Atlanta is the capital and largest city of Georgia, with an estimated population of 529,110 in 2025. It is a bustling city, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remained the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic in 2025. Atlanta is also a major center for commerce, media, arts, entertainment, transportation, health care, and technology.
Although Atlanta was heavily shaped by the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement, it has grown into a major hub for education, research, and business in the southeastern United States.
Atlanta remains a popular destination for visitors. Its attractions include the Georgia Aquarium, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, the World of Coca-Cola, the Atlanta History Center, and sites connected with writer Margaret Mitchell. Despite its busy urban setting, Atlanta also has many parks and residential neighborhoods.
Moreover, Atlanta has a diverse economy. Georgia has 17 Fortune 500 companies, and Atlanta ranks fourth among U.S. cities for Fortune 500 headquarters. The metro area’s key sectors include transportation, professional and business services, media, health care, life sciences, and information technology. The city is also home to acclaimed medical schools that attract aspiring health care professionals.
That’s why we will introduce some of the best medical schools you can apply to in Atlanta if you want to pursue a medical degree in this lively city!
Top Medical Schools in Atlanta
1. Morehouse School of Medicine
Morehouse School of Medicine, or MSM, is a leading medical school in Atlanta. It was founded in 1975 as the Medical Education Program at Morehouse College. In 1981, it became an independently chartered institution.
MSM offers programs in medicine, biomedical sciences, public health, health administration, physician assistant studies, clinical research, health informatics, biotechnology, neuroscience, nursing, and justice-involved care. Its degrees include the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, Doctor of Health Administration, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Medical Sciences, and other master’s programs.
MSM also offers dual degrees, including M.D./Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, M.D./M.P.H., M.D./M.S.C.R., and M.S.C.R./Ph.D. Its residency programs include family medicine, preventive medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. Major affiliated training sites include Grady Health System, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Piedmont Hospital.
Students learn and practice medicine through MSM’s clinical partnerships and community-focused training. Its Master of Science in Medical Sciences program offers an intensive biomedical science curriculum that helps students strengthen their academic preparation for medical school.
In the 2025 entering M.D. class, MSM reported 6,875 applicants and 110 matriculants, including 62 Georgia residents. The school employs more than 250 full- and part-time faculty members.
MSM’s alumni and former trainees include leaders in public health and academic medicine, such as former U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin and Stanford psychiatry professor James D. Lock.
2. Emory University
Emory University‘s School of Medicine is one of Atlanta’s strongest options for students pursuing medicine and health professions. In the 2026 Times Higher Education Medical and Health ranking, Emory University ranked 43rd worldwide, and U.S. News & World Report listed Emory School of Medicine as a Tier 1 institution for research in its 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings.
The school traces its roots to Atlanta Medical College, founded in 1854. After several mergers among Atlanta medical schools, the institution became Emory University School of Medicine in 1915. It is located on Emory University’s Atlanta campus.
The long list of programs offered at this medical school includes the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Ph.D. programs in biological and biomedical sciences, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Medical Science in Anesthesiology, Master of Medical Science in Genetic Counseling, and Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies. The M.D. program also offers dual-degree options in areas such as public health, bioethics, business, robotics, and biomedical or clinical/translational research.
Because of its reputation and location in a major health care and public health hub, admission to Emory School of Medicine is highly competitive. For the Fall 2025 M.D. entering class, Emory expected more than 13,000 applications for 138 seats. The school reports 611 medical students, 532 health-professions students, 1,439 residents and fellows, and 3,792 full- and part-time faculty.
The M.D. curriculum begins with an 18-month Foundations of Medicine phase and moves students into clinical clerkships in the middle of the second year. Students also complete a Discovery Phase research project and gain hands-on clinical experience across Emory’s training network.
Its affiliated clinical and research facilities include Emory Healthcare, Grady Memorial Hospital, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta VA Medical Center, and CDC-connected research opportunities across the university’s health ecosystem.
Furthermore, Emory University School of Medicine has many notable alumni, including ophthalmologist Arnall Patz, physician and novelist Ferrol Sams, and astronaut-physician Manley Lanier “Sonny” Carter Jr.
In conclusion, Atlanta offers respected medical schools and a vibrant city life that can attract domestic and international students who want to pursue medical degrees. The medical schools above have resources that can help students build a strong medical career. If you are still trying to figure out where to start, check out our website for other cheap medical schools in the USA and fully funded scholarships to help you plan your educational journey at a lower cost.
We hope this article on the best medical schools in Atlanta was helpful. If you are interested in studying in the United States, check out the Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students!
