South Alabama

Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama Mobile, AL · Public · MD

Average MCAT: 508
Average GPA: 3.83
Class size: 79 (1,906 applicants)
Tuition: $73,559 (per year, nonresident)
Out-of-state applicants: Limited

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Nov. 2, 2026
Early Decision Program: Aug. 3, 2026
Secondary deadline: Dec. 1, 2026

Essays

Essay 1

The Whiddon College of Medicine is dedicated to training resilient, adaptable physicians who provide exceptional, patient-centered care to individuals from all walks of life. Please share a significant life experience or aspect of your background that has shaped your ability to effectively communicate with, empathize with, and care for patients with varied healthcare needs, including those in underserved or rural communities.

Essay 2

Although interests may change, what areas of medicine are you primarily interested in at the current time?

Editor's notes

This is an Alabama school first. In 2025, one out-of-state applicant was interviewed and one enrolled, out of 1,341 who applied. If you're not from Alabama or the Florida and Mississippi service areas, you need the 3.8 GPA, the 508 MCAT and real ties to the state before this is worth a secondary fee.
Alabama residents with strong numbers should look at Early Decision. Ten of the 79 students who entered in 2025 came through it, you'll know by Oct. 1, and the bar to be considered is a 503 MCAT and a 3.50 GPA. It's binding, so only use it if this is your clear first choice.
The interview day is two 40-minute conversations on Zoom, not an MMI. That's a lot of one-on-one time, so bring several real stories you can tell in detail and go deeper on when asked. Have one ready on patient-centered, equitable care, the phrase at the heart of the college's mission. Prepare stories, not scripts.
Both secondary prompts point toward patients with varied needs and your interests in medicine. The Primary Care Pathway takes only 10 students a year, so if rural or underserved primary care is really your plan, make that visible in both answers.