You know that the road to acceptance to medical school is tough but you have never wavered from your goal of practicing medicine. Maybe you have had a few rejections or maybe you are just curious about whether there are some schools that are “easier” to get into?

As you research different Doctor of Medicine (MD) programs, a growing list of questions will emerge: Which medical schools are easiest to get into? Will a program with fewer or lower  requirements result in a sub-par education? Do lesser-known schools lead to fewer opportunities?

If you find yourself seeking answers to queries like these, you’ve come to the right place. Join us as we explore the details surrounding “easy” medical schools to get into.

Medical school criteria: Are some programs easier to get into than others?

The answer to this question is a bit more nuanced than you might expect. It’s true that some medical schools will be a bit easier to get into than others, but this shouldn’t be considered a blanket rule—a student’s acceptance will depend on both the program and the applicant.

When considering your chances of gaining admittance to certain MD programs, keep the following elements in mind:

Location matters

Dr. Andrea Paul, co-founder and chief medical officer for BoardVitals, points out that state schools will typically reserve a number of spots for in-state students. She notes that an applicant who demonstrates a desire to practice as a physician in their home state after graduating and completing residency will often have an advantage over others.

The data supports this notion. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the 2021–2022 school year saw more than one million medical school applications in the US. Of the 22,666 matriculants (applicants who were offered and accepted a seat in an MD program), more than 60 percent matriculated in-state.

Each school has its own criteria

It’s also important to remember that every medical school program reviews applicants differently. While some prioritize those with the highest grades and test scores, others weigh alternate factors more heavily.

“Some schools are looking for people with more diverse academic backgrounds,” Dr. Paul offers as an example. In such cases, students with less common undergraduate degrees may benefit.

There are also schools like St. George’s University (SGU) that utilize a holistic evaluation of medical school applications. Per the AAMC’s guidelines, these programs consider experiences and attributes alongside an applicant’s academic metrics.

In addition to relevant and necessary experiences like educational background and clinical exposure, the AAMC lists 15 core competencies for incoming students:

It’s getting more competitive for everyone

Overall, it’s important to remember that it’s getting tougher for everyone. By and large, it’s becoming more and more difficult to gain a medical school acceptance letter.

Data from the AAMC shows that MD programs have experienced increases in the number of applicants in recent years. With the competition rising in the already competitive process of getting into medical school, this means it’s not unusual for qualified individuals to fail to gain acceptance.

If you don’t get into medical school on your first round, don’t panic. There are a number of things you can do to critically review and strengthen your application before you reapply. If you find yourself in this situation and you’re seeking advice, check out our article “I’ve Been Rejected from Medical School…Now What?”

The truth about medical schools that are “easy” to get into

Amidst the numerous variables that will determine an applicant’s success as they seek acceptance to their MD programs of choice, it’s clear that there’s no such thing as easy medical schools to get into. But overseas programs sometimes get mistakenly put in this category.

It’s important to note that the following elements remain true, even at the so-called “easiest medical schools to get into.”

You still need strong grades and test scores

It’s true that some medical schools aren’t as strict about academic metrics as others, but this doesn’t mean the program is lacking or that the students aren’t qualified. “Some schools have lower GPA and MCAT score requirements because of lower geographic desirability,” Dr. Paul explains.

Regardless, data from the AAMC continually shows that an applicant’s chances of getting into medical school are higher when their academic performance is stronger.

Academic performance doesn’t tell admissions teams everything they need to know when evaluating prospective students. This explains why some applicants can gain acceptance despite a bad semester in college or a less impressive MCAT score. Dr. Paul says a pre-med student’s work experiences, volunteer involvement, and letters of recommendation can also play a big role in a medical school’s decision to extend an invitation.

Your GPA may be closely scrutinized

Most MD programs evaluate an applicant’s GPA in two ways: total and science-specific.

A student with a 3.7 GPA who struggled a bit more in math and science might raise more red flags than a student with the same GPA who was strongest in those particular subjects.

It’s also helpful to note that some programs will analyze your end-of-school performance even more critically, focusing heavily on the final 45 credits earned. Admissions teams like to see upward trends in grades as a student nears the end of their college career.

Graduates experience ample residency opportunities

The name recognition that comes with attending a well-known medical school can play a role in paving the way for a competitive residency spot. But you shouldn’t feel discouraged if you were accepted into a lesser-known MD program.

In fact, recent survey results revealed that residency program directors weigh applicants’ USMLE Step 1 scores, letters of recommendation, and Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) much more heavily than they weigh where you attended medical school.

If you’re concerned about your chances of matching after medical school, make a point to ask the admissions department for their residency match information. This will allow you to see what percentage of students were placed and where they ended up.

Apply to medical school with confidence

Clearly, seeking out the easiest medical schools to get into isn’t quite so easy. There’s a lot that goes into it, and getting accepted to any program is an achievement you should be proud of. But if you’re looking to improve your chances for one of those more competitive seats, you’ll need to focus on assembling a strong application.

Your academic performance is obviously a big part of this. But as we’ve discussed, there are numerous other ways you can demonstrate why you’d make a great physician. Learn more about how to make yourself stand out in our article “Medical School GPA: Why Good Grades Are Only Part of the Equation.”

*This article was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated to include more recent information.