Top medical schools in Massachusetts by rankings

Top medical schools in Massachusetts
Top medical schools in Massachusetts

The great state of Massachusetts has lots of options for those who want to enrol in a medical school. Most of the medical schools in Massachusetts are in the top 10 medical schools,  and they have achieved many important feats, and have years of educational experience.

There is even one Ivy League university! Let us find out why they are so remarkable and discover if any of these medical schools in Massachusetts suits your interests.

Top medical schools in Massachusetts
Top medical schools in Massachusetts

The Top Medical Schools in Massachusetts

1. Harvard Medical School (HMS)

First on our list is the Harvard Medical School. This medical school in Massachusetts is part of an Ivy League university. Harvard Medical School (HMS) was founded in 1782, the third oldest in the U.S. It is also known to be one of the best medical schools in the country.

In 2019, it was the best medical school in terms of research on the U.S. News & World Report ranking. It was ranked as the 17th best, in terms of primary care.

Major medical uncovering were been done at HMS. Most of these include performing the first kidney transplant on a human being, discovering what causes preeclampsia, the introduction of a smallpox cure, and the use of insulin in the U.S.

The M.D. program of study has the same construction programs in other medical schools, two years of groundlaying skill, a year of clerkships, and a year of advanced courses and other clinical rotations.

In other words, HMS has two educational program activities available for forthcoming applicants. The first one is Pathways, which is close to other programs and includes active learning, and early and advanced clinical experiences.

The second track is called Health Sciences & Technology (HST), which is offered in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Here, the focus is on sciences,  biomedical research, and physiology.

HMS has nine Ph.D. programs, in the areas of neuroscience, immunology, virology, chemical biology, biophysics, among others. There are also seven Master’s programs in the areas of bioethics, healthcare quality, and safety clinical investigation, immunology, medical education, etc. They also have an M.D./Ph.D. program.

In 2018, there were about 6,917 applications, and only 165 students were approved. The average MCAT score was 518, and the average GPA was 3.9. They accept international students but we highly recommend them to have studied for at least a year in an accredited U.S. or Canadian university. Learn much more by visiting their website!

2. University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS)

Located in Worcester and founded in 1962, the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) is the only public medical school found in this state. As claimed by the U.S. News & World Report, in 2019, it was listed in the top 15th best medical school with a title in primary care, and the 45th best in terms of research.

UMMS is well acknowledged for its excellent primary care program. The structure of the M.D. course of study is similar to other medical school programs. However, UMMS focuses on contributing to early clinical exposure, with a set of practices since the first year of education, and focusing on scientific, expressive, patient, and community-related skills.

Over half of the physicians from this medical school in Massachusetts now have a job in primary care and about 70% of graduating students have been approved into primary care residencies.

Although they rank better in the primary care area, a large number of discoveries were completed in the research centres of UMMS. Here, there have been great advances regarding different diseases, which include diabetes, HIV, cancer, immune disease, among others. Even currently, they have over 200 researchers operating in different locations.

Apart from admitting M.D. degrees, they also have a joint M.D./Ph.D. program. Moreover, there is a third option for applicants: the Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health (PURCH) Track. This program is focused on urban and rural health, healthcare imbalance, and teamwork.

Regarding admissions, in 2018 they had over 3,914 applications and interviewed 938 candidates, which is greatly high than some medical schools. 162 students enrolled, and about 60 of them were out-of-state students. The average MCAT score was 514, and the average GPA was 3.7. Learn much more by visiting their website!

3. Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM)

During the development in 1848, the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) was the first university in the world that train women in the medical field. Initially, it was the New England Female Medical College before merging with Boston University.

It was ranked among one of the best medical schools according to the U.S. News & World Report. In 2019, it was also the 30th best in terms of research and the 41st best in terms of primary care. Now, we are going to observe the review of this magnificent medical school in Massachusetts.

BUSM has a large range of dual degree programs. These combine the M.D. program with a PhD, a Master’s in Public Health, a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s of Clinical Investigation, a Juris Doctor degree, or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

The M.D. program consists of a four-year course divided into the phases: foundational, clerkships, and advanced clinical experiences, Merged with non-graded engagement activities that each student can choose. They are affiliated with many centres, but the most important is the Boston Medical Center.

In 2018, there were over 10,000 initial applications, and only 160 students were admitted. The average GPA was 3.72, and the average MCAT score was 516. They also accept international students, but they must have a least studied in an authorized or approved institution of the U.S. or Canada. Discover more about BUSM by checking their website!

4. Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM)

The Tufts University School of Medicine is a private medical school in Massachusetts and was founded in 1893. In the 2019 ranking of the U.S. News & World Report, it was the 56th best medical school in terms of research, and the 59th best in terms of primary care.

However, they have done better in other rankings. For example, their research impact ranking was in sixth place of Thomson Reuters’ Science Watch ranking.

Besides the M.D. degree program, which is of four years, the university also offers joint degrees. Students can combine their M.D. degree with a PhD, an M.A. in International Relations, an M.B.A. in Health Management, or a Master’s in Public Health. They also offer a Master’s in Biomedical Science and a Physician Assistant degree.

As for the admission process, you will be competing with a lot of applicants. In 2018, there were over 12,000 initial applications and 10,854 completed applicants. 819 of the applicant made it to the interview stage and only 200 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.64 and the average MCAT score was 513. Finally, they only admit international students and transfer students in the third year. Learn much more by visiting their website!

Tips for getting accepted to Massachusetts medical schools

1. Study What Makes Each Medical School Unique – Do your homework by looking at each school’s website, their mission, and goals, speak to medical school students, to fully understand the medical school you are applying to.

2. Apply to Medical Schools That Are In Your GPA / MCAT Range – This is a brainer, but still needs to be said for overreachers. There is nothing bad in trying out your luck but you wouldn’t want to waste your time trying to get into a school where you are falling in the GPA.  The GPA for Harvard is 3.90, it wouldn’t make sense to apply for them if your GPA is 3.65.  Preparing for Admission into medical schools can be demanding and you would want to make sure you put in the necessary work and time into applications that have chances of success than applications of a maybe.

3. Get to Know Medical Students at Each School – There is no better way to learn about the culture and tones of each medical school without getting to know med students! Reach out to your undergrad’s alumni network, friends, and relatives to know more about each medical school.

4. Personalize each application process according to the medical school – Fit each secondary application towards the opportunities and culture of each medical school. Visualize yourself at each medical school and describe to the admissions committee why you are a good fit, what you can contribute to the school, and how you will excel at the medical school.

What if I am determined to be a doctor, but my grades aren’t good enough?

You can take a few years after graduation to strengthen your academic records. Most applicants in this position sometimes choose to take additional science courses at a local university or enroll in a formal post-baccalaureate program to improve their credentials and grades.

Whom should I ask for letters of recommendation?

You will need about 5 letters of recommendation. You should ask professors in whose courses you did very well (B+ or higher.) You should aim to get at least 2 letters from science professors in different disciplines, a non-science letter, and if possible, a letter from a coach or a supervisor in a job or a volunteer experience.

Do not get letters from family friends, “important” physicians, congressmen, or others whom you may think would be impressive. If you think that a faculty member has any displeasure with your work or your behaviour, it is wise not to ask them for a letter.

When should I apply to medical school?

You should apply to medical school when your application is at its strongest. That means good grades, good scores, and good non-academic experiences.

I hope that this article on top medical schools in Massachusetts by ranking was informative. Feel free to share this article if it helps you or will help someone you know.

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