Frequently Asked Questions

Candidates can apply by completing the AMCAS application. The application process is from June 1, 2021-December 15, 2021. Students should apply as soon as possible.

Yes, the deadline to complete the supplemental application is January 15, 2022. The Admissions Committee prefers if the candidate has completed the Supplemental application before their interview. The application fee is $65.

Please be aware that it is each candidate’s responsibility to regularly check with AMCAS to ensure his/her application is complete. Candidates will receive a confirmation email after the application is submitted. Meharry will send regular email notifications updating candidates of their application status.

The review of applications for the 2021-2022 cycle began on August 1, 2021 and will continue until the class is filled.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, in-person tours are not currently being offered.

Medical Admissions requires a Bachelor’s degree to be admitted. You do not have to have all required coursework or have a college degree before applying to Meharry. However, it is strong advised that most of your prerequisite courses be completed before you take the MCAT and apply.

Community college courses are acceptable; however, the prerequisite, upper-level basic science courses (organic chemistry and biochemistry) and the recommended courses— microbiology, anatomy, physiology and cell biology—should be taken at an accredited four-year college or university. Online courses must be taken from an accredited college or university and meet the AAMC guidelines.

In general students should take courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, English and foreign language. Most medical school require such courses to ensure proper preparation before attending medical school. Students should shadow physicians and engage in community services related to health care. It is recommended student participate in research programs for health sciences. (include hyperlink to AAMC preparing for medical school page)

Students should choose the preferred major that interests them. However, they should ensure that they meet the Medical School prerequisites.

Meharry applicants should send all letters of recommendation directly to AMCAS, which will forward the letters to our office electronically. AMCAS will accept letters from users of VirtualEvals, Interfolio, and via the U.S. Postal Service. The address to which the letters should be mailed will appear on the AMCAS Letter Request Form.

Those applicants who attend, or who have recently graduated from, an undergraduate institution or a post baccalaureate premedical program which offers a Health Professional Advisor or Advisory Committee should submit a letter from this person or committee; this letter should be sent to AMCAS as described above. If no such institutional letter is available, the applicant should substitute a minimum of three (3) individual letters, including two from science professors. These letters should be sent to AMCAS, as described above.

The personal statement is very important and is carefully reviewed. The personal statement is meant to convey a candidate’s purpose for going into medical school and their future aspirations.

• Candidates should take the MCAT only after preparing for it—not “just for practice,” as candidates are allowed to take the MCAT a maximum of three times per calendar year and seven times total. Although candidates have seven times total to take the MCAT it is usually not advantageous to utilize all seven attempts to get a competitive score.

• Preparation and review should be on-going, beginning after completing the first year of college Biology and Chemistry.

Yes, the interview will be conducted by Meharry Medical College faculty, staff, and students. The typical interview process includes the following:

• A traditional interview that usually lasts 30-45 minutes. It is conducted by Meharry Medical College faculty.
• Breakout interviews where the candidate is presented with a situational prompt by faculty. This lasts 10 minutes including time to prep for prompt.
• Student group interview. This interview will last 30 minutes.

For the 2021-2022 cycle, interviews will be virtual.

Candidates should dress in professional business attire.

• Men- suit jacket, long sleeve button down shirt and tie/bow tie
• Women – business suit or dress or blouse with collar or high neckline

Candidates are selected based upon academic performance in undergraduate and graduate studies, MCAT scores, personal characteristics, awareness of the medical profession through shadowing or other healthcare experiences, leadership experience, community service, and potential for success in medical school as expressed in the letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Candidates are selected using a holistic approach to their academic performance.

Candidates re-applying to medical school after having been denied admission should have demonstrated significant improvements in their applications since their previous application was submitted. These improvements may include:

• Additional coursework in the basic sciences
• Improved MCAT score
• Shadowing/Research experience
• Community service
• At least one (1) new letter of recommendation

Yes. The Dual M.D./Ph.D. Program is designed to prepare outstanding clinical and research professionals who are capable of identifying and addressing significant problems in oral health. The Ph.D. adds three to four years to the M.D. education so that a student will graduate with both degrees in seven to eight years.

Candidates must first be admitted to the Meharry School of Medicine and complete the first two years of coursework, which includes passing Step 1, before they can apply to the Ph.D. program.

Transfer admissions to the Meharry School of Medicine are rare. However, applications are accepted from students in LCME accredited U.S. and Canadian schools of medicine, who are in good academic standing, have the full approval of the dean of their current school, and have a cogent reason for requesting transfer. Admission is contingent upon space availability therefore, academically qualified applicants can still be denied admission due to lack of space.

Due to the horizontal/vertical integrated curriculum, a candidate cannot transfer into any year other than entry into the first year of medical school. Upon the advent of the new integrated curriculum in 2018, it was decided by the Dean of School of Medicine and the SOM Curriculum Committee that transfer students would not be accepted after the 2019-2020 school year unless the applicant agrees to start over and undergo the integrative curriculum. With the integrated system, transfer students would otherwise not have experienced the new curriculum and potentially would not be on equal footing as their peers. The applicant for transfer must have met the same admission requirements and academic standards as other applicants being considered for acceptance for the first year class. Transfer students can be considered for acceptance if they agree to start over at Meharry with the first year; therefore, advanced standing is not utilized for determination for year of placement. Additionally, transfer applicants must be reviewed and accepted by the Admissions Committee and there must be space available in the entering class. The Senior Associate Dean for Student Academic Affairs will be notified and the recommendation for transfer must ultimately be approved by the Dean of the School of Medicine.

Medical school graduates have many residency program choices. Graduating medical school seniors participate in a national resident match program. The National Resident Matching Program conducts Match Day annually to match the preferences of applicants with their choice of medical residency programs that offer the available training positions at U.S. teaching hospitals. A resident is a medical school graduate who is undertaking a three to seven-year period of specialized training in a medical specialty.

A vast majority of Meharry Medical College School of Medicine graduates match in a primary care field. Meharry’s overall match rate was 93 percent for the 2021 class of graduating seniors:

Number of students who matched in each specialty area:

At present, Meharry does not have a program for advanced standing.