Our Admissions Philosophy
The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine's admissions philosophy emphasizes a holistic view of our applicants. As such, your academic achievements are always considered in relation to your experiences, milestones, and personal attributes. We believe this approach allows us to create a multidimensional portrait of each applicant, while admitting a class that embodies the school's commitment to diversity, inclusion, service, and academic rigor.
When you apply to the school, your application will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. In all, 48 to 50 students will be selected for our class entering in 2024. It is our hope that their diverse skill set and unique perspectives will allow students to learn from one another and develop a greater capacity for empathy.
Application Timeline
Applying is easier when you know what to expect. For insight into our application process and what it entails, see below. For all the important dates and deadlines, as well as helpful resources and a checklist to help you remain on track, view the Application Timeline.
View the Timeline
The Application Process
Applying to medical school consists of many requirements, including prerequisite coursework, exams, letters of recommendation, interviews, and more. To simplify the application process and help you know what to expect, this page describes, in chronological order, the various requirements you'll need to complete as part of your application to the school.
AAMC PREview Professional Readiness Exam
Beginning in the 2024-2025 cycle, KPSOM is requiring all regular MD and MD-PhD program applicants to take the Association of American Medical Colleges Professional Readiness Exam (AAMC PREview). The school is collecting scores for research purposes to assess and evaluate our applicants’ professional competencies, such as resilience and adaptability, service orientation, teamwork and collaboration, ethical responsibility to self and others, empathy and compassion, cultural awareness, and cultural humility.
AAMC PREview Facts:
- Deadline for PREview exam scores: November 1.
- PREview exam scores do not expire.
- There is no minimum PREview exam score requirement.
- PREview exam is required to complete the KPSOM application.
To learn more about the PREview exam, preparation resources, testing dates, and deadlines, visit the AAMC website.
Academic Requirements
All applicants must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the U.S. or Canada, in any area of study, by spring of the year of matriculation. We will accept Advanced Placement (AP) credit if your undergraduate institution awarded you credit toward graduation and those credits appear on your official transcript.
View Prerequisites
Primary Application
The American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) administers the Primary Application that all prospective students are required to complete. This is where you'll first formally connect with us and demonstrate your interest in the school.
The school’s primary application is due October 2, 2023.
Letters of Recommendation
As part of the Primary Application via AMCAS, all applicants are required to submit letters of recommendation, which assists us in the assessment of your promise as a medical student.
In particular, letters of recommendation should evaluate one or more of the following:
- Collaborative teamwork skills
- Communication skills
- Creativity and resourcefulness
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Cultural humility
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Integrity and moral standards
- Intellectual curiosity
- Passion for medicine and healthcare
- Persistence and resilience
- Reliability and accountability
- Responsiveness to feedback
- Self-awareness
You can submit letters in one of two ways:
- One committee letter that integrates comments from multiple recommenders, authored by a pre-health committee or pre-health advisor
- Three to six individual letters submitted by three professionals familiar with your academic performance and personal attributes
Complete details on eligible recommenders are available on the AMCAS website.
Secondary Application
Once we've received the Primary Application, we'll invite all eligible applicants to complete the school's Secondary Application. You'll also be able to monitor your status on our online application portal.
Multiple Mini-Interviews
At the school, we use a hybrid interview model. Each applicant will participate in the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) and a traditional one-on-one interview with a faculty member. The MMI format allows the rater to assess an applicant’s personal and behavioral characteristics, including ethical decision-making, interpersonal communication, cultural humility, and problem-solving.
Interview Day Itinerary
Check-in for the virtual interview day is at 7:00 a.m. PT. The interview day will begin with a Welcome & Overview from our Senior Associate Dean for Admissions and Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity. This will be followed by interviews and engagement with our KPSOM students. You will also have the opportunity to hear from our Founding Dean and CEO. The interview day will end at about 1:30 p.m. PT.
Admissions Decisions
Offers of admission will be extended on a rolling basis from October 2023 until the class is filled. Admitted students can concurrently reserve a spot at the school and one additional institution until May 30, 2024, the final deadline to commit to enroll at a single institution.
Second-Look Weekend
Students accepted to the school will have the opportunity to visit the school during our Second-Look Weekend in April 2024. This visit will allow you to meet our faculty, deans, and your future classmates, and assess whether we are a good fit for you.
We will send you a detailed schedule several weeks before the event.
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