Admissions Requirements

The college evaluates applications for admission using a holistic review process. This process considers a range of characteristics and experiences that are aligned with our mission.

Scholastic aptitude is very important; however, academic metrics such as grades and test scores cannot entirely capture an applicant’s character or personal journey, nor their alignment with our mission. Personal characteristics, reflection, and life experiences reveal what academic metrics cannot. They explain a person’s drive for pursuing a medical career, their genuine care for others, and tell us about how well they align with our mission.

The college seeks individuals who want to leave a legacy of improving the health of Washington communities throughout the state. In particular, we seek individuals who want to help us fulfill our mission “to serve Washington and beyond through collaboration and problem-solving in education, research, and health care with a focus on rural communities, Tribal Nations, and people who have been historically marginalized.”

In a holistic admissions process, an individual’s academic metrics are considered in the broader context of their life experiences and who they are.

• What communities have you served? What did you learn about them? What did you learn about yourself?
• What opportunities have you pursued? How did they help broaden your worldview? What did you learn about yourself?
• What adversities have you overcome and how have they shaped who you are?
• What leadership roles have you taken on to challenge yourself? What did you learn?
• What values and principles guide your decisions and choices in life?

Before reaching a decision, the Admissions Committee examines the complete picture of an applicant’s qualifications as it aligns with the college’s mission, vision, and values. They do so without access to the applicant’s MCAT scores and GPAs.

Definition of Holistic Review in Medical School Admissions

“Holistic review is a flexible, mission-driven approach to recruit and assess an individual’s competencies by considering their experiences, attributes, and academic metrics in order to select applicants who will best contribute to the program’s unique goals, learning environment, and the practice of medicine.” — Association of American Medical Colleges

Experiences and Attributes Sought in Applicants

No matter your area of academic study, if you are passionate about pursuing a career in medicine, about serving Washington communities, especially those which are rural, Tribal Nations, and/or people who have been historically marginalized, and you meet the requirements to receive a secondary application, we encourage you to apply. We are looking for the following experiences and attributes in our applicants:

Life Experiences

• Experience with Rural Communities, Tribal Nations, or People who have been Historically Marginalized: Personal, voluntary, or work experience with any of these communities or people to understand the unique challenges and opportunities they face
• Connection and Commitment to Washington: Length of time in Washington, experiences in Washington (childhood, college, volunteering, work), and a reflection of commitment to serving Washington as a physician
• Motivation for Medicine: Communicates genuine passion for contributing to patient care and/or discovery to better the lives of individuals living in challenging health care environments
• Service: Engages in non-healthcare activities that serve others beyond oneself
• Clinical Exposure: Quality of experience including shadowing, scribe, helping care within their family or home, emergency medical technician AND amount of exposure (no minimum requirement)
• Experience Beyond the Classroom: Cultural experiences, arts, work, new language, hobbies, passion outside of academics, entrepreneurship

Personal Attributes

• Leadership: Demonstrated leadership which has inspired others; capacity to mobilize people toward a goal; potential to excel as a leader through actions and activities; inclusive of diverse voices
• Communication/Interpersonal Skills: Social skills, active listening, emotional intelligence, professionalism; ability to address conflict in a positive, productive manner; verbal and nonverbal skills
• Intellectual Excellence: Uses creative and critical thinking to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, and/or approaches to problems; ability to succeed academically; capacity for improvement
• Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others: Sound ethical judgement; integrity; empathy; altruism; recognizes and addresses bias in oneself
• Teamwork/Collaboration: Demonstrates effective ability to work with others; intergroup collaborations with diverse individuals; puts team goals ahead of individual goals
• Resilience/Adaptability: Perseveres in the face of internal or external challenges; recovers from setbacks; tolerance of stressful and changing situations; adaptable

Want to Learn More about How Our Admissions Team Uses Holistic Review?

Check out this podcast featuring Dr. Leila Harrison, Vice Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Alumni Engagement

You can also view her presentation through the AAMC about mitigating structural bias in admissions.

Academic Metrics

For an applicant to be considered, they must achieve one of three threshold combinations of undergraduate cumulative grade point average (UGPA) and Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) composite score (percentile rank). These threshold combinations are informed by national data that tell us graduated medical students across the country have been successful progressing through medical school with these combinations.

Furthermore, research continues to tell us that GPA and MCAT together are better predictors of performance throughout medical school than either alone.

Minimum GPA and MCAT Combinations

Applicants must meet one of the following combinations to be considered for a secondary application (there are no exceptions to these requirements). There are only three options as detailed below with no in-between combinations. We utilize the percentile rank AMCAS provides us upon receipt of the application.

• If undergraduate cumulative GPA is 3.8 – 4.0, then 27th percentile rank or higher on the MCAT
• If undergraduate cumulative GPA is 3.4 – 3.79, then 43rd percentile rank or higher on the MCAT
• If undergraduate cumulative GPA is 2.6 – 3.39, then 61st percentile rank or higher on the MCAT

If the applicant has taken graduate coursework in medical/clinical or basic sciences (note: Graduate coursework in the following areas will not suffice: public health, nursing, engineering, or non-science areas.) Only medical or basic sciences are considered. The graduate cumulative GPA will be considered individually if the above combinations are not met. This will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the consideration of the degree, area of focus, and number of hours/courses completed. The graduate GPA in these select areas will be combined with the MCAT composite score as follows:

• If graduate cumulative GPA is 3.7 – 4.0, then 27th percentile rank or higher on the MCAT
• If graduate cumulative GPA is 3.5 – 3.69, then 43rd percentile rank or higher on the MCAT
• If graduate cumulative GPA is 3.2 – 3.49, then 61st percentile rank or higher on the MCAT

Beginning Entering Year 2027, the following criteria for the graduate GPA (if used in lieu of the UGPA for meeting one of our combination thresholds) will be implemented:

• Minimum of 18 semester credit hours of graduate coursework in science coursework

Once one of these threshold combinations have been met along with the other requirements to receive a secondary application, MCAT and all GPAs are masked upon return of the secondary application and will remain masked through the completion of the admissions process.

MCAT

The MCAT is required for acceptance.

The MCAT assesses problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. There is a fee to register for the exam; however, some applicants may qualify for the Fee Assistance Program (FAP).

• Latest an applicant can take the MCAT: last September test date in the year the application is submitted.
• Oldest MCAT considered: 4 years prior to the date the applicant expects to matriculate. For students entering in Fall 2026, the oldest acceptable MCAT is January 2022.
• If an applicant takes the MCAT multiple times: the highest eligible composite percentile rank will be considered.

GPA

After an application has met one of the UGPA/MCAT combination threshold requirements and the application goes into review with these metrics masked, the Admissions Committee may look at grade trends as well as an applicant’s performance in prerequisite or other science courses. However, the calculated UGPAs are masked.

Baccalaureate Degree

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada by July 15 of the year they will begin medical school. Their degree may be in the discipline of their choice, as long as they have completed the prerequisite coursework. We recommend additional science courses beyond the pre-requisites to be prepared for the medical school curriculum.

If the applicant does not have a bachelor’s degree because they enrolled in a doctoral-level (terminal degree) program from a U.S. regionally accredited institution that did not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, they may apply if they will earn or have earned the doctoral degree by July 15 of the year they will begin medical school.

Premedical Course Requirements

Successful completion of required courses, as well as rigorous upper-level coursework, suggests that an applicant possesses some of the competencies needed to excel in medical school. But fulfilling course requirements is just a starting point. The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine seeks well-rounded, intellectually curious students who explore a wide range of disciplines.

Applicants will need to complete the following minimum course requirements with a grade of C (any level of C) or better by July 15 of the year they expect to enroll in our medical school. While prerequisites do not need to be completed when they apply, acceptance will be conditional, pending successful completion of the requirements.

Here are some additional details about coursework in general:

• Coursework does not expire
• Any courses taken at a U.S. regionally accredited or Canadian institution are accepted
• Online courses are accepted
• Courses including prerequisite courses completed at U.S. regionally accredited community colleges are accepted

Required College Prerequisites

Course	Semester Credit Hours*
Biology with lab Preferred focus: Genetics, molecular biology	4 (3 hours of lecture, 1 hour of lab)
Organic chemistry with lab	4 (3 hours of lecture, 1 hour of lab)
Physics with lab	4 (3 hours of lecture, 1 hour of lab)
*4 semester credit hours is equivalent to 6 quarter hours.

The science courses should be specified for science majors.

Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, and International Baccalaureate (IB) Credits

AP, CLEP, and IB credits that were acceptable to an applicant’s undergraduate institution may be used to satisfy prerequisite courses. These credits must be documented on the official transcript.

Courses That Do Not Count toward the Requirement

• Courses taken pass/fail or credit/no credit*
  Prerequisite courses must be graded with a range of numbers or letters that indicate the comparative level of performance.
• Remedial/developmental or “English as a Second Language” courses

The science courses should be specified for science majors. Genetics, anatomy or comparative anatomy, and human or mammalian physiology all could meet the biology requirement as long as they have a lab. These are specified below as they would be helpful in the medical curriculum, however, other biology courses could meet the pre-requisite.

*Course Considerations Due To COVID-19

While we normally require that the pre-requisites be taken with a grade, individuals who experienced changes to their curriculum due to COVID-19 such as a pre-requisite (including the lab) changing from a graded course to a Pass/Fail course, this will be accepted for the pre-requisite courses for the following timeframes:

• Calendar years 2020, 2021, and 2022 (term, quarter, semester)

If a pre-requisite course was changed from an in-person course to an online course, we already accept online coursework (if taken at a U.S. regionally accredited institution) to meet our pre-requisites.

Recommended College Coursework

Please keep in mind that while our prerequisite courses are the only ones we require for enrollment, to successfully complete the medical school curriculum, taking additional science courses is highly recommended to be best prepared for our curriculum.

Course	Semester Credit Hours
Humanities Literature, art, music, or history	4
College English	3
College Mathematics	3
Sociology	3
Human Development/Embryology	3
Ethics	3
Genetics	3
Anatomy or comparative anatomy	3
Statistics	3
Foreign language Preferred focus: Spanish, intermediate verbal proficiency	3
Research courses or data management	3
Psychology	1 credit or more
Human or mammalian physiology	1 credit or more

To be considered for a secondary application and be eligible for admission, the following must be met (there are no exceptions to these requirements):

• U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident
• Meet 3 of 4 “from Washington” ties (defined below) or a definition of “resident student” of Washington
• Meet one of the three UGPA/MCAT combination thresholds found in the Academic Requirements section
• All required letters of recommendation have been received from AMCAS (3 individual letters or Health Professions Advisory Committee packet). We would prefer to receive only the number of letters we specify. Letter details:
  • Your letter writers submit all letters of evaluation through the AMCAS Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation Service
  • If your premedical advising office provides a committee letter compiling feedback from multiple sources, this committee letter will meet the required letters of evaluation. If you do not have access to a premedical advising office, three individual letters will meet the letter requirement.
    • Select writers who know you well and can speak to your experiences and attributes, particularly relative to those we have identified.
    • If recently in school, try to include at least one faculty member who knows you well.
    • If you have been out of school for some years, consider an employment supervisor.
    • We will not consider letters from family members and/or friends.
    • Letters should be dated from the current application year. If reapplying, the applicant can use prior written letters but should ask letter writers to update the letter including a new date rather than forwarding old letters.
    • Letters should be written on letterhead and signed.

Connections to Washington Requirements

The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine only admits applicants who have strong ties to Washington or are legal residents of Washington. Upon receipt of the AMCAS application, we first consider if the ties to Washington described below are met, regardless of state residency. If not, we will consider the indicated state of residence on the application. We will ask applicants who indicate they are a Washington resident but do not have 3 or more ties to Washington to provide official documentation to verify that the applicant meets a “resident student” definition by state law.

Applicants who do not meet the definition of a Washington resident student or do not have 3 or more ties to Washington are not eligible for admission and will not receive a secondary application.

Ties to Washington

Regardless of the identified state of residency on AMCAS, if you demonstrate that you are “from Washington” by meeting at least 3 of these 4 ties to Washington, you meet this requirement:

1. Born in Washington
2. Childhood address in Washington. Will be implemented for EY 2027
3. Graduated from a Washington high school
4. Parent/guardian currently lives in Washington

Beginning Entering Year 2027, the following change to the Washington tie of childhood address in Washington will be implemented:

Childhood address in Washington

• Once we receive the AMCAS application, applicants will be asked to provide any childhood home addresses in Washington to further support this tie. The following criteria will be used:
  • Between 8–18 years of age
  • Minimum of 6 years (does not need to be continuous) 

Resident Student

If you do not meet the ties above, you must meet a definition of resident student by state law. The College of Medicine uses the definition of “resident student” in RCW 28B.15.012(2) to determine state residency. Please note, in consultation with the Attorney General’s office, we established a date different than what is reflected in the RCW. Residency must be met by January 1 of the enrollment year. You will be required to provide documentation proving one of the definitions below.

1. Applicants who are financially independent and have maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington primarily for purposes other than educational for at least one year by and immediately leading into January 1 of the enrollment year.
2. Applicants who are financially dependent with at least one parent or legal guardian who has maintained a bona fide domicile in the state of Washington for at least one year by and immediately leading into January 1 of the enrollment year.
3. Applicants who are on active military duty stationed in the state of Washington or are members of the Washington National Guard.
4. Applicants who (i) are members of a federally recognized tribe whose traditional and customary tribal boundaries include portions of the state of Washington, or whose tribe was granted reserved lands within the state of Washington, and (ii) have maintained a bona fide domicile in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington or a combination of these states, for one year by and immediately leading into January 1 of the enrollment year. This includes the tribes WSU has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with, which can be found on the Office of the Tribal Liaison website.

There are other, less common, ways of establishing yourself as a “resident student”. Please review RCW 28B.15.012(2) for additional considerations, especially if you are a veteran or are a relative of a veteran or active duty service member.

For more information, please visit our FAQ “Eligibility for Admissions” section.

The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine does not differentiate in the admissions process between those applicants who meet the definition of “resident student” and those who have met the ties to Washington only.

All admitted students pay the same tuition and fees. Learn more about Financial Aid and Estimated Cost of Attendance.

International Students

For your application to be considered, you must be a U.S. citizen or hold a valid U.S. permanent resident card (green card) in addition to having the connection to Washington described above.

Criminal Background

In compliance with the Fair Chance Act of Washington State, the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine does not automatically or unreasonably deny an applicant’s admission based on an applicant’s criminal history. Read our Admissions Criminal Background policy.

Transfer Students

The college is not currently accepting transfer students. View the Admission of Transfer Students policy.