Address, E-mail, Phone Number:
How do I make updates to my address, e-mail, or phone number?
These changes have to be made through your account with AMCAS. We cannot change any of your information in our database.
How do I prevent legitimate UPSOM e-mail from being caught in my Spam Filter?
Unless our "From" address is added to your contact list or address book, our e-mails might not get delivered to your inbox. Add our "From" address to your "Safe Sender" list within your mail client.
Supplemental Applications:
How many supplemental applications are sent out?
All applicants have the opportunity to submit the supplemental application.
How are supplemental applications sent to applicants?
They are sent via e-mail with a link and password attached.
What do I do if I do not receive my supplemental application?
Notifications are sent via e-mail with a link and password attached to access our supplemental applications. These e-mails are sent automatically to all applicants whose verified AMCAS application is received by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPSOM). Typically these e-mails are sent with 48 hours of receipt of the verified AMCAS application. If not received, applicants should check their spam filters and add our "From" address to your "Safe Sender" list within their mail client. Applicants should call the Office of Admissions at 412-648-9891 if they have any questions regarding the status of their supplemental application.
Does the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine offer a fee waiver for their supplemental application?
Yes, The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine will waive the supplemental application fee for applicants who have been granted fee assistance by the AAMC. Participants in Teach for America, AmeriCorps, and the Peace Corps do not automatically qualify for a supplemental fee waiver. Applicants that do not qualify for the AAMC waiver, may apply directly to UPSOM for consideration of the supplemental fee waiver and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Letters of Recommendation:
Can I add more than the number of required recommendation letters to my file?
Yes. You may add as many personal, academic, or other documents as you wish up to the maximum of five letters in total. However, be certain that you complete the minimum requirements for letters of recommendation.
What are the minimum requirements for letters of recommendation?
A letter of recommendation from a Pre-Health Advisory Committee or three individual letters of recommendation are required to complete an application for admission to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. While any three letters of recommendations will be accepted, it is preferred that the applicant submit three academic letters.
I submitted more than the 5 permissible letters of recommendation to AMCAS. Can I designate which letters I want you to read or request letters to be deleted?
We are not able to delete letters of recommendation once we receive them from AMCAS. It is our policy that the first 5 letters of recommendation we receive in chronological order will be reviewed with your application. We can only note within your admissions file your letter preference.
What is considered an academic letter of recommendation?
An academic letter can be written by a professor from whom you took a class, a pre-health advisor, or a research mentor(s).
What is considered a committee letter?
Many medical, dental, and some other health professional schools require or prefer applicants to have letters of evaluation from their undergraduate school's pre-health committee. This committee may be called the Pre-health Advisory Committee and is composed of faculty, administrators, and staff from across the university. The Committee Letter is essentially a cover letter, and part of the packet includes other individual letters of recommendation that are obtained from professors, instructors, research supervisors, and other mentors. As a cover letter, the Committee Letter serves several purposes: it introduces you to medical school admissions committees, and it reviews your strengths and accomplishments. The Committee Letter is thorough, detailed, and individualized. A single letter from a pre-health advisor/counselor is not considered a committee letter.
When is it an appropriate time for me to follow-up with the UPSOM?
Our Admissions Committee welcomes letters of intent/interest and updates to your application. The most appropriate time to follow-up with us is following your interview or after the receipt of your official admissions decision. Communications can be sent via postal mail or to our admissions mailbox at admissions@medschool.pitt.edu. Any communication received from the applicant will be included in their admissions file.
Academic Requirements:
What are the Academic Requirements for the MD program?
In addition to thorough preparation in the basic sciences, applicants should have a strong liberal arts education with demonstrated accomplishment in the humanities and social sciences. A strong background in mathematics is highly recommended.
Acceptance of courses taken at foreign universities is determined on an individual basis at the discretion of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid. You should have completed most pre-medical requirements to receive serious consideration. All requirements must be met before matriculation.
Please review our Academic Requirements web page for additional information.
We will accept AP credit if credit was awarded by your college/university and the course credit granted appears on your transcript. CLEP credits are not accepted.
Does the UPSOM accept online coursework?
Yes, online coursework will be accepted to meet our academic requirements for matriculation to the UPSOM.
Does the UPSOM accept online degrees?
On-line degrees will be accepted with an additional year of in-person instruction at a regionally accredited institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation within the United States and Canada.
Does the UPSOM accept a PharmD to fulfill the baccalaureate degree requirement?
Yes, but an applicant with the PharmD must still complete all the required coursework for matriculation. This coursework may or may not have been included in their Doctor of Pharmacy program.
International Students:
Do you accept international applicants?
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of citizenship status for the MD program. International applicants must meet all requirements of applicants who are United States citizens, permanent residents, or asylees. These requirements mandate at least one year of higher education within the United States or Canada and completion of all pre-requisite courses as listed on the website. Proficiency in written and spoken English must be documented.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine International Medical Student Application Process Policy
Individualized Disability Support:
When do I request physical accommodations for the study of medicine?
According to the ADA, the decision regarding academic credentials for medical school admission must be completely independent of any consideration of accommodation for disability. That decision must precede any discussion of potential accommodation requirements. After the admission decision, if the applicant is offered a place in the class, the applicant will be sent a copy of the technical standards required to complete the program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. At that time, the applicant indicates whether they can satisfy those standards – either with described accommodations or without. The school committee on technical standards, in consultation with the University Disabilities Services, will work with the applicant to determine if it is possible for the applicant to successfully complete this program with accommodations.
COVID-19 Pandemic:
Do I need to be vaccinated against COVID-19?
Effective December 6, 2021, all University of Pittsburgh students, faculty and staff on all campuses must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have received an approved exemption to remain a community member. Please visit the following site about the requirement, providing proof of vaccination or to request an exemption: https://www.coronavirus.pitt.edu/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-requirement