Rutgers - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) places high value on a balanced undergraduate education. While this balance will vary with the background and interests of the individual, it is expected that applicants will have exposed themselves to course work in the humanities, behavioral sciences, and liberal arts as well as premedical sciences. We encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and careers in other disciplines. Preference for admission is given to residents of the State of New Jersey. However, the importance of geographic diversity is recognized, and out of state applicants with outstanding credentials are encouraged to apply. Every medical student is required to sign that they can meet these essential functions. 

For general questions please email: rwjapadm@rwjms.rutgers.edu

COVID-19 Related Information for 2021 Applicants

Delayed MCAT –  RWJMS will send secondary applications to those who do not have an MCAT scores showing upon receipt of their AMCAS application.  We will require an MCAT score prior to offering an interview.   We will extend our interview schedule and slow our reviews so as to allow applicants more time to have their MCAT score available.  Ideally this score will be in place by early November.

Pass/Fail Grades – RWJMS will accept pass/fail grades, for courses taken during the COVID pandemic. Ideally candidates will have science course grades from other semesters on their application.  We will always review your application as a whole and never focus on grades exclusively. 

Online Courses – As most undergraduate schools have gone to online courses during the pandemic, we will accept online courses from candidates who were enrolled during the pandemic. For students who are beyond undergraduate school, we will accept online courses undertaken to meet prerequisites regardless of the institution.

If you have any questions, please email the Admissions Office.

Admission Requirements

The MCAT and a minimum of three years of college consisting of 90 semester hours of college work (exclusive of military and physical education) are required. By the time of matriculation, applicants must have completed their bachelor's degree. The MCAT must be taken within three years preceding the application and no later than December of the year of application. Early submission and completion of the application is strongly encouraged. The following undergraduate courses are required:

• Biology or Zoology (with Laboratory): 2 semesters
• Inorganic or General Chemistry (with laboratory): 2 semesters
• Organic Chemistry (with laboratory): 1 semester
• Biochemistry: 1 semester 
• Physics (with laboratory): 2 semesters
• College Mathematics: 2 semesters (One semester may be a statistics or biostatistics course. College Mathematics can include many types of mathematics, calculus or other courses.)
• *English: 2 semesters

**English requirement must include one semester of a college writing course. College approved "intensive writing courses" may substitute for English.

NOTE: Other courses which are not required for admission but may be helpful include courses that explore the cultural and social factors influencing well-being, anatomy and physiology, cell and molecular biology, biostatistics and Spanish. We look for applicants to have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 and a total MCAT of 494 with with no section lower than a 123.

As a condition for admission and matriculation, all accepted students will be required to authorize RWJMS to obtain a criminal background check. Students may also be required to obtain a background check themselves or authorize clinical training facilities to conduct this check, and to permit the results to be provided by the reporting agency to Rutgers and/or to clinical facilities.

The Admissions Committee reserves the right to waive or impose specific requirements at its discretion.