1.0 Introduction

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (L.C.M.E.) stipulates that the school must develop standards for both objective and subjective criteria used for screening, selection, and admission of applications to the medical education program.

L.C.M.E. Standard 10.3 Policies Regarding Student Selection/Progress and Their Dissemination
The faculty of a medical school establish criteria for student selection and develop and implement effective policies and procedures regarding, and make decisions about, medical student application, selection, admission, assessment, promotion, graduation, and any disciplinary action. The medical school makes available to all interested parties its criteria, standards, policies, and procedures regarding these matters.

L.C.M.E. Standard 10.4 Characteristics of Accepted Applicants
A medical school selects applicants for admission who possess the intelligence, integrity, and personal and emotional characteristics necessary for them to become competent physicians.

L.C.M.E. Standard 10.5 Technical Standards
A medical school develops and publishes technical standards for the admission, retention, and graduation of applicants or medical students in accordance with legal requirements.

2.0 Purpose

The goal of the admissions, retention, and graduation policy is to establish admissions requirements for the selection of students to the Saint Louis University School of Medicine.

3.0 Scope

The Saint Louis University School of Medicine (SLUSOM) utilizes a variety of strategies to consider and evaluate potential applicants to medical school for admissions, academic and professional progress, and graduation.

4.0 Definitions

Technical standards for the admission, retention, and graduation of applicants or medical students: This policy represents a statement by the medical school of the: 1) essential academic and non-academic abilities, attributes, and characteristics in the areas of intellectual-conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities; 2) observational skills; 3) physical abilities; 4) motor functioning; 5) emotional stability; 6) behavioral and social skills; and 7) ethics and professionalism that a medical school applicant or enrolled medical student must possess or be able to acquire, with or without reasonable accommodation, in order to be admitted to, be retained in, and graduate from that school’s medical educational program. (Element 10.5)

5.0 Protocol and Procedure

Academically successful students considered for matriculation are expected to possess:

1. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities

These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis. Problem-solving, the critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities and often must be performed quickly, especially in emergency situations. A student must be able to identify significant findings from history, physical examination and laboratory data, provide a reasoned explanation for likely diagnoses, prescribe appropriate medications and therapy and retain and recall information in an efficient and timely manner. The ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans is essential. Good judgment in patient assessment and in diagnostic and therapeutic planning is essential; a student must be able to identify and communicate their knowledge to others when appropriate.

2. Observational Skills

The student must be able to observe demonstrations and participate in those experiments in the basic and clinical sciences determined essential by the respective faculties. A student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and at close hand, noting non-verbal as well as verbal signals. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities.

3. Communication Abilities

A student must be able to speak intelligibly, to hear adequately, and to observe closely patients to elicit and transmit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive non-verbal communications. A student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, and all members of the health care team. Communication includes not only speech, but also memorizing and writing. In addition, the student must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written English with all members of the health care team. A student must possess memorizing skills at a level sufficient to accomplish curricular requirements and provide clinical care for patients. The student must be capable of completing appropriate medical records and documents and plans according to protocol and in a complete and timely manner.

4. Motor Functioning Skills

Medical students are required to possess motor skills sufficient to elicit independently information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other manually-based diagnostic procedures. Students should be able to conduct laboratory tests (urinalysis, CBC, etc.), carry out diagnostic procedures (paracentesis, etc.), and provide basic medical care (clearing the airway, placing catheters, controlling bleeding, simple obstetrical maneuvers, etc.) in the general care environment, and coordinate fine and gross muscular movements to treat patients in emergency situations. Emergency situations include any circumstance in which a patient requires immediate medical attention Medical students must be able to meet applicable safety standards for the environment, and to follow universal precaution procedures. 

5. Behavioral and Social Attributes

The student must possess the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the prompt completion of all responsibilities for the diagnosis and care of patients. The student must exhibit the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients, colleagues, clinical and administrative staff, and all others with whom the student interacts in the professional or academic setting, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age or other attributes or affiliations that may differ from those of the student. The student must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively when stressed. The student must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. A student is expected to accept appropriate suggestions and criticism and, if necessary, respond by modification of behavior. A student is expected to self-regulate emotions and behaviors and to seek assistance when the ability to do so is compromised. Empathy, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest and motivation are all personal qualities that will be assessed during the admission and educational processes.

6. Ethics and Professionalism

Students must interact with all individuals in a respectful and effective manner regardless of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, or any other protected status. They must maintain ethical and moral behavior consistent with professional standards for interactions with students, faculty, staff, patients, and the public. They must understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and function within both the law and ethical standards of the medical profession. Professionalism, compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all qualities that are expected throughout the educational processes.

6.0 Responsibilities 

The Office of Admissions will confirm that the members of the Admissions Committee are apprised of the policy, and ensure that the criteria will be applied equitably during the screening, interview, and selection processes.

7.0 References

L.C.M.E. Standard 10.3: Policies Regarding Student Selection/Progress and Their Dissemination Applicants
L.C.M.E. Standard 10.4: Characteristics of Accepted Applicants
L.C.M.E. Standard 10.5: Technical Standards

Read About L.C.M.E. Functions and Structure of a Medical School

Learn About the Americans with Disabilities Act

Approval

The policy will be reviewed by the Admissions Executive Committee and approved by the Curriculum Committee. The Admission Executive Committee approved it on June 30, 2021, and the Curriculum Committee on July 28, 2021.

Download Technical Standards for Admissions, Retention and Graduation (PDF)

The Saint Louis University School of Medicine encourages applications from students who have achieved a high level of academic performance and who manifest in their personal lives qualities compatible with a career that serves society.

The University's mission statement affirms the value of a diverse educational environment to prepare students for life and work in a global society. To foster this mission, the SLU School of Medicine strives to recruit, admit, retain and graduate a diverse student body. Besides ethnicity, this diversity encompasses differences based on gender, culture and economic circumstances.

Learn About SLU’s M.D. Program

Find Application Requirements

Get Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Application Service

Saint Louis University is one of many medical schools using the American Medical College Application Service. AMCAS allows you to submit application materials to multiple participating medical schools while requiring only one set of official academic transcripts. Saint Louis University School of Medicine uses a rolling admissions process.

The AMCAS application becomes available each spring and the deadline for submission of materials is Nov. 15.

Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
655 K Street NW, Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-828-0600
amcas@aamc.org 

SLU-Specific Materials

Application information that is pertinent to all medical schools is on the AMCAS form, but your application to SLU will only be considered for evaluation when the Committee on Admissions receives all of the following materials:

* This non-refundable fee helps defray the cost of processing applications and reviewing credentials. Fee waivers may be granted only to those applicants for whom AMCAS previously waived its application fee.

The Committee on Admissions is unable to assume responsibility for notifying candidates of missing application materials. It is, therefore, most important that you determine that we receive the required credentials. Inquiries by email are encouraged.

The deadline for the receipt of all application materials is Dec. 15.

Additional transcripts reflecting your current grades must be sent to the committee at the end of each quarter or semester to supply information concerning your progress. Action on your application may be delayed if these are not submitted.

Early Decision Program

If you are applying only to Saint Louis University and would prefer to have an admission decision by Oct. 1, you may file through AMCAS under the Early Decision Program (EDP).

Under the EDP, you must submit all required credentials to AMCAS and a complete application to the School of Medicine by Aug. 1.

Applicants who choose this route may not apply to any other medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) prior to the EDP admissions decision.

If the Committee accepts you on Admissions through this process, you must attend Saint Louis University School of Medicine and not apply elsewhere. If the Committee does not accept you as an early decision candidate, you will be considered as a regular candidate and can apply to other schools after Oct. 1. Only applicants with exceptional credentials should pursue the Early Decision Program.

Notification

SLUSOM’s Committee on Admissions is not able to interview every applicant. Therefore, we invite only a select few for an interview, luncheon and tour of the Health Sciences Center.

Following that, each applicant is discussed in detail. The committee strives to evaluate each application in its entirety and only then make a decision.

Application status decisions start Oct. 15. These statuses are: accepted, not accepted or deferred.

By April 30, most applicants, except those on deferred status, will have received a final decision on their candidacy.

It should be noted that acceptances are contingent upon applicants maintaining a high level of academic performance and their continued demonstration of personal behavior reflecting integrity, excellence in character and other personality traits deemed appropriate for a doctor of medicine.

Helpful Information

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation in support of your application are required for a complete application. If your school has a pre-medical advisory committee, a letter from the committee is sufficient, and you also have the option to supplement your committee letter with two additional letters of your choosing. If your school does not have a committee, please request three letters of recommendation. At least one of these letters should be from a college or university science professor. The two additional letters are your choice and may be from an individual that you worked with (research mentor, shadowed physician, service organizer, etc.) who may also speak to your strengths. An insightful and in-depth evaluation by someone who knows you is of greater value than a recapitulation of your academic work. While not required, the admissions committee greatly appreciates seeing a letter from a clinical or service experience that was longitudinal and meaningful to you. 

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all of the necessary documents reach the Committee on Admissions. Please remember that your application is incomplete until all letters of recommendation have been received. Please do not send additional letters of recommendation, only the three required letters.

Personal Interview

Interviews of selected applicants will be conducted by invitation. Interviews will be conducted virtually for the 2024 application cycle. 

Interviews with the Committee on Admissions are absolutely necessary. Because the interview schedule is crowded, make every effort to attend the interview on the date selected to prevent possible exclusion later due to scheduling problems.

Two-Step Admissions Process

1. Students interested in the Medical Laboratory Science option must first be accepted to the Applied Biomedical Sciences B.S. degree, Clinical Science option by application to Undergraduate Admissions.
2. Students currently enrolled in the Applied Biomedical Sciences major, Clinical Science option are eligible to apply to the Medical Laboratory Science option after at least one successful semester in the major.

Admission will be based primarily on:

• Scholarship (both cumulative and science with an emphasis on the GPA of the required prerequisite science courses)
• Personal Statement
• Meeting with the Medical Laboratory Science Program Director

At the current time, applications are reviewed at the end of each semester by the Medical Laboratory Science Program Director and a Department Faculty Committee. Qualified students will be accepted on a space available basis.

For additional information, contact the Medical Laboratory Science Program Director.