Year Three M.D. Program Transfers

Mercer University School of Medicine will not have any year three spots available this year and will not be accepting transfer applications for the Fall 2022 application cycle.

If experiencing a hardship, you may email the Office of Admissions to provide an explanation. On a case-by-case basis, the deans of admissions will allow transfer application submission based on a hardship. Application submission does not guarantee acceptance.

The acceptance of transfers to year three of the M.D. program is limited to students who demonstrate compelling circumstances as one of the reasons for their request for transfer. For applicants who are eligible to apply (see eligibility criteria below), the Admissions Committee looks at each application holistically with a specific focus on prospective and previous commitment to our mission, at the level of screening and at the level of interview. The number of spots available per year averages about two (an estimate based on the past three years).

• Number accepted for transfer into year three in 2020: two (seven complete applications received)
• Number accepted for transfer into year three in 2019: two (eight complete applications received)
• Number accepted for transfer into year three in 2018: two (11 complete applications received)
• Number accepted for transfer into year three in 2017: four (11 complete applications received)

Eligibility to apply

• Applicants should have obtained an undergraduate degree or a more advanced degree with a minimum of 90 credit hours of coursework or be on track to completing an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university by June of the intended year of matriculation.
• Applicants must have completed the first two years of the M.D. program or be on track to completing the second year of the M.D. program in an accredited medical school by June of the intended year of matriculation.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents of the U.S.
• The applicant must have established domicile in the state of Georgia by June 30, 2019, at least 12 months prior to the start of classes in July 2019 and be a legal resident of the state of Georgia at the time of submitting an application.
• Applicants must have passed USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt with a score of 225 or greater.
• Applicants who have taken Step 1 of the USMLE but have not received their score may apply.  However, an offer of acceptance, if made, will be contingent upon MUSM’s receipt of an official report of USMLE Step 1 score by June 30 of the intended year of matriculation, and the applicant securing an overall score of 225 or greater on this exam on the first attempt.
• Applicants must have taken the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) at least once and report scores obtained.
• For applicants to whom a conditional offer of acceptance has been offered, please note contingencies for eventual acceptance (FAQ 9 below).

FAQ

• How should I apply? Once the application cycle opens, the online application will be available below. If you meet eligibility criteria 1-4 above, please contact musmadmissions@mercer.edu with “Transfer to Year Three” in the subject line, indicating the following in your email: your full name, contact information (email, phone, mailing address), name of the institution in which you completed the first two years of medical school or are currently enrolled, and indicate your reasons for wanting to transfer from your current school. Indicate your USMLE Step 1 score (if available) and all reported MCAT score(s). Please do not send this information without the complete application. The online application typically opens in March/April each year.
• Which is the application form to use?
  • Transfer application form
  • Declaration of domicile in Georgia by the applicant 
• How do I submit my application, what is the application fee and what is the deadline for submitting the application? The application form is a Word document with fillable fields. Applicants should also complete the Declaration of Domicile in Georgia and have it notarized. Additionally, a photocopy of a state-issued photo identification document is required. Complete the application following the instructions therein and email a copy to musmadmissions@mercer.edu. The email containing the application must be received by the Admissions Office by 5 p.m. ET on May 1, 2020.  An official letter of evaluation from the applicant’s current medical school is required (details below). An application will not be considered complete unless we receive the emailed application, an official letter of evaluation from the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs or Student Affairs from the applicant’s current medical school, and an application fee of $75 made payable to Mercer University School of Medicine. The application fee will be waived for those who were granted Fee Assistance Program (FAP) waivers as part of their application to medical school. To obtain this waiver, forward a copy of the FAP waiver you received from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to musmadmissions@mercer.edu and note in your email that you are submitting an application for transfer into year three of the M.D. program at MUSM.  Please include your full name, AAMC (AMCAS) ID, and complete contact information in this correspondence.
• Is a letter of evaluation required? Applications for transfer should include an official transcript and an official letter of evaluation from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs or Academic Affairs or other appropriate official of the applicant’s current school. The transcript should document the individual’s entire academic history at the medical school, including notation of any leave-of-absence or schedule modification and an explanation of the grading system. If any of these items are not included on the school’s transcript, they should be included in the letter of evaluation. The letter of evaluation should state the eligibility (or expected eligibility) of the individual for promotion to the next academic year at the student’s current school. The letter should address the academic and non-academic qualifications of the individual for the eventual practice of medicine. Specific comment should be included on any infractions of the school’s code of ethical and behavioral conduct.
• How many letters of evaluation required? At least two letters of evaluation are required, including a letter of evaluation from the deanery in the medical school the applicant is currently enrolled (or studied previously). The applicant needs to enter the name and contact information for the letter writer in the application form. The applicant is allowed to designate up to five letter writers in the application form. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that letters of evaluation are emailed directly by the letter writer to musmadmissions@mercer.edu by 5 p.m. ET May 1, 2020. Scanned copies of signed letters on official letterhead are acceptable.  Otherwise, the email should include complete contact information for the letter writer. Letters of evaluation forwarded by the applicant are not acceptable.
• Can I withdraw my application? The number of spots available for transfer, if any are available, will be posted on this website as soon as this information is available, and applicants who have submitted applications will also be informed via email. An applicant may withdraw his/her application within four business days of being provided with this information. To withdraw your application, send an email to musmadmissions@mercer.edu indicating intent to withdraw and include complete contact information. If an applicant withdraws by the deadline, the check sent toward the application fee will be returned. If not, the application fee will not be refunded.
• Are all applicants invited to an interview? No. Applications completed by the deadline are screened by the Admissions Committee. An interview is not guaranteed.
• When and where are interviews held? Interview dates in April will be determined at a later date. Interviews are typically conducted over the phone or by video chat. Applicants are welcome to interview in person if they are in Georgia at the time of the interview.
• What campus are those accepted to transfer to year three assigned to? We would like acceptees to plan to be assigned to any of the three campuses, wherever spots are available. A choice may not be available. If any of our current MS2 students on the Macon and Savannah Campuses request a move to Columbus Campus prior to April 2020, their request will be prioritized and this would then create a vacancy in the Macon/Savannah Campuses. At the time a provisional offer of acceptance is made, the acceptee will be informed what the campus assignment will be.
• What are initial offers of acceptance contingent upon? An initial offer of acceptance, if made, is contingent upon the interviewed applicant meeting all of the following criteria:
  • The applicant providing documentation that he/she is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident.
  • The applicant providing documentation of domicile in the state of Georgia at least 12 months prior to the start of classes.
  • MUSM’s receipt of official transcripts of all college coursework the acceptee has undertaken, directly from the respective institution(s), and official transcripts of completion of the first two academic years of medical school.
  • MUSM’s receipt of an official USMLE Step 1 score by June 30 of the expected year of matriculation, and the applicant securing score of 225 or greater on the first attempt.
  • MUSM’s receipt of an acceptable national criminal background check on the applicant (accepted applicants will be required to authorize MUSM to procure one)
  • The applicant meeting MUSM’s Technical Standards for Admission to the M.D. program.
  • The applicant accepting campus assignment.
• Are applications accepted for transfer into year two or four of the M.D. program at MUSM? No.