Are you looking for some medical school options? If you live in Georgia or want to live there, this state has some great medical schools. Most of them are private, but this will help you increase your chances of enrolling if you are not a Georgia resident. Admissions at the only public medical school here are highly competitive, mainly because it has affordable tuition compared to other schools.
Check our list and discover which medical school in Georgia could be your best choice! Read the article below to learn more.
Top Medical Schools in Georgia
1. Augusta University
We start the list with the only public medical school in Georgia. Founded in 1828, the Medical College of Georgia is one of the oldest medical schools in the U.S. It has a wide variety of departments many research and affiliated centers, and it offers clinical training outside the main campus of Augusta University.
The MCG has 22 departments and dual degree programs, which combine M.D. and Ph.D., M.D. and MBA, and M.D. and MPH. First-year and second-year students study at the main campus, but many regional campuses are available for the clinical training of third-year and fourth-year students. These are located in Rome, Savannah, Albany, and Brunswick. The MCG also partnered with the University of Georgia, and they have a campus in Athens where students can complete their four-year program.
As a public medical school, tuition is much more affordable than in other universities. Tuition for in-state students is $14,825, and for out-of-state students, it’s $30,371. That’s a great price because tuition can be over $40,000 in other medical schools! However, consider that public universities prefer admitting in-state students, which means that if you live outside of Georgia, your chances of enrolling are reduced dramatically.
In 2018, there were 3,156 applicants, and only 230 were admitted. Of those admitted, only 5 were out-of-state students! Besides making your application through the AMCAS platform, taking the MCAT exam, taking all the prerequisite courses, submitting your recommendation letters, and explaining your experience in the medical field, there are some extra steps you must follow at the MCG.
To be admitted, you must take the CASPer exam about personal and professional characteristics. They also have Multiple Mini-Interviews, or MMI format, in which competitive applicants will undergo eight short interviews.
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2. Emory University
Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University‘s School of Medicine is a private medical school with unique program characteristics! It offers a wide variety of dual programs, which combine M.D. and Master’s in Business Administration; M.D. and Master’s in Clinical Research; M.D. and Master’s in Bioethics; and M.D. and Master’s in Public Health.
The school also has an M.D. and Ph.D. program, but the Ph.D. can be completed at other affiliated universities. Unlike other medical schools, students here complete foundational education in 1.5 years, so they can start clerkships at the end of the second year. This timeline allows students to have more extensive clinical training.
Also, during orientation, students are assigned to one of the school’s four societies, which has a small group advisor. The group meets twice a week to cover important topics like communication skills between patients and physicians, and the advisor becomes a mentor for students throughout the four-year program.
Admissions are highly competitive at the Emory School of Medicine. In 2018, they received almost 10,000 applicants. Of those applications, 6,946 were completed, but only 669 people were interviewed. In the end, 138 students were admitted. As a private medical school in Georgia, it accepts students from other states and international students!
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3. Mercer University
Mercer University‘s School of Medicine was founded in 1982 and offers many program options for prospective students. In addition to the M.D. degree programs, they offer master’s degrees in family therapy, public health, biomedical sciences, anesthesia, and a doctoral degree in clinical medical psychology, among others.
MUSM has three campuses. The oldest one is Macon, which opened when the university was established. In 2008, the Savannah campus opened. Students can complete their first two years on any of these campuses. In 2012, a third campus was opened in Columbus. Students can complete their clinical training (the third and fourth years of the program) on this campus.
As with other medical schools in Georgia, the program is divided into two phases: the first two years focus on foundational education, and the last two years concentrate on clerkships and clinical rotations. However, the first two years’ curriculum uses a patient-based learning approach, in which small groups have regular discussions and problem-based classes.
The admission process at MUSM is similar to that in other medical schools. Applicants must complete the online process by taking the MCAT, submitting recommendation letters, taking the required premedical courses, and explaining any previous medical experience. However, if you don’t live in Georgia or aren’t planning to move there soon, MUSM won’t be an option because they only accept Georgia residents.
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4. Morehouse School of Medicine
The Morehouse School of Medicine, formerly a part of Morehouse College, is known for its ethnic diversity, as it always accepts a good number of people of color and focuses on education in medicine that addresses the medical issues of urban and rural areas. Besides the M.D. program, MSM has a few dual programs, which include an M.D. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, an M.D. and MPH, and an M.D./MSCR and MSCR/Ph.D.
This medical school in Georgia also offers innovative options, such as online and expanded programs. Online programs include an Executive Master of Public Health, or eMPH, a Master of Science in Biotechnology, and a certificate in the drug development process.
They also have an expanded program at the Columbus Campus. Students who have to perform any apprenticeship or clinical rotation can be made at a convenient location nearby. The admission process is the same as that of other medical schools in Georgia. They only admit U.S. citizens or people with permanent residency, so international students are not accepted.
It’s not a surprise that taking up a degree in medicine can be costly, but choosing some of the medical schools in Georgia may benefit you because of their affordable tuition. However, as an international student, you should look into the schools that accept out-of-state and overseas learners, as a few only accept Georgia residents. So, be prepared and choose the best medical school for you!
We hope this article on medical schools in Georgia was helpful. To learn about studying in the United States, make sure to also check out the Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA!
