MD Admissions

Tulane University School of Medicine has a societal responsibility to train competent healthcare providers and scientists who not only demonstrate robust medical knowledge and clinical skills but can appropriately apply their knowledge and skills to effectively interpret information and contribute to patient-centered decisions across a broad spectrum of medical situations and settings. To accomplish its mission, TUSOM has established a curriculum consisting of core courses and clerkships, required rotations, and elective rotations.  Although students learn and work under the supervision of the faculty, they interact with patients throughout their medical school education, and as such, patient safety and wellbeing are major factors in establishing technical requirements. These technical standards, in conjunction with Tulane’s academic standards, are requirements for admission, promotion, and graduation. The faculty and administration of the school have developed essential functions with which all students must comply independently in order to satisfy medical school curricular demands. The essential functions are listed below:

Observation Candidates must acquire information as presented through demonstrations and experiences in the foundational sciences, including but not limited to dissection of cadavers, examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology, and neuroanatomy laboratories, and microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. In addition, candidates must be able to evaluate patients accurately and assess their relevant health, behavioral, and medical information. Candidates must be able to obtain and interpret information through a comprehensive assessment of patients, correctly interpret diagnostic representations of patients’ physiological data, and accurately evaluate patients’ conditions and responses. This includes being able to observe a patient both directly and through indirect methods (at a distance and nearby) and detect and interpret non-verbal communication from the patient. Candidates must be able to perform a full and complete physical examination in order to integrate findings based on information and to develop an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan. These skills require the ability to observe and interpret patient information and may be achieved through assistive technology or reasonable accommodations that allow candidates to perform these essential tasks. 

Communication Candidates must be able to read and write in standard format, communicate effectively and efficiently in English, and interact with computers when necessary, in rendering patient care. Candidates must exhibit interpersonal skills to enable effective caregiving of patients, including the ability to communicate effectively with all members of a multidisciplinary health care team, patients, and those supporting patients. Candidates must be able to obtain a medical history in a timely fashion, record information accurately and clearly in a written patient work-up and orally present the work-up in a focused manner to other healthcare professionals. Candidates must be able to listen carefully and develop rapport with patients and their families in order to elicit information and perform appropriate examinations; observe patients attentively; perceive changes in mood, activity, and posture; and interpret non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, affect, and body language. These skills may be achieved through assistive technology or reasonable accommodations that allow candidates to perform these essential tasks. 

Motor Function After a reasonable period of training, candidates must possess the capacity to perform routine physical examinations and diagnostic maneuvers, e.g., elicit information from inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, etc. Candidates must be able to respond to clinical situations in a timely manner and execute the movements reasonably required to provide both general and emergency care. These activities require some physical mobility, coordination of both gross and fine motor neuromuscular function, balance, and equilibrium. Specifically, candidates must be able to manipulate equipment and instruments, perform basic laboratory tests and procedures, and possess the physical capacity to examine patients in order to identify both normal and abnormal clinical findings. Finally, candidates must meet applicable safety standards for the environment and follow universal precaution procedures. These skills may be achieved through assistive technology or reasonable accommodations that allow candidates to perform these essential tasks. 

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities Candidates must effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand the complex information required to function within the medical school curriculum, including, but not limited to, spatial processing (such as the advanced ability to mentally reconstruct and interpret three-dimensional anatomical structures and their spatial relationships based on two-dimensional imaging modalities), effectively participate in individual, small-group, and lecture learning modalities in the classroom, clinical, and community settings; learn, participate, collaborate, and contribute as a part of a team; synthesize information both in person and via remote technology; interpret causal connections and make accurate, factbased conclusions based on available data and information; formulate a hypothesis and investigate potential answers and outcomes; and reach appropriate and accurate conclusions. These skills may be achieved through assistive technology or reasonable accommodations that allow candidates to perform these essential tasks. 

Ethical, Legal, Attitudinal, Behavioral, Interpersonal, and Emotional Attributes Because the medical profession is governed by generally accepted ethical principles and by state and federal laws, candidates must have the capacity to learn and understand these values and laws and perform within their guidelines. Candidates must demonstrate maturity and emotional stability; exercise good judgment; promptly complete all requirements and responsibilities whether administrative, curricular, or attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients; and develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with colleagues and patients. These skills include the ability to effectively handle and manage heavy workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients. Candidates are expected to exhibit professionalism, personal accountability, compassion, integrity, concern for others, the ability to self-reflect and apply feedback, respect boundaries, and care for all individuals in a respectful and effective manner regardless of gender identity, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other protected status. Candidates must not let their own personal attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes compromise the care of the patient. Candidates should understand and function within the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a physician in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students, and the public. Interest and motivation throughout the educational processes are expected of all candidates. 

OTHER GUIDELINES: 

• Candidates must meet the legal standards to be licensed to practice medicine. As such, candidates for admission must acknowledge and provide a written explanation of any felony offense or disciplinary action taken against them prior to matriculation in the program. In addition, should the candidate be convicted of any felony offense while enrolled in the MD program, they agree to immediately notify the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs as to the nature of the conviction. Failure to disclose prior or new offenses can lead to disciplinary action that may include dismissal. Note that criminal background checks may be conducted as part of the process of admission, participation, promotion, and/or graduation. 

• Failure to meet technical standards requires a candidate to appear before the School of Medicine’s Professionalism and Promotion Committee (PPC). The PPC will determine whether a plan exists that will allow the candidate to fully participate in all aspects of medical training and achieve the competencies outlined in the institutional program objectives. In addition, Tulane will consider the Candidate’s willingness, desire, and ability to complete the medical curriculum and fulfill all requirements for medical licensure. 

• Fulfillment of the technical standards for graduation from medical school does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to fulfill the technical requirements of any specific residency program.  

ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITY 

• Tulane recognizes that candidates with varied types of disabilities can successfully practice medicine and provides reasonable accommodations for all individuals who qualify for such accommodations and who apply for admission and are enrolled in the MD program.  

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., as amended) mandates equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in all public facilities, programs, activities, services, and benefits derived from them. Title V, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794 et seq.), as amended, mandates equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities in all programs, activities, and services of recipients of federal financial assistance. Both ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability, and, if applicable, obligate colleges and universities to make certain adjustments and accommodations and offer to persons with disabilities the opportunity to participate fully in all institutional programs and activities. Tulane SOM adheres to these laws and regulations. Candidates with disabilities work with Tulane University’s Goldman Center for Student Accessibility to explore reasonable accommodations necessary to participate fully in the MD program. 

• Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to contact The Goldman Center for Student Accessibility early in the application process to begin a confidential conversation about what accommodations they may need to meet technical standards. The process typically involves the individual providing documentation of their disability, followed by an interactive process between the individual and the Goldman Center staff to determine an individualized accommodation plan that will not fundamentally alter SOM’s academic or professional standards.  

• If a candidate with a disability requires accommodations to meet technical standards, it is their responsibility to disclose to the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility their specific functional limitations and request accommodations. 

o While Tulane SOM administration works in consultation with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility to determine and coordinate approved accommodations, disability documentation shall be maintained in a confidential manner. 

o Candidates who fail to register with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility or who do not provide necessary documentation, or otherwise fail to participate in the interactive process, may not receive accommodations.  

o Candidates are encouraged to request accommodations as early as possible. Accommodations provide equitable access but do not modify competency expectations. Therefore, candidates must meet all academic and clinical requirements, and accommodations cannot be applied retroactively to adjust prior performance. 

• Candidates must attest annually that they meet the technical standards with or without reasonable accommodations, as they progress through the curriculum.  

• Should a candidate have or develop a health condition that may impact the health or safety of patients or others, an individualized assessment with Tulane School of Medicine in consultation with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility may be necessary. As in initial assessments, a complete and careful reconsideration of the objective requirements to participate in the program, as well as the qualifications of the candidate to meet such requirements, with or without accommodation, will be evaluated.  

Secondary Application

An application is considered complete once the Tulane School of Admissions and Student Affairs has received the primary and secondary applications, application fee, MCAT score, and all letters of recommendation. Once an application is complete, the file is read by one or more members of the Admission Committee. One of three actions may result from screening. The applicant may be:

• INVITED FOR INTERVIEW BY EMAIL, 
• NOTIFIED OF NON-ACCEPTANCE BY EMAIL, or
• NOTIFIED OF BEING PLACED ON HOLD FOR A POSSIBLE INTERVIEW BY EMAIL

During the screening process the contents of the entire application are taken into account, but at this stage of review the greatest emphasis is placed upon an applicant's academic record and letters of evaluation. Nonetheless, experience shows that students with a broad range of coursework (both science and non-science courses), active participation in college or campus life, and a good record of community service are more likely to be invited for interviews.

During the 2025-26 admission's cycle, all interviews will be held virtually.  

Approximately 600 applicants are invited each year for interviews. Interviews are held from August through the end of February/early March. Invited applicants are emailed an invitation to schedule the interview. Do not wait to schedule; the calendar is open on first come first serve. If it is necessary to reschedule an interview one may request a subsequent date, but there is no guarantee that we can accommodate due to our heavy volume. Additionally, in recognition of the cost of interviewing, Tulane School of Medicine will attempt to accommodate those applicants trying to coordinate interviews with several schools.

In previous admission's cycles, interview days were Mondays through Fridays and last from 8:00 am until approximately 12:30 PM.  

Applicants will be interviewed by one faculty member or administrator and a current TUSOM student. All interviews  are blind and informal. The faculty/administrator interviewer will be able to view the applicant's personal statement and secondary application if they choose to do so.  The interviewee will also participate in a "standardized patient" exercise in which they will play the role of a first year medical student interviewing a patient. 

All interviewers will write a report about the interview and that report will become a part of the applicant's file. With the addition of the interview reports, an applicant's file is considered complete and ready for review by the Admissions Committee.

Typically within 4-6 weeks after the interview, the application goes before the full Admission Committee for evaluation. The Committee may decide to accept an applicant, place the applicant on a "acceptance range" wait list or reject an applicant. No mathematical formula are used in making this decision and no specific guidelines are given to committee members to place particular weight upon MCAT's, GPA, or other parts of the completed application. 

Acceptances are offered weekly, beginning October 1 (ED)/October 15 (Regular) and continuing until the class is filled. Each week, the Committee may elect to send offers of acceptance to applicants from the "acceptance range" list or to send offers of admissions only to applicants whose files have been reviewed that week.

Those applicants who receive letters of acceptance are given two weeks to either accept or decline the offer of admission to Tulane School of Medicine. Those who accept their place must electronically submit a deposit of $100. The instructions for submitting the payment can be found in the acceptance letter. The deposit must be received no later than April 30th of the year of the student's expected matriculation. Upon enrollment, this deposit is credited toward the student's tuition and is not refundable after April 30th. Therefore, applicants are advised to submit their deposit only after they have made a final decision about attending Tulane School of Medicine.

A letter of withdrawal is required if a student wishes to relinquish a reserved place in the class. An e-mail will suffice (medsch@tulane.edu) or the student may withdraw the application inside the Tulane Secondary Portal.

Accepted students are asked to be considerate to others in the applicant pool awaiting an acceptance. Tulane School of Medicine strongly encourages students to not hold more than one seat at a time, but recognizes that a final decision often can not be made until all information is available. In cases where an applicant is awaiting additional information before deciding upon which medical school to attend, we encourage the applicant to narrow the choice to two or three schools at most and to relinquish any additional places being held. The applicant should make decisions as information is received from the medical schools.