Medicine, M.D.

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Medical school can be a stressful and dispiriting experience, but it doesn’t have to be. At Saint Louis University, we’ve made a number of changes to the curriculum that are consistent with the Jesuit tradition of educating the whole person — mind, body, heart, and spirit — including:

• Changing from a tiered grading system to pass/fail grading in the first two years.
• Instituting longitudinal electives that span the first two years. On average, one full day every two weeks is set aside for electives.
• Developing learning communities in service and advocacy, research, global health, wellness, and medical education.
• Instituting a required resilience and mindfulness curriculum for first-year students.
• Expanding extracurricular events to promote wellness.
• These curricular changes have resulted in the substantially improved mental health of our students.

Curriculum Overview

Saint Louis University’s medical school faculty teach both the science and the art of medicine. Every aspect of the curriculum encourages independent inquiry while introducing students to an array of skills necessary for a lifetime of critical evaluation and learning.

Throughout the four years, students will explore the basic and clinical sciences through small group activities, computer-based instruction, and case-based tutorials. The Clinical Skills Center lets students interact with trained standardized patients and practice selected clinical procedures on simulated models and mannequins before participating in the care of actual patients.

During third- and fourth-year clinical rotations, students will continue to develop diagnostic and treatment competencies in a variety of supervised inpatient and outpatient settings.

Careers

The School of Medicine graduates are well-prepared to practice medicine in a variety of settings. According to the Bureau of Labor, the median annual salary for physicians and surgeons in 2017 was $214,700.

Admission Requirements

Specific academic requirements include a minimum of 90 semester credits (135 quarter credits) in undergraduate arts and sciences courses. Virtually all accepted applicants complete a baccalaureate degree of at least 120 semester credits (180 quarter credits) from an accredited college or university. In all cases, the committee on admissions is more concerned with the quality of the applicant's education than with the number of credits or years of pre-medical training. Students who have received their education at a foreign school must complete at least one academic year of science course work in an accredited North American college or university prior to making an application

Course requirements include (credits in parentheses):

• General Biology or Zoology (8)^†
•  Inorganic Chemistry (8)^†
•  Organic Chemistry (8)^†
•  Physics (8)^†
•  English (6)
•  Other Humanities and Behavioral Sciences (12)

†

A laboratory course is required in these sciences.

Apart from academic characteristics, the School of Medicine recognizes a responsibility to consider applicants as individuals, particularly in the evaluation of the breadth of their educational experience, their personality traits, maturity level, and appropriate motivation and commitment to a career in medicine.

Transfer Students

Saint Louis University School of Medicine accepts applications for transfer with advanced standing into the third year only from students currently enrolled and in good standing in allopathic medical schools located in the United States and accredited by the LCME. Applications from students enrolled in foreign medical schools will not be accepted.

The School of Medicine does not reserve any places for transfer students, and the number of places that become available through attrition is normally small. Preference will be given to applicants faced with extreme personal hardship necessitating transfer to the St. Louis area and to applicants whose spouses must relocate to this area.

The deadline for application with advanced standing is March 1. Applications must be supported by a letter from the student's present dean.

Personal interviews are required for all candidates. Applicants must perform well on Step 1 of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Applications from students who have failed coursework or have been terminated for any reason at another medical school will not be considered.

To be considered for admission at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine an application must include the following:

Application Requirements

Saint Louis University is one of many medical schools participating in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), and students will complete an application there. The application will become available in the spring. The deadline for submission of materials to AMCAS is Dec. 15. 

MCAT

All applicants to the Saint Louis University School of Medicine must take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and submit the results of this test to the committee on admissions. The test must be completed by September 2021. The committee does not consider MCAT scores prior to 2018.

Application Fee

A service fee of $100 is charged to all applicants. An American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) fee waiver may be available.

Photograph

A passport-size photograph is required. This .jpg photo will be uploaded into the application system.

Letters of Recommendation

If your school has a pre-medical advisory committee, a letter from the committee is sufficient. If your school does not have a committee, please request letters of evaluation from three of your college or university teachers. Be sure at least one of these individuals teaches science. Remember, an insightful and in-depth evaluation by someone who knows you is of greater value than just a recapitulation of your academic work. Letters from others who know you, in addition to the basic recommendations, are welcome as well. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all necessary documents reach the committee on admissions. Please remember that your application is not complete until all letters of recommendation have been received.

Interview

Applicants are carefully selected for an interview with a member of the committee. The interview itinerary includes a luncheon with students and faculty, financial aid information, and a tour of the School of Medicine.

Application Deadlines

All required materials required for the committee on admissions should be submitted as early as possible.

• AMCAS deadline for submission: Dec. 15, 2021
• Saint Louis University Supplemental Application deadline: Jan. 15, 2022
•  Decision deadline for applicants holding multiple acceptances: April 30, 2022

Review Process

Communications of admission decisions will be sent via email. Every effort is made to be sure each applicant receives notification by April 30, 2022, whether that decision is accepted, not accepted, or placement on the alternate list.

Correspondence

Saint Louis University encourages good communication. Please include your name as appears on your application and your AMCAS ID number in your correspondence. We encourage the use of email. 

Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
1402 S. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Phone: 314-977-9870
Fax: 314-977-9825
Email: slumd@health.slu.edu

Scholarships and Financial Aid

For priority consideration for graduate assistantship, apply by Feb. 1. 

For more information, visit the student financial services office online at https://www.slu.edu/financial-aid/index.php.

Accreditation 

The Saint Louis University School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the accrediting body for medical education in the United States.

• Graduates will be able to gather pertinent information about patients and their conditions through comprehensive history-taking, physical examination, and interpretation of diagnostic tests.
• Graduates will be able to use critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills to develop a prioritized differential diagnosis and determine level of acuity.
• Graduates will be able to utilize pertinent patient information, relevant scientific evidence, and appropriate clinical judgment to provide effective, efficient, and culturally-sensitive patient and family-centered care in a variety of settings and systems.
• Graduates will be able to perform general procedures of a physician.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of normal human growth, development, and aging.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prognosis, management, and prevention of common and/or important human diseases.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of how ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic, and other social determinants of health impact both the general population as well as vulnerable populations.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of clinical and translational research through critique of experimental design, ethical considerations, data, and statistical analysis.
• Graduates will be able to identify strengths and limitations in one’s knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and develop a plan to address deficiencies seeking assistance when needed.
• Graduates will be able to apply evidence from scientific studies to patient care.
• Graduates will be able to formulate an accurate, focused, and context-specific oral summary and documentation of a clinical encounter.
• Graduates will be able to communicate effectively, respectfully, and compassionately with patients, families, and healthcare team members across a broad range of socioeconomic, cultural, and spiritual backgrounds.
• Graduates will be able to show integrity and accountability to patients, society, and the profession of medicine.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate respect for patient privacy, confidentiality, autonomy, culture, shared decision-making, and informed consent.
• Graduates will be able to incorporate considerations of population health, patient experience, and per capita cost in practice.
• Graduates will be able to facilitate and support the coordination of patient care within the context of (an) interprofessional health care system
• Graduates will be able to identify systems failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge of team members’ roles and responsibilities, and how members individually and collectively address the healthcare needs of patients and populations.
• Graduates will be able to work effectively and respectfully with all team members and coworkers in the health care setting.
• Graduates will be able to use self-reflection to regulate personal and professional behavior and seek assistance when needed.
• Graduates will be able to utilize resources (personal, professional and institutional) that provide support and direction for a positive, rewarding, and sustained career in medicine.

School of Medicine
1402 S. Grand Blvd., C130
St. Louis, MO 63104

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

314-977-9870
slumd@health.slu.edu