While many aspiring doctors see medical school admissions as a daunting near-impossibility, the data from recent application cycles reveals a more nuanced reality, where over 40% of applicants ultimately secure an acceptance.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2023-2024 application cycle, 55,203 individuals applied to U.S. MD-granting medical schools, with 22,981 receiving at least one acceptance, yielding an overall acceptance rate of 41.6%
- For the 2022-2023 cycle, U.S. MD schools received 52,867 applicants and issued 92,701 acceptances, resulting in a 41.5% applicant acceptance rate
- In 2021-2022, 48,822 applicants to MD programs had a 44.5% acceptance rate with 97,232 total acceptances offered
- Average MCAT score for accepted MD applicants in 2023 was 511.7
- Mean GPA for 2023 MD matriculants was 3.77 overall, with science GPA at 3.72
- 2022 accepted MD applicants averaged 511.9 MCAT and 3.77 GPA
- Female applicants to MD schools in 2023 comprised 56.8% of the pool, with 41.2% acceptance rate vs 42.1% for males
- Males made up 43.2% of 2023 MD applicants, accepted at 42.1%
- Asian applicants in 2023: 24.6% of MD pool, acceptance rate 45.3%
- In-state applicants to public MD schools 2023: 62% acceptance rate vs 38% out-of-state
- Public MD schools 2023 in-state matriculants: 68% of class
- Private MD schools 2023: 45% in-state matriculants despite 32% applicant share
- Number of MD applicants increased 3.1% from 2022 to 2023, reaching record 55,203
- MD acceptances grew 2.8% year-over-year 2022-2023 to 92,711 total offers
- From 2019-2023, MD applicant pool rose 17%, from 47,167 to 55,203
Despite increasing competition, over forty percent of medical school applicants ultimately gain acceptance.
Academic Metrics
- Average MCAT score for accepted MD applicants in 2023 was 511.7
- Mean GPA for 2023 MD matriculants was 3.77 overall, with science GPA at 3.72
- 2022 accepted MD applicants averaged 511.9 MCAT and 3.77 GPA
- In 2021, MD matriculants had mean MCAT 511.7 and GPA 3.77
- 2020 MD accepted applicants: average MCAT 511.5, GPA 3.75
- 25th percentile MCAT for 2023 MD matriculants was 508, 75th was 515
- GPA 25th-75th percentile for 2023 MD matriculants: 3.67-3.87
- 95% of 2023 MD matriculants had GPA >=3.5
- MCAT scores >=510 held by 78% of 2023 accepted MD applicants
- Average BCPM GPA for 2022 MD matriculants was 3.70
- Mean GPA 2023 MD applicants all: 3.70, accepted: 3.77
- MCAT 2023 MD applicants mean 509.3 all, 511.7 accepted
- 2022 MD matriculants biology GPA avg 3.73, chemistry 3.70, physics/math 3.68
- 10th percentile MCAT for 2023 MD matriculants: 503
- 90th percentile GPA for 2023 MD accepted: 3.95+
- 2021 MD applicants with GPA 3.9+: 22% accepted vs 15% overall under 3.5
- MCAT 518+ scorers 2023: 85% MD acceptance rate
- 2023 URMs MD matriculants avg MCAT 505.8 vs 512.4 non-URM
- 2023 MD matriculants with post-bac: 28%, avg GPA boost 0.3 points
Academic Metrics Interpretation
The statistics reveal that medical school admissions are a fiercely standardized game where you'd better bring a near-perfect GPA and a sky-high MCAT score just to get to the starting line, though a fortunate few can slightly bend the rules with a post-bac boost or navigate a different, yet still steep, path as an underrepresented minority.
Demographic Statistics
- Female applicants to MD schools in 2023 comprised 56.8% of the pool, with 41.2% acceptance rate vs 42.1% for males
- Males made up 43.2% of 2023 MD applicants, accepted at 42.1%
- Asian applicants in 2023: 24.6% of MD pool, acceptance rate 45.3%
- Black or African American MD applicants 2023: 9.5%, acceptance 52.1%
- Hispanic/Latino applicants 2023 MD: 12.8%, 48.7% acceptance rate
- White applicants 2023: 43.2%, 39.8% acceptance to MD schools
- In 2023, underrepresented minorities (URM) had 50.2% MD acceptance rate vs 40.1% non-URM
- 2022 female MD matriculants: 50.5% of total 22,712
- Age 22-23 applicants dominant at 52% of 2023 MD pool, 42.5% acceptance
- Hispanic MD applicants 2022: acceptance 48.2%, matriculants 11.3% of class
- Native American MD applicants 2023: 0.8% pool, 55.4% acceptance
- 2023 MD applicants LGBT-identified: 14.5%, acceptance 43.2%
- First-gen college MD applicants 2023: 20.1%, 46.8% acceptance
- Rural background MD applicants 2023: 4.2%, 44.1% acceptance
- 2022 MD matriculants Asian: 25.1%, Black: 11.4%
- Over 30 age group MD applicants 2023: 12.3%, 39.5% acceptance
- 2023 MD applicants with military service: 1.8%, 47.2% acceptance rate
- 2023 MD applicants disadvantaged background self-ID: 18.4%, 49.1% rate
Demographic Statistics Interpretation
While the overall acceptance rates show a remarkably level playing field, the data reveals medical schools are actively, and wisely, tilting the scales to cultivate a physician workforce that better mirrors the complex tapestry of patients it will serve.
Geographic Variations
- In-state applicants to public MD schools 2023: 62% acceptance rate vs 38% out-of-state
- Public MD schools 2023 in-state matriculants: 68% of class
- Private MD schools 2023: 45% in-state matriculants despite 32% applicant share
- California MD applicants 2023: highest state volume at 8,214, 35.2% acceptance
- Texas residents 2023 MD applicants: 4,892, 55.1% acceptance rate favoring in-state publics
- New York MD applicants 2023: 4,671, 40.8% acceptance
- Florida 2023 MD applicants: 3,215, 42.3% rate
- Midwest region MD schools 2023 average in-state preference: 70% matriculants
- Northeast MD schools 2023 out-of-state acceptance ~25% lower than in-state
- Southeast states MD applicants 2023 avg acceptance 44%, higher in-state
- Pacific region MD schools 2023: lowest out-of-state matriculation ~15%
- Midwest MD publics 2023 in-state apps 40% pool, 65% matriculants
- South Atlantic MD schools avg 2023 acceptance 42%
- Mountain states low volume MD applicants 2023: 3.5% national, 50%+ in-state bias
- New England MD schools 2023: avg 4-6% overall rate
- International applicants MD 2023: 1.2% pool, 15.3% acceptance
- Border states like AZ/NM 2023 MD in-state preference ~75%
- East North Central MD apps 2023 growth 5%, acceptance stable 43%
Geographic Variations Interpretation
While the dream of becoming a doctor is a national one, the path to a white coat is decidedly local, as the numbers show a clear and often comical home-field advantage where your state borders can be a more reliable predictor of acceptance than your MCAT score.
National Statistics
- In the 2023-2024 application cycle, 55,203 individuals applied to U.S. MD-granting medical schools, with 22,981 receiving at least one acceptance, yielding an overall acceptance rate of 41.6%
- For the 2022-2023 cycle, U.S. MD schools received 52,867 applicants and issued 92,701 acceptances, resulting in a 41.5% applicant acceptance rate
- In 2021-2022, 48,822 applicants to MD programs had a 44.5% acceptance rate with 97,232 total acceptances offered
- The 2020-2021 MD applicant pool was 48,004 strong, achieving a 43.8% acceptance rate based on 88,199 acceptances
- MD programs in 2019-2020 saw 47,167 applicants with a 41.9% acceptance rate from 91,374 acceptances
- Overall matriculation rate for MD applicants in 2023 was 36.8%, with 22,981 matriculants out of 55,203 applicants
- In 2022, 22,712 students matriculated to MD schools from 52,867 applicants, for a 43.0% matriculation rate
- 2021 MD matriculants numbered 22,239 from 48,822 applicants, yielding 45.6% rate
- 2020 saw 21,818 MD matriculants from 48,004 applicants at 45.4%
- 2019 MD matriculation rate was 44.2% with 21,847 from 47,167 applicants
- In 2023-2024, DO programs had 52,835 applicants, 13,780 matriculants, 26.1% rate vs MD's 41.6%
- Texas public MD schools average 2023 in-state acceptance 48-55%
- California med schools 2023 overall acceptance ~3-5% due to high competition
- 2023 MD reapplicants: 11,200, 28.5% acceptance vs 45% first-timers
- Multiple acceptances average 4.0 per accepted MD applicant 2023
National Statistics Interpretation
While these numbers may paint the picture that getting into medical school is like winning a decent coin toss, the reality is more akin to a high-stakes talent show where your coin has to impress multiple judges in a row, and some of the stages, like California, are notoriously brutal.
School-Specific Acceptance Rates
- Harvard Medical School acceptance rate 2023: 3.2%, 601 accepted from 7,700+ apps
- Johns Hopkins MD 2023 acceptance: 6.5%, 467 from 7,215 applicants
- Stanford MD 2023: 1.9% rate, 90 accepted from 6,894 apps
- UCSF School of Medicine 2023: 2.6%, 172 from 6,618 apps
- Mayo Clinic Alix 2023: 3.8%, 110 from 2,900 apps across campuses
- NYU Grossman 2023: 2.1%, fully tuition-free policy boosted apps to 9,000+, 190 accepted
- Duke MD 2023: 3.9%, 210 from 7,000+ apps
- Vanderbilt MD 2023: 4.5%, 192 accepted from 5,853 apps
- UPenn Perelman 2023: 3.8%, 378 from 9,000+ apps
- Columbia Vagelos 2023: 3.4%, 285 accepted from 8,200 apps
- Yale SOM 2023: 4.2%, 149 from 5,500+ apps
- UCLA Geffen 2023 in-state: 4.8%, out-state lower at ~2%
- Pitt School of Medicine 2023: 5.6%, 213 from 5,654 apps (in-state favored)
- Michigan Ross 2023: 5.1%, 172 from 6,800 apps
- WashU St. Louis 2023: 7.5%, 349 from 7,000+ apps
- Cornell Weill MD 2023: 2.9% rate, 106/5,900 apps
- Emory SOM 2023: 3.4%, 130 from 6,000+ apps
- Northwestern Feinberg 2023: 5.2%, 322/8,000 apps
- Case Western Reserve 2023: 6.8%, 440 from 8,300 apps
- Oregon Health & Science Univ 2023 in-state: 8.2%
- Boston Univ 2023: 4.1%, 360/10,000+ apps
- UCSD SOM 2023: 3.1%, 135/6,000 apps
School-Specific Acceptance Rates Interpretation
While navigating the medical school admissions gauntlet feels less like pursuing a calling and more like winning a lottery where the grand prize is merely the chance to work yourself into exhaustion for the next decade, these dauntingly minuscule acceptance rates prove it.
Temporal Trends
- Number of MD applicants increased 3.1% from 2022 to 2023, reaching record 55,203
- MD acceptances grew 2.8% year-over-year 2022-2023 to 92,711 total offers
- From 2019-2023, MD applicant pool rose 17%, from 47,167 to 55,203
- Matriculants to MD stable 2019-2023, averaging ~22,000 annually despite applicant surge
- Post-COVID 2021-2023 saw MCAT averages rise 0.5 points to 511.7 for MD
- Female applicant share grew from 49% in 2019 to 56.8% in 2023 for MD
- URM applicant proportion stable 2020-2023 at ~20-22% of MD pool
- Average age of MD applicants increased from 24.8 in 2019 to 25.1 in 2023
- DO applicant growth outpaced MD 2019-2023 by 25%, but MD still dominant
- 2018-2023 MD applicant growth 15%, acceptances 10%, tightening competition
- MCAT takers up 12% 2019-2023, avg score stable 501-502
- GPA inflation 2020-2023: applicant avg from 3.68 to 3.70 MD
- DO matriculants doubled 2013-2023 to 8,000+, MD stable
- Apps per MD seat 2023: 2.5, up from 2.1 in 2019
- Female matriculant % MD from 47% 2019 to 50.5% 2023
- 2023 cycle earliest apps up 10% due to rolling admissions
- Reapplicant success declined 2019-2023 from 35% to 28%
- Pandemic-era 2020-2021 apps dipped 2%, rebounded 20% by 2023
Temporal Trends Interpretation
Despite a swelling tide of hopefuls armed with ever-so-slightly higher GPAs and MCAT scores, the gates of medical school have opened only a fraction wider, making the path to a white coat feel less like a sprint and more like an increasingly polite yet brutally competitive scrum.
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