How to Get Into the USC Keck School of Medicine: Requirements and Strategies
/Learn what it takes to get into the USC Keck School of Medicine, admissions strategies, plus the Keck secondary essay prompts and sample essays
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Part 1: Introduction
The University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine takes USC’s reputation for endeavors in research and focuses it in a medical setting. Currently ranked #28 in the country by US News and World Report, Keck is a powerhouse of innovation in fields such as biotechnology, Alzheimer’s and stem cell research, and genetic epidemiology.
With no less than 34 dedicated research centers and the Discovery and Translational Research Hub coming in 2026, their reputation for notable breakthroughs looks only set to increase.
Since 2015, the Keck School of Medicine’s research funding has doubled, so if you’re looking to place yourself at the forefront of medical research, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more dynamic and rapidly expanding institution.
But adding your talents to the pool of students and doctors at the Keck School of Medicine will not be easy. This is a highly selective institution known for only accepting the most qualified applicants. We’ve put together this guide to break down exactly what it takes to get accepted to the USC Keck School of Medicine—from an overview of their MD program offerings to GPA and MCAT requirements, secondary essays, and even the interview process.
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Part 2: USC Keck School of Medicine MD programs
Earning your MD at the Keck School of Medicine boils down to whether you intend to take the traditional MD-only path or want to engage in a dual degree program. Keck’s MD-only program exposes students to research opportunities and offers training at Keck Hospital of USC as well as Los Angeles General Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, all while following a “Physician-Citizen-Scholar” curriculum that aims to produce doctors capable of outstanding research and skilled in health equity.
If a dual-degree program is on your radar, Keck offers the following programs in addition to the MD:
MD-PhD program: Keck’s MD-PhD program is offered in conjunction with Caltech giving students the incredible opportunity to be involved in two of the most dynamic centers for research in the nation. If you dream of being mentored by world class faculty at world-class facilities such as the Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, this program may be ideal for you.
MD-MPH program: This program will grant you an MD along with a master’s in public health and is meant for students who are seeking an “increased knowledge of and sensitivity to the political, historical, economic and social environments of health promotion and health services delivery.” The MD-MPH program is organized around five years—your first two years in medical school, the third completing your MPH, and the remaining two years devoted to clinical clerkships. Students must apply to the MPH program before the end of their third year of medical school, so if you’re accepted to Keck’s regular MD program and haven’t decided whether the MPH program is right for you, you still have a few years to consider pursuing this option.
MD-MBA program: The MD-MBA program at Keck will have you diving into the process of learning medicine while also sharpening your business acumen in tandem with the USC Marshall School of Business. This five-year program will have you engaged solely in medicine for the first three years and working solely on your MBA during year four. After which, the remaining business courses can be taken alongside your medical school courses. Keck states this program will equip individuals with the skills to lead in the “design and management of health care systems.”
Keck School of Medicine tuition and scholarships
Being a private institution, the USC Keck School of Medicine tuition is the same regardless of your in-state or out-of-state status. As with most medical schools, it doesn’t come cheap. Tuition and fees for the 2024-2025 academic year currently sit at $759,477. Note that this doesn’t include costs of housing, books/supplies, or transportation. Keck estimates this to come to a total of $112,182 for first-year students.
To offset this bill, there are scholarships and special loans available for Keck SOM students. In fact, more than 90 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance annually.
The majority of scholarships available to USC Keck School of Medicine students come from outside sources. Keck itself mentions the National Health Service Corps and the Armed Services, but these will require some form of service in return for funding. If you’re looking for general scholarships, we’ve put together a guide detailing many of the top medical school scholarships for 2024.
In addition to US government loans, there are also loans with advantageous terms for USC Keck School of Medicine students such as a USC Emergency Loan, by which students can borrow up to $1000 interest-free for 90 days, and loans for disadvantaged students.
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Part 3: How hard is it to get into the USC Keck School of Medicine?
As a top-30 medical school in the US, the Keck School of Medicine is highly selective. Getting in will require stellar stats, an inclination toward research, and likely a bit of determination.
Their most recently reported statistics are for the class of 2025 (entering 2021), but these will be hard to beat. The average MCAT score of matriculants sat at 517 with the average GPA at 3.8. You will not only need to maintain very high grades, but you’ll have to carve out plenty of study time to ace the MCAT, given that 517 sits in the 94th percentile.
The AAMC reports that in the last cycle (2023-2024), USC Keck received a total of 8,664 applications. About 50% of these applications came from in-state applicants, but these applicants also made up about 80% of matriculants. From this, we can see a clear preference for California residents. This may come as welcome news depending on where you live, but regardless, it should factor into how you create your overall school application list.
Unfortunately, there isn’t data on how many of the applicants in the latest cycle were granted an interview, but we do know the total number of matriculants in the most recent class stood at 186.
(Suggested reading: Average GPA and MCAT Score for Every Medical School)
USC Keck School of Medicine admissions requirements
In order to be eligible to apply to the USC Keck School of Medicine, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got a few prerequisites under your belt. Unlike many medical schools, they don’t list the specific requirements you will need other than a baccalaureate degree from a US institution, and to have “demonstrated competency in the sciences.”
That said, they do make a point to recommend taking Spanish and statistics courses. Additionally, they direct applicants to MSAR for other admissions requirements which would put them in line with most other medical schools. To that end, it would be wise to have completed the following during undergrad:
Biology: One year with lab (including molecular biology, cell biology and genetics)
Chemistry: One year with lab
Physics: One year with lab
Organic chemistry: One year with lab
Biochemistry: One semester
While not absolutely necessary for most medical schools, USC Keck does require this for their premed undergraduates. It would be reasonable to assume their medical school admissions committee would want to see some biochemistry courses on your application.
Math: One year (Usually Calculus and/or Statistics)
College-level English courses: One year
(Suggested reading: Medical School Requirements: The Definitive Guide)
USC Keck School of Medicine application timeline
To apply to the USC Keck School of Medicine, you’ll need to keep these dates and deadlines in mind:
May 1, 2024: AMCAS application opens
May 28, 2024: AMCAS application can be submitted
July 2024: Applications reviewed and interview invitations begin to be sent out
August 2024–February 2025: Interviews conducted
October 15, 2024: First day offers of admission are sent out. They continue to be sent on a rolling basis.
November 1, 2024: AMCAS application deadline
December 1, 2024: USC Keck School of Medicine secondary application deadline
July 7, 2025: Commit to enroll deadline
August 2025: First week of classes
These deadlines apply regardless of whether you wish to enroll in a dual-degree program or the traditional MD program. For the MD-PhD program, you will have an extra set of questions to answer on Keck’s secondary application. If you’re considering the MD-PhD program, it might benefit you to go ahead and apply, as you will be automatically considered for the MD-only track even if you’re not accepted to the dual-degree option.
(Suggested reading: The Ideal Medical School Application Timeline)
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Part 4: USC Keck School of Medicine secondary application essays (examples included)
Once you’ve wrapped up your personal statement and submitted your AMCAS application, it’s time to dive into the Keck School of Medicine secondary application essays. This is where you’ll have the chance to truly shine and highlight your qualities that align with the Keck School of Medicine’s values to show you’re the right fit for their institution.
The secondary essay prompts for the Keck School of Medicine are a bit unusual in that they don’t ask the typical questions such as “Why us?” or “Tell me about a time you experienced adversity.” Many of the questions seek to get to know you by asking more open-ended, seemingly light-hearted questions.
Furthermore, each prompt’s response is limited to only 65 words. These unusual questions and limits force you to be creative in your responses to stand out. We’ve listed the secondary prompts for the Keck School of Medicine below along with some example responses.
Question 1: What is the most fun you’ve had lately? (65 words)
I recently went camping with my extended family in northern California. Seeing redwood trees for the first time was awe-inspiring, and I always love cooking for groups with just a fire pit and improvised kitchen. Our many hikes made a lasting impression on me, and I look forward to our next outdoor adventure.
Question 2: If you had to give yourself a nickname, what would it be? (65 words)
Question 3: What are three things you don't care about at all? (65 words)
Question 4: Describe a situation in which you didn’t get something you felt you deserved. (65 words)
Question 5: Have you previously applied to medical school (M.D., D.O., international)? (Yes/No)
Question 6: If you answered yes, please provide an explanation on what occurred with your application process or previous matriculation to medical school.
Question 7: (Optional) Is there anything else you would like us to know? Please respond in 200 words or less (max. 1,400 characters)
Additional questions for MD-PhD applicants:
Question 1: List your publications and papers submitted including one or two sentences describing your role on each publication. (250 word, max. 1,800 characters)
Question 2: Please indicate fields of study for which you have a special interest. For example: Anatomy, Biostatistics, Molecular Biology, Systems Biology, Epidemiology, Bioengineering, Human Genetics, Neurosciences, Biochemistry, Immunology Nutrition, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology Biophysics, Physiology, Cancer, Other
Question 3: Please provide the names of faculty with whom you would like to meet, if invited for an interview. For each faculty member suggested, provide a sentence or two explaining why you would like to meet that person. (250 word, max. 1,800 characters)
Gain instant access to med school secondary essay examples for every single prompt required by every medical school in the United States and Canada. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
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Part 5: USC Keck School of Medicine Interview
Making it through the application process and onto the interview stage is a significant achievement in and of itself. If you’ve come this far, be sure to take a moment and congratulate yourself on being so close to the finish line!
After you’ve done so, turn your attention to learning about what to expect on interview day. Each medical school is slightly different and you’ll want to be as prepared as possible so you don’t drop the ball at this late stage of the game.
The “interview season” as Keck calls it, runs from August to February, and during the previous cycle all interviews were held virtually. Keck hasn’t yet stated whether this will continue for the 2024–2025 cycle.
The USC Keck School of Medicine uses a traditional-style interview format, meaning your interview will be one-on-one with a faculty member. They have likely reviewed your file thoroughly and will want to dig deeper into your motivations for pursuing medicine as well as your desire to attend Keck.
In the course of our experience assisting students over the years, we’ve seen many questions come up again and again during Keck School of Medicine interviews. A few of these are listed below:
What do you think is the biggest issue in healthcare?
Tell us about an ethical issue you faced and what you did in that situation.
What is one major challenge you faced on your journey to med school?
Why do you want to attend the Keck School of Medicine?
What is your opinion on healthcare in the US?
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
What is your experience working with underserved communities?
The majority of these questions are focused on getting you to articulate your reasons for wanting to spend your life practicing medicine and a little about why you specifically want to attend the Keck School of Medicine.
Types of questions such as these are often standard for medical schools and you may expect them, but have you prepared for them? How should you approach answering, “What is one major challenge you faced on your journey to med school?” or “Tell us about an ethical issue you faced and what you did in that situation?” One strategy is to develop an answer that you can draw on if asked, but you don’t want to risk sounding robotic. Remember, how you deliver your answers is just as important to the success of your interview as what you answer.
Take time to think through your possible responses to these questions, but don’t memorize your answers. Furthermore, educate yourself on as many aspects of your desire to attend Keck as possible so that your enthusiasm for the school shines through. Practicing with a fellow student or family member is one way to bolster your confidence.
Final thoughts
Becoming one of the privileged few who gain entry into the research powerhouse of the USC Keck School of Medicine each year is a lofty and challenging goal—but far from an impossible one. Being disciplined when it comes to putting together your application and preparing for each major step along the way will give you the best chance of success.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
