In today’s world, settling on a career can seem daunting to students because there are so many options. Many fields continue to evolve, appealing to students who want room for innovation and new discoveries.
Despite the emergence of new areas of study, medicine remains a strong career choice because it continues to change. There are always new clinical challenges to address and new treatments, technologies, and discoveries to explore.
However, medicine is not an easy professional path. Becoming a physician requires substantial academic and clinical training. It is therefore important to choose a reputable medical school that fits your academic goals, budget, and preferred learning environment.
This article highlights three established medical schools in Tennessee. Let’s take a look at these best medical schools in Tennessee!
Top Medical Schools in Tennessee
1. Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is located in Nashville and is home to Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Medical Schools release, Vanderbilt was placed in Tier 1 for research. The current methodology reports performance in tiers rather than assigning Vanderbilt a single numerical research rank.
The School of Medicine offers the M.D. and a range of dual-degree, master’s, and doctoral programs. Vanderbilt’s university-wide residential requirement applies to unmarried undergraduate students; it is not a specific housing requirement for students in the M.D. program.
For the 2026–27 academic year, M.D. tuition is $73,028. Vanderbilt estimates a first-year total cost of attendance of $119,046, including tuition, fees, and allowances for living and educational expenses. The school offers merit- and need-based scholarships, and 68% of the Class of 2028 received a Vanderbilt merit- or need-based scholarship.
2. Meharry Medical College
Meharry Medical College is a historically Black academic health sciences center in Nashville. Its School of Medicine offers a four-year M.D. program and has a longstanding mission centered on education, research, patient care, health equity, and service to underserved communities. Although Meharry was founded to expand educational opportunities for African Americans, the college welcomes students and professionals from all backgrounds.
Medical students can participate in the Salt Wagon Clinic, a student-run free clinic supported by faculty physicians. The clinic provides free primary care and other health services to underserved residents of Nashville. Across the institution, Meharry currently reports providing approximately $26 million in uncompensated care each year.
For the 2026–27 academic year, M.D. tuition is $59,170. Mandatory fees range from $8,890 to $9,862, depending on the student’s year in the program. The estimated total annual cost of attendance, including living and educational expenses, ranges from $113,416 to $122,954.
3. East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine is a public medical school in Johnson City. Its curriculum emphasizes primary care and rural and underserved medicine, with early clinical experiences, interprofessional training, simulation, service learning, and community outreach.
Quillen offers a Rural Primary Care Track. During the pre-clerkship phase, students in the track devote one day each week to educational activities related to rural and underserved medicine. In the third year, they complete a three-month clerkship in rural communities.
ETSU lists M1–M4 tuition and required fees at $19,426 per semester for Tennessee residents and $24,898 per semester for nonresidents. Across two semesters, these amounts total $38,852 and $49,796, respectively. These figures do not include living expenses.
These three institutions offer distinct options: Vanderbilt provides a research-intensive private university environment; Meharry is a historically Black academic health sciences center with a strong health-equity and community-service mission; and Quillen is a public medical school that emphasizes primary care, rural medicine, and service to underserved communities. Prospective students should compare each school’s curriculum, admissions requirements, financial aid, and total cost of attendance before applying.
We hope that this article on the best medical schools in Tennessee was helpful! If you are interested, check out the Study in the USA page and the Available Programs for International Students!
