If you’re serious about becoming a doctor you probably don’t need us to tell you what you’re up against. Getting into med school is not easy, and it’s important to pick an undergraduate program that sets you up for success. Generally speaking, you want to look for colleges with pre-med advising, clinical and research opportunities, and high percentages of students who ~actually~ get into med school. You can throw those buzz words into google (in fact, you definitely should) but our list is a good place to start.
Before we begin, yes, a lot of the schools on our list are Ivy League. But you don’t have to go to an Ivy to get into medical school. Here are the 10 Schools, in no particular order:
Georgetown:
I know we just said this list is in no particular order, but Georgetown has a unique program that puts it at the top of the list.
Georgetown’s Early Assurance Program is an opportunity for pre-med students to apply to Georgetown’s School of Medicine while you’re still an undergrad. That’s about as close to stress free as it gets for pre-med students. There are a lot of requirements, read more about them here.
UNC Chapel Hill:
UNC doesn’t release statistics about the percentage of pre-med students that get into med school (sketchy!), but it still made our list because of their Medical Education Development summer program. It’s an intense program that introduces students to the realities of becoming a medical professional, especially those that are lacking experience. So, you *think* you want to be a doctor, but still need more details? This might be the program for you.
University of Pennsylvania:
Penn’s pre-health advising program is the best of the best. Not only will someone guide you through the arduous process of determining the best course load, you’ll have access to clinical volunteering programs, research experience, and international volunteering. Hurrah, Hurrah!
Columbia University:
Even though you’ll spend a majority (read: all) of your time studying, location does still come into play. New York City grants pre-med students at Columbia access to tons of clinics, hospitals, and research opportunities. Columbia also hosts monthly informational meetings sponsored by the Premedical Committee, during which you’ll learn insider tips about applying to med school.
Stanford University:
Graduates and current students alike rave about the pre-med community at Stanford. Take a look at the Stanford Pre-Medical Association, which is the oldest and largest student run organization on Stanford’s campus. There’s something to be said for student run organizations. You’ll still have an advisor, obviously, but the Stanford Pre-Medical Association will introduce you to students with similar interests. They take service trips, exchange information, and if all else fails at least you’ll have someone to commiserate with when the goings get touch.
Harvard University:
Another no-name school! You won’t find a “best pre-med undergraduate schools” list without Harvard on it. Harvard needs no explanation, but what’s cool about their pre-med program is that every student interested in applying to medical school is assigned a pre-med tutor at the start of their sophomore year. You’ll have a tutor until you graduate, and at the start of your junior year you can apply to be become a tutor yourself. About 17% of students from every single graduating class at Harvard apply to medical school, one of the highest percentages of all colleges.
John’s Hopkins:
Even as a pre-med student, you’ll have access to pretty impressive resources associated with John’s Hopkins. They have a teaching hospital and a medical research institution, and it’s possible to take advantage of those as an undergrad if you have stellar grades and letters of recommendation. The John’s Hopkins Pre-Professional Programs and Advising program is very in-depth: you’ll meet with advisors, attend group meetings, and network with professionals.
Duke University:
You probably understand by now that every single school on this list offers some kind of pre-medical advising. Duke is no different. But what makes Duke stand out is that, per their website, they have an 85% medical school acceptance rate. That’s more than twice the national average. So while it pains us to include a school that doesn’t offer much specificity with regard to pre-med resources, they must be doing something right.
Northwestern:
Northwestern’s pre-med advising website is quite approachable. For starters, they accept walk-ins (!!?). They’ll help you with choosing classes, application materials, interviews, the MCAT, and more. Similar to Columbia, the location will afford you with access to real life work experience.
University of Washington
Students at the University of Washington are given a pre-health career coach. Their advising website will give you more information, but don’t overlook the fact that the career coaches help you with the “why,” not just the how. So much of a pre-med undergraduate track is about surviving and getting things done, but at the University of Washington there’s an emphasis placed on how to choose what’s right for you. You can take placement tests, talk to professors and professionals in the medical field, and they’ll help you create a timeline that won’t make you pull your hair out.
Need help figuring out where to apply? We help students map everything out. Contact us here.