Medical School Admissions

Our response to COVID-19 continues to evolve due to the fluid nature of the situation. These policies are accurate as of May 29, 2022 but are continuously being evaluated and are subject to change.

• We will continue our commitment to holistic admissions and encourage applicants to share context regarding their individual situation on the MCW secondary application essay prompt.
• We will accept pass/fail grades for coursework, including prerequisites, taken during the COVID-19 pandemic (currently including January 2020 – present). As prerequisite coursework is intended to prepare applicants for the MCAT exam and for medical school coursework, applicants should ensure they have obtained mastery of the course material regardless of the grading system.
• We will continue to consider completion date as one factor in our admissions process (i.e. “rolling admissions”); however, we acknowledge that external factors may impact application completion date for some applicants this cycle.
• Interview day programming and interviews will be conducted virtually using Zoom. MSTP interview format is still being determined.
• Optional, in-person campus visit opportunities will be available during the application cycle for admitted applicants.
• Some applicants may encounter substantial challenges preparing a successful application for the 2023 cycle and may be more successful applying during a future cycle. To support current and future applicants, we will continue to promptly respond to your emails and offer virtual presentations and Q&A opportunities.

At this time, we continue to strongly encourage virtual meetings. Please review the virtual opportunities to connect with our office. In-person visits may be scheduled on a very limited basis.

Individual Meetings
We look forward to connecting with you! We are hosting virtual one-on-one advising appointments and group Info Sessions periodically. Each Info Session will begin with a 20-minute presentation about MCW and the medical school application process and will end with a 40-minute Q&A with admissions representatives. Sign up for a one-on-one appointment or an Info Session.

Group Presentations
If you’re a pre-med advisor, or the leader of a pre-med group or organization and would like to request a virtual presentation for your school or group, please email us directly at medschool@mcw.edu. We would be happy to set up a date and time to connect with your specific audience.

• Primary (AMCAS) application opens: May 3, 2022
• Earliest date to submit AMCAS application: May 26, 2022
• Latest MCAT date: July 29, 2022
• Latest CASPer date: August 11, 2022
• AMCAS application deadline: August 1, 2022
• Secondary application deadline: September 1, 2022 at 4:00 pm CST
• Latest date to receive decision: September 30, 2022
• New Student Orientation (all campuses): July 2023

The Early Decision Program is available at all three campuses.

• Primary (AMCAS) application opens: May 3, 2022
• Earliest date to submit AMCAS application: May 26, 2022
• Preferred date by which to submit AMCAS application: July 1, 2022
• Preferred date by which to submit Secondary application: August 15, 2022
• Latest MCAT date: September 10, 2022
• Latest CASPer date: December 8, 2022
• Interviews begin (will continue through March): September 2022
• First decisions released: October 17, 2022
• AMCAS application deadline: November 1, 2022
• Secondary application deadline: December 1, 2022 at 4:00 pm CST
• New Student Orientation (all campuses): July 2023

The Regular MD program is available at all three campuses.

The MD/PhD (MSTP) and MD/MS programs are only available at MCW-Milwaukee. Learn more about these dual-degree programs under "How to Apply."

To matriculate at MCW, you must have earned a bachelor’s degree or a minimum of 90 earned postsecondary credits (excluding AP, IB, CLEP or similar credits). All required credits, including prerequisites, must be earned at a college or university located in the United States (US) or Canada and accredited by a state, regional or federal accrediting agency prior to matriculation at MCW. No credit will be given for coursework taken outside of the US or Canada. Individual exceptions may be considered for applicants attending regionally accredited* institutions located outside of the US or Canada.

The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) exam is required of all applicants. We will only accept scores from tests taken within the three-year period prior to matriculation. For 2023 entry, you must have taken the exam no earlier than January 2020.

During the 2023 application cycle, MCW will accept applications from US Citizens, US Permanent Residents, and DACA recipients. We anticipate welcoming international applicants to MCW-Milwaukee in a future application cycle.

All applicants who are not US Citizens or US Permanent Residents must be prepared to submit a Certification of Finances form and provide supporting documentation for the total cost of attendance to the Financial Aid Office after being admitted to MCW Medical School. This information is not required to complete the application, but needs to be submitted and approved by April 30 of the matriculation year.

Statistical information can be found within the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database. The MSAR is a useful resource to browse, search, sort, and compare information about US and Canadian medical schools and programs.

*Acceptable regional accreditation organizations include:

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Wester Association of Schools and Colleges
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

While it is recommended that all prerequisites be completed prior to taking the MCAT, completion of the prerequisites is not a requirement to have an application reviewed, be interviewed, or receive an offer of admission. Completion of all prerequisites is a requirement for matriculation, and must be fulfilled by June 1 of the matriculation year.

To ensure accurate academic records, all final, official transcripts from every post-secondary institution attended must be submitted directly to the MCW Office of Admissions by June 1 of the matriculation year. Transcripts must come directly from the educational institutions and include posted degrees. AMCAS does not forward transcripts to medical schools.

All prerequisites must be taken at a regionally accredited college or university located in the United States or Canada. We will accept pass/fail grades for coursework, including prerequisites, taken during the COVID-19 pandemic (currently including January 2020 – present). If you are on the quarter or trimester system, three quarters or trimesters are required.

Prerequisites

• Biology
  • 1 semester course (3-4 credits) Advanced Biology         
    • Courses such as Anatomy & Physiology, Immunology, Microbiology or Neurobiology will satisfy this requirement
• Chemistry
  • 1 semester course (3-4 credits) Biochemistry
    • Provided the course required both General and Organic Chemistry as prerequisites
• Physics
  • 2 semester courses (6-8 credits)
    • Typically Physics I and Physics II will fulfill this requirement
• Math
  • 1 semester course (3-4 credits)
    • Statistics is recommended
• English
  • 1 semester course (3-4 credits)
    • May use a writing-intensive course to satisfy this requirement
• Social Sciences
  • 1 semester course (3-4 credits) Psychology or Sociology
• A course in oral communications (speech, interpersonal communication, etc.) is recommended.
• AP coursework will be accepted for the Physics, Math, English, and Social Science requirements.
• CLEP credit will be accepted for the Math, English, and Social Science requirements.

The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) exam is required of all applicants. For 2023 entry, you must have taken the exam no earlier than January 2020.

If you have taken the MCAT exam more than once, the Admissions Committee will mix-and-match the two most recent eligible exams to consider the best overall score.

Completion of the Casper test is mandatory for all MCW Medical School applicants. AAMC PREview is not required, nor will it be accepted as a substitute for Casper. Casper is an online test which assesses non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and physicians. This information will complement other tools we use for applicant screening, evaluation, and review and will further enhance the fairness and objectivity of our holistic review and selection process.

Altus offers the opportunity to complete an online multi-part assessment called Altus Suite. Altus Suite consists of:

• Casper: 100-120 minute online, open-response situational judgment test
• Snapshot: 15-minute one-way interview with standardized questions
• Duet: 15-minute value-alignment assessment

Though you will be prompted to participate in all three components, the only required assessment we will use as part of your application evaluation is your Casper test score.

Your application will not be reviewed for possible interview selection until MCW has received your score. This means you must complete the Casper test and select MCW Medical School for distribution before the posted Distribution Deadline. Keep in mind that it takes about 4 weeks for us to receive your score, so we highly recommend that you take the test early in the application cycle.

Casper test scores are only valid for one admissions cycle. If you took the Casper test as part of a previous year’s application, you are required to retake the test this cycle as well.

In order to take Casper, you will be responsible for securing access to a laptop or desktop computer with webcam and audio capabilities and a reliable internet connection with an internet speed of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of at least 2 Mbps on your selected test date. The Casper test cannot be taken using a mobile device, tablet, or iPad. The fee to take the Casper test is $85, which includes 8 program distributions. Each additional program distribution is $15. This is a change from last cycle and should reduce fees for applicants applying broadly. Casper fees are waived for those approved for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program.

Please go to TakeAltus.com to sign up and reserve a test date using your AAMC ID and a government-issued photo ID. Make sure to select the 2022-2023 Admissions Cycle, and to sign up for the Altus Suite for Medicine (UME) (CSP-10111 - U.S. Medicine). Please note that you will not be allowed to send scores to MCW after each posted Distribution Deadline has passed.

Learn more about the Altus Suite (CASPer Test): (PDF)

Required Undergraduate Letters: You must submit undergraduate letters of recommendation unless you graduated with your undergraduate degree at least five years ago. Letters must be submitted in one of the following formats:

• Committee letter
• Packet of letters
• Two individual letters from classroom professors, one of whom must have taught biology, chemistry, physics, or a comparable science discipline.

Graduate Letters: It is strongly recommended that applicants currently or previously enrolled in a degree-granting graduate program submit one letter of recommendation from a professor or thesis advisor. Applicants recently accepted to or matriculated in a graduate program are not required to submit a letter. You may elect to submit graduate letters of recommendation for undergraduate letters in some circumstances, or when unable to acquire undergraduate letters.

Optional Letters: You may submit up to three optional letters. These letters are not required. For optimal consideration, these should be received by MCW before the application is complete.

• If you are applying to the MD/PhD (MSTP) or MD/MS program, it is strongly recommended that you include a letter of recommendation speaking to your ability to become a physician-scientist.
• Letters from Principal Investigators may be submitted as optional letters, but typically cannot fulfill the undergraduate or graduate letter requirements.

Letter Format

• Letters of recommendation must be on official letterhead and signed by the author(s).
• If the letter-writer is a Teaching Assistant, the letter must be co-signed by the Professor of the course.
• It is your responsibility to confirm that each letter-writer understands and complies with these requirements.
• Letters of recommendation are accepted via US Postal Service and electronic providers including AMCAS, VirtualEvals, and Interfolio.

If you are requesting an exception, such as waiving undergraduate or graduate letters, please contact the Office of Admissions at medschool@mcw.edu or (414) 955-8246.

The primary application to the Medical College of Wisconsin must be initiated through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS).

MCW Medical School offers a variety of program types, which are listed on the AMCAS application.

• Regular MD: This program is offered at all three of our campuses.
• Early Decision: This program is offered at all three of our campuses.
• Combined MD/PhD or Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP): This program is only offered at MCW-Milwaukee. This dual-degree program is typically completed in eight years, and matriculates about six students per year. Learn more
• Combined MD/MS or MD/MS in Clinical and Translational Science: This program is only offered at MCW-Milwaukee. This dual-degree program is intended to be completed within four years, and is designed for students who wish to pursue a medical career with a research focus. Learn more

Combined MD/MPH: This program is only offered at MCW-Milwaukee. Applicants to this dual-degree program will be eligible to apply after their first year of medical school at MCW has been completed. Learn more

Apply Now

Secondary applications will be sent to all eligible applicants upon MCW’s receipt of your verified AMCAS application. If you received an email with login credentials for the MCW Secondary Application, please complete the application. If you have not received that email, or a communication that you are ineligible to apply, please check your spam or junk mail folders and contact the Office of Admissions.

You will designate your campus preferences on the secondary application. There is only one secondary application and one application fee, regardless of campus preferences.

Please familiarize yourself with the mission and opportunities available at each campus location before submitting your application. Since MCW-Central Wisconsin and MCW-Green Bay have small class sizes of primarily Wisconsin residents, there are limited spaces available for non-residents.

These forms are not required of all applicants. Please review the requirements of each form, and complete the form(s) that pertain to you. All forms are in PDF format. You will need the free Adobe Reader to view and print the forms.

• Dean’s Certification: This form is required if you have indicated on the AMCAS application or on our Secondary Application that an institutional action has been taken against you. It is also required if you have previously matriculated at a medical school regardless of the reason for departure. Provide this form with your explanation to the appropriate office at the institution for verification. It will then be sent directly to us by your institution. If applicable to you, this form is required to complete your application.
• Wisconsin Residency Form: If you are considered a Wisconsin resident for tuition purposes, complete and send this form to the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) in Madison, WI. This form must be approved prior to matriculation to qualify for the Wisconsin Medical Student Tuition Assistance program, but it is not required to complete your secondary application. Please note: Private colleges do NOT participate in the tuition reciprocity program because they do not charge non-resident tuition rates. Therefore, the Minnesota/Wisconsin reciprocity agreement does not apply to MCW students.
• Technical Standards: The Technical Standards for Admission, Retention, Promotion and Graduation consist of the minimum physical, cognitive and emotional requirements to provide reasonable assurance that students can complete the entire course of study and participate fully in all aspects of medical training. Current students review and sign the Technical Standards annually.
• Credit Report: All admitted and waitlisted applicants are required to submit a copy of their credit report to be approved by the Financial Aid Office by the deadline date provided in their acceptance or waitlist letter. Credit reports can be requested on the Annual Credit Report website. If you have no credit history, this form is required. Additional documentation may be required by the Financial Aid Office on a case-by-case basis.
• Certification of Finances: If you are not a US Citizen, you must submit the Certification of Finances form and documentation to the Financial Aid Office. You are encouraged to complete and submit this documentation early after being admitted or placed on the waitlist; this is not required to complete your application but needs to be submitted and approved well in advance of matriculation.
• International applicants who have been accepted to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) are not required to provide a Certification of Finances form since the MSTP program provides students with financial support during the duration of the program. If, for any reason, the international student leaves the MSTP program, the student would then be required to provide a Certification of Finances (amount to be determined). If this documentation is not approved, the student will then be withdrawn from MCW.

MCW Medical School expects admitted applicants to matriculate in the class for which they were interviewed. In limited instances, an admitted applicant may request a one-year deferment of matriculation for personal reasons, professional development reasons, or extenuating circumstances. Examples include significant personal or family health challenges, childbirth or adoption, meaningful professional growth opportunities (e.g., Fulbright scholarship), service in the military or Peace Corps, or unforeseen circumstance that would seriously impact the applicant's ability to succeed as a medical student.

The request must be in writing using the appropriate form, must describe the specific reason(s) for the request, and may be submitted only after all stipulations of acceptance have been met. Students may only request deferment for the campus to which they have been admitted. Decisions to grant deferred matriculation are made on a case-by-case basis, and the MCW Admissions Committee reserves the right to limit the number of deferred matriculants in any entering class. Decisions on deferred matriculation requests will be communicated in May of the matriculation year.

The Medical College of Wisconsin only considers transfer applications from students demonstrating hardship into its third-year curriculum at MCW-Milwaukee from LCME-accredited schools. This is rare, as it is contingent on available space.

The transfer application to matriculate in July 2023 with the M3 class is now closed.

For the M3 class beginning in July 2024, it is not yet determined if there is limited space available. All completed transfer applications will be reviewed after December 1, 2023. Interviews will be offered to eligible and qualified applicants with final decisions sent by the end of February 2024. If accepted for transfer, you must plan to be available and on-campus by mid-June 2024. View the Medical School academic calendar for additional details.

To complete a transfer application for potential matriculation as an M3 in July 2024, please complete the MCW Medical School Transfer Application. Again, the deadline for an entirely complete application is December 1, 2023. A complete application includes additional required documents outlined in that link.

• Academic Achievement
• MCAT and CASPer Scores
• Personal Statement and Essays
• Letters of Recommendation
• Experiences
• Non-Cognitive Personal and Professional Characteristics
• Personal Interview

Interviews are typically offered from September to March. All invitations to interview will be sent via email. Interview space is limited, and reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

Each interview invitation will state the campus where you are invited to interview. We feel it is important that you have the opportunity to experience the campus where you may be matriculating. If you are offered admission, it will be at a specific campus and is not transferrable.

It is possible, but highly unlikely, that you will be invited to interview at multiple campus locations. Interview invitations are based on many factors. MCW cannot guarantee that you will be invited to interview at your first choice ranked campus. If you interviewed and are admitted to multiple campus locations, you will be given the choice of which offer you want to continue to hold.

The interview day schedule and timing will differ depending on campus location; however, you can expect to spend about six hours on campus for interview day activities.

Your $110 non-refundable deposit must be received by the MCW Medical School Office of Admission by close of business on April 30 (or the following business day if April 30 falls on a weekend). If you are admitted from the waitlist after April 30, the deadline to turn in the deposit will be stated in the offer letter. Your deposit should be paid online through your secondary application portal.

• Pay your $110 non-refundable deposit and formally accept your offer through your secondary application portal.
• Read and sign the Technical Standards for Admission to and Graduation from MCW Medical School document.
• Complete the Wisconsin residency form and send to HEAB in Madison, WI (if applicable).
• Complete your Criminal Background Check. This will be emailed to you through Certiphi Screening.
• Complete all prerequisite courses. Any missing prerequisites will be stated on your secondary application portal. If you’d like us to re-assess your coursework regarding a particular requirement, send us a detailed email explaining the situation. Be prepared to send a course description or syllabus, if requested.
• Send MCW final, official transcripts directly from all post-secondary institutions you’ve attended with degree conferral dates, if applicable. AMCAS does not forward your hard copy transcripts to us at any point in the application process, so you must have them sent directly to us from each institution. Any applicable degree conferral dates must be posted, so please make sure those will be on the transcript prior to sending. Transcripts may be sent in the mail or electronically to medschool@mcw.edu.
• Send your credit report and any other required financial documentation requested of you to the Financial Aid Office (finaid@mcw.edu).
• Complete certification in adult and pediatric CPR & AED.
• Deadlines will be stated in your offer letter.

Additional requirements and deadlines will be communicated in your offer letter and via email prior to matriculation.

Yes! All incoming MCW medical students are required to be certified in adult and pediatric CPR and AED prior to arriving at MCW for orientation. The course must be certified through the American Heart Association. The most common applicable AHA courses are Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or the Heartsaver CPR/AED course.

First Aid certification is recommended, but not required.

While a student at MCW, it is required that you have a laptop and a mobile device. These devices will be used for learning apps and taking tests. The full hardware and software requirements will be provided to incoming students prior to matriculation.

Pending availability, incoming students will also receive information on the Student Laptop Program. Participation in this program allows students to purchase a fully configured Windows or Apple laptop directly from MCW. We have worked with our vendors to offer these laptops at a significantly reduced price. Laptops purchased through this program will be available for pickup at Student Orientation.

Students also have the option of bringing their own laptop to MCW, if it meets the minimum requirements to ensure compatibility with the MCW network, course content and exam software. Students are expected to ensure their machine meets the requirements. MCW-IS recommends that your laptop be no older than January 2020.

Incoming medical students will gain access to their MCW email address and various online portals and student resources in mid-May. They will receive their MCW security access badge during orientation week which provides access to MCW after hours, locker rooms, and the on-site fitness center.

Health insurance coverage is a requirement for all full-time students. Incoming medical students will receive additional information about health insurance during the spring prior to matriculation. Until then, please visit the Student Health & Wellness website.

The Office of Admissions will communicate the health requirements and immunizations during the spring prior to matriculation. All health requirements and immunizations must be complete prior to matriculation. 

Yes. Participation in the MCW White Coat Ceremony is mandatory. White Coat Ceremony dates can be found on the MCW Academic Calendar and incoming students will receive more information prior to orientation.