Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks the best medical schools in the country based on variables such as peer assessments, amount of National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants funds awarded and faculty-to-student ratio.
This year, the top-ranked schools include prestigious private institutions as well as public universities. The list also makes clear just how hard it is to get into medical school today — 13 of the top 15 medical schools admit less than 6 percent of applicants.
If you are an aspiring medical student who wants to study in one of the most prestigious medical schools in the world, then our list will help you in knowing about the best medical schools in the world and helps you in choosing the right one. Medical schools are developed, monitored and credentialed by national organizations in each country. This directory features schools and programs for the allied health professions, such as health care management, medical assisting, medical billing and coding, informatics and health care technology.
'Medical schools set up a great number of hoops for applicants to jump through: a prescribed undergraduate curriculum with numerous prerequisites, the MCAT exam, a complex and multi-part application, traveling to interviews, exhaustive days interviewing and a constant requirement for professionalism throughout,' Dr. McGreggor Crowley, an admissions counselor at admissions consulting firm IvyWise, tells U.S. News.
Here are the 15 best medical schools — and what it takes to get in — according to U.S. News:
Overall score: 66
Peer assessment score: 4.5
Recruiter assessment score: 4.3
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.83
Median MCAT score: 518
Acceptance rate: 3.20 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $412.50
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $277.20
Faculty-to-student ratio: 3
Tuition and fees: $98,810
Total medical school enrollment: 503
Overall score: 66
Peer assessment score: 4.2
Recruiter assessment score: 4.3
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.81
Median MCAT score: 517
Acceptance rate: 5.30 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $528.80
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $227.30
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4
Tuition and fees: $59,078
Total medical school enrollment: 579
Overall score: 66
Peer assessment score: 4.4
Recruiter assessment score: 4.2
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.89
Median MCAT score: 521
Acceptance rate: 5.40 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $393.60
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $238.50
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.2
Tuition and fees: $62,155
Total medical school enrollment: 391
Overall score: 67
Peer assessment score: 4.3
Recruiter assessment score: 4.2
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.68
Median MCAT score: 509
Acceptance rate: 3.70 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $728.00
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $247.70
Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.7
Tuition and fees: $66,899
Total medical school enrollment: 1,090
Overall score: 69
Peer assessment score: 4.2
Recruiter assessment score: 4.2
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Median MCAT score: 518
Acceptance rate: 5.80 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $524.80
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $303.20
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.2
Tuition and fees: $60,832
Total medical school enrollment: 414
Overall score: 69
Peer assessment score: 4
Recruiter assessment score: 4.2
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.91
Median MCAT score: 520
Acceptance rate: 2.10 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $333.80
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $400.20
Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.7
Tuition and fees: $55,500
Total medical school enrollment: 307
Overall score: 69
Peer assessment score: 3.9
Recruiter assessment score: 4.1
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.93
Median MCAT score: 522
Acceptance rate: 4.90 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $451.20
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $426.10
Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.2
Tuition and fees: $3,450
Total medical school enrollment: 481
Overall score: 70
Peer assessment score: 4.6
Recruiter assessment score: 4.5
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Median MCAT score: 521
Acceptance rate: 10.20 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $514.20
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $237.60
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.4
Tuition and fees: $65,044
Total medical school enrollment: 492
Overall score: 71
Peer assessment score: 4.5
Recruiter assessment score: 4.4
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Median MCAT score: 520
Acceptance rate: 3.40 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $568.90
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $272.60
Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.4
Tuition and fees: $67,810
Total medical school enrollment: 620
Overall score: 71
Peer assessment score: 4.3
Recruiter assessment score: 4.3
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.82
Median MCAT score: 517
Acceptance rate: 2.10 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $673.50
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $247.30
Faculty-to-student ratio: 3.8
Tuition and fees: $52,899
Total medical school enrollment: 713
Overall score: 72
Peer assessment score: 4.8
Recruiter assessment score: 4.6
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.85
Median MCAT score: 517
Acceptance rate: 3.40 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $597.50
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $233.00
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4
Tuition and fees: $52,689
Total medical school enrollment: 645
Overall score: 73
Peer assessment score: 4.7
Recruiter assessment score: 4.5
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.83
Median MCAT score: 519
Acceptance rate: 2.50 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $437.40
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $418.10
Faculty-to-student ratio: 2.1
Tuition and fees: $59,139
Total medical school enrollment: 494
Overall score: 73
Peer assessment score: 4.6
Recruiter assessment score: 4.6
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.9
Median MCAT score: 521
Acceptance rate: 4.00 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $598.30$227.90
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands):
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.5
Tuition and fees: $63,137
Total medical school enrollment: 587
Overall score: 76
Peer assessment score: 4.8
Recruiter assessment score: 4.6
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.94
Median MCAT score: 520
Acceptance rate: 6.10 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $595.60
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $259.00
Faculty-to-student ratio: 4.8
Tuition and fees: $58,949
Total medical school enrollment: 476
Overall score: 100
Peer assessment score: 4.8
Recruiter assessment score: 4.6
Median undergraduate GPA: 3.93
Median MCAT score: 519
Acceptance rate: 3.40 percent
NIH research grants (in millions): $1,641.80
NIH research grants per faculty member (in thousands): $176.60
Faculty-to-student ratio: 13.1
Tuition and fees: $63,371
Total medical school enrollment: 712
Harvard University came in first on U.S. News' list of the best medical schools in the country. The school's acceptance rate is just 3.4 percent, and admitted students report median GPAs of 3.93 and MCAT scores of 519.
The schools with the lowest acceptance rates on the list are the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, which each accept just 2.1 percent of applicants.
The average cost of tuition and fees at these top 15 programs is about $59,317 per year, but the NYU Langone School of Medicine stands out for having the lowest costs by far. In 2018, Billionaire Ken Langone made a $100 million gift to the university that has allowed the school to eliminate tuition, and U.S. News estimates that students at NYU Langone pay just $3,450 a year in fees.
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Medical education in Australia is provided by the medical schools and faculties of various universities, accreditation for which is provided by the Australian Medical Council. There are both undergraduate and graduate medical programs; the former require the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) whereas the latter require the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).
State | School | City | Est. | First Class | Current Degree(s) | Previous Degree(s) | Notes | Admissions Test |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Capital Territory | Australian National University Medical School | Canberra | 2004 | MChD | MBBS | http://medicalschool.anu.edu.au | GAMSAT/MCAT | |
New South Wales | Sydney Medical School | Camperdown, Sydney | 1883[1] | 1888[1] | MD | MBBS | http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/ | GAMSAT/MCAT |
New South Wales | University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine | Kensington, Sydney | 1960[2] | BMed/MD[3] | MBBS | http://med.unsw.edu.au/ | UCAT | |
New South Wales | Western Sydney University School of Medicine | Campbelltown, Sydney | 2007 | 2011 | BClinSci/MD | MBBS | https://westernsydney.edu.au/medicine | UCAT |
New South Wales | University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine | Wollongong | 2006[4] | 2007 | MD | MBBS | http://smah.uow.edu.au/medicine/index.html | GAMSAT/MCAT |
New South Wales | University of Newcastle School of Medicine and Public Health University of New England School of Rural Medicine | Newcastle Armidale | 1978 2008[5] | 1982 (BMed at UoN)[6] 2012 (BMed — Joint Medical Program at UoN & UNE) | BMedSc/MD[7] | BMed[8] | http://www.newcastle.edu.au/school/medprac-pop/ http://www.une.edu.au/about-une/academic-schools/school-of-rural-medicine | UCAT |
New South Wales | University of Notre Dame School of Medicine, Sydney | Darlinghurst, Sydney | 2008[9][10] | 2011[11] | MD | MBBS | http://www.nd.edu.au/sydney/schools/medicine | GAMSAT/MCAT |
Queensland | Bond University Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine | Gold Coast | 2005[12] | 2009[13] | BMedSt/MD | MBBS | http://www.bond.edu.au/hsm/ | N/A |
Queensland | Griffith University School of Medicine | Southport, Gold Coast Meadowbrook, Logan City | 2004[14] | 2008[14] | MD | MBBS | http://www.griffith.edu.au/health/school-medicine | GAMSAT/MCAT |
Queensland | James Cook University School of Medicine and Dentistry | Townsville | 2000[15] | 2005[15] | MBBS | N/A | https://www.jcu.edu.au/college-of-medicine-and-dentistry | N/A |
Queensland | University of Queensland School of Medicine | Herston, Brisbane | 1936[16] | MD | MBBS | https://medicine.uq.edu.au/ | GAMSAT/MCAT | |
South Australia | University of Adelaide Medical School | Adelaide | 1885[17] | MBBS | N/A | http://health.adelaide.edu.au/medicine/ | UMAT | |
South Australia | Flinders University School of Medicine | Adelaide | 1974[18] | MD | BMBS | http://www.flinders.edu.au/medicine/ | GAMSAT/MCAT | |
Tasmania | University of Tasmania School of Medicine | Tasmania | 1965[19] | MBBS | N/A | http://www.medicine.utas.edu.au/ | UCAT | |
Victoria | Melbourne Medical School | Parkville, Melbourne | 1862 | MD[20] | BMedSc/MBBS | http://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/ | GAMSAT/MCAT | |
Victoria | Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences | Clayton, Melbourne | 1958 | 1966 | BMedSci/MD | MBBS (Hons) | http://www.med.monash.edu.au/ | UCAT |
Victoria | Deakin University School of Medicine | Geelong | 2008 | 2011 | MD | BMBS | http://www.deakin.edu.au/hmnbs/medicine/ | GAMSAT/MCAT |
Western Australia | University of Notre Dame School of Medicine, Fremantle | Fremantle | 2005 | 2008[21] | MD | MBBS | http://www.nd.edu.au/fremantle/schools/medicine/medfreo.shtml | GAMSAT/MCAT |
Western Australia | University of Western Australia School of Medicine | Perth | 1956[22] | MD | MBBS | www.medpharm.uwa.edu.au | GAMSAT/MCAT | |
Western Australia | Curtin University Curtin Medical School | Bentley | 2017 | MBBS | http://healthsciences.curtin.edu.au/schools-and-departments/curtin-medical-school/ | UCAT | ||
New South Wales | Macquarie University School of Medicine | Sydney | 2018 | MD | https://www.mq.edu.au/about/about-the-university/faculties-and-departments/medicine-and-health-sciences/macquarie-md | GAMSAT/MCAT |