For most medical school applicants, getting into Harvard University Medical School (HMS), ranked #1 for research by US News and World Report is considered a lofty goal. In the 2024-2025 year, we have had more students interview with Harvard Medical School than in any other previous year! We know what it takes to earn your way into Harvard.
Gaining admission to Harvard Medical School represents a pinnacle achievement in medical education. While the process is highly selective, understanding the requirements, programs, and what the admissions committee values can help you build a strong application. This comprehensive guide explores Harvard Medical School's unique programs, admissions data, and application components, helping you navigate everything from crafting compelling essays to preparing for interviews. We'll examine both the Pathways and Health Sciences & Technology (HST) tracks, breaking down what makes each program distinctive and how to determine which might be right for you.
We will also offer insider tips regarding what it takes to get into Harvard Medical School based on our own former interviewers input and our students' experiences and outcomes.
If you are interested in applying to Harvard, it is important to know the medical school's requirements for admission. Harvard is moving towards competency-based admissions and values interdisciplinary coursework which is prevalent in today's undergraduate curriculums. That said, Harvard Medical School still requires or prefers to see certain courses:
Beat nearly 7,000 applicants and gain acceptance to HMS
Harvard Medical School interviewed 11.3% of applicants last year. As you can see, simply getting an interview is a huge accomplishment!
The Harvard Medical School acceptance rate was 2.7% which reflects the most recent data available. This number does not vary much from year to year.
Here is the data broken down:
Harvard accepts international and out of state students.
It may seem obvious, but, Harvard medical school values and expects academic excellence in applicants. Therefore, if Harvard is your goal, be sure to challenge yourself in your undergraduate coursework as much as possible.
When reviewing Harvard's acceptance data, realize that the numbers are averages! Not everyone who gets into Harvard has a perfect GPA and MCAT! Below is the data for accepted students.
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Harvard allows applicants to submit up to six letters of reference with the following specifics from Harvard Medical School's website:
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Harvard's more traditional and primary medical school curriculum is called the Pathways Program in which 135 students enroll annually. This is a case-based medical school curriculum with early clinical exposure that culminates in a scholarly project.
In addition, Harvard has a joint program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) called the Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program which is a rigorous curriculum designed specifically for students with an interest in quantitative science and enrolls up to 30 students per year.
Harvard also has an MD/PhD program and last year 15 students enrolled.
Harvard also offers the following combined degree programs:
HMS Tuition = $71,032
72% of students receive financial aid.
The average scholarship amount received at Harvard Medical School among the class of 2028 was $60,403.
Harvard participates in the centralized medical school application service called AMCAS. Therefore, you will not write a personal statement specifically for Harvard. Harvard will receive the personal statement you write for AMCAS which must adhere to the following instructions:
"Use the Personal Comments Essay as an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. Consider and write your Personal Comments Essay carefully; many admissions committees place significant weight on the essay." Click here to read more about some questions that you may want to consider while writing the essay.
Harvard Medical School does not ask you to submit a CV or resume. Instead, Harvard requires you to submit a centralized AMCAS application which requires you to write about your accomplishments in detail. These "work and activities entries" as they are called, are sent to Stanford as well as any other medical schools to which you apply through AMCAS.
Below are a few things you should know about the AMCAS work and activities.
AMCAS work & activities entries give you the chance to let medical schools know how much you've accomplished during your premed years.
We encourage you to use this space to your advantage, elaborating as much as possible about your roles, responsibilities, the insights you gained, as well as what you have learned from the experience. You should also write in detail about the impact or "difference" you have made through the experience.
Click here to read more about AMCAS Work & Activities Section (With Examples): The Ultimate Guide.
The key when trying to get into Harvard medical school or any extremely competitive medical schools is to have deep, long-standing, and meaningful involvements where you have made significant contributions and had exceptional levels of achievement. Ultimately, Harvard is looking for applicants who show tremendous promise to become leaders in medicine. So, assuming you have the stats to be considered for Harvard Medical School, in what activities should you excel to distinguish yourself in the admissions process?
Research
A whopping 99% of Harvard first year medical students had research experience which makes research a requirement for Harvard applicants. And, the more sophisticated your research the better chances you will have of standing out in the admissions process. Demonstrating national or world-wide recognition though publications or presentations, is a bonus.
Medical/Clinical Volunteer or Community Service Experience
By the same token, 87% of students had experiences in this category so, to be competitive, we suggest deep involvement in medically related community work, work with different populations, and work with underserved populations.
Medical/Clinical Paid Employment
49% of matriculants had paid medical or clinical employment which was an increase from 38% the previous year.
Clinical Experience/Physician Shadowing
91% of students had done physician shadowing. Therefore, gaining as much exposure to different specialists in different medical settings will help distinguish you. Even though Harvard is a research-focused school, they like to see exposure to primary care as well.
Community Service
Finally, 91% of students had other types of community service work.
So, what can you do to set yourself apart in the application process? Be sure you write a thoughtful AMCAS personal statement and work and activities section. You should also make composing your Harvard secondary essays a priority. Interestingly, Harvard's secondary essay prompts are not very specific and ask you to write about what you have done if you have already graduated and to explain any important aspects of you background and identity not addressed elsewhere in your application.
In addition to an orientation, lunch, and tour and class observation opportunities, applicant will have two traditional one on one interviews. Students applying for the HST and MD/PhD programs will have a total of four interviews. Based on our students' experiences, Harvard interviews are low pressure and conversational. Interviewers typically ask questions about your background, experiences, and motivations. In fact, one of our applicants who recently interview at Harvard said is was the most enjoyable experience he has had on the interview trail thus far.
Initial Review Phase
After receiving your complete application package (AMCAS application, secondary materials, and recommendation letters), Harvard faculty conduct a holistic review. Rather than using strict GPA or MCAT cutoffs, they consider all aspects of your application – even applicants with metrics below typical ranges may receive interview invitations if other elements of their application demonstrate exceptional qualities.
Keys to Success in Getting Past the Harvard Medical School Review Phase
Academic Excellence Plus Impact
Strong candidates demonstrate:
Depth Over Breadth
Successful applicants typically show:
Compelling Written Materials
Application materials should demonstrate:
Beyond the Numbers
Standout candidates often have:
Interview Structure
Selected candidates participate in two interviews, typically with:
– HMS-affiliated physician faculty members
– Occasionally, senior medical students serving on the Admissions Committee
Both faculty and student interviewer evaluations carry equal weight in the process. Interview assignments are based primarily on scheduling availability.
Post-Interview Evaluation
Subcommittee Review
Applications undergo review by subcommittees organized by undergraduate institution, with Harvard College students grouped by House affiliation. This structure enables:
Final Committee Review
The main committee makes final decisions through:
Admission Offers
Final decisions are based on:
This systematic approach ensures fair consideration regardless of interview timing during the admissions cycle, with waitlist offers following the same ranked system.
Harvard Medical School obviously has the luxury of selecting students from an outstanding pool of applicants. If your MCAT and GPA are excellent (517 and 3.8 or higher) or there are other extenuating circumstances about your background that distinguish you, try applying. Many people in medicine consider HMS the best medical school in the country so do what is within your control to make yourself a competitive applicant!