Prospective MD Students: FAQs

1. How can I get more information about the UNC School of Medicine?

 The UNC School of Medicine homepage provides a comprehensive overview of the outstanding educational, clinical, service, and scholarly activities available to students. After you have reviewed our web site, and find that you have specific questions about the admissions process, please contact us at: (919) 962-8331.

2. Directions to UNC School of Medicine

3. How can I get an application?

Class of 2029

Applications are available online through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) or by calling (202) 828-0600.

4. What is your application deadline?

If you are interested in applying to UNC School of Medicine you should submit your application to AMCAS by November 15.

5. Do you consider students who are not North Carolina residents?

As a state-assisted institution, we give preference to North Carolina residents. Approximately 20 non-residents are accepted each year.

6. If I am not a citizen of the United States, would I be considered for admission and federal financial aid?

International students who are permanent residents of the United States (i.e., permanent resident alien status) can apply as a North Carolina resident if they qualify. Individuals with other visa types, such as F, H-1, J, etc., are not eligible to apply as residents but may apply as a non-resident. Non-US citizens holding one of the aforementioned visa types are not eligible for federal loans or grants. Also, if accepted into our medical school program, you will be responsible for the funding of your four-year medical school education. It will be necessary for you to complete a financial certificate that will provide evidence that you and/or whomever is sponsoring your education has the resources set aside to take care of your expenses.

If your degree is from an educational institution not located in the United States or Canada, AMCAS, the degree verification service, will not certify your credentials. Therefore, our prerequisites must be met from an accredited college or university within the United States or Canada to allow eligibility for verification by AMCAS.

After your prerequisites have been successfully completed and AMCAS has verified your credentials the Committee on Admissions will review your application, and take into consideration all of your educational degrees.

7. How is North Carolina residency determined for tuition purposes?

To qualify for in-state tuition for a given term, North Carolina law requires proof that a bona fide domicile was established in North Carolina at least twelve months before the beginning of the term, and that you were physcially present in the state during that time, for purposes other than attending school.

If you have been in North Carolina for less than three years or lived and/or worked out of state during the previous 24 months, you must complete a four-page Application for Classification as a Legal Resident (Domiciliary) of North Carolina for Tuition Purposes for Graduate and Professional Students. If you are selected to be interviewed, we will email you the supplemental and the other materials including the residency forms. A determination of your residency for tuition purposes will be made based on the information contained in your application. If you are not classified as a legal resident of North Carolina for tuition purposes, you have the right to appeal that decision to the Residence Status Committee.

For more information, please consult "A Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes" (This book is available in libraries of the State’s public institutions). Further information may also be obtained at the UNC Registrar's web site.

8. Do you consider students currently enrolled in a graduate program?

Applications are considered from students in the last year of their graduate program. Acceptance is contingent upon successful completion of their program prior to matriculation into our medical school program which begins in August.

9. Do you have an MD/PhD program?

The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, in conjunction with the Graduate School, offers an MD/PhD program to exceptional students who seek to combine clinical medicine with a career in biomedical research and/or academic medicine. For more information or an application, click on MD/PhD program. Applications and letters of recommendation are due by November 1st of each year. All applicants are reviewed at one, time and interviews will be held generally around the end of January and the first week of February. For more information, contact Alison Regan at 919-843-6507.

10. Do you have an MD/MPH Program?

Master of Public Health degrees are offered through several departments and programs in the School of Public Health. Each year, 10-15 students earn M.P.H. degrees in Epidemiology, Health Policy and Administration, Health Care and Prevention, or Maternal and Child Health. Typically, students who pursue a public-health degree take a leave of absence from their medical studies for 1-2 years.

11. Do you have an MD/MBA program or a six-year AB/MD program?

No.

12. Do you have an MD/JD Degree program?

No, however, students in the past have earned both degrees independently.

13. Do you have a post-baccalaureate, pre-medical program?

The School of Medicine does not offer premedical courses, but courses can be taken on the academic campus through the Division of Continuing Studies. To receive printed information, send your mailing address to fri_cntr@unc.edu or call 800-862-5669, or 919-962-1134.

14. What are the prerequisites for admission to the School of Medicine?

Barring extraordinary circumstances, a Bachelor's degree is required for admission and in fact, all students in recent years have had degrees. Any program of study leading to Bachelor's degree is acceptable. We encourage prospective applicants to choose both an undergraduate institution and program of study that will suit their academic needs. For example, we have had accepted applicants into our program who have held degrees in one of the following majors: Romance Language, English, History, Religion, Music, and Law. A student who obtains a degree in less than four years may apply but should recognize that understanding the human condition and developing good judgment require experience. Without unusual qualifications, questions about breadth of education, maturity, experience, and motivation may put such an applicant at a disadvantage.

15. The following courses are required regardless of your field of study.

• English (6 semester hours). Please note that if you satisfy your undergraduate institution's English or Literature requirement for your degree program, you will also satisfy ours.
• Biology, including at least one course with lab. It is strongly suggested that students take at least one course in Cell and Molecular Biology or Genetics (7 semester hours).
• General and Organic Chemistry with labs. One semester of biochemistry may be substituted for one semester of Organic Chemistry (16 semester hours).
• Physics with labs (8 semester hours)
• Students should also plan to take the MCAT no later than the August prior to the year they are applying. MCAT scores must be no older than five years before the date of anticipated matriculation.
• Please also take note of the technical standards that apply to all entering medical students.
• Advanced Placement courses are accepted as long as they appear on your official transcript. If you have received AP credit for any of the required science courses, we strongly advise you to consider taking advanced level college courses to enhance your academic preparation for medical school.

16. What is the MED program?

The Medical Education Development (MED) Program provides:

1. A demanding academic core on the level of beginning medical/dental studies of over 200 scheduled class and lab hours in Gross Anatomy, Histology, Physiology, Microbiology/Immunology, and Clinical Biochemistry;
2. A special Dental Theory and Technique course for students planning to study dentistry;
3. Individualized work in learning, study, reading, and test-taking skills;
4. Seminars, workshops, pre-professional counseling, and orientation to the medical and dental school environment.

For more information or an application contact:
Georgia Njagu
Program Coordinator
329 MacNider Bldg., CB# 7530
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7530
919-966-7673
Georgia_Njagu@med.unc.edu

17. What should I put in the personal comments section?

The personal comments provide insight into what you consider important about yourself that the Admissions Committee should know. Your essay should reflect your values and goals as well as a passion for service and commitment to the medical profession.

18. Who should write my letters of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation are required of all applicants who are invited for an interview, and should not be sent to the Admissions Office unless you have been invited for an interview. A letter from a pre-medical committee (preferably including the individual letters that are used in the summary) is highly desirable. Pre-medical committees may send the letters to the following address:

Committee on Admissions
UNC School of Medicine
1001 Bondurant Hall, CB# 9500
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-9500

Individual Letters of Recommendation

For students attending a school without a pre-medical committee, two letters of recommendation are required from professors who know you well and who have taught you in a formal classroom setting. One letter should be from a faculty member in your most recent major or degree-granting department and the other may be from any professor of your choice. An applicant may submit additional letters of recommendation, but the Committee prefers that you send no more than three (3) letters in total.

Letters from individual evaluators should be in a sealed envelope and signed across the back by the evaluator. If you should be invited for an interview, the letters should then be submitted along with your supplemental materials.  Please do not send evaluation letters unless you are invited for an interview. Applications without letters of recommendation are incomplete and will not be presented to the Committee on Admissions for review after the interview has taken place.

19. After UNC receives an applicant’s primary application from AMCAS, how quickly are secondary applications mailed? Does every applicant receive a secondary application or is there a selection process involved?

We will review your application materials with those of other applicants and will send supplemental applications to those students who will be offered an interview. The only exception to the process will be for the out of state applicants. Please see the section for Out-of-State applicants for more clarification. Because the majority of each class must be filled by North Carolina residents, the criterion for supplemental applications is more competitive for out-of-state applicants.

20. MCAT Information

If you have submitted your AMCAS application prior to taking the MCAT please note that your application will not be reviewed until the scores have been reported by AMCAS.

Applicants must take the test no later than September of the preceding year of matriculation in order to be eligible for the current application cycle. Applications without MCAT scores are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed.

21. Is there a minimum MCAT score required for a supplemental application and interview?

Students whose total MCAT scores are below 25 usually are not interviewed. A large number of out-of-state students apply for a limited number of positions in each class. Therefore, the screening criteria for these applications are considerably different.

What is the mean score for MCAT’s?

The mean MCAT scores for students who entered in the Fall of 2008 were:
Verbal Reasoning: 10.44; Physical Science: 10.93; Biological Science: 11.25

22. Supplemental Applications

Our supplemental application fee is $68.00. Checks should be made out to UNC School of Medicine.

Out-of-State Applications

Supplemental applications will be sent to all qualified out-of-state applicants who meet our criteria. Once we receive the supplemental application and the required fee, all materials will be reviewed and the applicant will then be considered for an interview. Those applicants selected will be contacted for scheduling their interviews.

In-State Applications

We will review all applications and will email supplemental application materials to those applicants who we decide to interview. In-state applicants selected for interviews will need to complete an “Application for Classification as a Legal Resident of North Carolina for Tuition Purposes.” When the Admissions Office has received all the required supplemental materials and the supplemental fee, our Admissions Office will contact those applicants to arrange an interview.

If you receive a supplemental application and you know that you are going to be away for an extended period of time, please notify the Admissions Office at (919) 962-8331 so that we may schedule your interview accordingly. We will contact you by phone to schedule your interviews. In addition to your residential number please provide a cellular number if available. If we cannot reach you by phone, we will send you an e-mail. Please make sure that your email address is current on the AMCAS website as we will send you emails from their website. Students will have two interviews each lasting 30 to 45 minutes. One interview will be with a member of the Admissions Committee; the other will be with a faculty member who does not serve on the C9ommittee. Applicants will also have lunch with one or two members of the student body and will be given a tour of the medical school. All interviews are conducted in Chapel Hill. No regional interviews are offered.

23. What is the grade-point average (GPA) of accepted applicants for the current class?

The average GPA in the science and mathematics courses was 3.57. The total cumulative GPA was 3.62.

24. What is weighted the most?

Weightings are not used. Each component of the application is considered in terms of its relation to the whole.

25. Are MCAT scores and GPA the only factors in admission?

A successful physician embodies many qualities beyond those reflected in numerical scores. It is difficult to assess qualities relating to commitment, motivation, and compassion, but letters of reference, interviews, and essays all help shape the admissions decision.

26. When evaluating an applicant, does the Committee take the difficulty of the undergraduate institution, coursework, and major into account?

The School of Medicine accepts students from the full range of post-secondary institutions. The more selective the school, the more rigorous will be the academic program and the more opportunity a student will have to participate in scholarly and other extracurricular activities. These are important considerations to an admissions committee, but they are not the only considerations. The opportunity to attend a highly selective college or university is not available to all students. Excellence, regardless of the setting, will be considered favorably.

27. What major should I choose?

The undergraduate major is the foundation of your intellectual life as an adult. You should major in a subject that stimulates and challenges you. There is no preferred major for admission, nor is an effort made to select either science or non-science majors over the other.

28. Will the likelihood of admission be greater if I perform volunteer service or if I pursue research opportunities?

Volunteer service and research experience both enhance an application, but neither is weighted more highly than the other.The decision to spend time as a volunteer or doing research must be made by the individual in the context of her/his own goals. However, applicants are expected to demonstrate some knowledge of the demands of a medical career. For this reason, exposure to the health care system is desirable.

29. Are applicants who have been previously turned down at a disadvantage?

Applications from students who have not gained admission in previous attempts are examined carefully for changes that would increase the probability of admission. Applicants whose credentials are determined to be sufficiently strengthened are reviewed without prejudice.

30. Would it help if I continued with my graduate studies?

Graduate study will provide specialized knowledge and expertise that will enrich your career. The effect of graduate study on an individual’s admission to the School of Medicine can only be evaluated in the context of that individual’s complete portfolio.

31. When will I know if I am admitted?

Applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee after interviews. Typically, the decision to accept, decline, or defer a decision (hold status) will be made within 6-8 weeks following an interview.

32. How to Apply for Financial Aid

To be considered for financial aid, including need-based scholarships and loans, students should submit the current year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the address indicated on the form. You must also complete the "Parental Section" of the FAFSA for consideration of the need-based scholarships. The UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine must be indicated on the form as the institution to receive the FAFSA. All sections must be completed for a student to be considered for any University and federal funds. An incomplete form delays the application and reduces the chances for receiving financial aid promptly.

March 1 Priority Processing Deadline

Students must understand that priority for financial aid is given to those who submit the FAFSA form for processing by no later than March 1. Because financial aid funds are limited, the most beneficial types of aid are awarded to students who meet the preference deadline. Applications are accepted after March 1 but are considered only as time and resources permit.

The FAFSA form asks for information about an individual's personal and family financial circumstances. Because the form refers to questions on the federal tax return, students should complete tax forms before filing the FAFSA form. If a student must delay completion of tax returns, she or he should provide estimated tax data on the FAFSA form in order to meet the March 1 deadline. Students should keep a careful record of the dates that they submit forms and make photocopies of all information requested in their application for financial aid.

Loan Applications

If a Stafford Loan is included as part of the financial aid award, the Financial Aid Office prepares an application form and refers a student to a lender, Medloans. Students who have had previous Stafford Loans or SLS through a lender other than Medloans or who prefer to use a different lender must bring this information to the attention of the Financial Aid Office.

Financing Options

The Financial Aid Office informs as quickly as possible students who are not eligible for financial assistance from funds awarded by the office. These students are supplied information about other sources of financial support and suggestions for ways to meet UNC-Chapel Hill expenses.

For further information about financial aid and financing options, contact the Financial Aid Office, UNC School of Medicine, CB #9535, 1001 Bondurant Hall, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-9535. Telephone (919) 962-6118.

33. Are scholarships available?

A small number of scholarships are awarded to students; some are based on need and some on merit. No special application is required for consideration.

34. If I work in a full-time research position, should I label that experience on the AMCAS application as Employment – Non–military or Research/Labs?

Yes, you should mark it Employment – Non-military or Research/Labs.

35. Whom do I contact to schedule a tour of the school of medicine? On what days are tours given? Do students give the tours?

During the interviewing season, as part of the interview day, the current medical students give the applicants a tour of the medical school. Otherwise, we invite you to tour our campus; and you are welcome to visit us in the Admissions Office at 1001 Bondurant Hall.  So that we can better serve you and have a medical student available to give you a tour, we would appreciate your calling  us ahead of time at (919) 962-8331 to schedule your personal tour. 

36. Other than the UNC Hospital, does the UNC School of Medicine use any other hospitals for rotations?

Yes. We use Moses Cone, Carolina Medical Center, Heritage Hospital, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Nash General Hospital, Mission Memorial Hospital, and Wake Medical Center among others.

37. How do you determine if your county is either medically underrepresented or rural?

The Shortage Designation Branch in the HRSA Bureau of Health Professions National Center for Health Workforce Analysis develops shortage designation criteria and uses them to decide whether or not a geographic area or population group is a Health Professional Shortage Area or a Medically Underserved Area or Population.

38. In your opinion, what is the best coffee shop in town?

There is a lot of good coffee in Chapel Hill. On the medical campus, we have a couple “coffee bars” that serve snacks and the full range of coffee products. One is in the medical school main building! On the main UNC campus, we have a great downtown area on Franklin Street with a Starbucks and Caribou Coffee. Rather than us choose what we consider “best,” you will have to come and try them all!

The University of North Carolina School of Medicine prepares students for the broad range of professional activities open to physicians. Graduates of the UNC School of Medicine become practitioners in the community, formulate health policy at the highest state and national levels, and make seminal contributions in research, both at the bench and in the clinic.