Admissions

Message from the Dean:

Frederick Ehlert, MD
Associate Dean for Admissions

Thank you for your interest in the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. We are truly honored by your inquiry.

VP&S is a special place as reflected by its core values of Excellence, Respect, and Equity.

These fundamental values enable our people - students, faculty, staff, and the patients we care for – to make us one of the finest medical institutions in the world.  

These fundamental values inspire us to provide the best care in the world to our diverse patient populations. We strive to make our students the best clinicians, and at VP&S you will have an unparalleled clinical experience. Our faculty is committed to our students and to their education both for today and foundationally for a lifetime.

These fundamental values empower us to be a world-class research institution. Participation in research is established for all students through our Scholarly Project. More in-depth experiences are available, encouraged, and supported by the school, and most students take advantage of these programs. In this way, students develop close relationships with our renowned faculty and leave with lifelong mentors.  

VP&S is a special place because of its location.

Living and learning in New York City contributes immeasurably to our students’ overall educational experience. For students interested in serving the community, the local neighborhoods of Washington Heights, Inwood, and Harlem, as well as the entire NYC area, are rich with possibilities. NYC is a world city, and we also have extensive global health experiences available.  

VP&S is a special place because of its students.

Our students bring to us an amazing variety of experiences and talents. We are committed and strive to be a place where students of any background or identity will thrive. We prioritize life-balance and through our VP&S Club, we provide a platform to continue extracurricular passions, a forum in which to share them, and an opportunity to find new ones.

We realize how hard you have worked and how exciting, yet daunting, the process of applying to medical school can be.  We look forward to receiving your application if you envision VP&S as the next step in your personal and professional journey. We are committed to considering each applicant in a fair and personal manner.  We’re looking forward to get to know you better!