- How large is VCU's medical school class?
The Admissions Office accepts 178 students into
the MD program and somewhere between 2 and 6 MD/PhD students so
in any one year there are 180 to 184 students in the entering
class.
- How large is the applicant pool?
The applicant pool varies from year to year.
It decreased from 1995-2001 but has increased again since then to over
4800. The school receives more applications from out of state
than in-state.
- How many students from out of state are
accepted?
The school usually accepts about 80 students
from out of state, but this may vary from year to year.
- Are you a state school and, therefore, do
you give preference to in-state residents?
The school is supported with about 13% of its
budget coming from the Commonwealth of Virginia each year. Consequently,
we do give preference to in-state residents.
- I am a foreign student and I graduated from
an overseas undergraduate school. Am I able to apply to your School
of Medicine?
Only U.S. citizens
or those with Permanent Resident Status (Green cards) may apply. If you have
this status but did not graduate from a U.S. undergraduate program,
you will have to complete a degree of some kind from a U.S. accredited
school to be eligible to apply. You may seek another Bachelor's
degree or an advanced degree such as Masters or PhD.
This requirement does
not apply to Canadian citizens who are treated in the same manner
as out of state students.
- Does MCV have a Physician's Assistant Program?
No
- Can an applicant make an appointment to
meet with Dr. Michelle Whitehurst-Cook in regards to their application?
Yes, there are 3 counselors
available in Admissions: Dr. Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, Mrs. Agnes Mack, Mrs.
Donna Jackson and Mr. John Kenyon. Please call (804) 828-9629
and speak with Ms. Shenia Tyler to set up an appointment with
Dr. Whitehurst-Cook, or to be referred to the other counselors.
- What are the core prerequisite courses required
for admission to medical school?
Biology (with lab) 2 semesters
General Chemistry (with lab) 2 semesters
Organic Chemistry (with lab) 2 semesters
General Physics (with lab) 2 semesters
College Mathematics 2 semesters
English 2 semesters
- Does the Admissions Office give tours to
prospective students?
No, tours are only given on interview days and
to scheduled pre-medical student groups. There is a self-guided tour available.
- What is the Guaranteed Admission Program?
This program allows high school seniors with
the appropriate grades and SAT scores to apply for admission to
VCU and the School of Medicine. If the student is accepted into
the Guaranteed program, they must complete the VCU Honors Program
with a GPA of 3.5 or better to be able to matriculate into the
School of Medicine 4 years later. For further information, contact
Dr. Anne Chandler at 804-828-1803.
- Are community college classes accepted as
prerequisite course credit?
They may be; but the Admissions Committee generally
expects students to complete all prerequisite courses at a 4-year
undergraduate institution.
- When should I send in letters of recommendation
and transcripts?
Letters of Recommendation are requested when
the Supplemental Application is sent to the candidate. Transcripts
are not required until after acceptance is granted.
- What does the action "hold" mean?
Hold status is used
in two different situations. The first is when the Committee believes
they do not have sufficient information and they will notify the
candidate that they have been placed on "Hold for MCATs"
or "Hold for Grades". In each of these cases, it is
important to submit the necessary material as soon as it is available.
The second type of Hold
occurs after an interviewed candidate's file has been considered
by the Committee and ranked. The file is then "on hold"
until the next group of offers is sent out. Generally, offers
are sent about October 15, December 15, February 1, and then the
class is completed by March 15 and all remaining candidates on
hold are notified that they are on the alternate list or can no
longer be considered.
- When is the next mailing of offers?
Offers are generally sent October 15, December
15, January 15, and March 15.
- Does VCU send applications out? How do I
apply?
No. Application to the School of Medicine of
the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University
is done through the American Medical College Application Service
(AMCAS). AMCAS applications can be accessed from the AAMC's web
site at http://www.aamc.org/amcas/.
- Does VCU accept transfers from foreign medical
schools?
No.
- What are the MCAT test dates?
Information on the new test dates for 2007 will be available on the AAMC website at www.aamc.org.
- When will the alternate list be formed?
The
alternate list is created after interviews are complete but usually
about March 15.
- What MCAT scores are viewed as average and
which are exceptional?
Average MCATs are 30 or 10 on each section. Exceptional MCATs are 34-36 or 12 on each section.
- What is the average GPA of students who
matriculate?
3.5
- What is the school's mailing address?
VCU School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
1101 East Marshall Street
P.O. Box 980565
Richmond, VA 23298-0565
- How much is tuition and fees?
For 2006 - 2007 school year:
In-state: $25,633
Out-of-State: $39,237
- How long do I have to wait to find out if
I will be offered an interview?
This varies depending on the time of year. Usually
early in the year the decision is made within one month of the
completion of the file. Later in the year, the wait can be as
long as 2-3 months.
- Why haven't I received correspondence from
you yet when my interview was months ago?
You should have received an email within a few
weeks of your interview advising you to check the status page where you would be placed on hold or notified that
we will not pursue your file further. For those on hold no further
correspondence will take place until we are ready to make an offer
or place you on the alternate list.
- If I am not accepted for the MD/PhD program,
will I be rejected for the MD degree too?
Not necessarily, the decision for acceptance
to the MD program is made independently of the MD/PhD decision.
- What is the location of the Admissions Office?
1101 East Marshall Street, Sanger Hall, Room
1-014
- May I speak with Dr. Whitehurst-Cook?
You may speak with Dr. Whitehurst-Cook only if you
have an appointment.
- How can I prepare for entrance into medical
school?
The answer to this question should be a book. In fact, there are several books available that deal with this
issue. Briefly, preparation for medical school should consist
of taking a demanding academic program at a 4-year college or
university. Coursework must include the prerequisites, which are
listed in question 8. Students should also put effort into developing
strong standardized test taking skills so that they will do well
on the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test). The committee also
expects to see a significant level of patient care experience,
community service, altruism, professionalism, and strong communication and interpersonal
skills.
- As a parent I need to know what college
my child should attend to gain entrance into medical school?
Students are accepted into medical schools from
a wide variety of undergraduate institutions. Generally speaking,
a student should attend a college where they feel comfortable
and intellectually challenged.
- If I attend and graduate from VCU, will
this guarantee me acceptance into VCU's medical school?
No.
- I was born and raised in Canada. Can I apply
to your medical school?
Yes.
- What is the percentage of Black students
accepted to your medical school?
Varies from year to year, but approximately
8 - 10%.
- What opportunities do you offer minority
students?
The following services
and opportunities are provided to all students
Academic & Personal Counseling
Assigned Advisors & Big Buddies
Skills Enhancement
Note-taking Services
- How can I prepare for the MCAT?
Practice, practice, practice. Simply knowing
all the factual information asked on the MCAT would not likely
get you the score you want. Familiarity with the exam is a must. The AAMC publishes a variety of materials including five practice
exams that are very useful. There are also many other books and
commercial classes available to help you prepare. Only you can
decide which textbooks or classes work best for you, but above
all, practice taking the test.
- I did not do well during my undergraduate
college years. How can I prepare for medical school?
Generally, a student whose undergraduate education
resulted in a non-competitive GPA will need to do a graduate program
in the sciences. There are a number of ways to do this, either
through a post-baccalaureate program, masters, or Ph.D.
- How many women do you accept into your medical
school?
Currently, 47% of our students are women.
- What percent of students pass their boards?
94 - 99% on all sections
- What percent of your
students receive their choice of residency
programs?
65.5% of VCU's medical students
in the Class of 2003 were selected to receive their
first choice of residency programs compared
to 62% nationally. 87.7% of our students
received one of their top three choices.
- I attended another medical
school and failed my first year. Can I apply to your school?
No.
- What programs does the School of Medicine
offer?
The SOM offers the MD, MD/PhD, MD/MPH and MD/MHA
degrees.
- For how long are the MCATs good?
The MCATs are good for 3 years.
- What is the medical school admissions interview
like at VCU?
VCU has a good reputation for its style of interview.
The interviews are extremely low key, non-threatening and very
conversational in nature. Interviews are one-on-one and last at
least thirty minutes in length but can go as long as one hour.
- What is the most heavily weighted selection
factor considered?
VCU's Admissions Committee considers the selection
factors for medical school almost equally. The selection factors
include, but are not limited to: 1. A competitive MCAT score,
2. Solid grade point average, 3. Well-written essays, 4. In-depth
medical exposure, and 5. Highly supportive letters of recommendation. Candidates must demonstrate very strong interpersonal and communication
skills on interview to be considered competitive.
- How many people get an interview?
Each year, the school
of medicine will invite approximately 650 candidates for interview.
- How can I get information about Financial
Aid?
