Applicants to the Pritzker School of Medicine must complete the MCAT exam. Applicants may submit MCAT scores from up to three years prior to the time of application. Beyond that period of time, an applicant is required to retake the exam.

Applicants must have completed 90 credit hours (using the AMCAS methodology) prior to matriculation from an accredited four-year degree-granting U.S. or Canadian college or university.* A baccalaureate degree is not required but is strongly preferred by the Admissions Committee. If you completed a baccalaureate degree in a country outside of the U.S. or Canada, we require you to complete at least 1 year of full-time coursework (predominately in the sciences) in a U.S. or Canadian institution. Courses pursued in other English-speaking countries will also be considered.

Since the medical profession needs individuals with a wide range of talents and academic backgrounds, there is no preferred undergraduate major, and applicants should feel free to choose a major that allows them to explore their academic area(s) of interest.

*Applicants may also complete the required credit hours at a community college in combination with additional credits from an accredited four-year, degree-granting institution. 

Applicants may request a waiver for any of the requirements listed above. A request should be made in a letter to the Admissions Committee (pritzkeradmissions@bsd.uchicago.edu). The request should explain why a waiver is reasonable, necessary, and appropriate. A copy of a completed AMCAS application should also accompany a request.

We do not accept transfer student applications or applications for advanced standing to the Pritzker School of Medicine. All applicants must apply as incoming first-year students through AMCAS.

Full-time and visiting medical students must present proof of immunity to meet current university requirements. This process is completed during the summer of the year of matriculation to medical school. Failure to submit proof of immunization or vaccination will result in class registration penalties and reduced access to campus facilities (library, athletics, etc.) by the University Registrar.

A full current list of required immunizations is available on the UChicago Student Wellness website. Please note that medical students have a separate, medical school-specific form and will receive instructions on completing and submitting their documentation the summer prior to matriculation.

The curricular goals of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine are intended to develop physicians from diverse segments of society whose personal attributes are manifest in their high moral, ethical, and compassionate care of patients; who are responsible to social and societal needs; and who have been thoroughly educated in the art and science of medicine so that they demonstrate sustained competence in medicine.

In order to meet these goals, the faculty of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine have developed, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the following essential function requirements for medical students. All students, for matriculation and promotion should, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Possess the neuromuscular control and eye-hand coordination needed to efficiently, safely, and independently carry out all necessary procedures involved in the learning of the basic and clinical sciences, as well as those required in the hospital and clinical environment. These include, but are not limited to, anatomic dissection, basic science laboratory exercises, basic and advanced cardiac life support activities, physical examinations, surgical, clinical laboratory, and other technical procedures as required for diagnosis and treatment.
• Possess the sensory ability, as well as the mental capacity, to rapidly assimilate large volumes of technically detailed and complex information presented in formal lectures, small group discussions, and individual clinical settings. Students should possess the intellectual abilities to acquire, assimilate, integrate and apply information obtained from written, oral, and visual sources.
• Possess the use of senses to allow for effective observation and communication in the classroom, scientific laboratory, and clinical setting.
  *In the clinical setting, the use of a trained intermediary cannot be used to fulfill essential requirements.
• Possess the emotional and physical health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients.

The University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine Policy Statement Regarding Technical Standards for the MD Degree

Applicants to Pritzker School of Medicine are selected based upon academic, personal and extracurricular dimensions of their applications. In addition, applicants must have the intellectual, physical and emotional capacities to meet the objectives of the School’s curriculum and of a successful medical career. 

The mission of the Pritzker School of Medicine (PSOM) is to provide its graduates with broad general knowledge in all fields of medicine and competence in the basic skills requisite for the practice of medicine. Therefore, the faculty of PSOM believes that a broad-based and patient-oriented curriculum is necessary for the development of such knowledge and skills and is best suited to the education of future generalists, specialists, physician investigators and leaders in medicine. In other words, PSOM seeks to graduate students who will have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. 

The following technical standard guidelines specify the attributes that the PSOM faculty considers essential for successfully completing medical-school training and for enabling each graduate to enter residency and clinical practice. Because these standards describe the essential functions that students must demonstrate to meet the requirements of a general medical education, they are prerequisites for entrance, continuation, promotion and graduation. 

Introduction and Purpose 

The PSOM Medical Education Program is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students and endeavors to select candidates that will become highly competent physicians and who will be prepared to enter residency training programs and otherwise satisfy PSOM academic and performative requirements, including these Technical Standards. The term “candidates” refers to individuals who are seeking admission to the MD program at the PSOM as well as current students who are candidates for retention, promotion or graduation. 

PSOM has responsibility for: the selection of students; the design, implementation and evaluation of the curriculum; the evaluation of student progress; and the determination of who should be awarded a MD degree (LCME accreditation requirements, element 8.4). In evaluating candidates under these Technical Standards, PSOM will base its decisions on academic and non-academic factors, as appropriate, to ensure that the candidate can complete the essential academic and Technical Standards required for graduation. 

The PSOM program is undifferentiated, which means graduates are provided with broad general knowledge in all fields of medicine and the basic skills and competence requisite for the practice of medicine. This patient-oriented curriculum is necessary for the development of such knowledge and skills and is best suited to the education of future generalists, specialists, physician investigators and leaders in medicine. In other words, PSOM seeks to graduate students who will have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of patient care. The intention of an individual candidate to practice only a narrow part of clinical medicine, or to pursue a non-clinical career, does not alter the expectation that all PSOM and Medical Scientist Training Program candidates achieve competence in the entire curriculum as outlined by the program. 

Publication 

The PSOM policy on technical standards appears on the PSOM Admissions website at pritzker.uchicago.edu/admissions/entrance-requirements and under PSOM Policies at pritzker.uchicago.edu/academics/academic-policies-procedures. All inquiries should be directed to the Office of the Committee on Admissions. 

Technical Standards for Medical School Admission, Promotion and Graduation 

A candidate for the MD degree must achieve competence in five categories of performance within a reasonable training period, including A. Observational Competencies; B. Communication Competencies; C. Examination, Procedural, and Diagnostic Competencies; D. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Competencies; and E. Behavioral Attributes, Social, Ethical, and Professional Competencies.

Candidates must be able to perform the requisite competencies in a reasonably independent manner. 

A student may be separated, discontinued or dismissed from the program if the student, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Does not satisfy the program’s technical standards;
• Interferes with patient care or any person’s safety; or 
• Is unable to complete the PSOM education program. More information about the education program is available here: pritzker.uchicago.edu/academics/md-curriculum

A. Observational Competencies 

Candidates are required to acquire and organize information from various educational experiences, including but not limited to demonstrations, lectures, small group discussions, and laboratory activities.  

Candidates must actively participate in experiments in the foundational sciences, including the dissection of cadavers; examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology and neuroanatomy laboratories; microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states; and interpretation of various diagnostic studies (including but not limited to electrocardiograms, chest x-rays, and other radiological images).  

Candidates are required to obtain patient information in a timely and accurate manner. They must perform thorough physical examinations independently, correctly observing and interpreting clinical data, and evaluating patients’ conditions and responses to integrate this information for the development of an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan. 

B. Communication Competencies 

Candidates must communicate effectively, respectfully, and efficiently with patients and their families, other health care personnel, and all other individuals with whom they come in contact.  

Candidates will be required to obtain a medical history in a timely manner, interpret and project non-verbal aspects of communication, and clarify information with the intent of establishing therapeutic relationships with patients.  

Candidates must record information efficiently and accurately and clearly convey that information to other health care professionals in a variety of patient settings. Additionally, candidates will be expected to accurately communicate scientific data and findings in a variety of scholarly forums. 

Candidates have a responsibility to communicate and coordinate their work as a member of an effective healthcare team. 

C. Examination, Procedural, and Diagnostic Competencies 

Candidates must, after a reasonable period of training, independently gather data using physical examination and diagnostic maneuvers, e.g., palpation, auscultation, percussion and other diagnostic maneuvers.  

Candidates will be required to respond to clinical situations in a timely and patient-centered manner and provide direct general and emergency treatment to patients in a range of situations and conditions. Examples include cardiopulmonary resuscitation; the administration of intravenous medication; the application of pressure to stop bleeding; the opening of obstructed airways; the suturing of simple wounds, and the performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers, among others. Candidates must demonstrate the physical mobility, coordination of both gross and fine neuromuscular functions, equilibrium, and stamina to pursue these common medical practices and procedures.  

Candidates must meet safety standards appropriate for a variety of settings, adhere to universal precautions and procedures, and execute these skills as part of a high functioning healthcare team. 

D. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Competencies 

Candidates must engage, assimilate, and integrate large volumes of technically detailed and complex information presented through both the didactic curriculum and clinical coursework.  

Candidates are required to learn through a variety of modalities, including classroom instruction; small group, team and collaborative activities; preparation and presentation of information; simulation; use of computer technology; and anatomic dissection.  

Candidates will be required to organize, measure, reason, analyze, synthesize, prioritize, interpret and communicate detailed and complex information quickly and efficiently.  In addition, candidates must comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures.  

Candidates must engage in collaborative team-based learning and contribute effectively as part of a team.  

Candidates are required to interpret connections and make accurate, fact-based conclusions based on available data and information. Candidates will also be expected to formulate and test hypotheses that enable effective and timely problem-solving in diagnosis and treatment of patients in a variety of research settings, clinical settings and health care systems. 

E. Behavioral, Social, Ethical and Professional Competencies 

Candidates must accept professional responsibilities and demonstrate professional behavior, including taking ownership of and accountability for their education, actions, and the expectations set forth by the Pritzker School of Medicine. They are expected to demonstrate commitment to their medical education, including full engagement in the educational program, welcoming and incorporating feedback, and taking full advantage of support and resources that aid in their professional development. 

Candidates are required to demonstrate the self-awareness, adaptability, resilience, sound judgment, and endurance necessary for navigating challenging educational and clinical environments.  

Candidates must always act with integrity and honesty, ensuring honest representation of themselves, admission of knowledge or skill gaps, admission of errors, and telling the truth despite any discomfort it may cause. 

Candidates are required to demonstrate compassion and a commitment to the well-being of others, maintaining the primacy of patients’ needs and the importance of support of other healthcare professionals in team-based practice.  

Candidates are required to contribute to the ethical provision of medicine, adhering always to the core principles of patient autonomy, consent, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and confidentiality. 

Candidates must communicate respectfully and foster collaboration by being courteous, actively listening, seeking understanding, and establishing mutual respect with all individuals.  

Candidates must ensure organization, prioritization, and timely completion of educational, clinical, and related administrative tasks. Outside of formal remediation efforts, candidates must complete coursework within the time allotted for the course/clerkship/sub-internship.   

Accommodation of Disability 

Candidates must meet the Technical Standards outlined above with or without reasonable accommodations. PSOM is committed to creating equal access for individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations to those who qualify for them in accordance with its obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, including changes made by the ADA Amendment Act of 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

PSOM will not assume that an individual has a disability. Instead, individuals seeking reasonable accommodations must self-identify to the University of Chicago’s Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) and engage in the accommodation process. This typically will involve the individual providing documentation of their disability, followed by an interactive process between the individual and SDS staff to determine an individualized accommodation plan that will not fundamentally alter PSOM’s academic or professional standards or its Technical Standards. A description of the accommodations process is located at both the University of Chicago SDS website at disabilities.uchicago.edu and the disabilities section of the PSOM website at pritzker.uchicago.edu/resources/students-disabilities. Candidates may contact University of Chicago’s SDS Office by email at disabilities@uchicago.edu or by phone at (773) 702-6000. 

Accommodations are not applied retroactively; therefore, timely requests are essential and encouraged. Given the clinical nature of the MD program, it may take some time to create and implement individualized accommodations. PSOM’s overall approach to disability accommodations is described at pritzker.uchicago.edu/resources/students-disabilities.