Medical School AI Policies: What You Can (and Can't) Use AI For
The complete guide to AI policies for medical school applications in 2026. AMCAS certification language, school-by-school rules, and practical advice for premeds.
The Bottom Line
Most medical schools (45 of 72 we track) have no AI-specific admissions policy. They defer to the AMCAS certification, which permits AI for brainstorming, proofreading, and editing — but requires your final submission to be your own work. Of the 27 schools with explicit policies, most limit AI to brainstorming and proofreading, while a handful prohibit AI use entirely.
What the Application Platforms Say About AI
These platform-level policies apply to all medical schools using that application system.
The 2026 AMCAS application includes a certification statement requiring applicants to affirm that all writing is their own. AI tools may be used for brainstorming, proofreading, or editing, but the final submission must be the applicant's own work. This certification covers personal comments, MD-PhD essays, work/activities descriptions, and most meaningful experience narratives.
“I certify that all my writing, including personal comments, essays for MD-PhD applicants, and descriptions of work/activities, is my own. Although I may utilize mentors, peers, advisors, and/or AI tools for brainstorming, proofreading, or editing, my final submission is a true reflection of my own work and represents my experiences.”
TMDSAS has a two-part approach. The certification statement (Addendum B-1) requires applicants to attest that all written passages "have not been composed or generated by a third party." A separate AI-specific policy acknowledges that generative AI tools are part of the professional landscape and permits their use for brainstorming or editing, so long as final submissions reflect the applicant's own original thoughts, voice, and intent. AI use during interviews is strictly prohibited.
“Generative AI tools—like those used for brainstorming, organizing, or editing—are now part of the academic and professional landscape. While these tools are commonly used in the writing process, all final responses submitted through TMDSAS must be your own work, and reflect your original thoughts, voice, and intent.”
How to Read These Policies
We classify each school's AI policy across three independent dimensions. Learn more about our methodology.
L = Permission Level
- L0 No explicit policy
- L2 Line-level editing allowed
- L3 Brainstorming only
- L4 AI use prohibited
D = Disclosure
- D0 No disclosure required
- D1 Optional disclosure
- D2 Must disclose AI use
- D3 Must attest no AI used
E = Enforcement
- E0 No enforcement stated
- E1 Manual review possible
- E2 Uses screening tools
- E3 Formal verification
School-by-School Policies
AI policies for 72 medical schools in our database. Each school name links to its full policy detail page.
| School | Platform | Institution Policy | Med-Specific Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor College of Medicine | TMDSAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Boston University | AMCAS | L2D0E1 | — |
| Brown University | AMCAS | L4D3E1 | — |
| Case Western Reserve University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Columbia University | AMCAS | L2D0E0 | — |
| Cornell University | AMCAS | L3D0E1 | — |
| Creighton University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Dartmouth College | AMCAS | L3D0E1 | — |
| Drexel University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Duke University | AMCAS | L1D0E0 | — |
| Emory University | AMCAS | L2D0E1 | — |
| Florida International University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| George Washington University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Georgetown University | AMCAS | L4D3E2 | — |
| Harvard University | AMCAS | L4D3E1 | — |
| Howard University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | AMCAS | L3D0E0 | — |
| Johns Hopkins University | AMCAS | L3D3E0 | — |
| Louisiana State University | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | AMCAS | L0D0E0 | — |
Schools With Explicit Medical AI Policies
These schools go beyond the standard AMCAS certification with specific guidance for medical applicants.
“You may use artificial intelligence tools for brainstorming, proofreading, or editing your essays; however, it is essential that the final submission accurately reflects your own...”
- •AI permitted for brainstorming, proofreading, and editing only
- •Explicitly bans AI during interviews
- •Labels outlining, drafting, writing, copy-pasting, and translating as "unethical"
School of Medicine (UPSOM)
“AI should not be used to write any of the essays or descriptions of experiences for the applicant.”
- •UPSOM follows AAMC guidance on AI use
- •AI should not write essays or experience descriptions
- •Brainstorming and proofreading permitted
Graduate Medical Education
“Use AI to enhance your application, not replace your own work”
- •Graduate Medical Education has specific AI guidelines
- •Encourages using AI to enhance, not replace, your work
- •One of few programs with a disclosure expectation (D1)
Practical Guide: Using AI in Your Medical School Application
Section-by-section guidance on what's allowed and what's not, based on AMCAS rules and school policies.
Personal Statement (AMCAS)
Your personal statement is the most scrutinized part of your application. Admissions committees read thousands of essays and can often detect AI-generated prose by its generic tone and lack of specific personal detail.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to brainstorm essay topics or organize your thoughts
- ✓Ask AI to check grammar, spelling, and punctuation
- ✓Use AI to identify unclear sentences after you've written a draft
- ✓Run your draft through AI for a "reader perspective" on flow
What you should avoid
- ✗Have AI generate your essay draft or outline
- ✗Copy-paste AI-generated paragraphs into your statement
- ✗Use AI to translate an essay written in another language
- ✗Ask AI to "improve" or "rewrite" entire sections
Secondary Essays
Secondary essays are school-specific prompts sent after your primary application is verified. Because these are unique to each school, generic AI responses are particularly easy to spot.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to research school programs, mission statements, and faculty
- ✓Ask AI to proofread for typos before submission
- ✓Use AI to check that you're answering the actual prompt
What you should avoid
- ✗Use AI to draft "Why this school?" essays — they'll sound generic
- ✗Reuse AI-generated secondary content across different schools
- ✗Have AI summarize your experiences for you
Work/Activities & Most Meaningful Experiences
These 700-character descriptions and 1,325-character reflections need to be concrete and specific. AI-generated activity descriptions tend to use inflated language that admissions committees recognize.
What you can do
- ✓Use AI to help condense a long description to fit character limits
- ✓Ask AI to check for passive voice or weak verbs
- ✓Use AI to verify you haven't repeated the same phrase across entries
What you should avoid
- ✗Have AI write your activity descriptions from scratch
- ✗Use AI to embellish or exaggerate your experiences
- ✗Ask AI to "make this sound more impressive"
During Interviews
Both Mount Sinai and TMDSAS explicitly prohibit AI use during interviews. With the rise of virtual interviews, this is an area of increasing scrutiny across all medical schools.
What you can do
- ✓Practice with AI before your interview to prepare for common questions
- ✓Use AI to research the school and interviewer backgrounds
- ✓Review your application with AI to prepare talking points
What you should avoid
- ✗Use any AI tool during a live interview (virtual or in-person)
- ✗Have AI-generated notes visible during video interviews
- ✗Use real-time AI transcription or response suggestion tools