The University of Georgia School of Medicine has welcomed 64 students to its inaugural class.

These 64 students come to the School of Medicine after more than 2,000 applications were submitted during a condensed two-week admissions cycle. School officials interviewed 235 prospective students before extending offers of admission.

The inaugural class reflects the School of Medicine’s mission to strengthen Georgias physician workforce, with 95% of students being Georgia residents. The class brings together students with strong connections to the state and a shared commitment to improving the health of Georgia's communities.

Eighty percent of the class received their undergraduate degrees from in-state institutions, with 37.5% graduating from UGA. The class average MCAT score is 514, with an average GPA of 3.85. The class also includes seven first-generation students.

“We are extremely excited and honored to welcome these talented future physicians to join the inaugural class of the School of Medicine,” said Dean Shelley Nuss. “By pursuing their medical education at the University of Georgia, these students chose to be part of a mission to expand access to care and strengthen the physician workforce across our state. Their impact will be felt not only in the communities they serve today, but also across Georgia for generations to come.”

The students began their medical school journey on Monday with a week of orientation.

The medical school celebrates its next milestone in August with the White Coat Ceremony, and December marks the opening of the new medical education and research building. The 93,000-square-foot building will serve as the school’s primary educational facility and will include large, active-learning classroom spaces, an anatomy lab, a simulation center, a clinical skills center, individual and group study options, a student lounge and well-being spaces.