Eligibility and Recommendations

Stanford University School of Medicine is committed to recruiting applicants with demonstrated excellence and accomplishments in their chosen field of study and encourages in-depth course work in their discipline. In addition to proficiency in the natural sciences, appreciation of behavioral and social determinants of health is important to the effective practice of medicine.

There are 15 Core Competencies for Entering Medical Students that have been endorsed by the AAMC Group on Student Affairs (GSA) Committee on Admissions (COA). The competencies fall into four categories: Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Thinking and Reasoning, and Science. These are available on AAMC website.

In our flexible consideration of diverse curricular backgrounds of our students, Stanford Medicine does not have specific course requirements, but instead recommends coursework and experiences that generate depth of knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics, mathematics, behavioral and social sciences, communication, and laboratory or field experiments.

Eligibility

  1. Applicants are considered for admission to Stanford Medicine without regard to their country of origin.
  2. Applicants with disabilities are eligible to apply.
  3. Eligible applicants include U.S. citizens, permanent U.S. residents holding a valid visa, individuals who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the time of application, undocumented students, and international students.
  4. International Students must have studied for at least one academic year at an accredited college or university in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom prior to applying for admission. 
  5. Applicants must have earned a Bachelors degree at an accredited college or University by time of anticipated matriculation.
  6. In order for your application to be considered for the 2024 admissions cycle, at least 1 MCAT result from an exam taken after January 2020 and before September 10, 2023 should be included in your application.
  7. Stanford Medicine has a strict no-transfer policy and reserves the right to deny a supplemental application to those who have previously enrolled in another medical school domestically or abroad.  Please refer to the Admissions Policies Page.

Principles of Diversity and Non-Discrimination

Stanford Medicine conducts its operations in accordance with requirements of the law and with the following Statement of Non-Discrimination:

Stanford University admits qualified students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or marital status to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. Consistent with its obligations under the law, in the administration of the University's programs and activities, Stanford prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law; Stanford also prohibits unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual violence.  This policy applies to Stanford programs and activities both on and off-campus, including overseas programs.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding this nondiscrimination policy: Stanford’s Title IX Coordinator, Stephen Chen, has been designated to handle inquiries regarding sexual harassment and sexual violence: Kingscote Gardens (2nd floor), 419 Lagunita Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, (650) 497-4955 (voice), (650) 497-9257 (fax), titleix@stanford.edu (email). Individuals may also file complaints directly with the Office for Civil Rights, within the United States Department of Education, by following the information on this website:  https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html

Please visit https://med.stanford.edu/diversity.html for more information about diversity initiatives at Stanford Medicine.

Our goal is to draw from people with a variety of backgrounds and life experiences to reach a new level of innovation in teaching, research and caring for patients.

Principles of Student Selection

Stanford Medicine seeks to admit a diverse body of students who are interested in the intellectual substance of medicine and are committed to advancing scholarship in any field of medicine.

Desirable candidates for admissions are academically ready to succeed in our curriculum, have life experiences that will enrich our learning environment, and have personal qualities that will serve them, their colleagues, and their patients well in their professional lives.

Each application is reviewed individually and holistically and includes factors in accordance with the law that include metrics (GPA, MCAT), scholarship and research, leadership, originality and creativity, non-academic accomplishments (including work), letters of recommendation, personal statement, and personal qualities.

Recommended Coursework


In our flexible consideration of diverse curricular backgrounds of our students, Stanford Medicine does not have specific course requirements, but instead recommends coursework and experiences that generate depth of knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics, mathematics, behavioral and social sciences, communication, and laboratory or field experiments.

Biology

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of how biomolecules contribute to the structure and function of cells; an understanding of principles of how molecular and cell assemblies, organs, and organisms, develop structure and carry out function; explain how organisms sense and control their internal environment and respond to external change; and demonstrate an understanding of how the organizing principle of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of life on Earth.

Chemistry and Physics

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of basic principles of chemistry and physics, and their applications to the understanding of living systems. 

Physics and Mathematics

Applicants must be able to apply quantitative reasoning, statistical principles, and appropriate mathematics to describe or explain phenomena in the natural world and evaluate the published scientific literature. 

Laboratory or Field Experiments

Applicants must demonstrate understanding of the processes of scientific inquiry, and explain how scientific knowledge is discovered and validated, through hands-on laboratory or field experiences.

Behavioral and Social Sciences

A patient-centered approach to health care requires an understanding of the patient as an individual and a member of a family, community, and society. Applicants must develop an understanding of behavioral and social processes and their use to predict or influence health outcomes or health risk factors.  Please visit:

https://www.aamc.org/system/files/d/1/271020-behavioralandsocialsciencefoundationsforfuturephysicians.pdf

Communication

Applicants must be able to write clearly, speak fluently, and read English with excellent comprehension. Fluency in a foreign language, specifically Spanish or an Asian language, is recommended to enhance learning and service in our diverse communities.