MD · Pasadena, CA · private · applies through AMCAS
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
Known as Kaiser (KPSOM)
Prerequisite coursework
Verify with the school| Course | Status | Hours | Lab | Pass/fail | AP credit | Online | Community college | Notes from the school |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry CHEM | Recommended | — | No | Case-by-case The school will accept Pass/Fail grades, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (applicable for the spring, summer, fall 2020, and spring 2021 quarter or semester). | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Yes | Yes | |
| Biology BIOL | Required | — | Yes | Case-by-case The school will accept Pass/Fail grades, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (applicable for the spring, summer, fall 2020, and spring 2021 quarter or semester). | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Case-by-case Online lecture courses are accepted. Associated labs must be taken on-site. | Yes | KPSOM accepts all courses listed under the Biology course requirement section of the AMCAS Course Classifications. |
| Chemistry CHEM | Required | — | Yes | Case-by-case KPSOM will accept Pass/Fail grades, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (applicable for the spring, summer, fall 2020, and spring 2021 quarter or semester). | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Case-by-case Online lecture courses are accepted. Associated labs must be taken on-site. | Yes | KPSOM accepts all courses listed under the Chemistry section of the AMCAS Course Classifications Guide |
| Composition & Rhetoric ENGL | Required | — | No | Case-by-case | Case-by-case | Yes | Yes | KPSOM accepts all courses listed under the English Language and Literature (ENGL) section of the AMCAS Course Classifications Guide. |
| Physics PHYS | Required | — | Yes | Case-by-case The school will accept Pass/Fail grades, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (applicable for the spring, summer, fall 2020, and spring 2021 quarter or semester). | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Yes | KPSOM accepts all courses listed under the Biology section of the AMCAS Course Classifications Guide |
| Sociology BESS | Required | — | No | Case-by-case | Case-by-case | Yes | Yes | KPSOM accepts all courses listed under the Behavioral and Social Sciences section of the AMCAS Course Classifications Guide |
| Statistics MATH | Recommended | — | No | Case-by-case KPSOM will accept Pass/Fail grades, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (applicable for the spring, summer, fall 2020, and spring 2021 quarter or semester). | Case-by-case We accept AP credits if your undergraduate institution awarded them toward graduation and they appear on your official transcript. | Yes | Yes |
Community-college pathways
Prerequisite coursework completed at a community college is accepted.
Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Premed Course Requirements 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Admission policies, in the school's words
The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine's admissions philosophy emphasizes a mission-aligned view of our applicants. As such, your academic achievements are always considered in relation to your experiences, milestones, and personal attributes. We believe this approach allows us to create a multidimensional portrait of each applicant, while admitting a class that embodies the school's commitment to innovation, academic rigor, service, and inclusive excellence. Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine will accept Pass/Fail grades, without prejudice, for courses taken by applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has always been the school’s practice to consider grades in the context of numerous other aspects of the application, and an international crisis certainly provides a unique and compelling context. In making this statement, we understand that some undergraduate schools are allowing students to take courses either for a grade or on a Pass/Fail basis. MCAT: Please visit the AAMC website for the MCAT Calendar, Scheduling Deadlines, and Score Release Dates. https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/mcat-testingcalendar-score-release-dates The school will accept online coursework taken in spring, summer, and fall 2020, as well as spring and fall 2021. We do not recommend taking all prerequisite courses through online coursework. Please note that online bachelor’s degrees will not be considered in the application process.
Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Admission Policies and Information 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Who can apply
- Out-of-state applicants
- Yes We plan to admit students from across the United States.
- Canadian applicants
- No Coursework taken in Canada will be accepted. At this time, the school is able to accept applications only from U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and DACA recipients.
- International applicants
- No
- DACA applicants
- Yes Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status are eligible to apply to the School.
- DACA details
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status are eligible to apply to the School.
- Residency preference (school's page)
- No in-state preference is stated; the school accepts applications only from U.S. citizens, permanent residents and DACA recipients (64% of the Class of 2030 are California residents).
Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Interview
- Format
- We will utilize a hybrid model, consisting of Multiple Mini Interviews and a traditional interview.
- Invitations sent
- August 2026
- Typical interview day
- We believe that the interview day is a critical part of our assessment and selection process, as it gives us an opportunity to get to know you better. It also provides you a better sense of who we are and allows you an opportunity to get your questions answered. We will utilize a hybrid model, consisting of the Multiple Mini Interview and a traditional interview.
- Regional interviews
- no
- Video interviews
- Interviews will be virtual for the 2026 - 2027 cycle.
Tags are derived from the text above by keyword; read the text before relying on a tag.
Source: MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Interview Procedures 2027 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Situational-judgment tests and MCAT dates
- Casper
- Not on official list source
- AAMC PREview
- Required "We are requiring applicants to submit PREview scores" source
- Latest MCAT considered
- September 12, 2026
- Oldest MCAT considered
- July 2024
Casper status comes from the school's own admissions page where it states one, otherwise from published requirement lists; PREview from the school's page or the AAMC PREview policies report. Both change between cycles. Verify with the school.
Secondary application
- Required
- Yes
- Fee
- $75
- Fee waiver available
- Yes
- Deadline
- Nov 1, 2026 November 1, 2026
- Who receives it
- https://applymedschool.kp. org
Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Letters of evaluation
- Committee letter
- Accepted
- Letter packet
- Accepted
- Individual letters
- Accepted
Source: (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13). Verify with the school.
Waitlist and deposit
- Typical waitlist positions
- The Waitlist number is not available.
- Offers made from the waitlist
- —
- Procedure
- Students can accept or decline the offer of waitlist in our Admissions system.
- Deposit required
- Yes in state $100 · out of state $100
- Deposit due
- May 30, 2025
- Refundable / applied to tuition
- Yes Yes
Cost of attendance and debt
| In state | Out of state | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Health insurance | $0 | $0 |
| Total cost of attendance, year 1 | $39,636 | $39,636 |
100% of students receive aid. Average indebtedness of indebted graduates: $7,547.
Official AAMC counts, 2025-2026
- Applications
- 6,596 (59.8% in-state)
- Matriculants
- 49 (71.4% in-state, 28.6% out-of-state; 59.2% women)
- Applications per seat
- 135
Source: AAMC FACTS Table A-1: Applications and Matriculants by School, State of Legal Residence, and Gender, 2025-2026 (AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13).
Entering class 2026
- Matriculated
- 50
- MCAT (median)
- 515
- GPA (median)
- 3.86
- In-state
- 64%
Source: the school's published class profile (page), retrieved 2026-10-13. Statistics describe one entering class and are not cutoffs.
Transfer applications
No
Mission statement
The Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine strives to provide a worldclass education for every one of our students. We aim to ignite a passion for lifelong learning, a desire to serve patients, and an unwavering commitment to improve the health and well-being of communities.
Notes
Class of 2030 profile (entered 2026): class size 50, average age at admission 24, mean/median MCAT 515, mean total GPA 3.85 / median 3.86, 64% California residents; 24% completed community-college coursework, 8% graduate coursework, 6% postbaccalaureate. No minimum MCAT ('no minimum required score') or GPA. AAMC PREview required for regular MD and MD-PhD applicants (no minimum score; scores do not expire). FAQ: cohorts of 48–50 students.
Sources for this page
- MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Premed Course Requirements 2027 · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Admission Policies and Information 2027 · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- MSAR Report for Applicants and Advisors: Interview Procedures 2027 · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- School website (class profile and admissions pages)
- LCME Directory - Accredited Programs
- AAMC FACTS Table A-1: Applications and Matriculants by School, State of Legal Residence, and Gender, 2025-2026 · AAMC, retrieved 2026-10-13
- https://medschool.kp.org/admissions/our-students · school website, retrieved 2026-10-13
- https://medschool.kp.org/admissions/admission-requirements · school website, retrieved 2026-10-13
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