Colleges 2018: Top 10 Medical Colleges in the United States

Being a doctor or a surgeon is not only one of most sought-after careers but is also considered one of the noblest professions a man can do. Every year, thousands of students gear up to fulfill their aspirations of becoming a doctor by fighting for a seat in top medical colleges across the globe.

When it comes to world-class medical programs, the United States has an edge over other nations, thanks to plenty of incredible medical colleges spread across the country. If you dream of donning the prestigious white coat and seeing yourself as a doctor in future, you should definitely check out the top 10 medical colleges in the United States and the respective medical programs they offer.

Here’s the list of 10 medical colleges that you should consider applying to for the best education in the field of medicine:

1. Harvard Medical School

For the second consecutive year, Harvard Medical School rules our rankings of best medical colleges in the US. Considered to be one of the best medical colleges in the world, Harvard Medical School came into existence in the year 1782. Since then, this prestigious med school has been churning out physicians, researchers, and scholars who have changed the face of medicine over the years. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital are four major teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School.

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Tuition Fee: $55,850

Average MCAT score: 37

Admission Rate: 2.3%

2. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (1↑)

Trumping Stanford School of Medicine for this year’s second spot in best medical school rankings is John Hopkins School of Medicine. Considered to be a pioneer in medical education, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is a popular choice among aspiring medical students. Ranked as one of the best teaching hospitals in the US, Johns Hopkins Hospital provides a wholesome learning experience to med students. It is considered to be a haven for aspiring physicians and has one of the best residency programs in the US.

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Tuition Fee: $48,750

Average MCAT score: 36

Admission Rate: 1.8%

3. Stanford School of Medicine (1↓)

Despite dropping in our rankings by one position, Stanford School of Medicine is undoubtedly one of the best colleges for studying medicine in the country. Established in the year 1908, Stanford School of Medicine is a research-based institution focusing on innovations and discoveries of novel methods in the field of medicine. It offers MD, MD/ Ph.D., Ph.D., and master’s program for over 1,200 aspiring medical students. It is considered to be the oldest medical school in the Western United States. Most Stanford medical students extend their training period for in-depth research.

Location: Stanford, California

Tuition Fee: $52,491

Average MCAT score: 37

Admission Rate: 1.4%

4. UCSF School of Medicine (1↑)

UCSF School of Medicine climbs up in our rankings this year by one position. Ranked as one of the best schools for medical research and primary care, UCSF School of Medicine is one of the best institutions to pursue a medical education. It offers MD, MD/ Ph.D., MD/MPH, UC Berkeley – UCSF Joint Medical Program (MD, MS) and Medical Scientist Training Program. It was awarded the second-largest share of National Institutes of Health research funds among the US medical schools.

Location: San Francisco, California

Tuition Fee: $32,751 (in-state); $44,996 (out-of-state)

Average MCAT score: 36

Admission Rate: 2.2%

5. Duke University School of Medicine

Taking giant strides in the field of medical education, Duke University’s School of Medicine is the new entrant in our rankings this year. It is renowned for research in medicine as well as primary care studies. It offers MD, MD/ Ph.D. and the Primary Care Leadership Track (PCLT) MD programs. The Duke Clinical Research Institute has been awarded over $400 million for medical research.

Location:  Durham, North Carolina

Tuition Fee: $57,100

Average MCAT score: 37

Admission Rate: 2.5%

6. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (3↑)

Improving its rankings by 3 positions, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is 6th in the list of best medical schools in the US. Founded in 1891 at St. Louis, Washington University School of Medicine offers a wide range of programs including MD, MD/MA, MD/MSCI, MD/MPHS, Biomedical Engineering (MD/ Ph.D.) and Medical Scientist Training Program. It also offers other interesting programs like Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences, etc. 17 Nobel laureates have been a member of the faculty at WUSM St. Louis. Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are the two teaching hospitals of the medical school.

Location:  St. Louis, Missouri

Tuition Fee: $58,460

Average MCAT score: 38

Admission Rate: 2.8%

7. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (3↑)

From being ranked 10th in our last year’s list, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons has come a long way taking the 7th spot in best medical colleges rankings. Popularly known as P&S, it was established in 1767 and has been producing qualified doctors and noted researchers for over two and a half centuries. It offers diverse degree programs including MD, MD/ Ph.D., MD/Master of Public Health, MD/MBA in Health Policy and Management, Integrated MD/Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Certificate in Psychoanalysis, Master of Science in Nutrition, Doctor of Physical Therapy and many more.  

Location: Manhattan, New York

Tuition Fee: $55,418

Average MCAT score: 36

Admission Rate: 2.2%

8. David Geffen School of Medicine (UCLA) (4↓)

David Geffen School of Medicine sees a massive drop in rankings this year but still manages to grab the 8th spot on the list of best medical schools. UCLA School of Medicine was renamed in the year 2000 as David Geffen School of Medicine to honor the media mogul David Geffen who donated $200 million dollars. Apart from MD, Ph.D. and doctoral programs, it offers summer academic enrichment programs like Premedical/Predental Enrichment Program (PREP), Summer Medical Dental Education Program (SMDEP), and the Re-Application Post Baccalaureate Program (RAP).

Location: Los Angeles, California

Tuition Fee: $31,731 (in-state); $43,976 (out-of-state)

Average MCAT score: 35

Admission Rate: 1.8%

9. Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania (1↓)

Perelman School of Medicine slips to 9th position in the rankings this year. Popularly known as Penn Med, Perelman School of Medicine was founded in the year 1765 and is the oldest medical college in the United States. It is known for its biomedical research and numerous awards from National Institutes of Health. It offers MD, Ph.D., MD/ Ph.D. and a series of Master’s programs like Master of Bioethics (MBE), Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE), Master of Public Health (MPH) etc.

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tuition Fee: $52,210

Average MCAT score: 38

Admission Rate: 2.9%

10. Yale School of Medicine (4↓)

Down but not out, Yale School of Medicine makes it in the top 10 list of best medical schools despite dropping in rankings by four places. Founded in the year 1810, Yale School of Medicine is one of the oldest medical colleges in the US. It offers MD, MD/ Ph.D., MD/ MPH – Public Health, MD/MHS – Health Sciences, MD/JD – Law, MD/MBA – Management and MD/M.Div. – Divinity programs. Yale-New Haven Hospital acts as the primary teaching hospital for Yale School of Medicine. It also boasts of one of the world’s largest medical libraries.

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Tuition Fee: $55,680

Average MCAT score: 37

Admission Rate: 1.9%

Apart from these 10 medical schools, there are many other good medical schools like Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Duke School of Medicine, Pritzker School of Medicine etc. One of the primary requirements to get into these prestigious medical programs is to have an outstanding MCAT score. So put your head down and study hard to ace the MCAT exam. It is the stepping stone to your dream of becoming a doctor.