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Harvard Medical School

Boston, MA

Allopathic Medical Schools Private Non-Profit

🩺 School Overview

Tuition (In State): $68,123

Tuition (Out of State): $68,123

Accreditation Status: Full

Acceptance Rate: N/A

Total Enrollment: 168

Degrees: MD

Founding Year: 1782

Accreditation Year: 1942

Website: https://hms.harvard.edu

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📄 Application Information

Applications Received: N/A

Interviews Granted: N/A

Admitted: N/A

Average MCAT: 519

Average GPA: 3.82

Male: N/A

Female: N/A

Underrepresented:N/A

Interview Feedback Summary

Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 9% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.

School Review Summary

Insufficient reviews to generate a summary. Add your review!

5 Most Common Secondary Essay Questions for HMS


  • 1. Other – If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity not addressed elsewhere in your application that may illuminate how you could contribute to Harvard Medical School, please...
  • 2. Career Goals and Future Aspirations – HST Only: Please focus on how your interests, experiences and aspirations have prepared you for HST.
  • 3. Other – If you have already graduated, please briefly summarize your activities since graduation (maximum 4000 characters).
  • 4. Personal Experiences and Challenges – If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity that has not been addressed elsewhere in the application and may help illuminate how you could contribute to the medical...
  • 5. Personal Experiences and Challenges – The Committee on Admissions recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected applicants in many ways. If you would like to inform the Committee about how these events have impacted you and have not...

About the School

Harvard Medical School (HMS), established in 1782, is the third-oldest medical school in the United States and is located in Boston’s Longwood Medical Area. As a private institution affiliated with Harvard University, HMS does not own or operate its own hospitals but maintains affiliations with numerous renowned hospitals and research centers, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital. The school offers a range of degree programs, including MD, PhD, and master’s degrees, and is recognized for its contributions to medical research and education.

Curriculum

HMS offers two primary MD tracks: the Pathways program and the Health Sciences & Technology (HST) program. The Pathways curriculum emphasizes active learning, early clinical exposure, and advanced clinical and science training, while the HST program, in collaboration with MIT, focuses on training physician-scientists with a strong foundation in quantitative and biomedical sciences. Both tracks share a three-phase structure: pre-clerkship, principal clinical experience, and post-clerkship, designed to develop medical knowledge, critical thinking, patient care, professionalism, and communication skills.

Facilities

HMS’s campus features state-of-the-art facilities, including the Tosteson Medical Education Center, which houses lecture halls, clinical skills labs, and simulation centers. The New Research Building, the largest building constructed by Harvard University, provides extensive research space and supports interdisciplinary biomedical research. Additionally, the campus includes the Countway Library of Medicine and the Warren Anatomical Museum, which contains historical medical artifacts.

Demographics

The HMS student body is diverse, with recent classes comprising approximately 60% female and 38% male students. Around 17% of students come from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. The MD-PhD program includes a community of 197 students, with 54% female and 46% male representation, and 16% identifying as underrepresented in medicine. The program also includes international students and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

SDN Insights

Our analysis of HMS:

💰

Student Loan Burden: $618,854

A student taking student loans for all 4 years of medical school at HMS, including tuition, fees, locally adjusted cost of living expenses, incidentals, and interest, can expect to have total student loans of $618,854. Estimate repayment with the SDN School Loan Repayment Calculator.

⚖️

Cost of Living: Highest 102% Nationally

The cost of living at HMS is among the top 102% of all medical schools. Take this into consideration when considering loan burden.

🌳

Environment: Urban

Despite limited walkability, the area surrounding HMS offers good biking infrastructure, making it easier for cyclists to get around. Students who enjoy biking as a primary mode of transport will find the area more accessible than it might seem at first glance.

Why no Tier Rankings?

Although we could tier rank, over the past 25 years we've found no compelling benefit for ranking schools. Students are most successful when they prioritize personal and academic fit over school rank.