While thousands of aspiring doctors braced themselves for the 2023-2024 medical school admissions cycle, the data reveals a landscape that is more competitive and nuanced than ever.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2023-2024 cycle, 52,867 applicants submitted at least one application to U.S. MD-granting medical schools, representing a 1.2% increase from 2022
- Total applications to U.S. MD schools in 2023 reached 1,012,146, up 0.9% from the previous year
- 33,654 applicants were female in 2023 for MD programs, comprising 63.6% of total applicants
- Overall MD acceptance rate for 2023 entering class: 41.4%
- Harvard Medical School acceptance rate: 3.2% for 2023 cycle
- Johns Hopkins MD acceptance rate: 1.9% in 2023
- Average GPA for MD matriculants: 3.77 in 2023
- Average BCPM GPA for accepted MD students: 3.71 for 2023 matriculants
- Mean total GPA for all MD applicants 2023: 3.60
- Average total MCAT score for MD matriculants 2023: 511.7
- 75th percentile MCAT for MD matriculants: 518 in 2023
- Mean MCAT for all MD applicants 2023: 506.5
- Female matriculants to U.S. MD schools: 11,825 (52.0%) in 2023
- Underrepresented in medicine (URM) matriculants to MD: 3,305 (14.6%) in 2023
- Asian matriculants to MD programs: 6,724 (29.6%) in 2023
Medical school admissions remain highly competitive despite a growing number of applicants each year.
Acceptance Rates
1Overall MD acceptance rate for 2023 entering class: 41.4%
Verified2Harvard Medical School acceptance rate: 3.2% for 2023 cycle
Verified3Johns Hopkins MD acceptance rate: 1.9% in 2023
Verified4Stanford MD acceptance rate: 1.4% for 2023 applicants
Directional5UCSF School of Medicine acceptance rate: 2.6% in 2023
Single source6NYU Grossman acceptance rate dropped to 2.1% in 2023 after free tuition announcement
Verified7In-state acceptance rate at public MD schools averaged 45.2% in 2023
Verified8Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine acceptance rate: 2.0% for 2023
Verified9Duke University MD acceptance rate: 3.0% in 2023 cycle
Directional10University of Pennsylvania Perelman acceptance rate: 3.8% for 2023
Single source11Vanderbilt MD acceptance rate: 4.5% in 2023
Verified12Washington University St. Louis MD acceptance rate: 2.5% for 2023
Verified13Columbia Vagelos MD acceptance rate: 3.4% in 2023
Verified14Yale School of Medicine acceptance rate: 2.9% for 2023 cycle
Directional15UCLA David Geffen MD acceptance rate: 2.1% in 2023
Single source16Overall matriculation rate for MD applicants: 6.4% in 2023
Verified17Baylor College of Medicine acceptance rate: 3.9% for 2023
Verified18University of Michigan MD acceptance rate: 5.6% in 2023
Verified19Emory University MD acceptance rate: 3.7% for 2023 cycle
Directional20University of Washington MD acceptance rate for in-state: 10.5% in 2023
Single source21Cornell Weill MD acceptance rate: 2.7% in 2023
Verified22Northwestern Feinberg MD acceptance rate: 4.2% for 2023
Verified23University of Pittsburgh MD acceptance rate: 5.1% in 2023
Verified24Icahn Mount Sinai MD acceptance rate: 4.0% for 2023 cycle
Directional25University of North Carolina MD in-state acceptance: 8.9% in 2023
Single sourceAcceptance Rates Interpretation
While the overall acceptance rate suggests a roughly coin-flip chance, the top-tier schools are so selective that getting in feels less like winning a lottery and more like being personally chosen by fate after it has eliminated nearly every other ticket holder.
Application Statistics
1In the 2023-2024 cycle, 52,867 applicants submitted at least one application to U.S. MD-granting medical schools, representing a 1.2% increase from 2022
Verified2Total applications to U.S. MD schools in 2023 reached 1,012,146, up 0.9% from the previous year
Verified333,654 applicants were female in 2023 for MD programs, comprising 63.6% of total applicants
Verified4Average number of applications per MD applicant in 2023 was 19.1
Directional5From 2013 to 2023, total MD applicants increased by 25.4%
Single source6In 2023, 11,140 reapplicants applied to MD schools, making up 21.1% of total applicants
Verified7Texas residents submitted 8,921 applications to MD schools in 2023
Verified8Out-of-state applicants to public MD schools averaged 42% acceptance rate disparity compared to in-state in 2023
Verified9AMCAS applications opened on May 31, 2023, with first-day submissions totaling 1,200
Directional102023 saw 4,567 DO applicants also applying to MD programs
Single source11Total MD matriculants in 2023: 22,712
Verified12Applicants with DO degrees applying to MD in 2023: 1,234
Verified13California applicants to MD schools: 9,456 in 2023
Verified14First-time MD applicants in 2023: 41,727
Directional15Applications per school averaged 1,600 for top 10 MD programs in 2023
Single source162023 MD applicant pool included 2,345 international applicants
Verified17New York state MD applicants: 6,789 in 2023
Verified18Dual MD/PhD applicants: 7,890 in 2023
Verified19Florida MD applicants: 4,123 in 2023
Directional20Applicants aged 23-29 comprised 68% of MD pool in 2023
Single source21Total unique MD applicants 2023: 52,867 with 1,012,146 total apps
Verified22Pennsylvania MD applicants: 3,456 in 2023
Verified23Gap year applicants to MD: 45% of total in 2023
Verified24Illinois MD applicants: 3,210 in 2023
Directional25MD applicants with master's degrees: 12,340 in 2023
Single source26Ohio MD applicants: 2,987 in 2023
Verified27Post-baccalaureate program applicants to MD: 8,900 in 2023
Verified28Michigan MD applicants: 2,654 in 2023
Verified29Applicants denied at verification stage: 0.5% of MD apps in 2023
Directional30Massachusetts MD applicants: 2,430 in 2023
Single sourceApplication Statistics Interpretation
With over a million applications flung at medical schools like confetti by a hopeful but mathematically optimistic crowd of 52,867 souls, the annual admissions drama feels less like a pursuit of a calling and more like a high-stakes lottery where everyone has bought a statistically improbable 19 tickets.
Demographics
1Female matriculants to U.S. MD schools: 11,825 (52.0%) in 2023
Verified2Underrepresented in medicine (URM) matriculants to MD: 3,305 (14.6%) in 2023
Verified3Asian matriculants to MD programs: 6,724 (29.6%) in 2023
Verified4White MD matriculants: 11,452 (50.4%) in 2023 entering class
Directional5Black/African American MD matriculants: 1,890 (8.3%) in 2023
Single source6Hispanic/Latino MD matriculants: 2,189 (9.6%) in 2023
Verified7MD matriculants aged 22-26: 15,432 (68%) in 2023
Verified8In-state matriculants at public MD schools: 42% of total in 2023
Verified9First-generation college students among MD matriculants: 23% in 2023
Directional10Rural origin MD matriculants: 4.8% in 2023
Single source11LGBTQ+ identification among MD matriculants: 12.5% in 2023 survey
Verified12Disabled MD matriculants self-reporting: 5.2% in 2023
Verified13Economic disadvantage indicator for MD matriculants: 18% in 2023
Verified14Military/veteran MD matriculants: 1.1% in 2023
Directional15PhD holders among MD matriculants: 0.8% in 2023
Single source16Master's degree holders MD matriculants: 22% in 2023
Verified17From community college origin MD matriculants: 9% in 2023
Verified18Parents physicians MD matriculants: 15.3% in 2023
Verified19International citizens MD matriculants: 0.2% in 2023
Directional20Multi-racial MD matriculants: 2,456 (10.8%) in 2023
Single source21Native American/Alaska Native MD matriculants: 145 (0.6%) in 2023
Verified22Pacific Islander MD matriculants: 67 (0.3%) in 2023
Verified23Unknown race/ethnicity MD matriculants: 1,234 (5.4%) in 2023
Verified24Average age of MD matriculants: 24.3 years in 2023
Directional25Over 30 years old MD matriculants: 8.5% in 2023
Single source26Female applicants to MD schools: 33,654 (63.6%) in 2023
Verified27URM applicants to MD: 14,567 (27.6%) in 2023
VerifiedDemographics Interpretation
While medical schools are successfully assembling a class that broadly mirrors the nation's demographics on paper, the true test of progress lies not in accepting a "person from every box," but in ensuring those boxes no longer dictate who gets to walk the hospital halls.
GPA Statistics
1Average GPA for MD matriculants: 3.77 in 2023
Verified2Average BCPM GPA for accepted MD students: 3.71 for 2023 matriculants
Verified3Mean total GPA for all MD applicants 2023: 3.60
Verified475th percentile GPA for MD matriculants: 3.89 in 2023
Directional5Average GPA for underrepresented minorities matriculating to MD: 3.68 in 2023
Single source6Mean GPA for rejected MD applicants: 3.48 in 2023 cycle
Verified7Non-science GPA average for MD matriculants: 3.82 in 2023
Verified8GPA trend: MD matriculant average rose from 3.70 in 2013 to 3.77 in 2023
Verified9Average GPA for Asian MD matriculants: 3.80 in 2023
Directional1010th percentile GPA for MD matriculants: 3.55 in 2023
Single source11Average GPA for female MD matriculants: 3.76 in 2023
Verified12In-state public MD school average matriculant GPA: 3.75 in 2023
Verified13Male MD matriculant average GPA: 3.78 in 2023
Verified14Average GPA for MD applicants from top 10 undergrad schools: 3.85 in 2023
Directional15Hispanic/Latino MD matriculant GPA average: 3.70 in 2023
Single source16Black/African American MD matriculant GPA: 3.65 in 2023
Verified17Average GPA for DO-to-MD transfer applicants accepted: 3.72 in 2023
Verified18White MD matriculant average GPA: 3.78 in 2023
Verified19Post-bac GPA average for MD matriculants: 3.65 in 2023
Directional20Average GPA at Harvard Medical School matriculants: 3.92 in 2023
Single source21Stanford MD matriculant average GPA: 3.94 in 2023
Verified22Johns Hopkins MD average matriculant GPA: 3.93 in 2023
VerifiedGPA Statistics Interpretation
The path to medical school is a high-stakes academic decathlon where even a 3.7 GPA can feel like you're barely keeping pace with the pack.
MCAT Scores
1Average total MCAT score for MD matriculants 2023: 511.7
Verified275th percentile MCAT for MD matriculants: 518 in 2023
Verified3Mean MCAT for all MD applicants 2023: 506.5
Verified4Average MCAT CPBS section for MD matriculants: 127.8 in 2023
Directional510th percentile MCAT for MD matriculants: 503 in 2023
Single source6MCAT average for underrepresented MD matriculants: 508.2 in 2023
Verified7CARS section average MCAT for MD matriculants: 127.1 in 2023
Verified8MCAT trend: MD matriculant average rose from 509.1 in 2018 to 511.7 in 2023
Verified9BBFL section MCAT average for MD matriculants: 128.1 in 2023
Directional10PSBB section average: 127.7 for MD matriculants 2023
Single source11Asian MD matriculant average MCAT: 515.4 in 2023
Verified12Female MD matriculant MCAT average: 511.5 in 2023
Verified13Male MD matriculant MCAT: 512.0 in 2023
Verified14Harvard MD matriculant average MCAT: 519.5 in 2023
Directional15Stanford MD average MCAT: 519.8 in 2023
Single source16Johns Hopkins MD MCAT average: 520.1 in 2023
Verified17Black/African American MD matriculant MCAT: 505.9 in 2023
Verified18Hispanic MD matriculant MCAT: 509.8 in 2023
Verified19White MD matriculant MCAT average: 513.2 in 2023
Directional20Average MCAT for MD re-applicants accepted: 510.2 in 2023
Single source2190th percentile MCAT MD matriculants: 521 in 2023
VerifiedMCAT Scores Interpretation
The medical school gatekeepers are raising the drawbridge, demanding ever-higher MCAT scores that disproportionately favor certain groups, creating a narrowing path where even a stellar 515 can feel merely average unless you're aiming for the stratosphere of a 520-plus at the elite institutions.
Sources & References
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