Medical schools are institutions dedicated to educating future physicians and surgeons. These schools confer the Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees, which qualify graduates to pursue residency training in various medical specialties. Medical education typically requires four years of study, focusing on a blend of biomedical sciences and clinical practice.
Top 20 Medical Schools in the United States
1. Harvard Medical School
Overview
Harvard Medical School is known for its leadership in medical research, education, and healthcare innovation. Its curriculum emphasizes an integrated, patient-centered approach to medicine, combined with cutting-edge research and clinical opportunities.
Key Information
- City Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Year Founded: 1782
- Total Enrollment: About 700
- Average MCAT Scores: 519
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 9:1
- Famous Alumni: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., George Minot
2. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Overview
Renowned for its research output and clinical teaching, Johns Hopkins has pioneered many medical practices and techniques, including the first male-to-female sex reassignment surgery and the development of renal dialysis.
Key Information
- City Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Year Founded: 1893
- Total Enrollment: About 500
- Average MCAT Scores: 520
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 5:1
- Famous Alumni: Peter Agre, Ben Carson
3. Stanford University School of Medicine
Overview
Stanford Medicine is a leader in multidisciplinary healthcare and biomedical innovation, with significant contributions to cancer therapy, heart surgery, and genetics.
Key Information
- City Location: Stanford, California
- Year Founded: 1908
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 500
- Average MCAT Scores: 518
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 2:1
- Famous Alumni: Vinton Cerf, Philip Pizzo
4. University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
Overview
UCSF Medical School is dedicated to health sciences and is known for its high impact research in areas like HIV/AIDS, neuroscience, and cancer.
Key Information
- City Location: San Francisco, California
- Year Founded: 1864
- Total Enrollment: About 630
- Average MCAT Scores: 517
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Stanley B. Prusiner, Elizabeth Blackburn
5. Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
Overview
Mayo Clinic’s medical school is integrated within its broader practice, offering students unparalleled access to patient care in a top-ranked hospital system. It emphasizes a curriculum that is patient-focused and research-driven.
Key Information
- City Location: Rochester, Minnesota
- Year Founded: 1972
- Total Enrollment: Around 200
- Average MCAT Scores: 520
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 1.3:1
- Famous Alumni: Notable for producing leading clinical physicians more than famous names
6. New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Overview
NYU Grossman School of Medicine offers tuition-free education to all students, focusing on healthcare leadership and innovative medical education. It is renowned for its contributions to medical imaging and minimally invasive procedures.
Key Information
- City Location: New York, New York
- Year Founded: 1841
- Total Enrollment: About 700
- Average MCAT Scores: 522
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 2:1
- Famous Alumni: Jonas Salk, Saul Krugman
7. University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Overview
Perelman School of Medicine is one of the oldest medical schools in the U.S., known for its strong emphasis on biomedical research and medical ethics.
Key Information
- City Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Year Founded: 1765
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 900
- Average MCAT Scores: 521
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1
- Famous Alumni: Michael Brown, Stanley Cohen
8. Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Overview
Columbia’s Vagelos College is known for its rigorous scientific training and commitment to patient care, with strong programs in narrative medicine and social justice.
Key Information
- City Location: New York, New York
- Year Founded: 1767
- Total Enrollment: Around 600
- Average MCAT Scores: 520
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Virginia Apgar, Allan Rosenfield
9. University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Overview
Pritzker is notable for its innovative curriculum that integrates clinical experience from the first week of medical school with a strong focus on community involvement and health care disparities.
Key Information
- City Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Year Founded: 1927
- Total Enrollment: About 400
- Average MCAT Scores: 519
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 2.4:1
- Famous Alumni: Janet Rowley, Bernard Roizman
10. Duke University School of Medicine
Overview
Duke Medicine is renowned for its research in genetics, pathology, and heart disease, with a unique curriculum that allows students to spend their third year conducting in-depth research.
Key Information
- City Location: Durham, North Carolina
- Year Founded: 1930
- Total Enrollment: Around 450
- Average MCAT Scores: 519
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Robert J. Lefkowitz, Paul Modrich
11. Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Overview
WashU Med School excels in medical research and education, particularly in the fields of genetics, oncology, and neuroscience. It offers an exceptionally high level of patient care and research opportunities.
Key Information
- City Location: St. Louis, Missouri
- Year Founded: 1891
- Total Enrollment: About 1,400 (including graduate students)
- Average MCAT Scores: 521
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Earl Sutherland, Daniel Nathans
12. University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
Overview
UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine is known for its commitment to community service, diversity, and innovative healthcare. It has strong programs in cancer research, organ transplantation, and neurology.
Key Information
- City Location: Los Angeles, California
- Year Founded: 1951
- Total Enrollment: Approximately 800
- Average MCAT Scores: 517
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1
- Famous Alumni: Patrick Soon-Shiong, Francis Collins
13. University of Michigan Medical School
Overview
The University of Michigan Medical School stands out for its research and training in health policy, human genetics, and biomedical innovation.
Key Information
- City Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Year Founded: 1850
- Total Enrollment: About 800
- Average MCAT Scores: 518
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3.5:1
- Famous Alumni: Sanjay Gupta, Charles Woodson
14. Yale School of Medicine
Overview
Yale School of Medicine emphasizes a “Yale System” of medical education, which promotes self-directed learning with no grading in the first two years and a strong focus on medical research.
Key Information
- City Location: New Haven, Connecticut
- Year Founded: 1810
- Total Enrollment: Around 400
- Average MCAT Scores: 518
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3.6:1
- Famous Alumni: Harvey Cushing, Peter Parker
15. University of Washington School of Medicine
Overview
The UW School of Medicine is a leader in primary care training and rural medicine, with extensive programs aimed at serving the Pacific Northwest, including Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.
Key Information
- City Location: Seattle, Washington
- Year Founded: 1946
- Total Enrollment: Over 1,000
- Average MCAT Scores: 516
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Bonnie Dunbar, George Emil Palade
16. Baylor College of Medicine
Overview
Baylor is noted for its contributions to biomedical research, pediatrics, and genetics. It operates the largest children’s hospital in Texas, providing significant clinical training opportunities.
Key Information
- City Location: Houston, Texas
- Year Founded: 1900
- Total Enrollment: About 1,500 (including graduate students)
- Average MCAT Scores: 518
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3:1
- Famous Alumni: Michael DeBakey, Denton Cooley
17. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Overview
Feinberg excels in a variety of research areas including neuroscience, oncology, and cardiology, with an emphasis on translational medicine and clinical care.
Key Information
- City Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Year Founded: 1859
- Total Enrollment: About 640
- Average MCAT Scores: 520
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 2.5:1
- Famous Alumni: Andrew C. von Eschenbach, Thomas E. Starzl
18. University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Overview
Pitt Med is a pioneer in organ transplantation, sports medicine, and biomedical ethics. Its curriculum integrates clinical learning from the very first year with a heavy emphasis on research.
Key Information
- City Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Year Founded: 1886
- Total Enrollment: About 600
- Average MCAT Scores: 517
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1
- Famous Alumni: Jonas Salk, Thomas Starzl
19. Cornell University Weill Cornell Medicine
Overview
Weill Cornell Medicine is renowned for its research and treatment in biomedicine. It has a strong international presence with programs in Qatar and affiliations across the world.
Key Information
- City Location: New York, New York
- Year Founded: 1898
- Total Enrollment: About 400
- Average MCAT Scores: 520
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 4:1
- Famous Alumni: Henry Heimlich, Maurice Hilleman
20. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Overview
Vanderbilt School of Medicine is known for its innovative curriculum, incorporating a learning portfolio that tracks students’ progress throughout their education. It’s particularly strong in biomedical research and informatics.
Key Information
- City Location: Nashville, Tennessee
- Year Founded: 1874
- Total Enrollment: Around 450
- Average MCAT Scores: 519
- Student-Faculty Ratio: 3.4:1
- Famous Alumni: Mildred Stahlman, Roscoe R. Robinson