Top Schools to Become a Doctor
Read about important considerations for choosing a strong medical school. Review three universities with nationally ranked medical schools, and explore the degree programs that each school offers.
What Makes a Top School For Becoming a Doctor?
Consider schools that are highly ranked for their medical research or primary care training programs. Some universities have also received high rankings for their medical specialty programs, like internal medicine or rural health care. You might look into schools that allow you to pursue a dual degree. The best colleges receive a significant amount of medical research funding through federal agencies or private organizations.
<h2 id="section---WhatAreThreeTopSchoolsForBecomingADoctor">What Are Three Top Schools for Becoming a Doctor?</h2><h3 id="section---UniversityOfCaliforniaSanFranciscoUCSF">University of California - San Francisco (UCSF)</h3><p>In 2019, <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> ranked UC's School of Medicine 5th among medical schools for research, 3rd among medical schools for primary care and 3rd among medical schools for internal medicine (<i>www.usnews.com</i>). The School of Medicine faculty includes five Nobel Prize winners. Available degrees include:
</p><ul><li>Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)
</li><li>M.D./Master of Science (M.S.) in Health and Medical Sciences
</li><li>M.D./Master of Public Health (MPH)
</li><li>M.D./Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in History of Health Sciences
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfVermontUVInBurlington">University of Vermont (UV) in Burlington</h3><p>Roughly 200 physicians graduate from UV's College of Medicine annually. In 2019, <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> ranked UV 43rd among schools with training programs in primary medical care and 67th, a tie, for its medical research program.
</p><p>UV's College of Medicine offers fellowships and residency programs in cooperation with Fletcher Allen Health Care. Areas of specialization include anesthesiology, dermatology, orthopedics and radiology. In addition to an M.D., UV medical students can pursue a master's or doctoral degree in a variety of fields. Possible programs include:
</p><ul><li>M.D.
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Biochemistry
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Pathology
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Neuroscience
</li><li>M.D./M.S. in Pharmacology
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Biochemistry
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Clinical and Translational Science
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Neuroscience
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D. in Pharmacology
</li></ul><h3 id="section---UniversityOfWashingtonUWInSeattle">University of Washington (UW) in Seattle</h3><p>UW's School of Medicine is considered a five-state medical educational network that includes Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI). In 2019, <i>U.S. News & World Report</i> ranked UW 2nd among medical schools for its primary care training program, 12th for its graduate medical research program and 11th, a tie, among medical schools for internal medicine.
</p><p>The faculty at UW's School of Medicine includes five Nobel Prize winners, 32 members of the National Academy of Sciences and 33 members of the Institute of Medicine. Students in the M.D./Ph.D. program can choose from roughly 20 different doctoral specializations, including bioengineering, environmental health and immunology. More than 110 residency and fellowship programs are offered through UW's School of Medicine in the WWAMI region. Official degree titles include:
</p><ul><li>M.D.
</li><li>M.D./MPH
</li><li>M.D./Ph.D.
</li></ul><h2 id="section---TenTopMedicalSchoolsInTheU.S.">Ten Top Medical Schools in the U.S.</h2><p></p><table border="1"><tr><th>College/University </th><th>Institution Type </th><th>Location</th><th> Estimated Graduate In-State Tuition and Fees*</th></tr>
<tr><td> University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> Chapel Hill, NC</td><td> $12,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of Michigan-Ann Arbor </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> Ann Arbor, MI</td><td> $23,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of California-Los Angeles </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> Los Angeles, CA</td><td> $13,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> Baylor College </td><td> Private, not-for-profit, 4 year </td><td> Houston, TX</td><td> $26,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> Harvard University </td><td> Private, not-for-profit, 4 year </td><td> Boston, MA</td><td> $48,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of Pennsylvania </td><td> Private, not-for-profit, 4 year </td><td> Philadelphia, PA</td><td> $39,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of Texas </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> Dallas, TX</td><td> $7,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of California-San Diego </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> La Jolla, CA</td><td> $13,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of Chicago </td><td> Private, not-for-profit, 4 year </td><td> Chicago, IL</td><td> $59,000</td></tr>
<tr><td> University of Pittsburgh </td><td> Public, 4 year </td><td> Pittsburgh, PA</td><td> $24,000</td></tr>
</table><p><i>*Source: NCES, U.S. Department of Education</i></p>