- Does the University of Washington have an undergraduate premed program?
The University of Washington does not have a premedical degree program. Students major in any field of their choice while completing the course requirements that the majority of medical schools require. For a more complete explanation please go to the premedical advising website at: http://www.washington.edu/students/ugrad/advising/premed.html
The UW School of Medicine belongs to the Association of American Medical Colleges. All applicants are required to submit an on-line AMCAS application. This preliminary application will then be distributed to the medical schools of your choice. Each individual school determines which applicants should submit a secondary application. (See Application Procedures.)
Preliminary AMCAS applications for the UWSOM are accepted from June 1 through November 1 of the year before the start of medical school. The November 1 deadline is strictly enforced.
All secondary materials (also referred to as the supplemental application) should be in the Office of Admissions by January 15 (or the first working day following this date if January 15 falls on a weekend or holiday). This deadline will be strictly enforced.
Unlike many medical schools, the UWSOM does not send out supplemental applications automatically. The admissions committee will screen applications to determine if a secondary application will be received. WWAMI residents above a certain cutoff point are sent supplemental applications, but applicants from outside the WWAMI region are pre-screened to determine whether or not they will receive a supplemental application.
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What is the UWSOM looking for in the additional personal statement that is part of the supplemental application?
This is a good place for applicants to add anything they feel was not covered in the AMCAS personal statement. Because the UWSOM has a particular interest in serving rural and/or underserved populations, any volunteer or paid experience spent working with these populations could be explored in this essay.
Apart from applicants having the academic qualifications, successful applicants from outside the WWAMI region either come from a disadvantaged background and/or have demonstrated a strong commitment and service to the underserved population.
The UWSOM does not consider foreign applicants unless they are permanent residents of the United States (i.e., possess a green card). Permanent residence documentation is part of the application requirement to the UWSOM for all foreign applicants.
The American Medical College Application Services (AMCAS) will not verify your international transcripts. The UWSOM will need an original copy of your transcripts sent directly from the foreign institution, and a transcript evaluation from a bona fide credentials evaluator. This service can be provided by such companies as Seattle Foundation for International Services, Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, World Education Services, National Association for Credential Evaluation Services, or Association of International Credential Evaluators.
The UWSOM does not have an Early Decision Program.
The UWSOM does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, or disability. Applicants have been as old as 49 and as young as 15.
The UWSOM does not prefer one institution over another. The important thing is what the applicant gained from the undergraduate experience (including extracurricular activities) and the variety and level of course work pursued.
The UWSOM does not have a preference for which undergraduate school applicants attend.
The UWSOM does not suggest one degree over another as long as the student has satisfied the science requirements and has maintained a rigorous and varied course load.
It is recommended that prerequisite courses be completed prior to submitting an application; however, all prerequisites must be completed before the start of medical school. There is no limit on the time frame during which the courses must be completed. If an accepted applicant has not completed course work at the start of orientation matriculation will be declined.
You may take the prerequisite courses at any accredited university or community college of your choice. Distance learning, CLEP, and other course work will be reviewed by the Dean for Admissions.
A biochemistry course is not required, but applicants are required to know basic biochemistry concepts, which may be garnered in other classes.
Advanced Placement credits can be accepted to fulfill the science requirement if your undergraduate institution gives you credit on your transcript and if it appears (and is verified) on your AMCAS application.
There is no specific math or English requirement, but candidates should be proficient in basic mathematics and fluent in English. Some undergraduate schools may require students to take calculus as a perquisite for a physics courses.
The MCAT is offered several times a year. Many students take the examination at the end of their Junior or Senior year after they have completed the majority of their science courses. There is no preference for which month the examination is taken; however, the test cannot be taken later than September 30th of the year of application.
The UWSOM uses the most recent score, although all previous scores can be seen on your application.
There is no minimum GPA or MCAT score, but a 3.5 weighted GPA is generally considered competitive, as is an average of 9 on the MCAT.
The undergraduate GPA is weighted to give credit to applicants whose records show improvement as they progress through their undergraduate studies. Only the first three years are included in this calculation as most applicants have just begun their senior year. The weighted GPA is calculated on a standard 4-point scale with 4.00 representing an “A” average.
CUM. FRESHMAN GPA X 1 = A A+B+C
CUM. SOPHOMORE GPA X 2 = B 6 = WEIGHTED GPA
CUM. JUNIOR GPA X 3 = C
Questions about residency should be directed to the Residency Classification Office in your state (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho).
The UWSOM does not have a standardized recommendation form. All recommendations should be on official letter head. The following website describes suggestions for writing a
letter of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should be confidential and not be seen by the applicant.
- Can I submit recommendations electronically?
University of Washington School of Medicine accepts recommendations via AMCAS Letters of Evaluation / Recommendation.
- Do acceptees spend their first year at the UW in Seattle?
Accepted applicants from Washington State spend their first year at the University of Washington or Washington State University. Twenty Washington students attend classes at Washington State University in Pullman, joining classes with Idaho students based at the University of Idaho in Moscow. An additional twenty Washington students attend class in Spokane Washington. Wyoming residents spend their first year of medical school at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Alaska residents go to the University of Alaska in Anchorage, Montana residents go to Montana State University in Bozeman.
You may take a self-guided tour of the Health Sciences and Medical Center. Click here 
to view a map of the self-guided tour.
We do not have a list of available volunteer centers. Start by asking your family, friends, or family doctor if they know of any volunteering opportunities in your area. You might search the web for Volunteer Services in your area. UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center have volunteer services.
The University of Washington offers MD/PhD and MD/MHA and MD/MPH Concurrent Degrees. The MD/PhD program is for students who wish to obtain both M.D. and Ph.D. degrees and to pursue careers in basic medical research. A concurrent MD and Masters in Health Administration is available for students with an interest in management, health care policy, and a systems approach to health care delivery. The MD/MPH program requires an extra year of study.