How to Apply to Medical School in 2026

Secure Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation, also known as letters of evaluation, provide admissions committees with insight into how you perform in academic and professional settings. These letters help schools assess qualities like work ethic, professionalism, and readiness for medical training.

Most medical schools require two letters from science faculty and one letter from a non-science or non-STEM professor, but each program has slightly different requirements. Review the requirements for MD schools and DO schools.

Best practices for letters of recommendation include:

• Asking writers who know you well and can speak to your strengths in detail.
• Requesting letters well in advance, ideally several months before applications open.
• Providing your recommenders with your CV, personal statement draft, and relevant medical school application deadlines.

While some schools allow more, it’s generally best to submit no more than four letters per program, unless additional letters are specifically requested. Applicants may submit:

• Individual letters.
• Committee letters with multiple evaluator quotes.
• Committee letter packets that include a summary letter and supporting letters.

If you are applying to DO programs, it is strongly recommended to include a letter from a DO physician when possible.

Choose Where to Apply

Deciding where to apply to medical school is one of the most strategic parts of the admissions process. As a general rule, plan to apply to between 15-30 schools, although there is no formal limit.

Your goal should be to apply to schools that both align with your personal preferences and experiences and where you are likely to be accepted. Here are some things to consider:

• Program mission and fit: Look for schools whose values align with your interests, experiences, and career goals.
• Competitiveness: Compare your GPA and MCAT scores to the average metrics of accepted students.
• MD vs. DO programs: MD and DO graduates receive comparable medical training, but DO programs include osteopathic manipulative medicine and tend to emphasize primary care.
• Military medicine options: If you are interested in serving in the military, several pathways allow you to attend medical school at a reduced cost or tuition-free.
• Location and cost: Consider geography, tuition, and cost of living. If you live in Canada, you may be interested in Canadian schools closer to home.
• Program length and structure: Some schools offer accelerated three-year programs with more intense workloads.
• Special opportunities: MD-PhD and other dual-degree programs require additional essays and significant research experience.
• Residency considerations: Texas schools use TMDSAS and heavily favor in-state medical students for acceptance and financial aid.
• Early decision programs: I almost never recommend this, but if you have an incredibly strong application and are interested in only a single medical program, it is an option.

Tools like MSAR, MedSchoolExplorer, and MedSchoolCoach’s Med School Competitiveness (MSC) score can help you compare programs and refine your list.

Curated Medical School Lists

I’ve curated several medical school lists to help you build your own:

• 12 of the Best Medical Schools in the U.S. 
• The 4 HBCU Medical Programs In the US (and 2 Coming Soon) 
• The Easiest 30 U.S. Med Schools to Get Into
• The Best Medical Schools for Non-Traditional Applicants
• Accelerated Medical Schools in the U.S.
• Medical Schools that Accept International Students
• The 6 Best Caribbean Medical Schools
• Medical Schools That Don’t Require the MCAT 

Submit Your Primary Application

There are three main primary application systems in the U.S. that you’ll use to apply to medical school. Each opens in May before your intended matriculation year and includes your academic history, activities, personal statement, and transcripts.

1. AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service): This is used by most MD-granting allopathic medical schools. You can start submitting your AMCAS application in late May. Check the AAMC Fee Assistance Program page to see if you’re eligible for an application fee waiver.
2. AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service): The AACOM manages this application system for DO programs (osteopathic medicine). You can start submitting your AACOMAS application in late May.
3. TMDSAS (Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service): Most Texas medical schools use this application system. You can start submitting your TMDSAS application in mid-May, with deadlines extending into October.

Each of these primary applications will require you to upload:

• Your coursework and grades
• Activities and experience descriptions
• Your personal statement
• Official transcripts
• Letters of evaluation (submitted either through the system or separately, depending on school rules)

You can submit your application before your MCAT scores are released. Schools will hold your application and automatically match it with your official scores once they arrive. Submitting early is important because admissions officers begin reviewing application materials and sending secondaries soon after applications are verified.

A Note on Canada: Ontario medical schools use the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) application system. Starting with Fall 2026, most seats are reserved for Ontario residents and Canadian citizens, leaving very few spots for international students. Other provinces may still accept international applicants, but rules vary by school.

Verification Process 

Medical school application verification takes up to six weeks to complete after submission. Your primary application goes through this verification process to compare your submitted information to your undergraduate transcripts before submitting it to your chosen schools.

The longer you wait to submit during the cycle, the longer verification will take. That’s one reason why submitting your primary application as soon as possible is key. The earlier you submit, the earlier your application will be reviewed, while the most interview spots are still available.

Submit Secondaries

Submit all secondaries by the end of July. Each school will include essay prompts, and you should also ensure any situational judgment test (SJT) results are submitted to the AAMC or AACOM if required. (Casper and AAMC PREview are the most common.)

DO and MD programs typically don’t review applications immediately after verification. Instead, they send secondary applications to students who meet minimum requirements. You can start drafting your responses right after submitting your primary application. Check out this essay prompts database for guidance.

During this evaluation, schools generally categorize applications into three outcomes:

• Interview: You’ll receive an interview invitation to meet with the medical school admissions committee, typically between September and March.
• On hold: In some cases, a school may not be immediately ready to move forward, but is not ready to reject your application. “On hold” is different from “waitlisted.”
• Rejection: When a school decides you aren’t the right fit for their program, you’ll get a message telling you you’ve been rejected.

Interviews

Medical school interviews usually take place between September and March. Depending on the school, interviews may be:

• MMI (Multiple Mini Interview): There are several short, structured interactions with different interviewers or stations.
• Traditional panel: You’ll sit in one longer session with a few admissions committee members.
• Virtual or in-person: Most schools still conduct interviews virtually, though some offer hybrid or in-person formats.

When getting ready, review common interview questions, including what you’re more likely to be asked during an MMI. Practice with friends, a mentor, or a mock interview service to become comfortable. Familiarize yourself with each school’s mission, programs, and culture, and prepare a few questions to ask the interviewers.

Admissions Decisions

Acceptance timelines can vary depending on the school. Some operate on a rolling basis, reviewing applications and sending out acceptances as materials are received. Others follow a fixed schedule, evaluating applications in batches and releasing decisions by spring. 

Based on my experience as an admissions advisor, most accepted students get two to three acceptance letters, offering them a few options to consider. Even if you receive one acceptance, it’s a major accomplishment in the highly competitive medical school admissions process.

Read Next: How to Write a Letter of Intent for Medical School

Cost & Fees to Consider

For most students, applying to medical school costs between $2,000 and $3,000. This includes primary application fees (the initial fee and fees for additional school designations), secondary application fees per school, and interview travel costs. 

Some students may also pay for test prep courses for the MCAT, tutoring or admissions consulting, and application services. The number goes up the more applications you send out, as well.

Reapplicants & Non-Traditional Applicants

Some applicants don’t follow the traditional straight-from-undergrad path. Whether you’re reapplying after a previous cycle or coming from a different career or life path, you’ll face unique challenges, but also opportunities to stand out. 

Reapplicants

If you’re reapplying after a rejection, you must show meaningful improvement since your last cycle. Consider the following:

• Improve your MCAT score. (Tutoring can help increase by 10-12 points on average.)
• Boost your GPA through a post-baccalaureate program or Special Master’s Program.
• Gain additional clinical experience or volunteering hours.
• Strengthen your personal statement and highlight growth or new experiences.
• Expand or improve your research experience if relevant.

Non-Traditional Applicants

Non-traditional applicants may face unique challenges, but differences can also be strengths. Typically, non-traditional applicants:

• Are over 26 years old.
• Pursued another career before medicine.
• Majored in something other than science.
• Have a spouse and/or children.
• Have taken several gap years, and not just to prepare for medical school.

These applicants can stand out by emphasizing transferable skills, unique experiences, and a strong commitment to medicine. 

FAQs