The state of Massachusetts has a great mix of options for those who want to enroll in a medical school. Most of them are in the top medical schools in the world, have achieved many important firsts, and have decades of educational experience. There’s even one Ivy League university! Let’s see why they are so incredible and discover if any of these medical schools in Massachusetts suits your interests.
Top Medical Schools in Massachusetts
1. UMass Chan Medical School
Located in Worcester and founded in 1962, the University of Massachusetts’ Chan Medical School is this state’s only public medical school. According to the recent U.S. News & World Report, it was the 13th-best medical school in primary care and the 44th-best in research. UMass Chan is known for its excellent primary care program. The structure of the M.D. curriculum is similar to other medical school programs.
However, the medical school focuses on providing early clinical exposure, with community practices since the first year of education, and emphasizing scientific, communicative, patient, and community-related skills. Over half of the physicians from this medical school in Massachusetts now work in primary care, and around 70% of graduating students are accepted into primary care residencies.
Although they rank better in primary care, the research centers of UMass Chan have made massive discoveries. Here, there have been tremendous advances regarding different diseases, including diabetes, HIV, cancer, and immune diseases. They currently have over 200 researchers working on a wide variety of areas.
They also grant M.D. degrees and have a joint M.D./Ph.D. program. Additionally, a third option for applicants is the population-based urban and rural community health, or the PURCH track. This program is focused on urban and rural health, healthcare inequalities, and teamwork. Regarding admissions in 2018, they received 3,914 applications and interviewed 938 candidates, which is considerably higher than that of other medical schools. One hundred sixty-two students enrolled, and around 60 were out-of-state students.
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2. Harvard Medical School
The following medical school in Massachusetts belongs to an Ivy League university. Harvard University‘s Harvard Medical School was founded in 1782, making it the third oldest in the U.S. It was the best medical school for research on the recent U.S. News & World Report ranking and the 22nd best in primary care.
Important medical discoveries have been made at HMS. Some of these include performing the first kidney transplant on a human being, discovering what causes preeclampsia, introducing the smallpox vaccine, and using insulin in the U.S. The M.D. curriculum has the same general structures as programs in other medical schools: two years of foundational coursework, a year of clerkships, and a year of advanced courses and other clinical rotations.
However, HMS has two curricular tracks available for prospective students. The first one is Pathways, which is similar to other curriculums and includes active learning and early and advanced clinical experiences. The second track is called Health Sciences & Technology, or HST, which is offered in affiliation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Here, the focus is on biomedical research, sciences, and physiology.
The school also has nine Ph.D. programs in neuroscience, immunology, chemical biology, virology, and biophysics, among others. It also has seven Master’s programs in bioethics, healthcare quality and safety, clinical investigation, immunology, medical education, and an M.D./Ph.D. program.
In 2018, 6,917 applications were made, and only 165 students were admitted. The average MCAT score was 518, and the average GPA was 3.9. They accept international students but strongly suggest they have studied for at least one year in an accredited U.S. or Canadian university.
3. Boston University
When founded in 1848, Boston University‘s School of Medicine was the first university in the world to train women in medicine. It originally was the New England Female Medical College before merging with Boston University.
It ranks among the best medical schools according to the U.S. News & World Report. In 2023, it was the 32nd best in research and the 36th best in primary care. BUSM has a wide variety of dual degree programs. These combine the M.D. program with a Ph.D., a Master’s in Public Health, a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Clinical Investigation, a Juris Doctor degree, or a certificate of advanced graduate study in oral & maxillofacial surgery.
The M.D. curriculum consists of a four-year program divided into phases: foundational, clerkships, and advanced clinical experiences. These are combined with non-graded extracurricular activities that each student can choose. The program is affiliated with many centers, but the main one is the Boston Medical Center.
In 2018, 10,000 initial applications were received, but only 160 students were admitted. The average GPA was 3.72, and the average MCAT score was 516. The school also accepts international students, but they must have previously studied in an accredited institution in the U.S. or Canada.
4. Tufts University
The Tufts University School of Medicine is a private medical school in Massachusetts that was founded in 1893. In the 2019 U.S. News & World Report ranking, it was the 53rd-best medical school in research and the 50th-best in primary care. They have previously done better in other rankings, with their research impact rates reaching sixth place in Thomson Reuters’ Science Watch ranking.
TUSM offers joint degrees in addition to the four-year M.D. degree program. Students can combine their M.D. degree with a Ph.D., an M.A. in International Relations, an MBA in Health Management, or a Master’s in Public Health. They also offer a physician assistant degree and a Master’s in Biomedical Science.
As for admissions, you’ll be competing with many applicants at TUSM. In 2018, there were 12,189 initial applications and 10,854 completed applicants. Eight hundred nineteen were interviewed, but only 200 were enrolled in the study. The average GPA was 3.64, and the average MCAT score was 513. Lastly, they accept international and transfer students (only in the third year).
If you plan on taking a medical degree in Massachusetts, there is no shortage of excellent medical schools, including Harvard University‘s medical school. It’s one of the best medical schools in the world, and other institutions like UMass Chan, Boston University, and Tufts University also provide quality education, so pick which medical school fits you the best!
We hope this article about the best medical schools in Massachusetts was informative. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students in the USA!
