Health Professions FAQs
Following are some of the most common questions posed by students interested in Pre-Health Professions.
What is the overall acceptance rate to medical (MD & DO) and dental schools?
The overall acceptance rate varies each year. Approximately 60-72% of Wheaton College students are accepted to medical and dental schools each year. For the past application cycle (21-22 academic year), the acceptance rate was 69%.
For the 2021-22 cycle, 81% of the Wheaton students who applied with at least a 3.3 SCI CUM Undergraduate GPA, 3.5 CUM Undergraduate GPA or higher and 508 MCAT score or higher received acceptance to one or more medical schools.
For the 2012 -2022 cycle, 92% of the students who received a strong endorsement from the Faculty Health Professions Committee gained acceptance to at least one medical school.
For the 2021 – 2022 cycle, 66% of Wheaton College dental school applicants were accepted. The average GPA of accepted applicants was 3.53 and a 3.33 SCI GPA.
Additional Information:
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Nationally, almost 53,000 students applied to allopathic (MD) medical schools and 40% were accepted (2022 entering class). The prior year (2021 entering class) over 62,000 students applied to allopathic (MD) medical schools, the acceptance rate was 38%.
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The average GPA and MCAT score for Wheaton College’s accepted class to US medical schools (entering fall 2022) is 3.7 SCI GPA, 3.8 CUM GPA and 513 on the MCAT.
- It is important to keep in mind that admissions decisions are not made solely on the basis of GPA and MCAT scores. A variety of factors are considered for admissions. For more information on the Holistic Review process occurring during the medical school admissions process please see the AAMC website and AACOM website.
Among students who have studied at Wheaton College, the overall acceptance rate to medical and dental schools including first and subsequent attempts was approximately 74.8% for the 21 year period from 1993 to 2014.
How many Wheaton students apply to medical and dental schools annually?
During the recent application cycles of the last several years (2016-2021), our Pre-Health Professions program offered assistance and support services to students and alumni applying to graduate programs. The average number of applicants to allopathic medical schools annually was 39 (range: 31-45); to osteopathic medical schools 12.3 (range: 10-17); and to dental schools 4.5 (range 2-9).
What are common majors chosen by pre-health professions students?
Common majors for students interested in pursuing a health career are Biology, Applied Health Science, Chemistry, Psychology, and Spanish. However, students are encouraged to pursue a discipline that is of significant interest to them personally. Students studying Bible and Theology as well as Mathematics and Business have gained entrance to health professions schools.
What must future applicants to medical schools know?
Students should be aware of the changes in preparation for medical school and in the criteria for admission to medical school. Pre-requisite courses for sitting the new MCAT and changing admissions requirements are listed in the College Catalog. Admissions Initiatives from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC >>) include MCAT 2015 (competency-based), Holistic Review, and Competency-Based Admissions (CBA). Holistic Review includes a review of the applicant's experiences, attributes, and academic metrics. CBA refers to a set of core competencies which students entering medical school should be able to demonstrate. Competencies and attributes for future nurse leaders have been established as well. The Pre-Health Professions program at Wheaton is available to serve students wishing to pursue a Health Profession of choice.
International Students Intending to Study Medicine – Important Information
It is not uncommon for an international student to be interested in medical education in the United States. Even after completing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US school it can be challenging to gain acceptance to a US medical school for a couple of reasons. One primary challenge is financing your education. Only US citizens and permanent residents are eligible for federal aid, therefore the burden of providing evidence of the ability to pay rests solely upon the student. Additionally, not all medical schools accept applications from international students.
More information about the schools and programs that accept international students can be found by accessing the following resources:
- Allopathic Medical Schools (AAMC – Medical School Admissions Requirements and AAMC – Applying as an International Applicant)
- Osteopathic Medical Schools (AACOM – Choose DO)
- Dental Schools (ADEA – GoDental Resource)