FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions » FAQ » Medical Admissions » College of Medicine

Preparing to be a competitive applicant

Q: I’m just getting started on preparing for medical school, where do I start?

A: A couple of excellent resources for prospective medical school applicants are the Learn How to Get into Medical School and Aspiring Docs sections of the Association of American Medical Colleges’ website. We also strongly recommend reaching out to your school’s Pre-Health Advising Office for guidance and services (many schools will offer these services to alums, not just current students).

Q: I am an undergraduate student and haven’t applied to medical school yet, can I talk to someone in your office?

A: The Office of MD Admissions is now offering monthly virtual chats with Admissions reps! We are happy to answer any questions about our program, policies and processes but please understand that our area of expertise is not general pre-health counseling but the UF COM admissions process. Thus, we are not the best people to guide you individually for successful application to medical school. If you are a current University of Florida student, or an alum, and have not previously sought assistance from the UF Pre-Health Advisors, we cannot recommend their services enough. Their website can be found here or you may call them at (352) 392-1521. If you are a current UF student, the Beyond 120 program is a great option offering coursework and hands-on experience in a variety of professional fields including medicine and healthcare. If you are not a UF student, please contact the advisement office at the institution you attended if you seek information on how to prepare a competitive application. We offer a limited direct feedback service for previous applicants who were unsuccessful in gaining admission to medical school; more information on that is below.

Q: It’s been a while since I have been in school; does my degree/do my prerequisites expire?

A: These are two distinct questions. To meet the minimum completed educational credential for entry into the MD program, if accepted, your bachelor’s degree (or graduate/professional degree) will not expire. However, our committee closely reviews the application for evidence of the science and thinking/reasoning competencies predictive of success in medical school. Therefore, we strongly recommend that prerequisite coursework (or the applicant’s highest level of science courses, if beyond prerequisite level) be taken within five years of intended matriculation. This timeline may be flexible for applicants who apply the science competencies in their daily professional life, especially in an academic setting such as science teaching at the post-secondary level or scientific research.

Q: I graduated with a non-science degree/pursued a different career… Now I want to be a doctor, where do I start?

A: A formal premed post-baccalaureate program can be a helpful path to obtain registration in needed (and fast-filling) prerequisite courses as well as other services that can support you in creating a well-rounded and strong application. For those unable to access a formal post-bacc program, creating one’s own plan as a non-degree, second bachelor’s degree or post-bacc enrollee at a program offering upper division courses (biochemistry must be taken upper division), can be a viable option. The AAMC has a Career Changers section within their Aspiring Docs series, as well as many other resources to assist you in making a plan to turn your goal into reality.

The AAMC offers an online database to help you search for the right post-bacc program for you.

Q: Aren’t the health-care and community service activities I did in my pre-med organization enough?

A: Usually not. Remember, consistency over a long period of time is important. Incorporate these experiences into your life so that no matter where you are (in school, at home over the summer, etc.) you are motivated to learn as much as you can about the profession you are entering.

Q: Does it look good that I’m a member of a pre-med organization?

A: Yes, but anyone can join these organizations. Leading the group, organizing a program, directing an activity, chairing a committee, being more than a member is what is really impressive on a med school application. Remember, leadership skills are important characteristics of a physician.

Q: What major does UF COM look for?

A: We don’t! Each year we take art majors, engineering majors, history majors, language majors, forestry majors, philosophy majors, poetry majors, etc. We strive to bring together high-achieving students from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, so impress us!

Q: I have years of health-care experience/service/research but have low grades/MCAT. Can my experience count in place of academic metrics?

A: Your experiences are an enormous part of the application review and will be given due consideration and credit. However, each part of the application corresponds to important premed competencies that occupy their own place in the evaluation. Just as a high MCAT score will receive credit for the achievement it is and what it can tell us, yet it cannot replace a lack of healthcare experience, a strong set of experiences have their own value but cannot be expected to address academic competencies and standardized testing skills.

Q: What should I do if I have a lower Science GPA from Undergrad?

A: A low undergraduate Science, or BCPM GPA need not hinder you from becoming a successful applicant, but remediation may be needed if your most recent 20-24 credits of science do not evidence a sharp upward grade trend consisting of rigorous courses and course loads, accompanied by a competitive MCAT score (and sometimes even then, remediation may be needed if coursework is older than your intended programs prefer). A structured, one year “medical masters” or “special masters” program designed for aspiring health professionals can be a great option. These programs tend to combine advanced, graduate level science courses with a stacked delivery format (multiple science courses taken each semester), allowing completion in only one year. This strong course load and course rigor is designed to model what might be seen in the first year of medical school. Therefore, doing well in such a program, along with a competitive MCAT score, can go a long way toward improving and demonstrating an applicant’s academic readiness for medical school. This has been a well-traveled path for many successful UF COM applicants whose undergraduate science grades were underwhelming or older than five years. It is important, before embarking upon a master’s degree, to ensure that you set yourself up for success. A strong GPA (3.70 or above ideally) in a medical or SMP can be a game-changer, but a lower GPA can reinforce the perception among schools of a lack of readiness on the part of an applicant. While SMP’s are not the only option for increasing one’s science GPA, we do highly recommend looking for a program that can provide this kind of stacked rigorous science coursework.

The AAMC offers an online database to help you search for the right post-bacc or master’s program for you.

Application Forms and Recommendations

Q: I am applying this year, can I send in my letters of recommendation before I apply?

A: All letters of recommendation must be uploaded by the recommender directly to AMCAS. We will not accept them if they are sent to our office.

Q: I wasn’t accepted by UF COM. Can I find out how to strengthen my application?

A: Yes. Most universities have pre-health advisors on staff – if you are a UF student/alumnus you can find out more information on their website. Your pre-health advisor is your best source of comprehensive feedback and support to help you prepare a competitive application for a wide range of programs. Otherwise, if you receive notification from us, and from other programs to which you applied, that your application was not successful, you may contact us beginning in March for information regarding feedback services our office may be able to provide. We would like to help as many people as possible who are committed to medicine as a profession and in particular, who are interested in our program; however, due to staffing and time limitations, we cannot guarantee the ability to respond to all feedback requests. Please note that we cannot offer individualized feedback to an active applicant; therefore, if we are in a current interview cycle, or you have already submitted an AMCAS for a reapplication, we will be unable to provide this service.

Q: What should my personal essay be about?

A: Each essay should be considered an opportunity to tell UF COM something about yourself and your calling to/understanding of a career in medicine. It is your chance to communicate your reflections on your mission as a future physician to the admissions committee. Many applicants have competitive credentials, so the personal dimension of your application, as demonstrated through the combination of your experiences, essays and letters of recommendation can set you apart.

Q: I applied last year, can I use my essays from the last application?

A: Secondary prompts may change for any given application cycle from the year before. Also remember that we have already read your previous essays and have them on file. A new application is a great opportunity to show programs your dedication to growth and improvement and the effort you are willing to put in to a second (or more) chance.

Q: What is the UF Application with all those residency questions?

A: The UF Professional Schools application is a form that all applicants to any of UF’s professional programs (vet, dental, law, medicine, pharmacy, etc) must complete. Thus, it constitutes the first step of UF COM’s two step secondary application process. This form has no bearing on the Medical Student Admissions Committee’s review of your COM application materials. It is not the same as the UF COM secondary application. Any questions about the UF Professional (universal) app are to be directed to the Graduate & Professional Admissions Office at 352-392-1365; ask to speak to someone regarding UF Professional Admissions.

Application Processing

Q: How will I receive notification of my application status with UF COM?

A: If you are selected for an interview, you may a phone call or an email, but it will be a direct communication from the Office of MD Admissions (area code 352). Please make sure your voicemail is set up and can receive messages. All other correspondence regarding application status is sent via e-mail using the address you provided on your AMCAS application. For the best results create an email account that is only to be used by AMCAS and the medical schools to which you are applying and do not use a spam blocker. Any time a decision is made on your application you will receive notification. You may check your application status by logging into apply.med.ufl.edu

Q: What is the status of my application?

A: You may check your application status at any time by logging into apply.med.ufl.edu and looking in the box that says “Status.” Your communication history will also show you emails sent from our application portal at various stages of receipt of your application materials. We recommend checking this area to ensure you have not missed any important communications from us.

Q: I know I turned all my application materials in. Why did you email me stating that my file is incomplete?

A: A complete application consists of a verified AMCAS, MCAT total single exam score of at least 500, the two-part secondary application (UF Professional School Application + UF COM Secondary) and minimum three letters of recommendation. You can forward specific letters to our program from within your AMCAS once you see that they have been received there. The most common reasons we send an incomplete application reminder is because some applicants submit only the UF Professional School Application, and forget to go back and submit Step 2, the actual COM secondary that our admissions committee reads as instructed in our initial secondary invitation email. Other common reasons include a missing MCAT score of 500 or missing one or more of the required three letters. These emails are not sent in error – ignoring them will eventually result in a rejection email.

Q: Why haven’t I heard a decision regarding my application from UF COM, I’ve already heard from all of the other programs I’ve applied to this year?

A: There could be several reasons for this. If you have not received a secondary invitation, it is because UF COM only reviews verified AMCAS applications. If it has been more than six weeks since you filed your AMCAS application and you have not been notified that your application information is verified, you should contact AMCAS. Typically an application’s verification is delayed due to AMCAS not receiving all post secondary transcripts for their review. If you have submitted a completed application: AMCAS, MCAT of 500 or higher, secondary application and letters, you should have received a “file complete” email from us with more information about the rest of the cycle. If not, please contact our office. Otherwise, regular status updates are not provided due to the nature of our review process. UF COM does not send out preliminary rejections (except for incomplete applications) because our committee considers updates submitted throughout the cycle. Therefore, all completed applications remain under review with the admissions committee until either an interview offer is extended or through the end of the interview cycle to allow for all updates to be considered. If you remain interested in UF COM later in the cycle and have not heard from us, please log-in and add any updates you wish to share with the committee to the given areas of the User Profile section.

Financial Questions

Q: If I am accepted can I defer matriculation?

A: One or two year deferrals are approved on an individual basis. Deferrals are typically granted for experiences that will result in self-improvement and personal growth. An example of this is working with the Peace Corps or Teach for America. Once you have been granted a deferral, no new academic requirements will be imposed (i.e. you will not be required to retake your MCAT ).

Q: Is there a fee for applying to UF COM?

A: In addition to any fees assessed by AMCAS, there is a $37, non-refundable fee (including processing charges) for the UF Professional Schools application. The university requires all professional school applicants to submit this; it accompanies the invitation to submit a UF COM secondary, sent upon our receipt of your preliminary AMCAS Application.

Q: What does tuition usually cost?

A: Currently around $37,000 for Florida residents and $49,000 for non-Florida residents.

International Students

Q: Do you accept international students?

A: Eligible applicants must either be a United States Citizen or be a United States Permanent Resident and in possession of the assigned ‘green card.’

Q: I have a medical degree from a country outside of the United States, can I enter your medical school?

A: You would not be eligible to apply to our MD program. We recommend that you consider obtaining medical licensing in the US; details are available at http://www.ecfmg.org/

MCAT

Q: What is the minimum GPA/MCAT I need to apply?

A: We do not have a minimum GPA requirement as we carefully consider remediation and improvement. We do not require a minimum MCAT score to send out a secondary invitation as long as your invite goes out prior to the final score release of the year (typically mid-October). A minimum of 500, earned in a single MCAT administration and within roughly three and a half years of intended matriculation, is required for an application to advance to the review phase for interview consideration. Our average science GPA for entering students is 3.85; our average MCAT is currently 516. The further an applicant’s GPA and/or MCAT score is below the average, the more difficult it will be to demonstrate a competitive level of academic achievement compared with the rest of the applicant pool.

Q: I have excellent grades and a great MCAT. How important is getting health-care experience really?

A: Very! You need as much ‘hands-on’ patient care experience as you can get, consistently over a long period of time is best. We have no preference as to the distribution of hours among shadowing, healthcare volunteering or healthcare employment. Strong applicants can have very different experiences in healthcare, but should demonstrate understanding, based on experience AND reflection, of what a physician does on a daily basis, the perspective of patients and the physician-patient relationship. In addition, applicants should seek exposure to multiple areas of medicine, different patient populations, including some understanding of social factors that influence healthcare access, and practice settings (inpatient, outpatient, academic medicine, community medicine, etc).

Q: What is the latest/earliest MCAT exam administration that you will accept?

A: Selection of applicants for the medical school class entering in a given calendar year will be based, in part, on MCAT scores achieved during the previous three and a half years from the date of matriculation. For program entrance in Fall of 2026, the final MCAT that can be used for admissions purposes is the September 13, 2025 exam administration. We will accept MCAT scores earned as far back as January 2023. Prior to October 14, 2025, an MCAT score of 500 is not needed in order to receive a secondary invitation, as the final set of calendar year scores are still pending and we give applicants the benefit of the doubt – and time – to decide whether or not to submit a secondary. We do still require the minimum MCAT score prior to offering an interview.

Prerequisites / Course Questions

Q: Can I take the prerequisite courses at my local community/state college?

A: For the most part, absolutely. Keep in mind that biochemistry must be taken as an upper division course offered by a chemistry or biology department at a 4 year degree-granting institution, with general biology I (cellular structure/function) and organic chemistry as prerequisites. The recommended courses beyond the prerequisites tend to be upper division biology courses most likely to be offered at a 4 year degree-granting institution, such as genetics, cell biology, and general physiology. Success in progressively more challenging environments can demonstrate to the committee the type of academic skills that carry over well into medical school.

Q: My institution does not offer biochemistry. How can I fulfill this prerequisite?

A: Non-UF students requiring biochemistry, who do not have access to an on-campus version of the course are eligible to enroll in the online BCH 4024 offered every semester through the COM. For details on this course please click here.

Q: Do the prerequisite courses have to be taken before I apply?

A: You can apply without having yet completed all of the prerequisite courses, however, you will be less academically competitive in comparison to those applicants who have completed the required coursework.

Q: Can my AP or IB credit fulfill prerequisites?

A: It depends. Remember, we require a letter grade of a C or higher earned in each prerequisite OR earned in a higher level course in the same or related discipline. Therefore, if you receive college credit from your home institution towards any of the basic science prerequisites through their acceptance of AP or IB test scores, you should consult your pre-health advisor regarding the best path for you: whether to retake any of them to refresh/reinforce knowledge or move immediately into advanced coursework in the same or a related discipline (an example of the latter would be certain engineering courses that are based on physics).

Whether you use test score credit or not towards the prerequisites, we need to see the competencies you have achieved in the distinct prerequisites outlined in our admissions requirements (with flexibility based on your undergraduate institution’s offerings). Your record also must include enough graded science coursework at the prerequisite level or higher to provide the committee a basis to evaluate your course load rigor and success in handling it, meaning at least 31 semester credits (this number derives from the minimum total expected by fulfillment of the listed prerequisites and labs).

Q: Can my online coursework fulfill the prerequisites?

A: Yes, we will accept online lectures and labs to fulfill prerequisite courses. We recognize that students may need to take lectures and/or labs remotely for a variety of reasons, personal or institutional. These applicants will not be at a disadvantage in the application process for doing so. It is worth keeping in mind that medical education is a team, hands-on and immersive experience. Medical students are expected to be present in academic and clinical settings for many learning activities and thus admissions committees look for evidence that applicants have the preparation to be successful in the type of learning environment of that particular medical school. Therefore, a history of demonstrated in-person teamwork or collaboration, whether educational, volunteer or professional, is strongly recommended.

Q: I took Organic I and Organic II. You have a Biochemistry requirement. Can I substitute Organic II for the Biochemistry?

A: There are no substitutes for the prerequisite courses except for higher level coursework in the same subject. Biochemistry in particular is an important foundation for our basic science curriculum. You can apply, receive a secondary application, interview and even be accepted without taking Biochemistry. However, you will not be able to matriculate without at minimum a “C” grade in the course.

Contact

Q: How can I contact the Office of Admissions?

A: The Office Of Admissions Contact page is located here and we encourage you to join us for tours and info sessions