Early Decision MD

Feinberg has a small, selective Early Decision MD program (EDP).

While preference will be given to EDP applicants who have demonstrated a strong academic performance, equally important are other attributes such as interpersonal skills, service, medically-related experiences, humanitarianism, teaching, interest in research and other meaningful life experiences. Prospective EDP candidates should review the Entering Class Profile.

An early decision application requires that you apply (submit your AMCAS application) only to the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine as your first choice medical school. If accepted, you must matriculate to Feinberg. Requests to defer or delay matriculation will not be approved, so applicants who anticipate a potential deferral should not apply to the EDP. If you apply to the EDP and are not accepted, you may then apply to other medical schools or you may remain under consideration for Feinberg’s regular MD admissions process. Applicants will hear back from us about whether they are approved to apply to the EDP by mid-June. EDP applicants should not submit their AMCAS application until they have heard back from us that they are approved for EDP consideration. The EDP is not available for MSTP.

Due to the program's unique structure and shortened application timeline, you must first obtain approval from the Office of Admissions to apply through the Early Decision Program (EDP). If you wish to be considered, please contact the Office of Admissions (med-admissions@northwestern.edu) well before June 1 of the year you plan to apply. June 1 is the deadline for submitting the completed EDP Interest Form and initial documents required for consideration (resume/CV (including information about their clinical experience/exposure), undergraduate transcript and MCAT score (official copy). The Admissions Office will contact you via email with next steps.

Please note that it is strongly recommended that individuals interested in the EDP plan to take the MCAT exam no later than early May of the application year so that scores are received by the Office of MD Admissions soon enough to be considered during the initial consideration of candidacy for the EDP. 

By Sept. 15 of the active application cycle, EDP applicants will be told one of three things:

• Acceptance
• Deferral: Applicant will be considered in the regular applicant pool.
• Rejection

Deferred EDP applications will receive a final decision from Feinberg in March.

Important Dates & Deadlines

All deadlines are 11:59 p.m. CST of the date noted.

Learn more at the AAMC Early Decision Program Guidelines.