Although Kentucky doesn’t have the most significant amount of top medical schools in the U.S., the options available for prospective students have nothing to envy from medical schools in other states. Kentucky may be the perfect place for you if you are interested in research, pioneer discoveries, osteopathic medicine, or rural medicine!
There are public medical schools in Kentucky with decades of educational experience and a private osteopathic medical school. So, let’s dive into each of Kentucky’s top medical schools in detail.
Top Medical Schools in Kentucky
1. University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky‘s College of Medicine was founded in 1956 and is among the state’s best medical schools. According to the U.S. News & World Report ranking, it is the 64th-best medical school in research and the 95th-best in primary care. As with most medical schools, the curriculum of their M.D. program is divided into two phases: foundational coursework for the first half and clinical training for the last half. However, the program includes early clinical experiences for first and second-year students.
The medical school has dual degree programs that combine the M.D. degree with a Ph.D., a Master’s in Business Administration, or a Master’s in Public Health. Internships are also available for students who want to gain experience in rural medicine. Besides the main campus in Lexington, the university has opened some regional campuses.
One is located in Bowling Green and was built in partnership with the Western Kentucky University. It received its first class of students in 2018. The other campus is in Northern Kentucky and was built in collaboration with Northern Kentucky University and St. Elizabeth Healthcare. It is expected to receive its first class of students in the fall of 2019. The university also developed the Rural Physician Leadership Program, or RPLP, which was created to address the lack of physicians in Kentucky. It is located in Morehead and offers residency programs.
Admissions here are highly competitive, especially if you don’t live in Kentucky. In 2018, there were 2,695 applicants, and only 166 were admitted. The average GPA was 3.72, and the average MCAT score was 510. However, if you are interested in attending a medical school in Kentucky, we highly recommend this medical school because of the reasons below.
For those worried about the costs, UKCOM has great financial aid options. 69% of the students receive some form of financial aid, and 38% have a scholarship. They also have a tuition guarantee program, which means that tuition will remain the same throughout the four years of medical school.
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2. University of Louisville
If you are passionate about medical research and pioneer discoveries in this field, the School of Medicine at the University of Louisville is the perfect option for you. Although it doesn’t appear in the U.S. News & World Report ranking, it doesn’t need to. They already have a long history of medical discoveries and educational experience.
Founded in 1837, the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine is the ninth-oldest medical school in the U.S. But even though it was established almost two centuries ago, this medical school in Kentucky is a leader in research and clinical trials. Among the most important achievements made by its researchers are the first-hand transplant in the world, the first implantation of an artificial heart, the development of autotransfusion, and the creation of the first emergency room. These are just a few of the hundreds of achievements.
Besides its research centers, where clinical trials and studies are always ongoing, the medical school also offers multiple programs. Along with the M.D. degree program, there are multiple master’s and doctoral programs. The master’s programs include microbiology and immunology, anatomical sciences and neurobiology, pharmacology and toxicology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics. Doctoral programs can also be done in the previous fields, but there are also programs in audiology.
Some dual degree programs combine the M.D. degree with a Ph.D., a Master’s in Business Administration, or a Master’s in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. Admissions here are highly competitive, and they prioritize resident applicants, giving them around 120 seats out of the 160 available. However, unlike most public medical schools, they accept international students and transfer students during their second and third years. However, they do prefer to select students with ties to Kentucky.
3. University of Pikeville
The University of Pikeville — Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine, or known as KYCOM, is the only private medical school in this state that grants D.O. degrees. It is among the top five most affordable osteopathic medical schools in the U.S. Besides the D.O. degree program, KYCOM has a unique program called the Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program. It is for those who don’t have a bachelor’s degree, so it combines a bachelor’s degree with a D.O. degree for eight years.
The Professional Education Preparation Program, or PEPP, is also available for high school students to explore the medical field and be in contact with medical experiences. As usual, the D.O. degree program is divided into a phase for foundational coursework in science and anatomy and a phase for clinical training. Students start gaining clinical experience in the first year through practices with human models and under the supervision of physicians. Clinical rotations can be made in the affiliated centers in Kentucky or outside of the state.
KYCOM recently opened the Coal Building, which has facilities with cutting-edge technology. It has high-fidelity simulators, multiple research and gross anatomy laboratories, lecture halls, and a cafeteria. Like most medical schools, the admission process here is through the AMCAS platform. Prospective students must take the MCAT, have a bachelor’s degree with the required premedical coursework, and submit recommendation letters.
The cost of attendance at KYCOM is $55,380 for the 2024-2025 school year. However, they provide financial aid to most students. In 2018, they gave over $18,000,000 in grants and scholarships. Also, tuition here covers more aspects than in most medical schools, like diagnostic equipment, the use of a laptop or iPad, and the required textbooks.
Kentucky is a perfect place to study particular medical degrees like osteopathic medicine and rural medicine because of the medical schools specializing in these programs. For instance, the University of Kentucky is an excellent choice for those who want to focus on rural medicine, while the University of Pikeville specializes in osteopathic medicine. So, pick the medical school that suits you best!
We hope this article on medical schools in Kentucky was helpful. Make sure to also read the Study in the USA Guide and check out the Available USA Programs for International Students for more information!
