UNM

University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, NM · Public · MD

Average MCAT: 506
Average GPA: 3.77
Tuition: $44,024 (per year, nonresident)
Out-of-state applicants: Limited

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Nov. 2, 2026
Early Decision Program: Aug. 1, 2026
Secondary deadline: Within two weeks of invitation

Essays

Inclusive learning community (2,000 characters)

At the UNM School of Medicine, we are committed to building a community of inclusive learners that will go on to enrich the medical field. Are there any aspects of your experience that you are most proud of or that you feel you have been unable to highlight with your application materials already submitted? If so, please explain how this will contribute to an inclusive learning community and your future medical community.

Physician characteristics (2,000 characters)

What do you see as the most important characteristics of a physician? How do you plan to cultivate them during your training?

Future challenge (2,000 characters)

While providing healthcare as a physician is often a rewarding career, it is also a profession that entails addressing constant challenges. Identify what you think is the most significant issue the medical profession will face in the next 20 years and walk us through the process of solving this problem at a local or national level. Explain your reasoning along the way.

Public health policy (2,000 characters)

Clinical outcomes are often the downstream outcome of broader policies that impact health inequities. What is a public health policy that has impacted the health outcomes of our community for better or worse?

Teamwork (2,000 characters)

Please tell us about a situation in which working with a team was challenging. What was your role? What was challenging? How was it handled? What did you learn?

COVID-19 (2,000 characters)

Please describe how COVID-19 has affected your preparation for applying to medical school. Describe any academic, personal, financial, or professional barriers/disruptions that COVID-19 may have triggered.

Editor's notes

Check the residency page before you spend a dollar. UNM considers only New Mexico residents and applicants with the ties it lists, and staff screen for residency right after the secondary. If you don't qualify, the school itself says you don't need to finish the secondary.
EDP is the real early option here, and for Montana and Wyoming applicants it's the only one. Aug. 1 deadline, decision Oct. 1, and you need the MCAT done by June. If you're a New Mexican and UNM is clearly your first choice, it's worth a serious look.
Your interviewers won't see your numbers. Two committee members will talk with you about your experiences, letters and personal statement, so know your own file cold. The admissions policy says it selects for students likely to practice in high-need specialties and underserved areas of the state. Have a real answer about where in New Mexico you see yourself.
Letters are due before your interview or Dec. 1, whichever comes first, and late letters are simply left out. Line them up in the summer, not after the invitation arrives.

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