JABSOM Admissions Process

The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) admissions cycle starts in July. After applying through AMCAS, you will receive information via email from the JABSOM Admissions Office. JABSOM’s admissions process consists of six major steps listed below:
- June 1 – AMCAS application submission begins
- August 1 – AMCAS Early Decision Program (EDP) application deadline (11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time)
- November 1 – AMCAS Regular application deadline (11:59 pm Eastern Standard Time)
Please see AMCAS Participating Medical Schools & Deadlines for a comprehensive list of application deadlines.
*Subject to change
- Supplementary essays
- Complete prerequisite verification information
- Letters of Recommendations
- Residency Declaration Form
Letters of Recommendations
You will be required to submit a minimum of two Letters of Recommendation or a school’s composite letter of recommendation directly to the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) Letter Service.
For more information, see the Guidelines for Requesting Letters of Recommendation.
NOTE: JABSOM will ONLY accept letters directly from the AMCAS service; therefore, instruct your letter writers or schools to mail or electronically upload their letters directly to AMCAS. For further instructions, please click here.
- Two assigned interview with a clinical or basic science faculty, physician, JABSOM alumni, member of the medical community or fourth-year medical student
- Final interview with the Director of Admissions
Interviews are conducted from August through February and are to be completed by mid-February.
You will be required to complete the following forms during the Interview Process.
- Interview Evaluation
The John A. Burns School of Medicine does not use a rolling admissions process. Exceptional candidates rated highly and recommended by the Admissions Committee for early notification of acceptance, will be offered an acceptance after review rather than at the end of the admissions process.
Acceptance
The class is comprised of 67 resident applicants. Nonresident candidates must be highly ranked, preferably with some ties to Hawaiʻi, to be accepted (approximately 10 nonresidents). JABSOM asks applicants with multiple acceptances to make a final decision in accordance with AAMC Traffic Rules. No deposit is required to hold a seat in the class.
*Early Decision Program (EDP): Accepted students will be notified by October 1.
Waitlist
Applicants who are placed on the waitlist will be notified of that status and may receive notification of acceptance as withdrawals occur. We have found that vacancies of this type might occur as late as a week prior to the start of school.
Criminal Background Check
JABSOM requires ALL accepted and waitlisted students to complete and pass a Criminal Background Check through Certiphi Screening, Inc. Please see the AAMC Criminal Background Check Service page for more information.
Deferral of Matriculation
The school does not encourage deferred admission. Accepted applicants wanting to defer must have a unique circumstance or an exceptional reason. Requests for deferment are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Director and/or Admissions Committee.