Each year, over 40,000 students apply for around 20,000 available places in classes at medical schools in the US. A degree in Medicine in the United States starts at postgraduate level, so you will have to finish a Bachelor's degree first to be eligible to apply at a medical school.
If you're interested in studying Medicine in the US, keep on reading. We'll mention which are the best American medical schools, what you'll study during medical courses, and give you a few reasons why being a doctor is an extremely rewarding career path.
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Best med schools in the US - the U.S. News Rankings 2021
International students should know that getting into one of the best medical schools in the U.S. is extremely competitive
According to the U.S. News, the following 10 med schools were ranked as the best ones in the United States, considering main criteria such as prestige and reckoning of deans, residency programs, research activity, funding, and acceptance rates.
- Harvard University
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of California - San Francisco
- Stanford University
- University of Washington
- University of Pennsylvania
- Duke University
- Columbia University
- University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA)
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
To offer you more diversity, we’ve decided to include other prestigious international rankings. Below, you’ll find the top medical schools in the US according to Times Higher Education (THE) and TopUniversities:
Best med schools in the US - Times Higher Education Rankings 2023
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- University of California - Los Angeles
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Washington
- Duke University
- University of Chicago
Best med schools in the US - TopUniversities QS Rankings 2021
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of California – Los Angeles
- Yale University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of California – San Francisco
- Columbia University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Duke University
If you want to study from the comfort of your home, check out online Bachelors and Masters in Medicine & Health.
We also recommend checking out the following med schools in the US:
- Florida Atlantic University
- University of San Francisco
- Kansas State University
- Wichita State University
- Walden University
While the selection process in the best med schools from the U.S. may seem like a lottery, once you are in, you can consider yourself a winner! You’ve just received the opportunity to be taught by some of the big-league Medicine teachers and get a front-row seat to watch the work of ingenious doctors.
What you will learn at a top U.S. medical school
1st year
In the first year, medical students will focus on the basics and Clinical Science courses. You will study Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and more. If the word basic makes it sound easy, you'd be wrong. There will be many things to learn because these are the courses on which you will build your future profession.
2nd year
During the second year, you will spend a lot of time reinforcing the first year basic science courses. This will also be done through clinical clerkships. In addition to these, other new important courses which will be added:
- at least one practical course
- a course on clinical skills
- a health policy or global health course
3rd year
This is the year where the main focus will be on clinical clerkships/rotations. You will also become a member of a medical team.
During the rotations, you will get to see all the fields/specialities of Medicine, such as internal medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, neurology, radiology, etc. The 3rd year is supposed to help you figure out what type of Medicine you want to practice.
In some universities, like the University of Columbia, this year is called the “Differentiation and Integration” year.
4th year
This will be the year when you start your residency. You will get to choose the medical speciality you want to study further, and this should become your area of expertise.
If you are not sure of your future medical specialisation, you can contact a faculty advisor, who can help with your career plan. At Stanford University, for instance, students can choose their specialisation from their first year of study.
Examples of Medicine specialities you can choose to study in the US:
- Physiotherapy degrees in the US
- Public Health degrees in the US
- Veterinary Medicine degrees in the US
- Dentistry degrees in the US
- Complementary Medicine degrees in the US
Three unique characteristics of medical schools in the U.S.
Learn to care for your patient
In addition to the main courses that you can learn in any medical school worldwide, studying Medicine in the U.S. focuses on programs that are related to psychology, patient care, interpersonal and communication skills and ethical principles. Additionally, some universities also include sociology and a foreign language course in the first or second year of study.
In the US, being a good doctor is not limited to simply doing an excellent job; it also involves honestly caring about all the aspects related to the wellbeing of your patient. That includes knowing how to communicate and how to listen to your patient.
Think critical and fast
Just like any school or university from the US, regardless of your study program, the teaching style focuses a lot on the problem-based learning method. What does that imply in a medical school? Well, think of Dr. House and the usual scene when interns and professional doctors investigate and try to guess the diagnosis of a patient and you get the idea.
Access state-of-the-art resources and research facilities
Research is a fundamental feature in medical schools in the U.S. and the American Institute of Higher Education allocates huge funds for research. As a student, you can embrace this wonderful chance of benefiting from the greatest research resources and cutting-edge facilities and be a part of amazing discoveries in the field of Medicine.
Why being a doctor is extremely rewarding
Based on the idea that all great things should be said more than once, we’ll now talk about the obvious and well-known reasons why being a doctor is a great choice.
You will help people overcome various diseases and illnesses, and that’s great. Health is incredibly important, but many people only realise this when it starts going downhill. Offering them the right treatment and being there to see their full recovery and their gratitude is one of the most rewarding things in the world.
Another great aspect is the ability to empower people. Treating a disease is one thing, but you know what’s better? Preventing it in the first place. You will have the necessary knowledge to inform people about what they should do and how they can improve their lifestyle in order to stay healthy. You will definitely feel fulfilled once you start seeing that your efforts are actually helping people take more responsibility and give up harmful habits.
Find Masters in Medicine in the U.S.
In the end, what really makes the medical profession great is the fact that you’re doing something for other people. The money will be there, and it may or may not compensate for the stress, lost hours of sleep, or the hectic schedule.
But doing this work from your heart, with a clear intent to serve people and make their life better will make you feel that you have a positive impact in the world, and that’s simply awesome.