The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) has a rich history, opening in 1851 as the first Catholic medical school in the United States. The guiding principles of education and service at GUSOM are influenced by the Jesuit principles of cura personalis or “care of the whole person.” Through the Journeys Curriculum, GUSOM trains its medical students to become physician-healers who can provide clinically competent care and advocate for the underserved in our society.  

To enhance its MD curriculum, GUSOM offers additional learning initiatives, including the Independent Scholarly Project, International Programs of Study, Longitudinal Academic Tracks, the Medical Humanities initiative, and the Mind Body Medicine Program.  

GUSOM Secondary Essay Tips

Short Answer

The Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) strives to ensure that its students become respectful physicians, with cultural humility, who embrace all dimensions of caring for the whole person. With our Jesuit values of Cura Personalis, being Men and Women for Others, and Unity in Community, we are steadfast in our commitment to provide care for all. Please describe how your perspectives, values, and individual life experiences will contribute to these GUSOM priorities. (1000 characters)

Discuss what “cultural humility” means to you and how it has influenced the way you treat others. Have you had any experiences with racial injustice or health inequity? This can be a personal challenge or something you witnessed through work, community engagement, and your activities. Discuss these experiences and what values or perspectives arose from them. Focus on values of yours that align with GUSOM’s Jesuit values: “Cura Personalis” (care of the whole person), “being Men and Women for Others,” or “Unity in Community.” Reflect on how these values are important to your medical education and how your past experiences will help GUSOM maintain its commitment to racial justice and addressing health inequities. Will you bring new perspectives to a discussion, foster a more inclusive environment, or focus on learning about holistic patient care? 

Further Information

Is there any further information that you would like the Committee on Admissions to be aware of when reviewing your file that you were not able to notate in another section of this or the AMCAS Application? (1000 characters)

This open-ended prompt is an opportunity to share something that you did not include in your AMCAS and secondary application. It can be anything you believe will enhance the admissions committee’s understanding of you. Is there a particular part of your identity or background you have not yet discussed? Do you participate in any extracurricular activities that you did not include in your AMCAS application? Have you been pursuing a particular hobby or interest that you plan to continue while at GUSOM? 

Essays

Why have you chosen to apply to the Georgetown University School of Medicine and how do you think your education at Georgetown will prepare you to become a physician for the future? (3000 characters)

Reflect on what it means to be a “physician for the future.” Are you driven to advocate for a particular patient population, advance research in an emerging field, or shape healthcare policy? Consider how GUSOM’s values, resources, and curriculum can help you pursue these goals. Are there particular opportunities, courses, or values that stood out to you when researching GUSOM? 

Cura personalis or “care of the whole person” is a guiding value in GUSOM’s mission statement. You may consider why this value is important to you in your medical education. How will this approach to medicine better prepare you for a career in medicine?

GUSOM Application Timeline

Date	Deadline/Requirement
September 15, 2025	Deadline to submit Petition for Delayed Review of Application (for participants in one-year master’s degree programs)
November 1, 2025	AMCAS application deadline
November 15, 2025	Deadline for AMCAS to receive transcripts (not the deadline by which transcripts must be postmarked)
December 15, 2025	Secondary application deadline (11:59 p.m. EST – no exceptions); deadline for AMCAS to receive application fee and recommendation letters

Source: GUSOM website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with GUSOM directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

GUSOM Class Profile

Here is a look at a recent GUSOM entering class (data taken from the GUSOM website):

Total applications: 14,480

Applicants interviewed: 1,053

Incoming class size: 203

Mean overall GPA: 3.76

Mean MCAT score: 513

Colleges and universities represented: 87

States represented: 28 plus the District of Columbia

Countries represented: 6 including the United States

Female/male/declined to state: 135/67/1

Advanced degree holders: 21%

Underrepresented in medicine: 15%

Average age: 24

Age range: 20-45

Related Resources

• Maximize Your Experiences in Your ERAS Application
• Do’s and Don’ts of Medical School Recommendation Letters
• Admissions Straight Talk, a podcast for med school applicants