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Prerequisites and Application

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Prerequisites for Admission

The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and three years (90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours) of preparation in an approved college or university in the United States or Canada are required for admission to Boonshoft School of Medicine. Applicants are expected to present the equivalent of the usual premedical preparation, including the following:

  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college biology with labs
  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college general chemistry with labs
  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college organic chemistry with labs
  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college physics with labs
  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college mathematics (through trigonometry; calculus preferred)
  • Two semesters or 3 quarters of college English
  • One semester or 2 quarters of biochemistry

Advanced Placement (AP) courses that have been accepted by your university for credit and appear on your transcript will be accepted to meet prerequisite requirements. Community college credit is accepted if it includes a lab component and is comparable in content to a four-year college. Math and English requirements can be taken as online classes. Online science prerequisites are not excepted unless taken online as a result of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic. Online science prerequisites must have been completed between January 2020 and August 2021 in order to be accepted by the  Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.

There is no requirement to take these courses within a particular time frame, but most applicants find that courses completed more than 10 years ago will not be current enough to adequately prepare them for the MCAT.

While a basic understanding of the physical and biological sciences is important to medical education, a broad appreciation of individuals and their social, cultural, and artistic efforts is equally necessary. Each applicant's credentials for admission will be individually reviewed and evaluated.

MCAT

The MCAT is offered many times during the year but must be taken no later than September of the year in which an application is filed. MCATs taken after September of the application year cannot be considered for admission. Ideally, the MCAT should be taken in April of the year in which the application is filed. MCAT's must be taken no more than three years prior to submitting the application. Only the 2015 version and later is acceptable. Only those MCAT scores available at the time of review will be considered by the Admissions Committee. The Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine requires a minimum 495 Composite score on MCAT.

Citizenship Requirements

To be considered for admission, an applicant must be a United States citizen, possess a permanent resident visa, or be a non-citizen with an I-94 Form from the Department of Homeland Security showing "Refugee" or "Asylum Granted" status. If the required prerequisite courses were not completed in the United States or Canada, the applicant will need to have an advanced degree from an approved United States college or university or an international college or university which has been fully accredited by an established United States higher education certifying agency.

Submit Your Application to AMCAS

Application to the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine must be made through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Applications are due by Nov. 1. To allow ample time for processing, submit your application to AMCAS no later than Oct. 15. 

Boonshoft School of Medicine has a secondary application requirement with an additional fee. Those applicants exempted by AMCAS for fees do not have to pay for a secondary application. After we receive and review your application from AMCAS, we will notify you by email with instructions for completing the secondary application and paying the fee online. The secondary application fee is due by Dec. 1.

Offers of acceptance are sent electronically and on a rolling basis beginning October 15. If an applicant fails to respond to an admissions offer in the time allotted, the acceptance is withdrawn.

Letters of Recommendation

To fulfill our letters of recommendation requirement, applicants must submit at least three (3) and no more than five (5) letters of recommendation through the AMCAS Letter Service. These letters may come from any individuals you choose, but we strongly encourage you to select letter writers who know you well and can meaningfully speak to your abilities to meet the academic rigor of medical school and to your character as an applicant.

While not required, a committee letter packet from your undergraduate premedical advising office will fully meet our requirement alone, as it includes multiple authors.  

Whether submitting individual letters or a committee letter packet, all letters must:

  • Be submitted through the AMCAS Letter Service (not directly to the medical school)
  • Be on official letterhead and include the author's signature
  • Be received by August 31st for Early Decision applicants, and December 1st for Regular Decision applicants

Letters of Intent, Updates, Etc.

Applicants may submit additional documents, such as Letters of Intent, Updates, etc. via email at any time during the cycle. Documents must be submitted as a single PDF to som-admissions@wright.edu

  • Letters of Intent serve to affirm that Boonshoft School of Medicine is the applicant's top choice medical school, articulate how their goals and values align with the school's mission, if not already included in the provided application materials, and that the applicant intends to enroll if accepted.
  • Updates may include new clinical, research, academic, community experiences, or significant achievements, such as new publications, awards, or certifications, that enhance the original application.

We encourage applicants to prepare their materials thoughtfully and ensure that their submissions are complete and clearly labeled.

Contact Information

Every effort is made to keep applicants informed of the status of their applications. Should your address or telephone number change during the application year, please update your AMCAS application.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is your Admissions Committee looking for?

    The committee is looking for evidence of intellectual ability, dedication to human concerns, communication skills, maturity, motivation, and potential for medical service in an underserved area of Ohio. Academic factors include undergraduate school(s); science GPA and trend; difficulty of major and course load; MCAT scores; honors and awards for academic achievement; and research experience. Humanistic factors include pre-college and college extracurricular activities; hours worked while attending school; work experiences; volunteer experiences; honors and awards for non-academic achievement; and letters of recommendation.

  • What is your learning environment like?

    Students repeatedly mention two things that stand out at Wright State's School of Medicine. Teamwork and team building are emphasized here — not competition. Classmates support and help each other — as do faculty members. Wright State has a low ratio of students per faculty member, and faculty are dedicated to student success.

  • What is a community-based medical school, and what does that mean for me?

    Simply stated, Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, like one-fifth of the nation's 141 accredited M.D.-granting medical schools, does not own or operate a university hospital or academic medical center. Instead, it partners with six major teaching hospitals and two federal institutions for clinical training. That means that you will experience a diverse patient base and observe several types of residency programs. Our alumni tell us that this community exposure prepared them to excel in their residency training. Find out more more about our affiliated hospitals and affiliated health care institutions.

  • I've heard you focus on primary care training. Will that limit my residency choice?

    Our graduates enter a wide range of medical specialties and competitive programs across the country. In the last five years, approximately 45 percent of our graduates entered the generalist fields of family medicine, internal medicine, internal medicine/pediatrics and pediatrics; the other 55 percent entered a wide range of specialties and sub-specialties. See "Our graduates get top residencies" for more information about how well Wright State University graduates do in the match.

  • Do I have to major in pre-med?

    No. While a basic understanding of the physical and biological sciences is important to a medical education, a broad appreciation of individuals and their social, cultural and artistic efforts is equally necessary. Each applicant's credentials for admission will be individually reviewed and evaluated. Entering students have a wide variety of majors including biology, chemistry, engineering, health, English, foreign language, anthropology, psychology and physics, to name a few.

  • Do you require a secondary application?

    Boonshoft School of Medicine has a secondary application requirement with an additional fee. Those applicants exempted by AMCAS for fees do not have to pay for a secondary application. After we receive and review your application from AMCAS, we will notify you by email with instructions for completing the secondary application and paying the fee online. The secondary application fee is due by Dec. 1st.

  • What letters of recommendation do you require?

    We prefer to receive a letter of recommendation from the premedical advisory committee at your college or university. If your school does not have such a committee, you may substitute letters from three faculty members who had you in class, including at least two letters from science faculty.

    Your letters should be submitted through the AMCAS Letter Service. Letters of recommendation are due by December 1. We do not accept letters sent directly to us.

  • Do you accept non-Ohio residents?

    Yes. Approximately 20 percent of the students in recent incoming classes were classified as out-of-state.

  • Do you accept international students?

    An applicant must be a U.S. citizen, possess a permanent resident visa or be a non-citizen with an I-94 Form from the Department of Homeland Security showing "Refugee" or "Asylum Granted Status" to be considered for admission.

  • Do you accept transfer students?

    Boonshoft School of Medicine is not accepting transfer applications at this time.

  • Do you have an early admissions program?

    Yes. Applications for the Early Decision Program must be made to AMCAS by Aug. 1 of the year prior to the year of admission. You must be a resident of Ohio to be considered for Early Decision. All supporting materials, including letters of recommendation, must be received in the admissions office by Aug. 31. Applicants considered for Early Decision will be interviewed during September. The Admissions Committee will make its decisions and applicants will be notified by Oct. 1.

  • What is your interview day like?

    Interviews are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from August through March. Candidates receive two one-on-one interviews lasting about 45 minutes each. The purpose of the interview is to gather information about your preparation and qualifications for a career as a physician. Campus tours, as well as opportunities to meet with faculty and students, are provided the same day as the interview. Learn more about interview day.

  • Do you let applicants know what their status is during the admissions process?

    When we have received all the application materials and the application is complete, your entire application is reviewed by members of our preadmissions screening committee. Those selected for an interview will be notified on a rolling application basis. Those not selected for an interview will be notified after the December 1st application deadline and before the end of interviews at the end of March. 

    Interviewed applicants are discussed by the Committee and assigned numerical ratings. Ratings are based on both academic and humanistic factors. Academic factors include undergraduate school(s), science GPA and trend, the difficulty of major and course loads, MCAT scores, honors, and awards for academic achievement and research experience. Humanistic factors include extracurricular activities, hours worked while attending school, work experiences, volunteer experiences, honors and awards for non-academic achievement, and letters of recommendation. Acceptances are granted on the basis of the Committee rating. Those with the highest ratings receive acceptances first. Normally, interviewing and the final Committee review are completed by end of March. The Committee then prepares an alternate list consisting of those applicants who were awarded the higher ratings but have not received acceptances.

    The Committee selects those who are deemed to be a good fit for the Boonshoft School of Medicine. It also recognizes that it is in the best interest of meeting both societal and educational needs to select a heterogeneous group of students. Students with diverse life experiences, academic preparation, learning styles, and demographic backgrounds are selected.

Admissions Timetable

Date Activity
Jan. 1–Sept. 30 Register and take the Medical College Admissions Test.
June 1–Aug. 1 Submit your Early Decision Program application.
June 1–Nov. 1 File your AMCAS application. (To allow ample time for processing, submit your application to AMCAS no later than Oct. 15.)
June 1–Dec. 1 Submit letters of recommendation and complete Boonshoft School of Medicine secondary application.
Aug. 31 Submit Early Decision Program letters of recommendation and complete secondary application.
Sept. 1–March 1 Admissions interviews conducted.
Oct. 1 Early Decision Program applicants are notified.
Oct. 15 Earliest date acceptances are sent to regular applicants; acceptances continue until the class is filled.
Nov. 1 AMCAS application deadline.
Jan. 1–March 1 File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
April 30 Plan to enroll must be selected on Choose Your Medical School Tool for incoming students.
June 30 Commit to enroll must be selected on Choose Your Medical School Tool for incoming students.
July Incoming students take the Medical Student Honor Code Pledge at the Convocation and White Coat Ceremony.
July Year 1 Orientation; attendance is mandatory.