afford the refill after his insurance changed. That one question changed the plan. The diagnosis was heart failure, but the cause of this visit was a pharmacy bill. I documented as she called the social worker, switched him to a lower-cost generic and arranged a follow-up visit before discharge. I had typed hundreds of histories by then, but this was the first time I saw how much of a diagnosis lives outside the chart. Since that night I listen differently. When I interview patients for my research job, I ask what makes a treatment hard to follow, not only whether they follow it. Scribing taught me the language of medicine. That patient taught me that good care starts with learning what a person’s life looks like. I want to keep building that habit through a curriculum that pairs early patient contact with attention to the social factors that shape health.

Why this example works: The school requires applicants to have observed the doctor-patient interaction through shadowing, scribing or interpreting, and this prompt checks what you took from it. The example picks one patient encounter instead of summarizing two years of shifts. It sets the scene quickly (role, setting, time, patient), shows a physician’s specific action and states what the applicant learned in plain words. It stays honest about the scribe’s role: the applicant documents, observes and reflects, and never claims to have treated anyone. The ending shows that the lesson changed later behavior, which is stronger than saying an experience was ‘eye-opening.’ Mistakes to avoid: listing every clinical activity in your AMCAS entries, describing a dramatic case with no reflection, sharing details that could identify a patient and overstating your clinical duties. Use ‘Briefly’ as a guide: one encounter, told well, fits 1,500 characters.

Prompt 5: Background and experiences (optional) (Optional, 400 Characters)

(Optional) Please share any relevant characteristic about your background and/or experiences not already described in AMCAS you feel may positively impact how you practice medicine in the future.

Limit: 400 characters, including spaces. Who answers: optional for all applicants.

What it asks: The school uses its optional questions to understand how your background and lived experiences can positively affect the care of your future patients. This one gives you 400 characters for something AMCAS does not already show.

How to approach it: Name one characteristic or experience, give one concrete example and state how it will shape the way you practice. Leave it blank rather than repeat your personal statement.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (367 characters):

I grew up translating for my parents at clinic visits in Spanish and English. At 12 I explained my father’s diabetes diagnosis to him. That role taught me how easily patients miss key instructions and how much trust a shared language builds. I plan to keep building my medical Spanish and use it to make sure patients leave each visit knowing exactly what to do next.

Why this example works: At 400 characters this answer has room for one characteristic, one example and one effect on future practice, and the example uses exactly that structure. It adds something AMCAS may not show (a family role, not a formal activity) and links it to patient care. Applicants who want to build on a skill like this could look at the school’s one-year Medical Spanish elective track. Use this box for a real part of your background, such as a language, a caregiving role, military service, rural upbringing, work history or a health experience you choose to share. Mistakes to avoid: repeating your personal statement, listing traits without an example and trying to fit two topics into a space built for one.

Prompt 6: Your most satisfying community service experience (Required, 1,500 Characters)

Briefly describe your most satisfying experience related to community service.

Limit: 1,500 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: A commitment to service is one of the core values UMSOM looks for. The prompt asks for your most satisfying service experience, and the school’s service requirement does not have to be medical.

How to approach it: Describe your role and the impact of your work, then reflect on what you learned and how it shaped your understanding of service, health or medicine. Choose the experience with the best story and reflection, not necessarily the most hours.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (1,291 characters):

The service that has meant the most to me is three years with a weekly food distribution at a church pantry in my neighborhood. I started by stacking boxes. By my second year I was coordinating 15 volunteers each Saturday and running the sign-in table, where I met nearly every family who came. The most satisfying part came from a small change. Many older clients left with canned goods high in sodium, and several told me they had blood pressure problems. With the pantry director, I asked a local grocery to donate low-sodium options and set up a separate table with simple labels in English and Spanish. Within a few months, that table was emptying first. A retired bus driver told me it was the first time anyone had asked what his doctor wanted him to eat. That comment stayed with me. It showed me that service works best when you listen to the people you serve and adjust, rather than repeat what you have always done. It also showed me that health is shaped far from a clinic: on a pantry shelf, a bus route or a pharmacy counter. I want to keep that lesson close in medical school. Service Learning partnerships in West Baltimore would let me keep working alongside a community while I learn medicine, and I hope to help build programs that start with what neighbors say they need.

Why this example works: The school requires community service and defines it broadly: volunteer work outside course credit that does not have to be medical. The example uses a non-clinical activity on purpose. It shows growth in responsibility (from stacking boxes to coordinating volunteers), one specific change the applicant made, the result and a quote that explains why it mattered. ‘Most satisfying’ is answered directly: the satisfaction came from listening and adjusting. The final lines connect the lesson to required Service Learning in West Baltimore without overselling. Mistakes to avoid: choosing the activity with the most hours instead of the one with the best story, writing about service as a box you checked, presenting yourself as a savior and claiming outcomes you cannot support. If your best service story is a short project, that is fine; depth of reflection matters more than duration.

Prompt 7: Mission, vision and values (Required, 1,500 Characters)

How does our School of Medicine mission, vision, and values align with your vision for your future career as a physician?

Limit: 1,500 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: This prompt asks you to compare the school’s mission, vision and values with your own career goals.

How to approach it: Read the current Mission, Vision and Values page first. Choose one phrase from the mission, one from the vision and one or two of the UMB core values (Respect and Integrity, Well-Being and Sustainability, Equity and Justice, Innovation and Discovery). For each, explain what it means in your own career plan and support it with an experience.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (1,381 characters):

The School of Medicine’s mission is to advance health equity and wellness for people in Baltimore, Maryland and beyond, and to work on generational health challenges. My career goal fits inside that sentence. I want to be a general internist who treats obesity and diabetes in the communities where they are most common and who studies why treatment works for some patients and not others. I saw the problem up close as a research assistant reviewing charts for a weight management clinic: patients with the same medication and the same visit schedule had very different results, and the difference often traced back to food access, work hours and transportation. The vision’s phrase ‘personalized, equitable patient care’ describes the physician I want to be. Personalized means learning each patient’s barriers. Equitable means making sure the plan is one they can actually follow. The core value of Equity and Justice matches why I chose this field, and Innovation and Discovery matches how I want to practice: asking questions in clinic and testing answers. At UMSOM, the Primary Care Track and the required FRCT scholarly project would let me build both sides of that career from the first year. In ten years I hope to run a primary care practice in Maryland that partners with community groups and measures its own results, so the next patient gets better care than the last.

Why this example works: The prompt has three parts (mission, vision and values) and asks how they align with your career. The example quotes or names one element of each: the health equity and generational health challenges language in the mission, ‘personalized, equitable patient care’ from the vision and two named core values. It then explains what each means in practice for this applicant, supported by a real experience. It ends with a specific career picture rather than a slogan. Mistakes to avoid: copying the full mission statement, matching every word of it to a trait, or writing a general essay about wanting to help people. Read the current Mission, Vision and Values page before you write, because the school’s wording has changed in recent years, and quote only the phrases you can explain. Obesity and metabolic disease is one of the generational health challenges the school names, so an applicant with a different focus, such as aging, emerging infections, mental health and addiction or health disparities, can use the same structure.

Prompt 8: What it means to enter a profession (Required, 1,500 Characters)

What does it mean to you to enter into a profession?

Limit: 1,500 characters, including spaces. Who answers: required for all applicants.

What it asks: This is a broad question that can be answered well in many ways. It asks what entering a profession means to you, so let your own perspective come through. Professionalism is an extremely important value in medicine, so address it directly.

How to approach it: Some ideas to start: a profession as a calling, a way to serve others, a commitment you keep no matter what, a community with shared values and goals, a responsibility you are accountable for, or a lifetime of learning. Pick the view that fits you, define it in your own words and show it with a real example.

Illustrative example, not an actual applicant essay (1,307 characters):

To me, entering a profession means making a public promise and then keeping it when no one is checking. A job asks you to do assigned work well. A profession asks you to put another person’s interests first, to keep learning for as long as you practice and to hold yourself and your colleagues to a standard set by the field, not by convenience. I learned what that looks like from a nurse I worked under as a patient care technician. Near the end of a long night shift she realized she had charted a medication time incorrectly. No harm had occurred and no one would have noticed. She corrected the record, told the charge nurse and walked me through why the honest correction mattered more than her pride. That moment defined professionalism for me: honesty when it costs you something, because patients cannot check our work for themselves. Entering medicine also means joining a community with a history. New UMSOM students sign the Honor Registry that sits in Davidge Hall, next to the names of generations before them. I read that as a reminder that the promise belongs to the whole profession and is kept one patient at a time. I am ready to accept that responsibility, including the parts that are uncomfortable: admitting what I do not know, asking for help and speaking up when something is wrong.

Why this example works: This is a values question with no single right answer, so the example starts with a clear personal definition in one sentence, then sharpens it by contrasting a job and a profession. It grounds the idea in one observed moment rather than abstract claims, and it names specific professional duties: putting patients first, lifelong learning, self-regulation and honesty. The reference to the Honor Registry in Davidge Hall, which first-year students sign at the White Coat Ceremony, ties the answer to this school without turning it into a ‘why us’ essay. Mistakes to avoid: quoting the Hippocratic Oath at length, writing a dictionary definition, treating a profession only as status or income, and listing virtues without showing one in action. Your answer should sound like you, so choose the duty that matters most to you and build from your own example.

Interview Format and Preparation

Interviews are required for acceptance and are by invitation only. No one is accepted without one. The committee invites about 600 applicants a year, and applications from both residents and non-residents may be rejected without an interview.

What is confirmed about the UMSOM interview

• Format: virtual interview days on Mondays and Wednesdays from September through February. Early Decision interviews take place in mid-September.
• Interviews: at least two one-on-one interviews of 45 minutes each, with faculty and students. Interview slots are at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. Eastern time.
• What interviewers see: your full application materials except your GPA and MCAT scores.
• The day: a welcome and Q&A at 10 a.m., lunch with medical students at 12:15 p.m., a campus tour with senior students at 1 p.m., a break and afternoon interview slots. Details appear in the portal after you accept an invitation.
• What interviewers evaluate: the school trains interviewers to assess “maturity, adequacy of support systems, level of confidence in their abilities, intellectual curiosity, communication skills, motivation for medicine, depth of involvement in extracurricular activities, and professionalism during the interview, among other factors.”
• Weight: the interview evaluations are “the last important factor” the committee considers in its deliberations on each applicant.
• Invitations arrive by email. Free email services often filter them as spam, so add som.umaryland.edu to your safe senders list.
• Cancellations: if you cannot attend, email [email protected].
• After the interview: the school aims to send a decision within four to six weeks.

The interview gives you a chance to discuss your personal history, your motivation for medicine and anything in your application that needs explanation. Be ready to discuss any part of your application.

The school’s own tips

The admissions office lists five tips: be yourself, present yourself professionally, know the contents of your application, have prepared questions and participate fully in all activities. It also points applicants to the AAMC’s tips for virtual interviews. Applicants are expected to be fully prepared and engaged for the whole day and to tell the office if anything interrupts their participation.

How to prepare (general guidance)

The points below are practical advice, not school policy.

• Reread everything you submitted. Because interviewers have your application but not your scores, they will ask about your activities, essays and letters. Pick two or three stories you can tell in detail, including your clinical exposure and service essays.
• Practice a one-on-one conversation, not a script. Two 45-minute interviews leave time for follow-up questions. Expect “why medicine,” “why UMSOM,” a challenge you faced and questions about your activities. Our list of medical school interview questions is a good place to start.
• Prepare for the qualities on the list. Think of an example for each one the school names: maturity, support systems, confidence, curiosity, communication, motivation, depth of involvement and professionalism. “Support systems” is less common on other schools’ lists; be ready to talk about how you handle stress and who you rely on.
• Know the school well enough to ask good questions. Ask students at lunch about Service Learning partners, the FRCT project, clerkship sites or the elective tracks.
• Set up your space. Test your camera, microphone, lighting and internet connection the day before and keep the full day free from 10 a.m. to the end of the afternoon slots.
• Send updates if you are waitlisted. Waitlisted applicants may send updates on new activities or accomplishments at any time.

If you want structured practice, our admissions consultants run mock interviews as part of medical school admissions consulting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the University of Maryland School of Medicine hard to get into?

Yes. For the 2026 entering class, UMSOM received 6,806 applications for 175 first-year seats and invites about 600 applicants to interview in a typical year. Accepted students averaged a 3.84 GPA and a 514 MCAT. For the 2025 entering class, 610 applicants interviewed from 7,186 verified applications, and the median accepted applicant had a 3.9 GPA and a 514 MCAT. Strong numbers help you reach the interview, where your experiences, letters and conversation carry the decision. Apply early and complete the secondary quickly.

What is the UMSOM acceptance rate?

No acceptance rate or count of offers is published. Dividing 175 seats by 6,806 applications gives about 2.6 percent, but that is a matriculation ratio, not an acceptance rate, because more applicants are admitted than enroll. Use the interview count (about 600 a year; 610 for the 2025 entering class) and the MCAT guidance to judge your chances instead.

What MCAT score do I need for UMSOM?

There is no official minimum. The school encourages applicants who score below 502 to retake and prioritizes interview invitations for scores of 506 and above. Accepted students in the 2026 entering class averaged 514, and the median accepted applicant in the 2025 entering class also scored 514. Your score must be within four years of your application, and September 30 is the last test date accepted for the 2026-2027 cycle.

Is there a GPA cutoff?

No. UMSOM has no GPA cutoff and considers GPA trends alongside MCAT scores. Accepted students averaged a 3.84 GPA in the 2026 entering class. If your early grades were weak, show an upward trend and explain any problems in the optional academic challenges question.

Does UMSOM accept out-of-state applicants?

Yes. As a state-assisted school it prefers Maryland residents, but a significant number of non-residents are interviewed and accepted each year. On average the class is about 75 percent Maryland residents and 25 percent non-residents. Non-residents pay higher tuition: $77,567 versus $44,259 in 2026-27.

Can international students, DACA recipients or Canadians apply?

UMSOM considers U.S. citizens, permanent residents, citizens of Canada and Maryland DACA students who are eligible for Maryland State Financial Aid. Other international applicants are not eligible. Applicants with a pending green card may apply, but their file is reviewed only after the card is issued. Anyone whose degree is from abroad must complete at least one year of study at a U.S. or Canadian college first.

Does every applicant get a secondary?

Yes. Every applicant who submits an AMCAS application to UMSOM receives a secondary by email after AMCAS verification. The secondary costs $80, a fee waiver is available, and it is due December 1 for MD applicants (October 15 for MD/PhD).

How many secondary essays does UMSOM have, and how long are they?

For 2026-2027 there are eight prompts. Six are required: why UMSOM (1,000 characters), your 2026-2027 plans (1,000), your most meaningful clinical exposure (1,500), your most satisfying community service (1,500), how the mission, vision and values align with your career (1,500) and what it means to enter a profession (1,500). Two are optional: academic challenges (1,000) and background and experiences (400).

Do I need a committee letter?

No, but it is recommended and preferred if your school has a premedical committee or advisor. Without one, send at least three letters, with at least two from faculty who taught you and at least one each from a science and a non-science professor. Send no more than six, through AMCAS, by January 15.

How much clinical experience do I need?

The school requires that you have observed the doctor-patient interaction through shadowing, scribing or interpreting but does not set an hour minimum. Choose depth over volume, because the secondary asks you to describe your single most meaningful clinical exposure. Long-term roles and pre-health internships with real patient contact give you better material than a list of brief experiences.

Are UMSOM interviews virtual?

Yes. Interview days are virtual, on Mondays and Wednesdays from September through February. You will have at least two one-on-one interviews of 45 minutes with faculty and students, who see your application but not your GPA or MCAT. The day also includes a Q&A, lunch with students and a campus tour with senior students.

Does UMSOM require CASPer or PREview?

No. Neither test is listed in UMSOM’s admissions requirements. Watch your secondary portal in case the requirements change during the cycle.

How much does UMSOM cost?

For 2026-27, tuition is $44,259 for Maryland residents and $77,567 for non-residents. The first-year cost of attendance, including fees, health insurance, books, living costs and transportation, is $86,154 for residents and $119,462 for non-residents. Clinical years cost more because living and transportation estimates rise.

How much debt do UMSOM graduates have?

Indebted graduates in 2024-25 left with an average of $194,370 in medical school debt. That year, 76 percent of enrolled and graduated students received financial aid. Maryland residents pay much lower tuition, and Rural-MD Scholars can receive full in-state tuition scholarships, so your own debt depends heavily on residency and awards.

Is there a fee waiver for the UMSOM secondary?

Yes. The secondary fee is $80, and a fee waiver is available. If you are approved for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, request the waiver in the secondary portal before you pay.

Does UMSOM have Early Decision?

Yes. You apply only to UMSOM through AMCAS by August 1 and submit the secondary, MCAT scores and letters by August 8. Interviews are in mid-September, and every Early Decision applicant hears by October 1. If you are not accepted, you may be moved to the regular pool and can then apply to other schools.

Can I do a dual degree at UMSOM?

Yes. Options include the MD/PhD (Medical Scientist Training Program) and nine MD/Master’s programs: public health, clinical research, cellular and molecular biomedical science, bioengineering, health administration, public policy, business administration, health professions education and clinical informatics. The master’s programs take five years, with a step-out year after the third year. You can apply with your initial application or after you matriculate.

What is the Rural-MD Scholars Program?

It is a UMSOM program that trains physicians for Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It starts with a summer program at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and includes a two-year rural health elective, mentoring, research and Eastern Shore clerkships. Scholars can receive full in-state tuition scholarships in return for a commitment to practice on the Shore after residency.

Does UMSOM require a deposit?

No. Accepted applicants have three weeks to respond and return a non-binding contract to hold a seat. No deposit is required.

Can I defer admission?

Yes, in some cases. Submit a written request by June 1 with a focused plan for the year. The usual deferment is one year, and the school allows up to two. Applicants accepted from the waitlist cannot defer.

Does UMSOM accept transfer students?

No. UMSOM does not consider transfer or advanced standing requests. A student dismissed from another U.S. medical school can apply through AMCAS as a new first-year student, but applicants who already hold a U.S. MD are not eligible.

Do I need a car at UMSOM?

The school encourages it. Practice of Medicine sessions in the first two years and parts of several third-year clerkships can take place off campus. Students who rely on public transportation should plan routes before rotations begin.

Related Medical School Guides

These guides are useful comparisons for UMSOM applicants. They are chosen for geography, degree and applicant considerations, not because the schools are equally selective.

• Johns Hopkins School of Medicine: Maryland’s other civilian MD program, a private school that is also in Baltimore, for applicants comparing two very different Baltimore options.
• Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences: the Maryland MD option in Bethesda for applicants interested in a career as a military physician.
• Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC): another public academic health center with a strong in-state mission, useful for comparing resident and non-resident costs.
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS): a public state medical school, a useful comparison for applicants interested in state-focused and rural training like the Rural-MD Scholars Program.
• Baylor College of Medicine: a research-intensive school next to a major medical center, for applicants who want research depth like UMSOM’s.
• Texas A&M College of Medicine: a public MD program with engineering and medicine options, a comparison point for UMSOM’s BS-MD and MD/MS in Bioengineering.

If you are also looking south of the Potomac, our guide to medical schools in Virginia covers the MD and DO programs in the neighboring state.

More medical school guides

Don’t forget to explore more of our ultimate medical school guides:

• Case Western Medical School
• University of North Carolina Medical School
• University of Florida Medical School
• Emory University School of Medicine
• Boston University School 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
• 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

For the numbers behind each school, see our table of the average GPA and MCAT score for every medical school.

How International Medical Aid Can Help

Healthcare internships and clinical experience

The University of Maryland School of Medicine is similar to other top medical schools when it comes to healthcare experience: it is essential to being a competitive applicant, and UMSOM requires that you have observed the doctor-patient interaction. Depth and breadth both matter. Sustained, hands-on experience shows your commitment to learning medicine and your ability to work in clinical settings.

At International Medical Aid, we prepare pre-med students for medical school and beyond through our healthcare internships abroad. IMA runs medical internships abroad in Kenya and other sites. Interns work with local clinicians and, under supervision, take vital signs, do patient intake and triage and help with direct patient care. Programs also include didactic sessions, community health outreach and time beside physicians. Interns carry the global perspective on service and health care with them into their applications and their careers. These experiences can give you specific material for the clinical exposure and community service essays, as long as you describe your role accurately. IMA programs are not affiliated with UMSOM and do not affect admission decisions.

Medical school admissions consulting

Health care institutions around the world are concerned about the shortage of health care workers in the years ahead. That is part of the reason we maintain a site full of resources for aspiring physicians. Our guides will help you on your journey, but nothing replaces personalized admissions consulting. Our consultants have decades of experience in medicine and education and can help at every step, with thorough application reviews, secondary essay feedback, interview preparation and proofreading. We will work with you to build an individualized strategy and a compelling application. There is more to learn about our services, including free 30-minute consultations. You can find out more here.

Next step: if your clinical hours are thin, plan your experience for the coming summer now; if your experiences are in place, book a consultation to review your UMSOM secondary drafts before invitations arrive.

Final Thoughts and Sources

We hope you find our resources helpful during your application process. And remember, if you need guidance along the way, our team at International Medical Aid is always here for you.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine is a strong choice for applicants who want a public MD program with deep research, early patient contact, required community service in Baltimore and training at UMMC, the VA and Shock Trauma. To apply well this cycle: confirm your eligibility and residency status, aim for an MCAT of 506 or higher, submit AMCAS early, line up a committee letter or three faculty letters, prewrite the four 1,500-character essays and return the secondary well before December 1. We wish you all the best in your medical school journey.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked on October 18, 2026. Class statistics are for the 2026 entering class unless another year is stated. Costs are for the 2026-27 academic year.

• AAMC Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), University of Maryland School of Medicine profile, 2026 edition (accessed October 18, 2026): verified applications, interviews, matriculants, median MCAT and GPA for the 2025 entering class; fee waiver, deposit, deferral and waitlist policies; average graduate debt and aid (LCME Part I-B, 2024-25); specialty intentions (AAMC Graduation Questionnaire)

• UMSOM Your Path to Medical School: timeline, application process, secondary, letters, academic requirements, selection, Early Decision and interview day

• UMSOM Admissions FAQ: 2026 entering class applications, seats and averages; MCAT guidance; residency ratio; interviews
• UMSOM Timeline for Applying to Medical School (PDF, July 2026)
• UMSOM In-State Applicants with DACA Status and UMSOM Shadowing Program
• UMSOM About Us and Mission, Vision and Values, with the UMB Core Values
• LCME Directory of Accredited MD Programs (accessed October 18, 2026)
• UMSOM Curriculum, Pre-Clerkship Curriculum, Clinical Curriculum, Curriculum Renaissance and Service Learning
• Your Medical Education: elective tracks and dual degrees, MD/Masters Dual Degrees and Medical Scientist Training Program
• Rural-MD Scholars and Rural-MD Zaffere endowment (February 2026)
• FRCT and Research Opportunities for Medical Students
• UMB 2026-27 Cost of Attendance by School (School of Medicine, MD) and MD Tuition and Fees, Academic Year 2026-27
• Class of 2026 Match Day results (April 2026), Class of 2026 graduation (June 2026) and 2026 White Coat Ceremony (August 2026)
• Dean’s Office, Office of Admissions team and UMSOM faculty profiles for Drs. Gladwin, Parker, Quezada, Robinett, Matteson, Retener, Allen, Scalea and St. George
• MAA honors Maurice Reid ’99 and Diana Rickard ’05 (May 2025), Rural-MD named scholarships (February 2026) and Medical Alumni Association history
• UMB BS-MD program announcement (June 2025)
• Secondary prompt wording and character limits for 2026-2027: Med School Insiders secondary prompts database and the Student Doctor Network 2026-2027 UMSOM thread, checked against the four essay questions on the school’s Your Path to Medical School page.