Getting admitted to medical school is one of the toughest educational challenges students face. Many applicants want to get into the best school, but these institutions can only accommodate a limited number of students. Once you do get into the school of your dreams, you face even more challenges related to the quality of teaching, the people around you, and the facilities and opportunities your school provides.
That is why it is a great idea to familiarize yourself with the different options you have when choosing a medical school. Each state has its public medical institution, which students aspire to join because these schools balance quality and cost well. Other students might apply to private institutes if they can afford them.
In the state of Louisiana, there are two excellent medical schools in the city of New Orleans. One is public, while the other is private, and the number of applicants is very high each year. That’s why it’s best to know as much as possible about both schools before deciding which one you will apply to.
Top Medical Schools in New Orleans
1. Louisiana State University
The Health Sciences Center of Louisiana State University has existed since 1931. It is the only public medical school in the city of New Orleans, which means that competition for a place in one of the medical programs is very high. The school provides many opportunities to students in terms of research and training. Students are taught in small groups to maximize the learning they receive, and these groups are spread across two learning centers with different labs.
The M.D. degree at this medical school in New Orleans is to be completed over four years. Students are expected to pass the anatomy and other sciences coursework to go to the third year. These last two years consist of clerkships, mandatory ones in the third year and mandatory and elective ones in the fourth. The school also offers joint degree programs if you’re not interested in the M.D. program.
You can also join one of the other schools related to medicine, namely the School of Dentistry, the School of Nursing, and the School of Public Health. Since the school is a public institution, students residing in the state are prioritized for admission. And if you, by chance, are admitted to this health sciences center, you can be sure of getting a top-class medical education and training. The annual tuition and other fees for residents is $32,936.95, and for non-residents, it is $61,114.29.
See Also: Cheapest Colleges in Louisiana
2. Tulane University
If you’re looking for a private medical school, Tulane University’s School of Medicine is one of the country’s oldest in New Orleans, Louisiana. It offers advanced facilities in different fields of medicine, such as genetics, cancer, hemophilia, and many more. These are offered across more than 30 centers that the university boasts.
Getting admitted to this institution is difficult because thousands of students apply each year, and only a handful are selected. Students have to complete an online application, after which around 600 are selected for an interview. Out of these, around 200 will be chosen finally. While the M.D. program at this medical school in New Orleans might be the flagship course of study, there are others you can also apply for.
These also include accelerated and dual-degree programs, such as M.D./Ph.D., M.D./MBA, MD/MS (Bioethics and Medical Humanities), and M.D./MPH. If you’re interested in studying medicine at Tulane University, you will also meet many international students because the university openly accepts them worldwide. The tuition fee for an M.D. degree is $75,824 per year.
If you live in New Orleans or anywhere else in Louisiana and wish to study medicine, you can apply to these two excellent schools despite their noticeable difference in tuition fees. Both types of institutes have pros and cons, so it’s always a good idea to research both to decide which is better for you. Then, you should move on to the application procedures on each school’s website and apply as soon as possible!
We hope this article on the best medical schools in New Orleans was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, specifically in the U.S., check out our Study in the USA and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA!