Applying to the MD Program
Frequently Asked Questions for the MD Program
Admission requirements
What are admission requirements and desired applicant characteristics for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine?
The Admissions Committee seeks the following attributes and life experiences:
- Personal attributes that include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Intellectual excellence
- Ethical responsibility to yourself and others
- Leadership
- Resilience and adaptability
- Life experiences that include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Experience with rural and/or underserved communities and populations
- Clinical exposure
- Service (non-healthcare)
- Experience beyond the classroom
Read the complete list of admission requirements, attributes and experiences our college is looking for. Please do not submit an AMCAS application if you do not or will not meet the requirements to receive a secondary application as your file will not be considered.
Is a bachelor’s degree required for admission?
Yes, but the college does not require that your bachelor’s degree be in any specific discipline. The degree must be completed by July 15 of the year you would enroll to our program. Take a look at course prerequisites to ensure that you anticipate requirements. The bachelor’s degree must be completed at an accredited U.S. or Canadian university.
If you do not have a bachelor’s degree because you enrolled in a doctoral-level (terminal degree) program from a U.S. accredited institution that did not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, you may apply if you will earn or have earned the doctoral degree by July 15 of the year you will begin medical school.
My bachelor’s degree is from an international institution. Do you accept WES evaluations?
We do not accept WES evaluations. Our requirements are that you must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or Canada by July 15 of the year you would begin medical school.
Does the WSU College of Medicine accept online courses for prerequisites?
Our requirement is that all coursework must be completed at an institution accredited by a U.S. regional accreditation body, whether it is online or in person.
Will the college accept community college classes for prerequisite course work?
Yes, we accept any coursework taken at an institution regionally accredited in the U.S. or Canada.
May I use AP, CLEP and/or IB credits to fulfill my prerequisites?
Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, and International Baccalaureate (IB) credits that are acceptable to your undergraduate college may be used to satisfy the prerequisites. AP, CLEP, and IB credits must be documented on an official transcript.
Are there any considerations being given to requirements due to COVID-19 disruptions?
Yes, while we normally require that pre-requisite courses be taken with a grade, pre-requisite course changes to Pass/Fail due to COVID-19 during calendar years 2020 and 2021 and Spring 2022 coursework will be accepted to meet this requirement. We already accept online coursework taken at accredited institutions. The MCAT will still be required.
Eligibility for admission
How do you view out-of-state applicants?
If you do not meet a “resident student” of Washington definition, you must demonstrate ties to Washington by meeting three of these four requirements:
- Born in Washington
- Childhood address in Washington
- Graduated from a Washington high school
- Current parent/guardian lives in Washington
Review the “State Residency Requirements” description on our Requirements page.
If you do not meet any of these requirements, you will not be considered and will not receive a secondary application.
Do you accept transfer students?
Not at this time. Please see our policy related to this.
I am an international student. May I apply?
We are only accepting applications from U.S. citizens and those with valid U.S. permanent resident cards (green cards). In addition, you must meet our residency requirements.
I do not meet your GPA/MCAT combination threshold requirements to receive a secondary application but do with my graduate GPA. Why have I not heard anything?
These are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If your graduate GPA is approved to meet the combination thresholds in lieu of the undergraduate GPA and you meet all of the other secondary requirements you will be sent a secondary application. If you do not receive a secondary application, it means your graduate degree did not qualify to be considered due to not being a medical/clinical or basic science degree and/or not enough hours taken to be considered.
Do I need to verify my residency to be eligible?
If you do not meet 3 of our 4 “from Washington” ties as indicated on your AMCAS application, you will be asked to provide official documentation that you meet a Washington “resident student” definition. The WSU College of Medicine uses the definition of “resident student” in RCW 28B.15.012(2) to determine state residency, however in consultation with the Attorney General’s office, we established our own date to determine residency by January 1st of the enrollment year, as opposed to the period of one year immediately prior to the time of commencement of the first day of the semester.
What do I need to submit to verify my residency?
Depending on what definition of “resident student” you meet will impact the forms required to submit. These will be emailed to you once we receive your AMCAS application and have verified you have met the other secondary requirements. Please do not send us documents until we request them. Some common examples of documentation requested can include the following:
- A copy of your state and federal IRS tax return from the most recent tax year
- A copy of the state and federal IRS tax return of your parent(s) for the most recent tax year
- Housing documentation (e.g. home purchasing agreement, lease agreements, rent receipts, etc.)
- Pay stub
- State of Washington voter’s registration
- State of Washington driver’s license or identification card
- State of Washington vehicle registration
- Please note: all documentation requested will be for the entire 12-month period leading to January 1 of the enrollment year to the College of Medicine.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the Admissions team at medicine.admissions@wsu.edu.
How do I know if I am considered a financially independent or dependent resident student?
The WSU College of Medicine references the WAC 250-18-035 to determine if a student is considered financially independent or dependent. If you are a dependent applicant, all documents requested will be in the name(s) of your parents/guardians.
I just moved to Washington recently, will I still be eligible to apply?
If you do not meet 3 of our 4 “from Washington” ties but have just recently moved to Washington, you will need to verify your residency with our office to prove you meet a Washington “resident student” definition for at least the entire 12-month period leading to January 1 of the enrollment year to the College of Medicine. Do not send us documents until we request them.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
What is the oldest MCAT score you will accept for the current admission cycle?
For students entering in fall of 2023, the oldest acceptable MCAT is from the 2019 calendar year. However, an exception due to COVID is 2018.
I have taken the MCAT twice. Will you consider the most recent total score, the highest total score, an average of the scores, or the highest sub-scores between the two tests?
We consider the highest total percentile rank.
Can I still submit my AMCAS application without taking the MCAT exam?
You can, however we will not process your application until your score is received.
Initial application for admission
How do I apply for admission to the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine?
All applicants must apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Before you apply:
- Read about the complete application process.
- Review admission requirements, attributes and life experiences we are seeking. There are no waivers or exceptions to the requirements to receive a secondary application; thus, if you do not meet all of these requirements, you will not be considered further. This should inform whether you pay the submission fee to AMCAS for our program.
When is the deadline to apply?
- October 15 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time): AMCAS applications accepted until this time. No extensions are considered under any circumstance.
- December 1 at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time): Secondary application and fee are due. No extensions are considered under any circumstances. The secondary fee is waived if you received approval for the Fee Assistance Program through the AAMC.
I am a current applicant to the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. May I speak to someone in the admissions office regarding my application?
Yes, please contact us at 509-358-7518 or medicine.admissions@wsu.edu. Please note that while you are an active applicant (your application has been submitted and is still under consideration), we will not conduct any detailed advising on your application. However, we are happy to answer general questions you may have.
Do you accept updates (e.g., grades, new experiences, etc.)?
No, we do not accept any updates to the submitted application at any point in the cycle. If you have updated contact information, we will accept that.
However, if you receive a new criminal conviction and/or institutional action since submitting your application, per your agreement when you submitted your application with AMCAS, you are required to notify us of this update within two weeks.
Do you accept Letters of Interest or Intent?
We do not consider letters of interest or intent at any point in our process. While applicants are free to send them, they will have no impact on your application and they are not shared with the Admissions Committee.
Secondary application
Do you require a secondary application?
Yes, applicants who meet the requirements to receive a secondary application will be invited to submit one. Take the time to review the required criteria before submitting your AMCAS application; there are no exceptions made to these requirements and your AMCAS application is not reviewed if you do not meet these. The secondary application is required for further consideration.
Is there an additional charge?
Yes. The secondary application has a nonrefundable fee of $50. This fee is waived if you received approval for the Fee Assistance Program (FAP) through the AAMC.
Supporting Documents and Updates
How many letters of evaluation are required?
Submit a minimum of three letters of evaluation. If your premedical advising office provides a committee letter compiling feedback from multiple sources, this letter will count as your three required letters of recommendation. All letters should be submitted through AMCAS Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation Service by your evaluators. We do not weigh the committee letter more than three individual letters. We prefer that applicants only send us our required number of letters.
Who should write the letters of evaluation?
Select writers who know you well and can speak to your qualifications for entering the field of medicine, particularly relative to the desired selection criteria. If you are still in school, try to include at least one faculty member who has gotten to know you during the course of your studies. If you have been out of school and no longer in touch with faculty members, consider a supervisor. The College does not accept letters from family members and/or friends.
Does the date they were written matter?
Letters should be dated for the current application cycle. They should also be on letterhead and signed.
Am I required to send my official transcripts?
We only request official transcripts from those who have been accepted and only for certain coursework (AMCAS does not forward transcripts to the schools). We will notify those who have been admitted in the spring with what we need.
Interviews and campus visits
How will I know if I am invited for an interview?
Screeners review completed applications (AMCAS, secondary, and letters) for interview eligibility on a rolling basis. This means we can make interview invitations all the way until the last February interview date. If you are selected to interview, you will be contacted by email to schedule a date. Interviews will take place from August through February. The College sends all communications via email, so please include a valid and regularly monitored email address on your AMCAS and secondary applications. As soon as the decision is made not to interview you, we will communicate that decision.
NOTE: To ensure you receive all of our correspondence, please ensure medicine.admissions@wsu.edu is a recognized address to receive emails from. If not, our emails may go to your junk or promotions folders (check these regularly if you are an applicant).
May I make an individual appointment with an admissions team member to discuss my qualifications for admission?
To keep the process fair to all applicants, the college does not offer individual advising once you have submitted your application and are under consideration. If you are a prospective applicant and have not yet applied or a decision has been rendered on your application, we would be happy to meet with you for advising.
What events and resources are offered to help familiarize prospective students with the college?
In the spring, the college offers an applicant symposium for prospective applicants. Our upcoming events are posted on our website. We also provide mini-webinars on our website. Our team also provides one-on-one advising for prospective applicants by contacting medicine.admissions@wsu.edu.
Admission decisions
When will I hear a decision regarding my application to the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine?
We will notify those who have been denied after interview on a rolling basis starting in September. Applicants who have not been invited for an interview will be notified as soon as that decision has been made. Waitlist applicants will be notified no later than March 15. If you have not received a secondary application by December 1, you can assume you are not eligible for acceptance and no longer being considered; official communication will be sent soon after our deadline date has passed.
Does the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine offer an early decision program?
Not at this time.
What if I’m accepted to more than one school?
You may hold more than one acceptance nationally until April 30. After that time, if you have accepted multiple offers, it is important to decide on one and withdraw from the others. Please review the AAMC Application and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants.
If you decide not to attend the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, please decline your offer or withdraw your acceptance by emailing medicine.admissions@wsu.edu. This allows the College to admit another applicant in a timely manner.
If you continue to be on a waitlist and do not plan on attending the College, please request your removal from the waitlist by emailing medicine.admissions@wsu.edu.
Do you accept updates to the application after it has been submitted to AMCAS?
We do not. We only accept information we receive directly from AMCAS or through our Secondary application in order to maintain a fair process.
Do you inform applicants who are on the waitlist what their rank is on the waitlist?
We do not.
Do you provide feedback to applicants who apply but not selected?
Yes, we provide detailed feedback via application reviews with our team. A team member will meet with you via zoom and provide thorough feedback about strengths and weaknesses in your application to help you when you reapply. They will not provide a reason for not being selected. Application reviews are only provided between November 1 and May 31. You can only receive one application review from us even if you are a reapplicant. You can request and application review by emailing medicine.admissions@wsu.edu.
Tuition
How much is tuition?
Cost of attendance can be found here. Financial education and scholarship support can be found here.
If I don’t live in Washington, will I be charged out of state rates?
If you are an admitted student with ties to Washington, you will receive a waiver for out-of-state fees. We only charge in-state tuition.
Enrolled students
What type of grading system will the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine use?
Satisfactory/no pass. Honors is available in the clerkship years.
How many students will be in the class?
80 students.
General Questions
I am still an undergraduate and am considering applying to medical school. Is there an advisor I may talk to prior to completing my application?
Please seek advice from your pre-health advisor at your undergraduate campus. However, you may also reach out to our office to schedule an advising appointment.
I am a non-traditional prospective applicant. Is there an advisor I may talk to prior to completing my application?
Yes, you may also reach out to our office to schedule an advising appointment.