Preliminary Review
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine requires all students to apply through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Upon receipt of the AMCAS application, they are directed to the UC College of Medicine website to complete the UC On-Line Secondary Application.
Completed Application
An application is complete when the Admissions Office has received the following:
- AMCAS Application
- UC On-Line Secondary Application. If you need your Campus ID ("M number") to change your password while talking to our UC HelpDesk, you can look it up here.
- Letters of Recommendation
- MCAT scores that are no more than two years old at the time of applying. (For example, if you are applying for the 2020 entering class, you must submit scores for an administration taken any month of the following years: 2017, 2018, 2019.)
- A front and back copy of your permanent residency card, if you are not a U.S. citizen.
All application materials, including MCAT scores, must be received by the regular admissions due date. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed.
Invitations to Interview
Interviews are by the invitation of the Committee on Admissions and are arranged at a mutually convenient time. The Committee selects approximately 650 applicants to interview. After a student is invited for an interview, they must complete a Questionnaire for Interview Confirmation (QIC) located on the MedOneStop Portal status page. The questionnaire gives the student an opportunity to address additional personal information and any unique circumstances.
During the Admissions Interview Day Program, students not only complete the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI), but also receive a tour of the medical school from a current student and attend programs that cover financial aid and the curriculum, college and admissions process.
Applicants traveling to and from Cincinnati by air should note that Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is in Northern Kentucky. Please allow at least two hours to get to and from the airport. Students who do not arrive on time may miss valuable information concerning the MMI and their scheduled interview.
Due to the number of individuals involved, if a student misses the start of the MMI, they will have to return to complete the MMI at a later date. On the MedOneStop Portal, students are given a check-in time for the interview day.
Final Decision
The College of Medicine is committed to a holistic review of applicants at every stage of the admissions process. The Admissions Committee does not use a formula as a basis for any interview or admissions decision, and all applicants receive consideration.
The Committee on Admissions reviews the interview report along with letters of recommendation and all other materials supporting the application.
To assess the applicant's readiness for medical school, the committee looks carefully at the following:
- Academic background—grades and grade trends, all MCAT scores, postbaccalaureate and/or graduate experiences, honors courses, research experiences and any independent study courses.
- Personal Growth and Development—maturity, integrity, leadership skills, empathy and interpersonal skills, involvement in activities helping others, exposure to diverse circumstances and settings, critical thinking skills, communication skills, and distance traveled (i.e., where the applicant has come from to where s/he/they are now).
- Professional Development—understanding of humanistic dimensions of medicine, exploration of medicine through physician shadowing, distance traveled, demonstrated experiences in health care and service-oriented settings, knowledge of medical school demands and pressures, research productivity, external vs. internal pressures to pursue a medical career.
- Decisions are communicated as soon as possible. Students are notified if they are accepted, placed on the Alternate List or denied acceptance within two to four weeks.
Accepted applicants are required to respond to the Office of Admissions offer within two weeks. The University of Cincinnati abides by the AAMC Traffic Rules and students may hold multiple acceptances until the stated date per the AAMC. After that date, students may only hold one medical school acceptance.