The Lewis Katz School of Medicine (Katz) prefers a minimum of 90 semester hours from a U.S. or Canadian university. Virtually all students will have completed a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation.
Although the Admissions Committee holds no preference for science majors, all applicants—whether science majors or not— must demonstrate capacity for excellence in the sciences.
Coursework
Applicants should demonstrate preparation for the rigors of medical school and achievement in the sciences through completion of a broad range of science coursework and the MCAT® exam.While there are no absolute course requirements, Katz recommends that students complete coursework in Biology, Chemistry (both general and organic), Biochemistry, Physics, Psychology and Sociology.In addition, students should have a broad humanities education and strong writing skills.The Office of Admissions will only evaluate courses completed at a US or Canadian university.
If recommended coursework in Biology, Chemistry or Physics has been completed online, at a community college, through AP credits or through a study abroad program, we prefer to see classroom-based, upper-level science coursework in that discipline.
Coursework completed online or with P/F grades due to COVID will not negatively impact the review of your application.
MCAT
Every applicantmust take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT®) within three years of matriculation and no later than September of the year in which the candidate applies. Katz will consider applicants for entering 2025 with MCAT® scores from 2022, 2023, and 2024. The last MCAT® we will consider for the Entering 2025 application cycle is September 2024.
Applications are considered with the most recent MCAT® results (section scores and total scores).
Applicants have the option to provide SAT & ACT scores and upload unofficial copies of the scores via the supplemental application.
MCAT® Prep: Learn more about Temple University’s MCAT® Biochemistry Online course.
Supplemental Application
The supplemental application is used to help us identify your unique interest in Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.A $100 non-refundable application fee is collected online when you submit your Katz supplemental application. The supplemental application fee is waived for candidates who are approved by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Fee Assistance Program prior to submission of the AMCAS® application.
Through submission of your supplemental application, applicants can:
- Upload USCIS documentation (permanent residents or refugee/asylee status)
- Send updatesto Temple (additional letters, unofficial transcripts, etc.)
- Monitor the receipt of checklist items including letters of recommendation, Casper, Institutional Action letter (if applicable), etc. Once all checklist items have been received, an email will be sent confirming that your application is ready for review
Letters
Katz participates in the AMCAS® Letter Service. Letters can be sent to AMCAS® through the AMCAS® Letter Writer Application or Interfolio. All letters should be on letterhead and contain the letter writer's signature.
If Katz is designated as a recipient of the letter on the AMCAS® application, AMCAS® will release the electronic copy to Katz.All letters designated for Katz must be received before your application will go under review.
Katz will consider letters of recommendation from a premedical committee, a packet from a school letter compilation service, or three (3) individual letters.If submitting a compilation packet or individual letters, weprefer if possible, but do not require,two (2) letters from professors with whom you have completed course work from the AMCAS® course classifications of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. One additional letter is required from a non-science professor, work experience or service activity. If submitting individual letters, we recommend submitting no more than 6.
A premedical committee letter does not need a specific number of science/non-science letters. We welcome letters from research experiences but prefer them in addition to the requested science letters from professors with whom you completed coursework. At any point in the application process, you are welcome to submit additional letters to support your application and are encouraged to use the AMCAS® letter service to submit these letters.
Situational Judgment Test
All applicants to the MD program are required to complete Casper, an online open-response situational judgement test (SJT). Casper is a scenario-based test that assesses non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for success in our program and complements the other tools that we use for applicant screening and selection.
Applicants can register for the Altus Suite for Medicine (UME) (CSP10111 – US Medicine) testathttps://acuityinsights.app/.
Casper test results are valid for one admissions cycle.
Institutional Action
Applicants who have received institutional actions are not considered complete until a school statement describing the incident and sanctions has been received. Once this letter is received, in addition to the materials above, the application can proceed to the screening process.
On the supplemental application, you will have the opportunity to update your response from your AMCAS application. Applicants who receive an institutional action after the AMCAS application has been submitted are required to send a letter to the Office ofAdmissions with details of the event.
The supplemental application contains instructions for how the appropriate institutional official (Dean of Students, Judicial Officer, etc.) can provide this statement. A statement about the Institutional Action in your pre-health committee letter does not meet our requirement.
