Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) committed to training the next generation of physicians who are dedicated to serving their communities and advancing healthcare equity. Located in Camden, New Jersey, CMSRU offers students a unique opportunity to work with underserved populations and gain hands-on clinical experience at Cooper University Health Care, a leading academic health system. The school emphasizes compassion, collaboration, and social accountability, making it an excellent choice for students who are passionate about addressing healthcare disparities and improving the lives of patients. Keep reading to learn more about how to get into Cooper Medical School, the Cooper Rowan medical school secondary application, student life, and how Cooper Rowan’s focus on humanistic medicine can shape your path to a rewarding medical career.
With a mission-driven curriculum that integrates community engagement, innovative teaching, and evidence-based medicine, CMSRU prepares students to excel as both clinicians and leaders in healthcare. For those aspiring to join CMSRU, showcasing a commitment to service, academic excellence, and a genuine connection to the school’s values will strengthen your application.
Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta from Cracking Med School Admissions can help you craft a compelling application that highlights your unique strengths and alignment with CMSRU’s mission. Their expertise and proven strategies will guide you through the admissions process and help you achieve your goal of attending this exceptional medical school.
Why Choose Cooper Medical School of Rowan University?
- Early clerkship experiences starting week five of MS1
- Rigorous clinical training prepares students well for residency
- Plenty of opportunity to work with underserved populations
Applications
Tip: How to get into Cooper Rowan Medical School – make your Cooper Rowan medical school secondary essays centered around the school’s mission on community medicine. Discuss how you will contribute to improving the health of New Jersey residents!
Cooper Rowan Medical School Secondary Application Essay Prompts:
- Please describe your anticipated educational, employment, volunteer, or other activities between completing your AMCAS application and matriculating to medical school. (1500 characters max)
- Tell us about something that makes you a unique applicant to CMSRU. How will CMSRU help you fulfill your mission? (1500 characters max)
- Medical school involves hard work and can be stressful at times. Tell us about activities that you use to help maintain a work-life balance and respond to stress. ((1500 characters max)
- Please share with us something unique about your pathway to medical school, including any obstacles you may have faced. (1500 characters max)
Need Help With Your Cooper Rowan Secondary Essays?
Get the Cracking Med School Admissions team’s expertise through our secondary essay editing packages. If you have questions, email us at info@crackingmedadmissions.com or contact us.
Cooper Rowan Medical SChool
Interview Format
Similar to our tip for the Cooper Rowan medical school secondary application essay, we also advise Cooper Medical School interviewees to mention why they want to serve their New Jersey community!
To ace your traditional interview, you need to know how to answer common medical school interview questions. It’s important to practice, practice, practice.
Cracking Med Resources for Interviews:
- How to answer “Tell me about yourself” Medical School Interview Question
- How to answer “Why this Medical School?”
- 43 Questions To Ask Your Medical School Interviewers
- Download our Cracking Med School Admissions interview guide below
Contact us if you want to schedule a mock interview with our Cracking Med School Admissions team! Take a look at our interview packages.
download your interview guide
If you are prepared, the interview gives you the perfect opportunity to standout and shine by sharing with people what you are passionate about.
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Acceptance Rate
CMSRU Admissions Statistics:
- Cooper Medical School Average GPA: 3.82
- Cooper Medical School MCAT: 513
How Did Cooper Medical School of Rowan University Students Do On Their USMLE Step Exams?
- Cooper Medical School USMLE Step 1 Percentage Passing Rate: 93%
- Average Cooper Medical School USMLE Step 2 Score: 241
Source: U.S. News
Your medical school application Coaches, Mentors, & Cheerleaders
We Personally Advise Every Student We Work With
Rachel Rizal, M.D.
Changing the trajectory of people's lives
Undergraduate
Princeton University
Medical School
Stanford School of Medicine
Residency
Harvard, Emergency Medicine
Awards & Scholarships
Fulbright Scholar
USA Today Academic First Team
Tylenol Scholarship
Rishi Mediratta, M.D., M.Sc., M.A.
Advising students to attend their dream schools
Undergraduate
Johns Hopkins University
Medical School
Stanford School of Medicine
Residency
Stanford, Pediatrics
Awards & Scholarships
Marshall Scholar
Tylenol Scholarship
Global Health Scholar
Each year, the Cracking Med School Admissions team
helps students get accepted to top medical schools.
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The Insider's View on Cooper Rowan Medical School Pre-clinical years
How to Get Into Cooper Medical School – Know the Curriculum:
Curriculum Overview:
As a Cooper Rowan medical student, your curriculum is split into two phases. Phase I: Foundation and Integration (first two years), is where students gain scientific knowledge and clinical skills. Then you take USMLE Step 1. Phase II: Application, Exploration, and Advancement (third and fourth years) focuses on using learned knowledge in clinical practice and addressing social and ethical aspects of care.
FOUNDATION AND INTEGRATION (PHASE 1)
Phase 1 years:
The first two years are spent in Phase 1, divided into courses based on specialty or organ system.
The first year consists of the following courses:
- Molecular Basis of Medicine (8 weeks)
- Week on the Wards 1 (2 weeks)
- Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases (8 weeks)
- Hematology-Oncology (5 weeks)
- Neurology-Psychology (8 weeks)
- Skin-Muscle-Skeleton (8 weeks)
The following courses take place longitudinally throughout the first year:
- Ambulatory Clerkship
- Scholar’s Workshop
- Foundations of Medical Practice
- Selectives (spring semester only)
The second year consists of the following courses:
- Cardiovascular (5 weeks)
- Pulmonary (4 weeks)
- Endocrine (3 weeks)
- Gastroenterology (4 weeks)
- Uro-Renal (5 weeks)
- Week on the Wards 2 (1 week)
- Introduction to Obstetrics & Gynecology (4 weeks)
- ENT/Allergy (4 weeks)
- Neuro-Psych (6 weeks)
The following courses take place longitudinally throughout the second year:
- Ambulatory Clerkship 2
- Scholar’s Workshop 2
- Foundations of Medical Practice 2
- Selectives (fall semester only)
Grades:
- Grades for pre-clinical years are Pass/Unsatisfactory.
- Grades for clinical years are Honors/High Pass/Pass/Unsatisfactory.
Unique highlights about Phase 1 years:
- Active Learning Groups allow case/problem based collaborative learning.
- Students have the opportunity to participate in the free Cooper Rowan Clinic and engage in community outreach with underserved populations starting their first year.
Watch a tour of Cooper Medical University!
Taking Time Off:
Most medical students at Cooper Rowan graduate in four years. There is little flexibility to take time off due to a heavy load of clinical rotations. However, students do have some time off during winter breaks.
Research Opportunities:
Cooper Rowan offers diverse research opportunities through programs like the Summer Research Program, where students work on clinical or lab-based projects with mentors, presenting findings at national conferences or publishing in top journals. The annual Camden Scholars’ Forum showcases student research in a competitive setting, while extramural grants provide additional funding for summer or year-long projects.
To read more about research at Cooper Medical School, please click here.
Learn more about Cooper Medical School of Rowan University:
What students are saying about CMSRU
The Insider's View on Cooper Rowan Medical School clinical years
APPLICATION, EXPLORATION, ADVANCEMENT (PHASE 2)
Phase 2 years:
During the third and fourth years of medical school, students are mainly in clinical rotations. Fourth year students also take part in a service-learning course called “Leadership in Community Health”. Students take four weeks of electives in their third year and have 20 weeks of electives in their fourth year.
The third-year curriculum consists of:
- Internal Medicine (6 weeks)
- Surgery (6 weeks)
- OB/GYN (6 weeks)
- Pediatrics (6 weeks)
- Psychiatry (4 weeks)
- SW Research/Service Learning (2 weeks)
- Neurology (4 weeks)
- Anesthesiology (2 weeks)
- Family Medicine and Adult Primary Care (6 weeks)
- Electives (4 weeks)
The following course takes place longitudinally throughout the third year:
- Ambulatory Clerkship 3
- Scholar’s Workshop 3
The fourth-year curriculum consists of:
- Sub-Internship (4 weeks)
- Interprofessional Care of Chronic Conditions (4 weeks)
- Critical Care Clerkship (4 weeks)
- Emergency Medicine Clerkship (4 weeks)
- Leadership in Community Health (1 week)
- Electives (16 weeks)
The following course takes place longitudinally throughout the fourth year:
- Scholar’s Workshop 4
To check out more details about the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University curriculum to get ideas about how to get into Cooper Medical School:
https://cmsru.rowan.edu/education/medical-education-programs/md-program/curriculum/
Unique highlights about Phase 2 years:
- Advanced clinical electives are a requirement and are a large bulk of your 4th year (20 weeks) and there are many options to choose from.
- In the longitudinal Scholar’s Workshop course, students complete a capstone project in their third and fourth years, presenting their thesis in a poster presentation.
Main Clinical Rotation Sites:
- Cooper University Health Care
- Cooper University Health Care (CUHC)
- Children’s Regional Hospital at Cooper and Cooper Pediatrics
- MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper
- Cooper’s Center for Healing
What students are saying about clinical rotations at Cooper Medical School
Housing & Social
Where do students live?
- CMSRU students have a variety of housing options in and around Camden, ranging from urban and suburban apartments to house rentals, condominiums, and single-family homes. Only off-campus housing is available.
Social Life:
- The social life at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) is built around a close-knit and supportive community that emphasizes collaboration and wellness. Students connect through a variety of clubs, student-run organizations, and interest groups, such as specialty-specific clubs, cultural associations, and service initiatives, which foster friendships and professional growth.
- The school’s location in Camden offers proximity to the vibrant city of Philadelphia, where students often explore restaurants, museums, and entertainment venues. Locally, students also engage in group activities, including outdoor events along the Camden waterfront, attending concerts at the BB&T Pavilion, or visiting nearby parks.
- CMSRU frequently hosts wellness events, social mixers, and volunteer opportunities, creating a well-rounded environment that balances the demands of medical education with meaningful social connections and community involvement.
Getting around:
- Many students take public transportation (PATCO, SJTA, etc.) to get around and a car is not necessary. Rowan University also offers free shuttles for students between campuses.
Tip – How to Get Into Cooper Medical School – During your interview, talk about specific aspects of the social life and medical school’s culture that you are excited about!
financing
- Cooper Medical School Tuition & Fees: ~$44,628in-state and ~$70,826 out-of-state
- Average indebtedness of Cooper Medical School graduates: $197,446
Cracking Med School Admissions Resources
Here are useful Cracking Med School Admissions resources:
- How To Write A Personal Statement For Medical School
- Download Cracking Med School Admission’s FREE AMCAS Activities Workbook
- Premed Timeline: Planning For Medical School Applications
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