The Commonwealth of Virginia, known as the Old Dominion, is home to about 8.9 million residents. Northern Virginia alone has about 2.6 million residents, making the state’s proximity to the Washington, D.C., region especially important for medical education and clinical training. The medical schools in Virginia are connected to major academic health systems, hospitals, research centers, and community health programs. Virginia also has a highly educated population: according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 42.2% of residents age 25 or older held a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2020–2024. At the same time, racial, socioeconomic, geographic, and other health disparities remain important challenges for medical education and health care in the state.
Let’s have a look at four MD-granting medical schools in Virginia.
Top Medical Schools in Virginia
1. University of Virginia School of Medicine
- Website
- Admissions
- Admission Stats:
- Class of 2029 mean GPA: 3.85
- Class of 2029 mean MCAT: 518
- Class size: 156 students
The School of Medicine at the University of Virginia is situated in Charlottesville. UVA School of Medicine identifies 1819 as its founding year, making it the nation’s tenth-oldest medical school. It is part of UVA Health, an academic health system that includes major clinical, research, and education facilities. UVA School of Medicine is one of the most historically significant MD programs in Virginia.
The MD curriculum uses the Cells to Society model, which integrates foundational science with clinical medicine and active learning. The first phase covers the first 18 months and includes clinical-skill development such as patient history-taking, physical examination, and clinical reasoning before students move into more advanced clinical training.
There are many laboratories and research centers at UVA, including the UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, and the Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research.
UVA School of Medicine also has an Inova Campus in Northern Virginia. Students completing their third- and fourth-year clinical rotations there are part of Pinn College, giving them access to clinical training in a high-volume urban and suburban health care environment.
2. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
- Website
- Admissions
- Admission Stats:
- Class of 2029 average undergraduate GPA: 3.67
- Class of 2029 average MCAT: 512
- Class size: 56 matriculants
This public medical school is situated in Roanoke and is part of Virginia Tech. It began as a public-private partnership between Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic and joined Virginia Tech as its newest college on July 1, 2018.
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine aims to educate physician thought leaders through inquiry, research, and discovery. The curriculum is organized around basic science, clinical science, research, and health systems science/interprofessional practice. Students learn through problem-based learning, small groups, real patient cases, and longitudinal mentored research. The school emphasizes active and self-directed learning while preparing students for clinical practice.
3. Eastern Virginia Medical School
- Website
- Admissions
- Admission Stats:
- Recent matriculants’ mean GPA: 3.70
- Recent matriculants’ mean MCAT: 513
- MD Class of 2029 applicant pool: 7,614 applications
Eastern Virginia Medical School is based in Norfolk. Founded by the Hampton Roads community in 1973, EVMS is now part of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University after its integration with ODU launched in July 2024. Its clinical environment includes partnerships and nearby hospitals such as Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters. EVMS is especially known for reproductive medicine: the Jones Institute was responsible for the first IVF baby in the United States, born in 1981.
The school also has a strong commitment to community participation. Its Community-Engaged Learning program became part of the MD curriculum in 2016 and includes service and health-focused initiatives across Hampton Roads.
The MD program is guided by the CareForward Curriculum, with a strong emphasis on compassionate care, health equity, community engagement, and clinical preparation. Students can also explore related graduate and dual-degree pathways, including a Dual MD/MPH option.
4. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
- Website
- Admissions
- Admission Stats:
- Minimum undergraduate science GPA: 3.3; recent average: 3.7
- Minimum MCAT: 503; recent average: 513
- Class of 2029: 185 new students
We end our list of medical schools in Virginia with the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU School of Medicine is based in Richmond and traces its roots to the Richmond Department of Medicine, which opened in 1838 under the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College. In 1854, it became the Medical College of Virginia, and in 1968, MCV joined Richmond Professional Institute to form Virginia Commonwealth University.
VCU School of Medicine gives students access to research opportunities, dual-degree options, and postgraduate training resources. Students train across VCU Health facilities, including a regional Level I trauma center with adult, pediatric, and burn trauma verification. VCU Health is also known for specialty programs in areas such as organ transplantation, burn care, pediatrics, cancer treatment, and other advanced clinical services.
I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Available Courses for International Students and the USA Scholarships Page.
