New Mexico is one of the most affected states by the physician shortage. The city has the country’s oldest physicians, with many planning to retire soon. Hospital vacancies can remain empty for months even if they offer attractive salaries and benefits. That’s why the medical schools in New Mexico will warmly welcome students who want to pursue a medical career, especially if they are resident students.
Here, we made a list of the best medical schools you can enroll in in New Mexico.
Top Medical Schools in New Mexico
1. University of New Mexico
Founded in 1961, the University of New Mexico School of Medicine is a public medical school with an excellent reputation and consistently ranks among the top universities. According to the U.S. & News Report in 2023-2024, it was considered the 4th best in primary care and the 81st in research.
The M.D. curriculum distribution is similar to the programs in other universities. The first two years of foundational work are science courses organized in organ systems blocks. During this stage, students are exposed to clinical experiences and work with patients, developing skills related to communication and clinical reasoning. The last two years consist of mandatory and elective clerkships, including community-based and ambulatory experiences.
This medical school in New Mexico offers two dual degree programs: M.D./PH.D. and B.A./M.D. The B.A./M.D. was created to address the shortage of physicians. High school students from New Mexico who want to be physicians can apply to this program. They will first earn a Bachelor’s degree in a program designed to prepare them well for practicing medicine. Then, they will start studying at the medical school.
Applications are made through the AMCAS platform, and interested students must meet all the requirements on the AMCAS website. They strongly prioritize New Mexico residents and only accept out-of-state students if they have solid ties with the state. Out of the 93 enrolled students in 2018, only ten were out-of-state. Another significant aspect is that the UNM School of Medicine is one of the most affordable. Resident tuition is only $15,328 for the 2023-2024 school year!
See Also: University of New Mexico Acceptance Rate
2. Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, in a public-private affiliation agreement with New Mexico State University, is a relatively new private medical school. It was founded in 2013, but the first class enrolled in 2015. The school has provisional accreditation from the American Osteopathic Association and had its full certification in 2020.
The D.O. program is divided into foundational coursework and clinical rotation phases. Education is patient-based, so they ensure students obtain enough skills during the first phase to enter clerkships. Besides science courses, they develop primary clinical and communication skills and the ethics behind physicians’ labor.
This medical school in New Mexico has modern facilities. Students will have access to anatomy, simulation, and physical diagnosis laboratories and be trained in the standardized patient program. Students can complete their clinical rotations at Las Cruces, El Paso in Texas, Albuquerque, Tucson, or Eastern New Mexico for the last two years. They also opened around 100 residency positions for graduating students.
In 2018, they handled 5,254 applications from the AACOMAS admissions system, with only 162 students enrolled. They also don’t accept international students and prioritize applicants from the Western area.
FAQs: Studying Medicine in New Mexico
How Much Do Family Practice Doctors Get Paid in New Mexico?
If you are wondering how much you would get paid as a family practice doctor in New Mexico, expect to earn around $162,494 annually. The salaries could go as low as $86,001 per year to as high as $252,385 for the most experienced doctors. Some of the highest-paying cities in this state include Roswell, Santa Fe, Clovis, and Midway.
New Mexico offers an ideal location for anyone interested in pursuing and practicing medicine, thanks to the high demand for medical practitioners and the aging population. The above medical schools are some of the best in the state, so if you are still trying to decide which medical school you want to enroll in in New Mexico, choose from these two! Additionally, you can use the free medical schools on our page to earn your medical degree without digging deep into your pocket.
We hope this article on medical schools in New Mexico was helpful. To learn more information on how you can study in the United States, you can also visit Study in the USA Page or check out the Available Programs in the USA for International Students!
About the Author: Hyun Lee
