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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

GWU School of Medicine (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Washington, DC, United StatesEstablished 1824Interviews October–MarchDecisions Rolling (AAMC standard latest March 30)

Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0

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Overview

About GWU School of Medicine (MD)

George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS), founded in 1824, is a private medical school located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, DC. As one of the oldest medical schools in the United States, GWU SMHS benefits from its proximity to Congress, federal agencies, international organizations, and a rich global health and health policy ecosystem. The school is particularly known for global health programs and has strong ties to the DC public health infrastructure.

What makes it different

GWU's Washington, DC location is a genuine educational asset: students have access to Capitol Hill policy hearings, federal health agency partnerships (NIH, CDC, FDA, HHS), and major international health organizations. The school's MD/MPH program is one of the most prestigious in the country and can be completed concurrently. The Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library is among the largest in the US and provides substantial research support.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Integrated curriculum combining basic science, clinical skills, and health systems content from Year 1. Strong global health elective and dual-degree pathways (MD/MPH, MD/MBA). Clinical rotations at GW Hospital and affiliated DC-area hospitals and clinics. The DC location provides access to international organization placements (PAHO, WHO/AMRO, World Bank health programs).

Research strengths

GWU School of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Global health, Health policy and systems, Infectious disease, Oncology, Health disparities.

Interview

GWU School of Medicine (MD) interviews via Traditional interview (faculty, student, and/or staff interviewers). GWU SMHS uses a traditional interview format consisting of one or two conversational sessions with faculty, current medical students, and/or admissions staff, typically 30–45 minutes each. Interviews are non-blind — interviewers have reviewed the full application. The format is conversational and probes motivation, global health interest, ethical reasoning, and ability to discuss complex healthcare policy topics, reflecting GWU's Washington, DC location. The interview day includes a campus tour in Foggy Bottom and an informational session.

Intake

Approximately 210 students per year (expanded from ~182 in Fall 2024).

At a glance

Founded in 1824, based in Washington, DC. Programmes offered: Global Health, Health Policy, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Health Systems Research.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to GWU School of Medicine (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. No specific major required. Clinical experience, community service, and global or public health interest valued. Applications via AMCAS; secondary required.
MCAT median
516 (range 511–521)
GPA median
3.88 overall / 3.70 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
0.8%
Class size
210
In-state preference
None
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Required
Holistic review emphasis
Global health orientation, health policy engagement, diversity, research, and mission-driven practice.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Global Health, Health Policy, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Health Systems Research
Interview

How GWU School of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

Format
Traditional interview (faculty, student, and/or staff interviewers)
Interview window
October–March
Decision date
Rolling (AAMC standard latest March 30)
Tutor insight
GWU is an excellent fit for applicants with genuine global health or health policy interests — the DC location uniquely enables real-world engagement with these fields during medical training. If this is your motivation, make sure you articulate specific programs, organizations, or policy areas you want to engage with, not just a general interest in global health. The relatively high tuition and competitive applicant pool mean that cost-of-attendance and financial aid strategy should be part of your decision-making. Strong MCAT and GPA are important, but the school also admits applicants with compelling non-traditional or policy-oriented backgrounds.
Practice

Practise for your GWU School of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to GWU School of Medicine (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for GWU School of Medicine (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumPanelQ1

MCAT: Connecting Behavioural Science to Clinical Practice

The MCAT includes a Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behaviour section — a relatively recent addition (2015) that reflects a deliberate shift in how the AAMC defines scientific preparation for medicine. Describe a concept from your MCAT behavioural science preparation — psychology, sociology, or health behaviour — that you now see as directly relevant to the kind of physician you want to be. Why does that concept matter clinically?

Likely follow-up · How did studying behavioural science for the MCAT change how you think about the causes of illness or the barriers to healthy behaviour?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumMMI · PanelQ2

AAMC Core Competency: Teamwork Under Hierarchy

You are a first-year medical student assigned to a surgery rotation. The attending surgeon makes a comment at the scrub sink that you believe is incorrect — she states a particular antibiotic is the standard prophylaxis for this procedure, but your pharmacology notes clearly indicate a different agent is preferred by the ASHP/IDSA/SIS/SHEA surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines. The procedure is about to begin. What do you do?

Likely follow-up · How does the hierarchy of the surgical team affect when, how, and whether a student should raise a clinical concern?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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Apply to GWU School of Medicine (MD) with confidence

We've helped students turn their MCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from GWU School of Medicine (MD) and other US medicine schools.