MUSC College of Medicine MD Admissions Guide (2027)

Quick facts

• AMCAS deadline: November 2, 2026; secondary deadline December 15, 2026. Timeline
• MCAT: September 12, 2026 is the final regular-decision test date; scores completed before May 2024 are not accepted for Fall 2027. Selection criteria
• Residency: South Carolina applicants receive priority; out-of-state applicants need at least a 511 MCAT, 3.7 cumulative undergraduate GPA and defined close ties to South Carolina. Selection criteria
• Interview: Three virtual interviews: two 30-minute interviews on Virtual Interview Day and one outside it. Interview process

Admission requirements

Applicants need a B.A., B.S. or equivalent from an accredited institution by matriculation, unless they are in an approved joint baccalaureate-MD program. MUSC publishes no required prerequisite courses, but strongly recommends two semesters each of biology and general inorganic chemistry with labs, one to two semesters each of organic chemistry and physics with labs, plus useful preparation in biochemistry, anatomy, cell biology, embryology, genetics, physiology, immunology, statistics, college mathematics and intensive writing. AP and IB credits recorded on the degree-granting transcript can satisfy semester-hour expectations. Accredited online courses may be accepted, but classroom science preparation is described as more competitive. Selection criteria

The MCAT is required and must be within three years of matriculation. For Fall 2027, scores completed before May 2024 are not accepted, and September 12, 2026 is the last regular-decision test date. MUSC uses the highest composite score. South Carolina residents need at least a 500 MCAT and either a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA or a 3.5 cumulative postbaccalaureate or graduate GPA. Out-of-state candidates need at least a 511 MCAT, a 3.7 cumulative undergraduate GPA and strong close ties to South Carolina. Selection criteria

A minimum of three and maximum of five letters is allowed. A prehealth or premedical committee letter or packet fulfills the minimum. Without one, applicants should include at least one faculty letter, preferably science, and two other detailed evaluations. Letters must go through AMCAS. The secondary fee is $95 and may be waived for AAMC Fee Assistance Program recipients upon request. Selection criteria Timeline

Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are considered for the regular MD; DACA applicants may apply under the same policies. MUSC defines qualifying out-of-state close ties as having lived in South Carolina for multiple years, having parents living full-time there, completing an undergraduate or graduate degree there, or currently living or working there. Selection criteria

Important dates

AMCAS opens May 1, 2026 and opens for submission May 28. The regular-decision final MCAT test is September 12, 2026. The AMCAS deadline is November 2, 2026 and the secondary and fee deadline is December 15, 2026. Interviews run September 2026 through March 2027, and rolling offers begin in October 2026. Timeline

For accepted applicants, Plan to Enroll becomes available February 18, 2027; offers should be narrowed to three by April 14; MUSC's Plan to Enroll deadline is April 29; Commit to Enroll becomes available May 3; the full-refund withdrawal deadline is May 14; final transcripts are due June 1; and Commit to Enroll is due June 24, 2027. Timeline

A nearby application-process page says the 2026 regular primary deadline is November 3, while the dedicated 2026-27 timeline says November 2. This guide uses the detailed cycle table; applicants should submit earlier rather than rely on the conflicting date.

How selection works

MUSC conducts holistic review of academic preparedness, experiences and personal attributes. Primary factors include cumulative undergraduate GPA and highest composite MCAT; clinical exposure and shadowing, service, volunteering and leadership; and critical thinking, compassion, emotional intelligence, motivation, oral communication, social skills and principles. Additional balancing factors may include South Carolina connectivity, community impact, military service, graduate work, resilience, research, improved coursework and work experience. Selection criteria

A complete interview-stage file includes verified AMCAS and the MUSC secondary. South Carolina files are reviewed first; eligible out-of-state invitations are typically sent in December, with interviews in late January or February. Interviewers see AMCAS, supplemental essays and letters but not MCAT or cumulative GPA. Rolling decisions begin in October; unresolved interviewed applicants may remain on Committee Hold and wait-list placement is generally communicated by late March or early April. Timeline Interview process

MUSC does not publish numerical weights, an interview scoring rubric, screening formula beyond the stated eligibility floors or a committee-vote threshold.

Interview details

Confirmed

All Fall 2027 interviews are virtual. Applicants complete three interviews: two 30-minute interviews during Virtual Interview Day and a third virtual interview outside the day. Virtual Interview Day includes admissions and PRIME presentations, the two interviews, meetings with College leaders, a current-student panel and a virtual campus tour; it ends by 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Timeline Interview process

Interviewers assess critical thinking, compassion, emotional intelligence, motivation, oral communication and social skills, and principles. They may be drawn from the committee's faculty, students, community physicians and College representatives. Interviewers receive AMCAS, essays and letters but not MCAT or cumulative GPA. Interview process

Not published

The current pages do not publish the third interview's duration or timing, each interviewer's role, exact question format, scoring anchors, numerical interview weight or committee voting mechanics.

Who this program may suit

MUSC's public mission and published review order make South Carolina service and connectivity material. Applicants should be precise about the community, clinical or service work they performed and, if applying from out of state, document one of MUSC's defined close-tie categories rather than offering a general preference for Charleston. Selection criteria

This guide covers the regular Charleston MD admissions identity. The AnMed Primary Care Parallel Track is a limited third- and fourth-year clinical option considered only after acceptance to MUSC College of Medicine, so it is not a separate school page. MSTP, accelerated and combined programs have distinct rules and are excluded. Application process

Practice and next step

Record a 90-second response about a service or clinical experience that changed how you understand the needs of a particular community. Name your action, the person or group affected and one concrete lesson. Review the recording for any unsupported generalization and adjust it with a specific observation. If South Carolina connectivity is relevant, practise a separate factual 45-second explanation that fits one of MUSC's published close-tie categories.

Frequently asked questions

What are MUSC's Fall 2027 deadlines?

The dedicated timeline gives November 2, 2026 for AMCAS and December 15, 2026 for the secondary and fee. Timeline

Can out-of-state applicants apply?

Yes, but they need at least a 511 MCAT, a 3.7 cumulative undergraduate GPA and defined close ties to South Carolina. Selection criteria

Are there required prerequisite courses?

MUSC says there are no prerequisite courses, but it publishes strongly recommended science and writing preparation. Selection criteria

What is the interview format?

Three virtual interviews: two 30-minute meetings during Virtual Interview Day and one additional virtual interview outside it. Interview process

Sources

Verified August 12, 2026. Current official sources: 2026-27 application timeline, Selection criteria, Application process and Interview process.