Reapplying to the MD Program
If your application was not accepted the first time, don’t be discouraged. Many students have applied more than once before they were accepted to medical school.
If you are considering reapplying to the UW School of Medicine and Public Health MD program, we encourage you to reflect on your application and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. AMCAS has some helpful tips from admissions officers on how to re-assess before you reapply.
Reapplying to medical school involves committing to an improvement plan. Most applicants need improvement in at least one of three areas:
- GPA
- MCAT scores
- Medical exposure
If you have access to your undergraduate school’s premed advisors, we suggest that you set up an appointment. These advisors have valuable expertise and they can provide insight by comparing your application to alumni of your school who have successfully applied to medical school.
The UW School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) selects an outstanding class of students through a holistic review. Our admissions committee draws application criteria from the school’s mission, vision and values, as well as from the AAMC core competencies for entering medical students. Your application should provide evidence of your interest and commitment to our mission. Please note that our committee will not have access to any of your previous applications. You will be asked to identify what you have done to improve your application and what has changed since your previous application. The most successful reapplicants make significant changes in their applications.
If you still have questions about your strategy for reapplying, you can schedule an appointment with our admissions advisor by emailing medadmissions@med.wisc.edu.
Letters of Recommendation
When reapplying, all letters must be submitted via AMCAS. We recommend submitting at least two new letters of recommendation (one academic and one non-academic). Other letters may be resubmitted and/or updated and resubmitted. If you wish, you may submit all new letters. For the Regular MD program, the Admissions Committee requests a total of four letters per applicant. Letters from previous admissions cycles will not be accessible to us unless they are resubmitted.