Emory University’s highly-ranked school of medicine offers MD, PhD, and DPT degree paths, along with Master’s programs in anesthesiology, genetic counseling, and a physician’s assistant Master’s with an optional dual degree in public health.
Located in Atlanta, Georgia on one of the country’s most beautiful campuses, Emory’s medical school provides over half of the medical residency training programs in Georgia, with 53 programs that are the only ones of their kind in the state.
With its renowned primate research center, facilities, and seven hospitals, Emory’s campus-based clinical and research infrastructure offers extensive opportunities for medical students.
Partnerships with Grady Hospital, one of the South’s most prominent public health centers, along with the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center and numerous area providers, give students a wide range of clinical experiences.
Emory’s proximity to the Georgia Institute of Technology allows it to collaborate on a shared biomedical engineering program.
Candidates accepted to Emory’s medical programs benefit from studying with top scientists and practitioners, graduating with the skills necessary to become excellent physicians and groundbreaking researchers.
Emory Medical School Acceptance Rate
As one of the top-ranked schools, boasting excellent faculty, facilities, and an attractive location, it’s not surprising that Emory Medical School’s acceptance rate was only 3.4 % for the incoming 2021 class.
Emory’s minimum requirements for MCAT and GPA scores mean that high marks in those areas do not set an application apart from others. Candidates wishing to stand out among others with excellent academic records have several ways to do so.
First, students aiming for Emory Medical School should build a resume of clinical experiences. Volunteering at a hospital or clinic, shadowing a physician, or any activity placing the candidate in face-to-face patient interaction situations will strengthen your application profile.
Besides direct clinical experience, interest in the sciences or research experience should be a part of a competitive application. Community service, especially sustained over time, demonstrates industry, reliability, and the commitment to serve others.
For letters of recommendation to create the best advantage, students coming from a pre-health program at their undergraduate institution should submit their letters of recommendation through the pre-medical committee process via the AMCAS portal. Emory admissions do not require the committee letter, but students are asked to explain if they do not have one.
Once an application clears Emory’s minimum requirements, candidates receive a supplemental application with multiple short essays. These essays furnish each applicant with the most direct way to address the admissions committee and to establish the value they would bring to the program.
In the supplemental essays, candidates are invited to talk about their experience in clinical settings, their concept of the physician’s role in the community, and the reasons they want to pursue their medical degree, specifically at Emory. Providing thoughtful, authentic responses to these questions can make a robust application irresistible.
Emory Medical School Tuition
Emory Medical School’s estimated cost for the 2021-2022 academic year adds up to $90,590, including the school’s $26k tuition. The rest of that amount consolidates additional fees, insurance, living expenses, and supplies.
Emory reports that its graduates leave with a debt of $192k on average. Graduates who work in the non-profit sector can qualify for loan forgiveness after ten years; other debt forgiveness programs exist at the state level in Georgia.
The Office of Financial Aid at Emory awards almost 70 scholarships annually; these awards can be based on merit, need, community service, or other factors. No separate applications are required beyond the traditional application materials and FAFSA completion.
Emory’s Financial Aid office also assists students with loan programs at the federal, institutional, and private levels. Students may also choose to enroll in the Emory Payment Plan, in which the balance of tuition and fees can be paid in monthly installments over the semester, rather than all at once.
Emory Medical School Requirements
All students interested in applying to this competitive program must ensure the completion of Emory’s prerequisite coursework before starting the application process. Students applying from outside the U.S. and Canada will need to complete these 32 required hours at an accredited school in the U.S. or Canada before they can be eligible for consideration.
Emory requires a minimum of 8 semester hours each of these sciences: physical science, biology, chemistry, and organic chemistry. Six semester hours of English and 18 semester hours of other humanities or social science courses round out the list.
Emory admissions considers the candidate’s entire GPA, not weighted either to required coursework or sciences. Students accepted to Emory’s medical school earn an average cumulative GPA of 3.7.
The Association of American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) administers Emory Medical School’s application and materials. Applications must be submitted through their site, where materials will be verified before going on to Emory.
Candidates’ MCAT scores serve as a prescreening tool for admissions. For a student’s application to be considered, they must earn an overall score of 500 or higher, along with scores of 123 or better on each subtest.
Additionally, the scores on the applicant’s most recent MCAT must be completed within four years and no later than October of the prior expected year of matriculation.
Once Emory receives a candidate’s AMCAS application and establishes eligibility, Emory’s admissions department sends its own supplemental application for completion. Students must meet Emory’s technical standards for medical school admission to move to the next stage of consideration.
From September through February, Emory admissions selects students from these verified applications for interviews, leading up to final admission decisions in March. Candidates retain eligibility until the end of the interview period.
Emory Medical School Notable Alumni
Emory Medical School acknowledges the toll on practicing medical professionals, providing support for medical students and physicians.
From counseling services to wellness programs, Emory helps its graduates set a lifetime plan for work/life balance.
Emory graduates enjoy a range of benefits nationwide, from career services to discounts and social organizations. The School of Medicine publishes its own alumni magazine, highlighting the work of graduates around the world.
Some noteworthy alumni include Arnall Patz, winner of the Congressional Medal of Freedom and Johns Hopkins researcher who pioneered the use of lasers to treat retinal disorders. The school’s alumni association recently established an award in his honor.
Beloved Georgia author Ferrol Sams graduated from Emory Medical School, as did NASA astronaut Sonny Carter.
Emory Medical School Ranking
According to U.S. News, Emory University Medical School ranks among the top fifty medical schools for primary care, and among the top 25 for research. The program ranks in the top 100 for diversity, and for graduates practicing in underserved areas.
The physician assistant program at Emory is ranked 5th nationally, and its physical therapy program comes in at number 8, also according to U.S. News. The school’s infectious disease program earned a #5 national ranking as well.
Thirteen Emory departments rank among the top 20 in NIH research funding; its pediatric department receives the most NIH funding of any in the nation.
QS acknowledges Emory University’s proactive response to changing social, intellectual, and economic conditions, ranking it 22nd in the nation and first in Georgia for its fostering of social responsibility.
Should You Attend Emory Medical School?
For candidates interested in practice or in research, Emory Medical School provides the facilities, reputation, and opportunities to forge an exceptional career in either medical domain.
Any candidate not yet confident if research or practice will be their future can go to Emory secure in the knowledge that either path can be followed there.
The flexibility of its combined degree programs and extensive residency opportunities means students can design medical careers overlapping with many fields.
Entrepreneurs, inventors, public health innovators, and more can all create their professional foundation among the academic paths in Emory’s medical school.
The school’s Office of Technology Transfer helps discoveries in the laboratory make their way to the marketplace, launching 59 products and helping 119 companies get started.
Emory reports that its medical school is best known for work in infectious disease, brain health, heart disease, cancer, transplantation, orthopedics, pediatrics, renal disease, ophthalmology, and geriatrics. Many schools might be happy to have a total list of covered areas like this one.
Engaged faculty, low cost of living, and a solid global reputation make Emory an exceptional choice for any medical school candidate.
