Top Ranked Medical Schools

The choice to become a doctor isn't merely admirable for the long hours of study and schooling involved; it's an honorable and selfless decision to dedicate one's life to the care of others. There are many different paths an individual can take in the medical field, from a general physician to a neurosurgeon, but each one begins at a medical school after the successful completion of a four-year study program at an accredited university. If you have received your Bachelor's and are ready to begin your intensive studies and earn your title as a M.D., then check out our rankings of the top 5 medical schools in the United States below to help you decide which is right for your personal journey.

5. University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)

Consistently rated as one of the best medical schools for research and primary care, the University of Pennsylvania Perlman's medical program is a great choice for any prospective medical student who wants to enter a school seeped in history that also is up-to-par with the latest advancements in modern medicine. University of Pennsylvania is home to the first medical school and first school hospital in the country, and students can earn M.D., Ph.D., M.D.-Ph.D., master's, M.D.-master's, or post-doctoral degrees.

4. University of California - San Francisco

Not only is sunny San Francisco an ideal location to start your graduate studies, but the School of Medicine at the University of California is renowned for its immersive program. 150 students, the majority from California, are accepted annually and complete two years of block courses before they begin an intensive two year program - one of clerkships and another of clinicals. UCSF also offers a second degree option to the traditional M.D. through dual and joint programs, such as the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved, a five-year program that prepares students to work around the glove providing invaluable medical care to people of impoverished countries.

3. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland has consistently been rated as one of the best in the world, so it's only natural that the medical university has the same praise and admiration. Doctors who train at the JHU campus will be taught through the Genes to Society Curriculum, which integrates academics with clinical experience. Classes break every few months for intercessions where students work on strengthening specific, advanced skills.

The university is divided into four smaller colleges - Nathans, Sabin, Taussig and Thomas - which helps create a strong sense of community and support throughout a student's four years of education. Each college has advisers who help guide pupils through medical school courses, research and future career selection. There's also an annual College Bowl that unites all four houses in friendly competitive games of tug-of-war, kickball and races.

The strong unity throughout the JHU community coupled with its top-notch medical program makes it one of the best post-graduate school options available in the world.

2. Stanford University

Another medical school located in California, Stanford is sought after by thousands of degree-seekers each year, but only around 500 are enrolled actively each year. The School of Medicine at Stanford has an extremely successful post-graduate success rate, with 64.6 percent of graduates admitted to their first choice for residency programs.

Located in Silicone, Valley, Stanford University's School of Medicine is innovative right from the start, opting from the traditional interview process in favor of 10 separate 8-minute interviews with short breaks in between. For those who are accepted, the program doesn't teach to the traditional fundamentals, but rather builds upon and enhances them with a unique emphasis on elected areas such as bioengineering and clinical research in order to help students develop a refined medical knowledge in addition to their mastery of core sciences.

1. Harvard University

Students at the world-renowned Harvard School of Medicine will be receiving a medical education that was first developed in the 1800s and has since been used as a foundation to support the innovations and advancements of modern medical technology. The school is divided into four colleges, each one focuses on team-based learning under faculty supervision. Students can earn their M.D. or Ph.D whist pursuing a joint degree with programs at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, as well as cross-register at the Law and Business schools.

Although the course work at HMS is grueling, the school prides itself on establishing a strong sense of unity among its student body and hosts a variety of events such as the First-Year Adventure Tour, the Annual White Coat Ceremony and the Second Year Show, medical parodies of famous titles written and performed by second-year students.

With over 100,000 alumni including the former U.S. Surgeon General, students who attend Harvard Medical School are setting themselves up for a bright and opportunistic future and community that will stay with them forever.

Many doctors end up at their own practice which requires them to learn how to run their own business. For this reason many pre-med students choose a business degree for their undergraduate studies. Students that are looking to major in business might want to check out our top 5 business school rankings.

Public College & University Data

Now there is a place to help you find out more information about the various public colleges and universities out there. There is a wide variety of statistics and data available on the various higher education systems across the country. Sometimes the data is collected nationally and sometimes it is local to each state. We provide our analysis of the education data that is available on higher education systems in the USA.

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