Foreign students who do not have a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an institution in the United States are rarely accepted for admission. Students who have been enrolled in medical school are ineligible to apply for admission to the first-year class. Students who have been refused admission to HMS on two prior occasions also are ineligible. Academic excellence is expected. Students are encouraged to take advanced courses, if qualified, since the Committee on Admissions takes the level of courses into account when considering academic performance.
Selection is based on a total and comparative appraisal of the candidates' suitability for medicine.
A strong preparation in the sciences and mathematics basic to medical school studies is mandatory. A variety of course formats and combinations will be accepted. Courses taken should be comparable to courses taken by students majoring in these subjects. Students admitted to college with advanced placement in many subjects are encouraged to take upper level and graduate courses rather than use advanced placement credits to shorten the college experience. However, in the final analysis, it is not the number of years in college or hours in a course, but the quality of education and the maturity of the student which determine readiness for medical school.