FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
View the sections and questions below to learn more about the SFESOM and our programs:
APPLICATION & REQUIREMENTS
All applications must be submitted online through the American Medical College Application Services (AMCAS) between June 1 and no later than 11:59 pm EST on October 1.
If preliminary application requirements are met, applicants will be invited to complete the SFESOM Secondary Application.
The secondary application will be evaluated to determine invites to interview.
Applications are reviewed holistically, meaning all of an applicant’s activities are reviewed and considered as part of their application, in addition to their grades and test scores. Activities such as community engagement, leadership, clinical experience, intellectual curiosity and research, and essays are considered when reviewing the secondary application.
A bachelor’s degree is required to matriculate at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine.
Degrees can be in progress at the time of application, however applicants must complete their degree at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada prior to beginning medical school.
All degree(s) must be posted on your official transcript prior to matriculation.
Applicants may submit applications through AMCAS from June 1 through October 1.
Due to our school’s rolling admissions process, applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as they are able.
Only an applicant's current application will be reviewed and considered.
Reapplicants will also complete a reapplication essay as part of their secondary application where they can explain what they have done to strengthen their application since previously applying.
The AAMC PREview professional readiness exam (formerly AAMC SJT) is a situational judgement test developed and administered by the AAMC. It is a standardized exam designed to assess examinees’ understanding of effective pre-professional behavior across eight core competencies for entering medical school. The PREview exam will be held virtually, allowing applicants to take the test from anywhere online while maintaining a high level of security with live, remote human proctoring.
Applicants must take the MCAT no later than September of the year of application to medical school.
Premedical courses can be in progress at the time of application, however all premedical courses must be completed prior to beginning medical school.
All required premedical courses must be taken for credit and a passing grade at a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.
Due to online courses being mandatory at most institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants will not be required to earn a letter grade to meet our premedical coursework requirements beginning Spring 2020, per their individual institution's grading policies during that time period.
As of the 2023-2024 application cycle, pass/fail courses are still accepted, though letter grades are encouraged if offered by the individual institutions.
Yes. The Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine requires at least three letters of recommendation, but will accept up to four letters total.
All letters must be submitted to the AMCAS Letter Service and must be submitted in order to be eligible for a secondary application.
If an applicant is having difficulties obtaining their letters within the provided timeline, please contact the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu for more information.
View additional letters of recommendation requirements here >>
Applicants will have 14 days from the date of the email invite to complete the secondary application.
All required supplementary materials, such as letters of recommendation and Idaho state certifications (if applicable) must also be submitted within this 14-day timeframe.
If an applicant is having difficulties obtaining their letters or additional materials by the provided due date, please contact the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu for more information.
Yes - Many experiences can be reasonably considered under more than one category. For example, a volunteer EMT could count for both community service and clinical experiences.
Experiences should be listed in each applicable area, with applicants providing an explanation of each activity and the role served in the activity. However, it is strongly encouraged to gain a variety of experiences to build a well-rounded and diverse application.
Only experiences completed at the time of submitting the secondary application will be considered. Ongoing activities should be indicated as such in the activity description, but future or projected hours/activities will not be considered.
If the secondary application is not submitted by the given deadline date, the application will no longer be eligible for consideration. Application fees are nonrefundable.
Deadline extensions may be granted on a case by case basis by contacting the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu
Once a secondary application has been submitted, no additional changes or updates to activities can be made.
However, applicants should notify the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu of any changes to degrees, majors, minors, or premedical courses as soon as they occur.
Applicants are required to acknowledge their completed premedical coursework as part of the secondary application, but official transcripts are not required at time of application.
Yes. Notify the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu of any changes to degrees, majors, minors, or premedical courses as soon as they occur.
Applicants can withdraw their application by sending an email to md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu stating that they would like to withdraw their application.
Reasons for an incomplete application may include MCAT or PREview scores not being submitted or exam(s) not taken by required deadlines, failure to submit letters of recommendation by the given deadline date, or not submitting the secondary application.
Visit The National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP) for more information on finding a premedical advisor.
INTERVIEW & EVALUATION
Interviews begin in August and continue throughout the application cycle.
400 applicants interview each application cycle.
The SFESOM currently hosts virtual interviews. Applicants are not required to travel or be on campus for their interview days.
Applicants will participate in an orientation session, complete a series of interviews in both standard and Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, and finish the day with a closing session and Q&A with current medical students.
Professional business attire is recommended.
The MMI are a series of timed mini-interviews in which applicants will meet one-on-one with an interviewer and respond to a provided hypothetical prompt or scenario. The MMI does not test on scientific or clinical knowledge, rather gives applicants an opportunity to express reasoning, examples, or insight related to the prompt.
Thank you notes are not required, but if an applicant chooses to, we ask that applicants do not contact interviewers directly.
Thank you notes can be sent to the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu to be forwarded to interview evaluators.
APPLICATION DECISION
Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis between October and March, with notifications beginning mid-October.
Final notifications will be distributed by March 15.
Alternate list notifications typically occur on a rolling basis between March and June.
Upon acceptance to the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, the Admissions Office will provide additional information to students regarding next steps, deadlines and additional materials required for matriculation.
Accepted applicants who choose to withdraw their offer must send an email to the Office of Admissions at md.admissions@hsc.utah.edu formally withdrawing their offer of acceptance.
All Admissions Committee decisions are final and cannot be appealed. Application updates or additional information provided to the Office of Admissions after final notifications are made will not be considered.
The number of applicants admitted from the alternate list varies from year to year.
Alternate list notifications typically occur on a rolling basis between March and June.
All Admissions Committee decisions are final and cannot be appealed.
Applicants are encouraged to meet with their premedical advisors to review their application and develop strategies for strengthening their application and activities for future application cycles.
ABOUT THE SOM
View the following resources for more information:
Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine tuition and fees (MD Program)
Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine Office of Financial Aid (MD Program)
Public tours are not currently offered for the School of Medicine. However, the University of Utah Health Sciences and Main Campuses are public spaces and visitors are welcome to walk the campus on their own time, keeping in mind some buildings or spaces may be locked or inaccessible to the public.
Information regarding campus transportation, parking, and additional campus maps can be found here.
Upon acceptance to the School of Medicine, all students will be required to complete a criminal background check.
Acceptance to the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine is contingent upon successful and satisfactory results of the criminal background check. Failure to disclose or complete the background check and/or receipt of an unsatisfactory background check can lead to a withdrawal of your provisional acceptance offer.
Background checks are facilitated through the AAMC and Certiphi Screening, Inc. and additional information regarding the AAMC Criminal Background Check Service can be found here >>
All SOM students are required to have continuous health insurance coverage from medical school matriculation through graduation.
Options for health insurance can include the University of Utah Student Health Insurance plan, private individual insurance, Medicaid, coverage on parents' or spouse's insurance, or enrollment in a group policy such as Utah Medical, American Medical, or American Medical Student Association.
Prior to matriculation, all accepted students must complete and submit the AAMC Standardized Immunization Form to the University of Utah Student Health Center Patient Portal, along with any additional documentation required to complete the form.