Why WashU Medicine

Applying to medical school is overwhelming — but having the privilege of choosing one can be even more daunting. As someone who spent most of my life in the South, attended a large state university, and took three gap years, I worried about living in St. Louis, fitting in with my peers, and adjusting to a demanding academic environment again.

In the months leading up to my decision, I reached out to WashU Medicine’s admissions office and connected with current students whose journeys mirrored mine. We had candid conversations about adjusting to medical school, living in the Midwest, and feeling supported. One theme consistently stood out: WashU Med genuinely cares about its students.

Students are encouraged to share feedback, and the administration listens, implementing meaningful changes in response. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to provide a top-tier education while maintaining a manageable pace to avoid burnout. WashU Med also has a flexible absence policy and treats its students with humanity and kindness. In my time here, these values have proven true.

Still, I needed to be sure I could picture myself living in St. Louis. If you have the chance, I highly recommend attending Second Look Weekend (SLW). Those few days solidified my decision. Many medical schools have stunning campuses and exciting curricula, but few have the heart that WashU Medicine does. Every conversation I had — whether with faculty, administrators, students, or admitted peers — made me excited about the idea of joining this community. Some of my closest friends today are people I met at SLW, whom I hoped would also choose WashU Med. Looking back, Second Look Weekend was the defining factor in my decision, and I haven’t looked back since.

On a more personal note, choosing to attend WashU Med carried a unique weight. As a reapplicant, the application and interview process was both humbling and deeply reflective. After almost letting go of my dream of attending medical school, I wanted to be certain I chose a place where I could truly belong. WashU Med stood out — not just because of its world-class curriculum, abundant research opportunities, and vibrant extracurriculars — but because of its warmth, authenticity, and supportive culture.

Every student, faculty member, and admitted peer I met radiated kindness, curiosity, and encouragement. For me, choosing WashU Medicine wasn’t just about academics; it was about the intangible feeling of finding a community where I could grow, excel, and become the best version of myself.

WashU Medicine isn’t just an elite institution — it’s a place where you can thrive.

For me, the Gateway Curriculum is truly what set WashU Med apart from any other medical school. Rather than letter grades or pass/fail grading, we are evaluated on our progress toward meeting competency requirements throughout each of the three phases. This means our grading is both longitudinal and holistic, reducing the stress typically associated with individual assessments. A sub-par exam score can easily be offset by other exams, group learning activities, and clinical skills assessments. Additionally, there is no internal ranking or publication of exam averages, which fosters a collaborative environment and diminishes the tendency to compare your performance with others.

When choosing a medical school, I was drawn toward programs with one-year-long pre-clinical phases. They would allow me to begin rotations much earlier, which was very important for me, given that I had no idea what specialties I was interested in. I was excited to find out that even though Phase 1 at WashU Med is designed to last 16 months, only 11 of these months are actually spent in classrooms. Nine weeks are dedicated to clinical immersions, four weeks are for the EXPLORE immersion, and five weeks are allotted for fall, winter, and summer breaks. More information on immersions can be found in “The Gateway Experience” section. This organization of the curriculum provides ample time to explore my career interests, both inside and outside clinical medicine. Overall, I appreciate that the Gateway Curriculum emphasizes longitudinal learning while providing us with the opportunity to explore various specialties, refine our interests, and develop professionally.

Throughout my interview process, I had the opportunity to learn more about the Gateway Curriculum. This made me confident that WashU Med was the ideal place for me to start my journey in medical education. One of my favorite aspects of the curriculum is the Gateway Coaching Program because of the support system it creates not only between peers, but also with a faculty mentor. It has been inspiring hearing about the evolution of this program to care for students throughout medical school, from conversations in the first year regarding what dissection means to different students to being a space to discuss difficult topics such as coping with patient loss and managing burnout throughout one’s career. As I continue through my journey in medicine, I have appreciated how pivotal role models are in helping me forge a path to balance and success. The abundance of support from the Career Advisors to the Big Sib Program is one of the many reasons why WashU Med was my top choice for medical school.

The most important quality that solidified WashU Med as my top choice medical school is its strong dedication to serving the community of St. Louis. WashU Med’s commitment to social justice can be seen effortlessly in every aspect of the school, from the Health, Equity, and Justice curriculum, which teaches students to question the context in which social determinants exist, to learning in a hospital system that cares for every member of the diverse St. Louis community. However, the greatest embodiment of this mission has been in the faculty and students I have met thus far. This has been evident since my conversation with Dr. Jonathan Mullin on my interview day about strategies to improve barriers to care in the pediatric critical care setting, but I have come to appreciate how universal the culture of social justice is at WashU Med through Dr. Will Ross’ presentation on healing a community impacted by disparities through compassion.

At the beginning of my own application cycle, I was dead set on remaining as close to home as possible. I adore my home state of California, and having a nearby support network was extremely important to me. Yet, a year later, here I am, halfway across the country in St. Louis. In my mind, the fact that WashU Med completely changed my intended plans is a testament to just how amazing this school is.

During the admissions process, I was impressed by the amount of consideration that WashU Med puts into recruiting their class, especially in putting together a Dis-O guide that highlights such a multitude of student perspectives. I felt as though Medical Student Admissions truly wanted me to see what WashU Med was like, even before I ever physically set foot on campus.

Once I did attend Second Look Weekend, I was struck by the unique community at WashU Med. At my undergraduate institution, 95% of students were in-state. Many people had family and friends who lived locally. My group of potential classmates at Second Look was a stark contrast to the student body that I was used to. I really enjoyed meeting people who grew up and attended schools from all over the country, and even the world. Unlike my undergraduate experience, most of my class does not have many local connections, so we spend a lot of time with one another! Most of us live within a 20-minute walking radius, so it is easy to host gatherings or simply pop over to one another’s apartments. I do miss my loved ones back in California, but I feel so fortunate to have built a support network out of my friends, classmates, and faculty here at WashU Med. The supportive environment, diverse student backgrounds, and location of WashU Med enable us to truly forge, rather than just exist as, a community. This is what I love and find most unique about WashU Med.

As somebody who never expected to end up at WashU Med (but loves it here), my advice is to stay open-minded during the decision process. Ultimately, the things that won me over weren’t things I had even known I was looking for.