Top Medical Schools

So, you are graduating from college and you want to go to medical school, what now? First, it is essential to find a program that is right for you, and reviewing a medical schools list will help you. There is a long list of medical schools that are located in the United States. They are all over the country, in every state. But how do you know which school is right for you? Medical schools all offer similar programs, but some schools excel and specialize in certain areas. There are lists of medical schools that are ranked by their success in specific programs. For instance, on the top ten list of medical schools for research Harvard University was ranked in the number one position, followed by John Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. Harvard Medical School is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and was established in 1782. Many people apply to this University, but it is highly competitive and few are excepted. in 2008 5,139 people applied and only 165 students were excepted, making the total number of student attending Harvard Medical School in the fall of 2008 728 students. On the top ten list of medical schools for primary care the University of Washington was ranked number one, with the University of North Carolina taking the second ranking. The University of Washington Medical School has been teaching students the art and science of medicine for over 115 years and is known for maintaining and developing noteworthy clinical programs that provide excellent care. On the top ten list of medical schools for pediatrics Harvard Medical School again was ranked in the top spot followed by the University of Pennsylvania. The University of Pennsylvania currently has 725 medical students with 154 students entering the M.D. program. On the top ten list of medical schools for family medicine the University of Washington was ranked first, followed by the University of North Carolina. The medical school at the University of North Carolina was established in 1879 and currently has 736 students enrolled with 163 students entering the M.D. program. Yale was ranked first in the top ten medical schools list for drug and alcohol abuse. Yale University School of Medicine was founded in 1810 and now contains over 27 medical programs. The school requires each student to complete a thesis based on original research before they can graduate. The University of California in San Francisco was ranked in the top spot on the top ten medical schools list for the study and treatment of AIDS. There are many books and magazines available that provide medical schools lists. The Princeton Review recently published a book titled 168 Best Medical Schools, 2010 edition. These schools are very competitive and medical schools list superior academic achievement and compassion as two of the primary things that they look for in candidates. It is extremely challenging, but if you have the heart and the mind medical school can be a wise investment that will provide you with an exciting and satisfying career in health care.

Medical School Rankings

A medical school is defined as a secondary-educational school or institution that specializes in the education
of medicine. Aside from basic medical degrees, medical schools generally offer programs for students to receive a Master’s Degree, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. Medical schools are also involved in many other important tasks besides the education of medicine. Many are responsible for employing medical researchers and conducting research, as well as operating one or more hospitals. The most common subjects taught in medical schools are human anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, neurology, internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, genetics, and pathology.

Applying to Medical Schools– Facts and Figures:
Although it is useful for students to understand medical school rankings before applying to schools, it also should be known that just being accepted to a medical school is quite an achievement, let alone having been accepted to a top institution in medical school ranking. Applying to medical schools is more often than not a difficult and frustrating process for ambitious students looking to make a career in medicine. Students failing to enter into a school for the first time should not give up, however. Currently, the number of medical schools in the United States is 129, with 17,759 students enrolled in 2007 and 67,000 students enrolled in 2008. With this ever-increasing number, it is even more difficult than ever before to be accepted to the top schools in the country.

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMA) has recently changed policy for medical students, calling for an increase by 30 percent of medical school enrollments by the year 2015. Although this is good news for prospective medical school students, there is only a 45 percent national acceptance rate. These figures prove time and time again that pursuing a career in medicine not only takes patience and hard work, but high ambition as well. The average college GPA for students accepted to medical school was 3.5. The average score on the MCAT was 28.

Medical School Rankings:
Now that the bitter truth has been exposed, those students ambitious enough to try their luck with top-of-the-list medical school rankings can look no further than the schools below, who have showed excellence in two major categories in the medical educational community– research and primary care. These medical school rankings have been established by the U.S. News and World Report magazine. Medical school ranking is a procedure that is left up to much debate, though this magazine has gained a reputable image since it has been ranking schools in the U.S.

Research Medical School Ranking:

1. Harvard University
2. Johns Hopkins University
3. Washington University in St. Louis
4. Duke university
5. University of Pennsylvania
6. University of California San Francisco
7. Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
8. Stanford University
9. University of Michigan Ann Arbor
10. Yale University

Primary Care Medical School Ranking:

1. University of Washington
2. Oregon Health & Science University
3. University of California San Francisco
4. Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
5. University of Minnesota Duluth
6. University of California San Diego
7. University of New Mexico
8. University of Wisconsin Madison
9. University of Iowa (Roy J. & Lucille A. Carver)
10. University of Minnesota Twin Cities
11. University of Rochester