MD Application Deadlines of the Top 50 Medical Schools

Application deadlines for MD programs are different from other graduate degrees because of the role of the American Medical College Application Process (AMCAS), a centralized service for processing application materials. Most schools have potential students submit a standard application through AMCAS and then a second application with supplemental materials, like letters of recommendation, directly to the school. This article will provide the AMCAS and schools' deadlines for the top 50 MD programs in the US.

Med School Recommender Prep Doc Template + Example

The letters of evaluation are an integral part of the medical school application process and can make or break your candidacy. To get great ones, it is not enough to simply ask your professor or prehealth committee to write one. Instead, you need to adequately prepare and support your evaluators from start to finish. The best way to do this is with a Recommender Prep Doc, which you provide to your recommenders after they've agreed to write your letter. It includes the schools you're applying to along with their deadlines and sample content that they can use to support their letter.

Put in your email below and we'll send you our coach-approved Recommender Prep Doc Template + Example, straight to your inbox.

Overview of the Medical School Admissions Process

Though these are the final dates at which you can submit your application, most programs highly recommend getting them in as soon as possible after the application opens up. For AMCAS, the application becomes available in May and opens for submission in early June. For the supplementary materials, the application is usually available in June and open for submission in July. Interviews and acceptances are often extended on a rolling basis so the earlier you submit your application, the more seats there are available in the class.

This application timeline is the ideal one. AMCAS closes at the end of the year, but your chances of admissions drop considerably after August. With that being said, it's still possible to submit a strong application after these dates.

<3 Years Before Applications Open

• Take the MCAT; it takes over a month to receive results back so you want to give yourself a significant buffer in case you don't get your target score the first time around
• Complete any remaining course requirements

3-6 Months Before Applications

• Figure out what schools you want to apply to–compare pros and cons, specialties, locations, financial aid, and other factors
• Decide on your evaluators
• Start brainstorming your personal statement essay

~3 Months Before Applications

• Reach out to evaluators
• Start drafting/editing personal statement
• Start compiling your experiences and polishing your resume

May (AMCAS Opens)

• Start filling out AMCAS
• Polish your personal statement
• Check-in with evaluators

June

• Submit AMCAS

August-September

• Start on the school's secondary application if it's available (some programs provide this application by invitation only)
• Submit secondary application
• Start studying for interviews–these are extended on a rolling basis so we recommend that you start studying once you've submitted the supplementary materials

MD Program Application Deadlines

Here are the AMCAS and secondary application deadlines for the top 50 medical schools.

Med School Application Checklist

Early-Decision Deadlines

A few medical schools offer early application deadlines through which applicants can receive a decision much earlier than traditional applicants.

As you put together your medical school applications, the best thing you can do to make them as compelling as possible is to work one-on-one with an expert coach. Below are three of our top MD program admissions coaches. They are graduates of some of the best programs in the country and will be able to help you navigate the difficult process.

Read these next:

• The Best 50+ Free Resources for the MCAT
• The Ultimate Guide to the Medical School Application Process
• How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement for Medical School
• Acceptance Rates & Class Profiles of the Top 15 Medical Schools
• MD Application Deadlines of the Top 50 Medical Schools
• The Top 10 Medical Schools in the US

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