The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all areas of our lives. For medical school applicants and medical school students the effects are widespread. The American Medical Association recently had a blog post that summed up some of the issues impacting medical school applicants. The AMCAS has a statement on how COVID-19 is impacting its constituents. The AMA also has “guiding principles to protect learners responding to COVID-19“. California medical schools issued a joint statement on the COVID-19 situation.  Many medical schools have announced how they are handling the situation in regard to medical school requirements and changed grading systems (P/F) by various colleges/universities. Here is guidance from Baylor, West Virginia, Johns Hopkins, Mt. Sinai, University of Massachusetts. Visit other medical schools’ websites to get the latest information. Inside Higher Ed also posted information pertaining to medical school admission and the change in grading schemes.

In addition, TMDSAS has put out a statement on COVID-19 and how it might impact its application process. The MCAT has also been impacted.

Medical school interviews during the 2020-2021 application cycle will be virtual.

Applications to medical school have increased  in this cycle, perhaps as a result of the pandemic. According to the Wall Street Journal, at the end of August 2020 applications were up 17% over the prior year at the same time. That may level off by the time the application process is over but it is a marked increase over the prior year.

This is an evolving situation. For the latest information continue to check schools’ websites along with the application services (AMCAS, TMDSAS, and AACOMAS). A recent article in MedPage Today described applicants’ frustration with the Association of American Medical Colleges and its handling of the MCAT and other issues during the pandemic.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consultant

Originally posted April 9, updated April 13 and July 9