Rush Medical College offers a four-year MD program in Chicago. Applicants apply through AMCAS, meet published academic and prerequisite requirements, and undergo holistic review. Competitive applicants may be invited to submit a secondary application and attend a virtual interview. Casper is neither required nor recommended. Training combines preclerkship and clerkship education with early patient contact and a commitment to community service.
- Program
- Doctor of Medicine
- Credential
- MD
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Casper
- Not required
- Next deadline
- October 1, 2026 (AMCAS application)
- Interview
- Interview
- Seats
- 144 matriculants
- Length
- Four-year MD
Casper Requirement for Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine
Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine does not require Casper for the 2026-2027 cycle.
Casper is neither required nor recommended for admission.
Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine Application Deadlines 2026-2027
- Apply through
- AMCAS
- Applications open
- May 5, 2026; AMCAS submissions began May 28, 2026
- Application fee
- AMCAS: $180 including one school designation; $48 for each additional designation.
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Early Decision AMCAS application and required materials | August 3, 2026passed |
| AMCAS application | October 1, 2026upcoming |
| Rush secondary application and all additional required materials (11:59 p.m. Central Time) | November 13, 2026upcoming |
Apply through AMCAS and designate Rush Medical College. Competitive applicants receive secondary invitations by email; monitor the applicant portal for materials and status.
Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine Admissions Statistics
Period: 2025 entering class
- Seats / class size: 144 matriculants
- Applicants: 13,327 primary applications; 7,935 completed applications
- Interviewed: 450
- Average GPA: 3.72 average cumulative GPA
- Average test score: 510 average MCAT composite score
These entering-class figures are not admission cutoffs.
Eligibility Requirements for Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine
- Degree / credits
Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year U.S. college or university or a Canadian institution.
- Citizenship
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, asylees, refugees or DACA recipients.
Applicants must meet a published GPA-MCAT combination and complete prerequisite coursework before submitting their application.
Other requirements
- Technical standards: Applicants must meet Rush's standards; accepted applicants must read and sign them before accepting an offer.
- Criminal background check: Completed through AMCAS after acceptance.
- Drug screening: Administered on the first day of orientation.
Selection Factors Rush University Medical College Considers
Prerequisites
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Biology | One academic year, including cell biology AP credit not accepted |
| Biochemistry | One course AP credit not accepted |
| Chemistry | One course Organic chemistry recommended; AP credit not accepted |
| Biology and/or chemistry lab | One academic year AP credit not accepted |
| Physics | One course AP credit accepted |
| Math | One course at algebra level or higher Statistics does not qualify; AP credit accepted |
| Reading comprehension | One academic year of writing-intensive courses AP credit not accepted |
GPA
- How it is calculated
Rush considers GPA alongside MCAT scores using its published GPA-MCAT ranges. An applicable postbaccalaureate or graduate route uses the science GPA from at least 24 hours of basic or higher science coursework; public health degrees do not qualify for the graduate-coursework metrics.
- Minimum
- Required GPA-MCAT combinations: GPA 2.99-3.19 with MCAT 510; 3.20-3.59 with 506; 3.60-3.79 with 502; or 3.80 or higher with 500. An applicable postbaccalaureate or graduate route requires at least 24 hours of basic or higher science coursework, science GPA 3.5 or higher, and MCAT 503.
- Competitive
- Entering-class average cumulative GPA: 3.72.
Rush reviews applicants holistically; the entering-class average is not a required GPA.
Admissions tests
- MCAT (required): For entry in summer 2027, Rush accepts exams from January 2024 through September 12, 2026. It reviews all attempts, emphasizing the highest composite score. Required minimum scores depend on the applicant's GPA or qualifying postbaccalaureate or graduate coursework.
Experience and volunteer hours
Recommended.
Rush values community service through employment, volunteering or other activities. It strongly recommends clinical exposure and seeks sustained direct patient contact; it publishes no minimum hour requirement.
Supplementary application
Competitive applicants are invited to complete Rush's secondary application. Submit a premedical committee letter, a letter packet, or three individual letters through AMCAS; the individual-letter option calls for science-faculty, professional non-academic and personal letters.
How applicants are ranked
Rush reviews applicants holistically across academic preparation, service, clinical exposure and personal attributes. Competitive applicants receive secondary invitations; selected applicants receive interview invitations. Rush aims to communicate a decision two to three weeks after interview and may make offers until the class is full.
Interview Format at Rush University Medical College
Format: Interview
Virtual interview day; scheduling instructions accompany an invitation.
- Who is invited
- Applicants selected after application review; competitive applicants are first invited to complete a secondary application.
- When
- Early September through the end of February.
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Start Practicing FreeCurriculum at Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine
- Program length
- Four-year MD
- Structure
Preclerkship (years 1-2) and clerkship (years 3-4).
- Campuses
- Chicago Near West Side
Preclerkship covers normal and diseased organ systems through patient cases, incorporating core courses, electives, and team-based flipped classroom exercises. Clerkships include core rotations and clinical sub-internships. Emphasis on competency-based assessment and research opportunities. Rotations often integrate with PA students.
Campus and facilities
Located on Chicago's Near West Side, with access to diverse patient populations at affiliated sites. Facilities support clinical immersion from early years. Collaborative environment with shared rotations across health professions programs.
Tuition and Funding at Rush University Medical College
The published MD tuition schedule does not yet include tuition for the incoming M1 cohort.
Rush University Medical College's Mission and Values
Rush Medical College trains physicians to serve diverse patient populations in Chicago's Near West Side. The program focuses on preparing doctors through innovative pedagogical approaches like team-based exercises in a flipped classroom environment.
Rush Medical College is located on Chicago's Near West Side and serves a diverse patient population. We seek to train physicians who can serve diverse patient populations.
What Applicants Are Saying
Students report integrated rotations with PA students during clinical years, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration from early training. Matriculated students describe the longitudinal curriculum's focus on competency-based assessment and research opportunities. Students report a collaborative environment with shared rotations across health professions programs.
Shared by applicants and students on forums and communities. It is anecdotal, not official program information.
How to Prepare Your Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine Application
- Check Rush's GPA-MCAT combinations and qualifying MCAT test window.
- Complete every prerequisite and ensure its grade appears in AMCAS before submitting.
- Document sustained clinical exposure and community service.
- Choose letter writers who can address your academic and personal qualities.
- Prepare the Rush secondary if invited and monitor your applicant portal.
More About Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine
- Pedagogy
Flipped classroom model and team-based learning; contextual learning within patient cases.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rush University Medical College Allopathic Medicine
Does Rush Medical College require Casper?
No. Casper is neither required nor recommended for admission.
What GPA and MCAT figures does Rush publish?
Its entering class averaged a 3.72 cumulative GPA and a 510 MCAT; these are not admission minimums.
Who is eligible for Rush's MD program?
Applicants need a qualifying U.S. or Canadian bachelor's degree and eligible U.S. citizenship or immigration status.
How competitive is Rush MD admission?
Rush received 13,327 primary applications, conducted 450 interviews and enrolled 144 students in its reported entering class.
How is the MD curriculum organized?
The four-year program has preclerkship in the first two years and clerkship in the final two years, with early patient contact.
Where is Rush Medical College?
In Chicago, Illinois, on the Near West Side.
Does Rush accept international students?
Rush requires applicants to be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, asylees, refugees or DACA recipients.
What Casper dates are available for Rush?
None are needed: Rush neither requires nor recommends Casper for admission.
Sources
- Rush MD Admission Requirements
- Rush MD Application Process and Timeline
- Rush About the College
- Rush MD Program
- Rush Academic Calendars
- Rush 2026-2027 Tuition Rates
- AAMC 2027 Application Dates
- AAMC Before You Apply
Last updated: September 26, 2026