Frequently Asked Questions
If I am accepted into the Humanities and Medicine Program, am I automatically accepted into medical school?
Yes, provided that:
- You maintain the high standards of your present credentials and receive your Bachelor's degree
- You successfully complete the 8-week summer program at Mount Sinai
- You are not disciplined for any unprofessional/unethical behavior
- You are physically and emotionally capable of meeting the rigorous demands of the medical school
- No problems come up in your AMCAS or Mount Sinai Supplemental Application .
Can I defer my matriculation to Mount Sinai for two years?
Students in the Humanities and Medicine Program are encouraged to defer their matriculation to Mount Sinai for one or two years. The permission to defer is granted upon request to the program director and requires a strong, well thought out educational plan for the deferred time period.
I completed a year of organic chemistry. Am I still eligible to apply?
Yes. We only require one semester of organic chemistry, but we will consider applications from students who have completed a year of organic chemistry.
Do I have to fill out an AMCAS application?
Application to the Humanities and Medicine Program does not require an AMCAS application; however, matriculation at Mount Sinai does. If you are accepted into the Humanities and Medicine Program, you will be asked to fill out an AMCAS application during the year preceding your matriculation at Mount Sinai. At that time you will also be required to complete Mount Sinai's Supplemental Application, with the exception of the essay questions, but will not be required to pay the supplemental application fee.
From whom should I get letters of recommendation?
We require three letters of recommendation:
- high school teacher/guidance counselor;
- college professor/faculty advisor;
- other person who knows you well, could be another teacher/professor, employer, etc.
Do I have to complete the required coursework before applying?
You do not need to complete the required courses before applying to the Humanities and Medicine Program. If accepted into the program, you must complete these courses before you graduate from your undergraduate institution.
I took a year of college biology (chemistry) during the summer at another institution. Is that acceptable?
We do not require that you complete the college biology or chemistry courses at your undergraduate institution. However, you should take these courses at an institution that is an accredited 4-year college of similar quality to your undergraduate institution. Furthermore, it is important that you consider courses that will provide you with the requisite background for medical school courses covering topics such as biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology, cell biology, physiology, microbiology, immunobiology, etc.
Do I have to take the labs associated with the biology (chemistry) courses?
Mount Sinai's admission policy states that "biology and chemistry must be accompanied by laboratory experience". You should master the material in your biology and chemistry courses in order to prepare yourself for medical school; in most cases, the labs associated with a course will help you to do so.
I plan to major in Psychology. Am I eligible for the Humanities and Medicine Program?
Majoring in the social sciences, including most psychology majors, is acceptable. The philosophy of the program is to minimize the time you spend in labs in order for you to direct your interests to your other academic and non-academic passions. Therefore, experimental psychology or neuroscience, sometimes integrated into a Psychology department, are not acceptable majors.
Are all applicants interviewed?
No. Only selected applicants will be invited for interviews at Mount Sinai. These interviews will be scheduled from mid-November to mid-December. A tour of the medical center will also be scheduled at that time for invited applicants.
When will I be notified of acceptance/rejection?
Letters of acceptance/rejection will be mailed out during winter break. This will allow you ample time to alter your course schedule, if necessary, for the spring semester.
I did not take the SAT test. Are ACT scores acceptable?
ACT scores are acceptable instead of SAT scores. We are particularly interested in your verbal scores. Recent successful applicants to this program have had ACT scores in the range of 31-35.
My combined Critical Reading (old Verbal)+ math SAT score is 1300. Am I still eligible to apply?
Although most successful applicants have a combined SAT score above 1350, there are other parts of your application that can make up for a lower combined SAT score. We are particularly interested in your Critical Reading (CR) SAT score because we have found that among our Humanities and Medicine Students, passing of the United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE's) on the first attempt is correlated with a CR SAT score above 650. We currently do not use the Writing score in the evaluation of applications.
I received a 5 on my AP Biology exam. Do I still have to take a year of biology in college?
Yes. You do not need to repeat introductory biology, but you must take a year of college biology, which may be advanced courses. Choose courses which will best prepare you for medical school, for example, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, physiology, immunology, biochemistry.