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Indiana University School of Medicine
Graduate Degrees

Admissions

The Master of Science in Medical Science admission process provides an individualized, thorough and holistic review of each applicant. The program review committee takes into account personal and academic factors including, but not limited to socioeconomic and/or educational criteria. No single factor is determinative.

Questions?

Answers to common questions about the MSMS program are available on the FAQ page.

Program FAQs

Criteria

In order to be considered for admission to the Master of Science in Medical Science program, the following criteria are deliberated:

  • Whether the applicant is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Whether the applicant is disadvantaged economically and/or educationally, including:
    • Coming from a low-income family
    • Coming from a limited English proficiency Family (English is spoken as a second language)
    • Attending or graduating from a high school that was on probation and/or received low per capita funding per student expenditure
    • Attending or graduating from an elementary, middle and/or high school where the applicant was eligible for free or reduced-priced lunches
    • Coming from a family that received public assistance such as aid to families with dependent children, food stamps, Medicaid and/or public housing

An applicant is considered “economically disadvantaged” if he or she comes from a family with an annual income below a level based on low-income thresholds according to family size as deemed by the US Bureau of the Census. These thresholds are adjusted annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index as well as for use in all health professions programs.

The MSMS program is intended for educationally and/or economically disadvantaged students as it relates to their childhood and adolescent years, not their current status.

Application Requirements

Prior to submitting a pre-application for the program, candidates must also:

  • Complete a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States by date of matriculation
  • Achieve a minimum cumulative and science GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • Complete all premedical science requirements, including:
    • One year of general biology, chemistry, organic chemistry and physics with a minimum of two laboratory credit hours
    • One semester of biochemistry
    • One course in social science
    • One course in behavioral science
  • Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), achieving a minimum total score of 490 with a minimum sub-score of 122.5 on the chemical and physical sciences, critical analysis and reasoning skills, biological and biochemical sciences, and psychological, social and biological sections of the test. (MCAT must be taken no later than January 23, 2020, to be considered for the 2020 cohort.)

The pre-application form is available to all interested applicants and must be completed prior to an official application to determine one’s eligibility. Applications are by invitation only. Pre-applications are available from September 1 – March 31.

Medical College Admission Test Preparation

All admitted students are required to complete an intensive summer Medical College Admission Test Preparation course offered at IU School of Medicine before starting the Master of Science in Medical Science curriculum in the fall.