How to Apply

The SMP requires the same prerequisites courses as most US medical schools. 2 semesters of each of the following courses (including labs) are required:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Organic Chemistry
• Physics
• Biochemistry – highly recommended for application to the SMP and medical school (many medical schools now require it)

You can be completing these courses while you apply.  All prerequisite courses need to be completed prior to the start of the SMP. 

COVID-19 Information

Given the situation with COVID-19, the SMP has decided to waive the test score requirement for applicants for Fall 2020.  If all other application materials are received, your application will be sent to the admissions committee for review.  Please note, if you already took the MCAT or GRE, we still want your official test scores (instructions on how to release them to us is listed below). If not, practice scores can be submitted as supplemental information (although, not required).  Submitting a practice test score (at least 3 of them) can make your application more competitive. They should be full length practice exams and should include a score, breakdown by section and the date taken.  You can email all practice scores to physio@georgetown.edu (new window).

MCAT Score Submission
Release your MCAT scores to the SMP. You may do so at any time via AMCAS’s MCAT Score Reporting. To access this, go to the AAMC website and go to their “MCAT Scores” tab. Select “Get MCAT Test Scores” and then log in to your AAMC account. This will bring you to a page that displays your information and your “most recent MCAT dates”. At the top of this page you will see a “My Reports” tab. Click it and a drop-down will appear. Please select “Send Scores Electronically”. You will be brought to a Select Institutions page and here you can find the SMP listed as  “Georgetown Master’s Program Department of Physiology & Biophysics”. Then click “Confirm and Release Scores”. Check the boxes that appear in the disclaimer and then “Send Scores”. You should also email a PDF of your score report to biomedgrad@georgetown.edu.

GRE Score Submission
Release your GRE score to the SMP.  The Georgetown Univ. Code: 5244.

You should also self report all test scores in the Self Reported Test Scores section of the online application (official scores are required to be deemed complete).

Unofficial transcripts are required from every institution you have earned credits and grades, including both degree and non-degree coursework. This allows the admissions committee to have a more complete picture of your academic preparation for graduate study.

You can upload an unofficial transcript in 1 of 2 ways:

• Request an official paper transcript be mailed to yourself.  Open the transcript, scan and upload to Georgetown Univ Application Portal (we realize that by opening the transcript it is now deemed unofficial.  This is ok).
• If your school has the ability to send official electronic transcripts, you can request that an official electronic transcript be emailed to yourself. Open the transcript and save as a PDF.  Upload to Georgetown Univ Application Portal (we realize that by you opening the electronic transcript it is now deemed unofficial.  This is ok).

Do not send electronic or paper copies of your official transcripts to Georgetown Univ before receiving an offer of admission.

Versions of unofficial transcripts that we do NOT accept are:

• We do not accept screenshots or photos
• We do not accept downloads of the “student’s view” from your institution’s website

NOTE: Applicants who are offered admission will be required at that time to submit official transcripts for verification prior to enrolling. 

For transcripts not in English: These documents must be accompanied by an English language version provided by the academic institution. If your institution does not provide English language copies, applicants are responsible for providing a certified or notarized translation along with a copy of the original transcripts. Applicants may upload an evaluation from a credential evaluation service. This must include course and grade information. If not included in the evaluation, the transcript from the institution must be included as well. Both the evaluation and original transcript should be submitted in the application as one document.

For additional questions, please visit BGE Admissions FAQ.

The SMP requires a minimum (and maximum) of 3 letters of recommendation, OR you may use your undergraduate committee/composite letter. Letters written for application to medical school are acceptable. At least 2 letters should be from professors in science courses.

If you have a composite/committee letter:

1. Click on the “composite recommendation or letter packet” option in the LOR Choice section of the online application.
2. Enter the name and email address of the person/office that will be uploading your letter/packet.
3. Our system will email that person/office and ask that they upload your packet. If they are unable to upload the packet (for example, attachment is too large), they should email the packet directly to biomedgrad@georgetown.edu.  

If using Interfolio to submit individual LORs, click on “three individual recommendations” option.  For each recommendor, enter your letter writer’s name and the unique email address generated by Interflio.  Interfolio will then process the request.

There are 2 ways to satisfy the Academic Statement of Purpose requirement.

1.  If you have a previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application
   • You do not need to write a new Academic Statement of Purpose
   • In this section, upload a document that reads “see AMCAS/AACOMAS”
   • In the “LOR Choice for Physiology & Biophysics M.S.” section of the online application, you will upload a PDF of your previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application
2. If you do not have a previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application
   • Disregard the 500-word limit listed on the Graduate School application.
   • The academic statement of purpose should read like an AMCAS/AACOMAS personal statement. It should reflect you as an applicant to medical school and your motivation for medicine. (A traditional AMCAS/AACOMAS personal statement has a 5300 character limit).

There are 2 ways to satisfy the Supplemental Information requirement.

1. If you have a previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application
   • Upload a PDF of your previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application in the “LOR Choice for Physiology & Biophysics M.S.” section of the online application.
   • If you have updates to your AMCAS/AACOMAS application, you may upload a document listing the new information in the Background and Experience section, under Resume/CV.
2. If you do not have a previous AMCAS/AACOMAS application
   • Upload a document in the Background and Experience section – Resume/CV listing ALL of the following information (bullet point or resume format are fine).
   • Overall GPA
   • Science GPA
   • Employment History (post-high school) – include position, responsibilities, dates of employment, total # of hours
   • Clinical Experiences (post-high school – paid and unpaid) – include position, responsibilities, total # hours
   • Non-Clinical Community Service (post-high school) – include location, responsibilities, total # of hours
   • Research Experience (post-high school) – include location, position, description, responsibilities, total # of hours
   • Extra-Curricular/Leadership Activities
   • Parent’s Education/Occupation – provide parent’s name, occupations and their highest level of education
   • Institutional Actions on Academic Record/Misdemeanors/Felonies. Please state “None” or list any actions and explain.  Be sure to include what you learned from the experience.  Moving traffic violations (speeding, accidents) are considered misdemeanors in many states. If you have a ticket(s), please check whether it is listed as a misdemeanor in the jurisdiction where you received the ticket. Also, if you have a pending court case, please indicate this, so we can advise you. (Note: if you have a court case during the year, and you are found guilty of a misdemeanor, you have to inform all the medical schools you applied to within 10 days of the judgment. Failure to do so can result in rescinding of acceptance.) If you have additional questions about institutional actions, etc, please contact an advisor at AMCAS.

TOEFL: Georgetown University Code is 5244. The minimum TOEFL score for admission is 80 (Internet-based test) and 550 (paper test).

IELTS: Select “Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.” The minimum IELTS score for admission is 7.0.

All applicants are required to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language sufficient to meet the admission requirement of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Proficiency can be demonstrated by the receipt of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction (please note that applicants receiving degrees at universities in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, are required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS unless the primary language of instruction at the institution is English).

This is a good thing! Because of the competitive applicant pool for The SMP, many of our accepted students are subsequently accepted to medical school before matriculating in our program. This opens seats, which we immediately fill from the waitlist. We do ask you to be patient– we will continually review waitlist applicants for acceptance up until the start of classes.

• Send us updates of your spring grades, and new MCAT scores if available, this will help us with our decisions.
• We will be contacting you periodically with information. Please respond ASAP.
• If you are accepted to medical school before coming, congratulations, and please send us an email stating that you wish to withdraw your application.
• If you are on the waitlist in late July/early August and are sure you will come if accepted, please let us know, as this will put you in our final select pool.