Emory University School of Medicine is one of the most respected and distinctive medical schools in the southeastern United States and one of the most competitive in the country. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Emory combines outstanding research, a pass/fail curriculum for all four years, and early clinical training with a genuine commitment to serving the health needs of underserved communities both locally and globally.
Emory's vision of "reimagining medicine" reflects the school's belief that the next generation of physicians must be bold thinkers willing to take risks in order to achieve something great. Students have access to a broad network of affiliated clinical training sites across Atlanta, including Emory Healthcare, Grady Memorial Hospital, the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta giving them exposure to extraordinarily diverse patient populations across a range of settings from academic medicine to safety-net hospital care.
Emory's location in Atlanta also gives students access to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Cancer Society, both headquartered nearby, creating unique opportunities for students interested in public health, global health, and research that most medical schools cannot match.
Getting into Emory requires strong academics, meaningful clinical and research experience, and a genuine alignment with the school's commitment to innovation, service, and health equity.
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Traditional MD Program
Emory's primary MD program enrolls approximately 136 to 150 students per entering class. The curriculum is pass/fail and emphasizes early clinical exposure, interdisciplinary education, and a commitment to innovation and service.
MD/PhD Program
Emory offers a combined MD/PhD program through the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) for students committed to careers in academic medicine and biomedical research. Students complete both degrees at Emory, supported by one of the strongest research environments in the Southeast.
MD/MPH Program
Emory offers a combined MD/MPH program in partnership with the Rollins School of Public Health, one of the top public health programs in the country. This program is particularly compelling given Emory's proximity to the CDC and its strong global health mission.
MD/MBA Program
Emory offers a combined MD/MBA program in partnership with Goizueta Business School for students interested in healthcare leadership, management, and innovation.
MD/JD Program
Emory offers a combined MD/JD program in partnership with Emory School of Law for students interested in health law, bioethics, and policy.
Emory is one of the most selective medical schools in the country by acceptance rate. For the most recent admissions cycle, Emory received 12,671 applications, invited 4.85% of applicants to interview, and enrolled 136 students. The overall acceptance rate is 1.07%.
Emory's 1.07% acceptance rate is lower than Harvard's and places it among the most selective medical schools in the United States. With over 12,000 applications for approximately 136 seats, the competition is exceptional. Emory has no preference for in-state applicants; 75% of matriculants are from out of state making strong candidates from any state equally competitive.
For the 2026–2027 cycle, Emory has implemented an MCAT prescreen: applicants must score at least 502 overall with no section below 124 to receive a secondary application. Applicants who have taken the MCAT four or more times will not receive a secondary. If an applicant has multiple MCAT scores, the most recent score is used for prescreening purposes.
The average GPA for Emory matriculants is 3.81, with accepted applicants averaging approximately 3.84. Emory does not prescreen for a minimum GPA, but near-strong academic performance is expected of competitive applicants. Emory's holistic review means that exceptional research, clinical impact, or other distinguishing factors can compensate for a GPA slightly below the average.
The average MCAT for Emory matriculants is 515, placing successful applicants at approximately the 90th percentile nationally. Accepted applicants average approximately 517. In our experience, applicants should have an MCAT of 512 or higher to be competitive for an Emory interview invitation. For the 2026–2027 cycle, the absolute floor is a 502 with no section below 124 — applicants below this threshold will not receive a secondary.
Related Article: Learn More About MCAT Scores
Emory has specific prerequisite requirements. The following courses are required prior to matriculation:
All prerequisite courses must be completed with passing grades. Online lab courses are not accepted. AP credit may fulfill prerequisites at the discretion of the admissions committee. Emory strongly recommends completing all prerequisites before submitting your application.
Related Article: Medical School Requirements
Emory's curriculum is built around its vision of "reimagining medicine" — training physicians who are innovative, interdisciplinary, and committed to eliminating health disparities. Key features include:
Pass/Fail Grading
Emory uses a pass/fail grading system throughout the curriculum. This reduces competitive pressure and encourages collaboration, allowing students to focus on learning rather than ranking. Emory's pass/fail system is consistent with a growing number of top medical schools that have moved away from traditional letter grading in the preclinical years.
Early Clinical Training
Students begin 12 months of core clinical rotations midway through their second year. This early clinical immersion is designed to connect basic science learning directly to patient care well before the traditional third-year clerkship model.
Interdisciplinary Education
Emory is embedded within a major research university with strengths in business, law, public health, theology, and the liberal arts. The medical school actively leverages these connections, giving students opportunities for interdisciplinary work that most stand-alone medical schools cannot offer.
Diverse Clinical Training Sites
Emory students train across one of the most diverse clinical networks in the Southeast, including Emory University Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital (one of the largest public hospitals in the country and a leading safety-net institution), Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the Atlanta VA Medical Center, and the Emory Clinic. This network gives students extraordinary breadth of clinical experience across academic, community, and safety-net settings.
Global Health and Public Health Opportunities
Emory's proximity to the CDC and its partnership with the Rollins School of Public Health create exceptional opportunities for students interested in global health, infectious disease, and population-level medicine. Emory has a strong track record in global health research and training that is distinctive among medical schools of its size.
Clinical Experience
Meaningful clinical experience is essential at Emory. The school expects applicants to have genuine patient contact across a range of settings and to demonstrate a clear understanding of the realities of clinical medicine. Given Emory's commitment to serving underserved populations through sites like Grady Memorial Hospital, applicants who have cared for vulnerable or underserved patients in their clinical experiences will stand out.
Research
Research experience is highly valued at Emory. The school's vision of "reimagining medicine" is driven by discovery, and applicants with substantive, sustained research involvement — particularly those with publications, presentations, or other tangible contributions — are at a meaningful advantage. Emory's location near the CDC and its partnership with major research institutions make it particularly attractive to applicants with interests in translational research, global health, and infectious disease.
Service to Underserved Communities
Emory's secondary application specifically asks about activities in service to underserved communities, and this is not an accident. The school's affiliation with Grady Memorial Hospital and its commitment to health equity mean that service to vulnerable populations is a genuine admissions priority, not merely a checkbox. Applicants who have demonstrated sustained, authentic service engagement will be at a meaningful advantage.
Leadership and Innovation
Emory's "reimagining medicine" ethos values applicants who have taken initiative to create something new, lead meaningful change, or push boundaries in their fields. This does not require founding a startup; it can be demonstrated through research that broke new ground, clinical initiatives that changed practice, or community programs that created lasting impact.
Emory follows AMCAS guidelines for letters of recommendation. A committee letter from your undergraduate institution is preferred if available. Emory values letters that speak specifically to your character, your contributions, and your potential as a physician. Given the school's emphasis on service and innovation, letters from research supervisors, clinical mentors, and community service supervisors who can speak to the depth and impact of your work are particularly valuable.
Click here to read more about medical school letters of recommendation.
Emory participates in the centralized AMCAS application and does not require a separate personal statement. The personal statement you write for AMCAS will be sent to Emory and all other AMCAS schools to which you apply.
For Emory specifically, your personal statement should reflect the school's values of innovation, service, and a commitment to reimagining what medicine can be. A personal statement that reads as a conventional motivation narrative will not stand out at Emory. The admissions committee is looking for evidence that you think boldly, act with purpose, and have already begun to demonstrate what kind of physician-innovator you intend to become.
Click here to read more about writing a compelling medical school personal statement.
Emory does not ask you to submit a CV or resume separately. Instead, Emory receives your AMCAS work and activities section along with the rest of your primary application.
At Emory, use the most meaningful activities section to demonstrate depth of impact and genuine innovation. Show what you built, discovered, or changed — and how your work connects to the kind of physician you intend to become.
Click here to read our complete guide to the AMCAS Work and Activities Section with examples.
Emory prescreens applications for MCAT scores before sending secondaries. Applicants who meet the MCAT threshold (502 minimum, no section below 124, no more than three attempts) receive a secondary invitation. The secondary application fee and deadline are available on the official Emory admissions website.
The 2025–2026 Emory secondary essay prompts are as follows. All essays have a 200-word limit.
Prompt 1 (Required)
List your entire curriculum plan for the 2025–2026 academic year. If you are not in school, please briefly describe your plans for the coming year.
Prompt 2 (Required)
Briefly describe your health-related experiences. Be sure to include important experiences that are in your AMCAS application, as well as any recent experiences.
Prompt 3 (Required)
Briefly describe your interest in Emory and the Emory degree program you have selected.
Prompt 4 (Required)
Emory School of Medicine is committed to recruiting and educating medical students who will help deliver quality health care and will promote the health of our patients. In our community, this includes learning about and addressing the health care needs of our most underserved populations. Please describe any of your activities that have been in service to underserved communities.
Prompt 5 (Optional)
If you have any updates or new information to report since you submitted your AMCAS primary application, please briefly describe below.
Emory's secondary is notably shorter than most schools, with all prompts capped at 200 words. Every word counts. The third prompt — "Why Emory" — requires genuine research into the curriculum, clinical sites, research opportunities, and dual degree programs that make Emory distinctive. Generic responses that could apply to any school will not succeed here.
Note: Emory prompts may change from cycle to cycle. Always verify current prompts on the official Emory admissions website before writing your essays.
May/June 2026
Submit your AMCAS application as early as possible. Emory uses rolling admissions and reviews applications as they arrive. Earlier submission improves your chances of an earlier secondary invitation and interview.
July–October 2026
Emory sends secondary invitations to prescreened applicants on a rolling basis. Complete your secondary promptly upon receiving it.
August–February 2027
Interviews are conducted on a rolling basis via Zoom. Interview invitations go out throughout this window. The interview season ends in late February.
October 15, 2026
AMCAS primary application deadline.
March–April 2027
Admissions decisions released on a rolling basis.
April 30, 2027
Students holding multiple acceptances must select one medical school to attend.
Emory conducts virtual interviews via Zoom for the 2025–2026 application cycle. Each applicant participates in two interviews: one group interview and one traditional one-on-one interview with an Emory faculty member. The full interview day includes opportunities to meet current Emory students, admissions staff, and fellow interviewees. Based on our students' experiences, Emory interviews are conversational and focused on your background, motivations, research, service experience, and specific interest in Emory. Group interviews are also very conversation, low pressure, and often take the pattern of a Q&A that each applicant answers. Our students have never had issues with this interview format and find Emory interviews to be easy and low stress.
One important note from the admissions process: Emory explicitly notes that admissions staff may ask students and faculty for their impressions of interviewees throughout the day. Making a genuine, positive impression on everyone you meet, not just your formal interviewers, matters at Emory. Be prepared to speak specifically about Emory's programs, clinical sites, and dual degree opportunities to demonstrate authentic interest.
Emory Medical School charges the same tuition for all students regardless of state residency.
Emory's tuition is notably lower than many private medical schools of comparable prestige, including Columbia ($75,689), Georgetown ($76,603), and Yale ($72,290). Emory offers need-based financial aid and merit scholarships. The school participates in the AAMC's Fee Assistance Program for secondary fee waivers.
Emory University School of Medicine is consistently ranked among the top medical schools in the United States by U.S. News and World Report for both research and primary care. Emory's research enterprise is among the strongest in the Southeast, and its proximity to the CDC, the American Cancer Society, and a broad network of federal and nonprofit health institutions creates research and career opportunities that are distinctive and difficult to replicate elsewhere. Emory Healthcare is also one of the largest and most comprehensive academic health systems in the Southeast.
The average GPA for Emory matriculants is 3.81, with accepted applicants averaging approximately 3.84. Emory does not prescreen for a minimum GPA. Emory's holistic review means that exceptional research, clinical, or service experience can compensate for a GPA slightly below the average, though near-strong academic performance is expected of competitive applicants.
The average MCAT for Emory matriculants is 515, with accepted applicants averaging approximately 517. For the 2026–2027 cycle, Emory prescreens for a minimum MCAT of 502 with no section below 124. Applicants who have taken the MCAT four or more times will not receive a secondary. In our experience, applicants should have a 512 or higher to be competitive for an interview invitation.
No. Unlike public universities, Emory has no preference for in-state applicants. Approximately 75% of matriculants are from out of state, making strong candidates from any state equally competitive.
Yes. Emory uses a pass/fail grading system throughout the curriculum. This is designed to reduce competition among students and encourage collaboration. It is consistent with a growing number of top medical schools that have moved away from traditional grading in the preclinical years.
Atlanta gives Emory students access to clinical and research opportunities that are rare among top medical schools. The CDC and the American Cancer Society are headquartered nearby, creating exceptional public health and research opportunities. Grady Memorial Hospital, one of the country's largest safety-net institutions, is an Emory affiliate and gives students exposure to some of the most complex and underserved patient populations in the country. The Rollins School of Public Health, one of the top public health programs nationally, is on campus.
Emory conducts virtual interviews via Zoom. Each applicant participates in two interviews: one group interview and one traditional one-on-one interview with a faculty member. The full interview day includes opportunities to meet students, staff, and fellow interviewees. Emory notes that impressions across the entire day may factor into admissions decisions, so make a genuine effort throughout.
Yes. Emory prescreens applications for MCAT scores. Applicants must score at least 502 overall with no section below 124 to receive a secondary. Applicants who have taken the MCAT four or more times will not receive a secondary. Emory does not prescreen for GPA.
Emory's 1.07% acceptance rate is lower than Harvard Medical School's and places it among the most selective medical schools in the United States. With over 12,000 applications for approximately 136 seats, Emory is more competitive by acceptance rate than its name recognition alone might suggest. It is frequently underestimated on applicants' school lists, which makes it an important school to understand accurately.
Emory University School of Medicine is one of the most selective and most distinctive medical schools in the country. With an acceptance rate of just 1.07% and over 12,000 applications for approximately 136 seats, Emory is more competitive than most applicants realize. Its pass/fail curriculum, exceptional clinical network, proximity to the CDC, and genuine commitment to health equity and innovation make it one of the most compelling choices for applicants who want to train in a dynamic, mission-driven environment. If your GPA is 3.7 or above, your MCAT is 512 or higher, and you can demonstrate genuine commitment to research, service, and the kind of bold thinking that Emory prizes, this school belongs on your list. Apply early, prepare your secondary essays before you receive them, and be specific in your "Why Emory" response about the programs, clinical sites, and opportunities that genuinely draw you to Atlanta.