Welcome!

COVID-19 Admissions Information

Hardship Request Form

Our Admissions Committee understands that outside circumstances may prevent applicants from being able to submit one or more required application components to the Pritzker School of Medicine. If you will be unable to submit any required component(s) by our secondary deadline, or if you will be unable to submit any required component(s) entirely, please submit a hardship request. The Admissions Committee will consider these requests on a case-by-case basis.

July 10 Update on the 2021 Admissions Cycle

2021 Secondary Essay Prompts

Below are the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine’s current guidelines for the upcoming application cycle given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to update this message throughout the application season as the situation develops; we encourage you to check back regularly for updates.

Please know that our Admissions Committee understands the challenges that this pandemic has caused for many applicants, their education, and their families. We will continue to be flexible, holistic, and understanding as we review your candidacy.

• Pass/Fail Grades: We will accept pass/fail grades for courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.  We are aware that some undergraduate institutions are allowing students to take courses either for grades or on a pass/fail basis.  Our applicants should not feel pressured to choose the graded option. Grades of “pass” will satisfy our entrance requirement competencies.
• Online/Distance Learning Courses: We will continue to accept online and virtual courses and labs taken during the pandemic.
• MCAT: Currently, the AAMC is offering MCAT test dates for 2020 through the end of September. We will accept all 2020 MCAT test dates through the end of September for 2021 admission.
• Dates and Deadlines: Like all AMCAS-participating medical schools, we will now receive primary applications from AMCAS beginning on July 10 (a two-week delay). Our AMCAS deadline of November 16 and our secondary deadline of December 1 remain unchanged.
• Early Decision: We will not be offering the Early Decision application option for Fall 2021 entry.
• Interviews: All interviews for the 2021 application cycle will be virtual. Our interview season will not begin until September 2020 (a delay from our usual interview season opening in mid-August).  
• Hardship Requests: 

Welcome from Our Admissions Dean

I would like to thank you for your interest in pursuing your medical education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. My hope is that through your visit to our website, you will gain an understanding of our mission, our innovative curriculum, the culture of our student body, the many opportunities within service, advocacy, and research afforded to our students, and the potential impact of a Pritzker medical education.

Located in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park within the greater University of Chicago campus, our medical school attracts students from around the nation and world. Our students are keen to learn from and readily have access to world-renowned, interdisciplinary faculty researchers and clinicians who directly serve our students as expert teachers, mentors, and advisors. As a full-time teaching faculty, we view our medical students as future leaders who will make an impact in healthcare and science, and are committed to fostering their intellectual curiosity and ensuring that they are well-positioned to successfully pursue the next phase of their training and careers.

While our medical students are deeply curious with an interest in scholarship and innovation, they are also a diverse group equally committed to serving and partnering with our surrounding communities and communities from across the globe to improve health and healthcare delivery. At the Pritzker School of Medicine, we recognize our students as valued members of our community who contribute greatly to our atmosphere of collaboration, support, and excellence and who will help to shape the future of medicine.

If you, as a prospective medical student, feel aligned with our mission of service, scholarship, and leadership and have a passion for pursing your medical education within a supportive and collaborative environment, then we do hope that you will consider applying to the Pritzker School of Medicine. We hope to make your application process as straightforward as possible and that you will find the information for applicants helpful as you continue on your journey towards medicine. 

Keme H. Carter, MD
Associate Dean for Admissions
Associate Professor of Medicine
Emergency Medicine Clerkship Director
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine