Worst Medical School in the World

Last Updated on July 29, 2023

Going to medical school is no walk in the park. You’ll have to study day and night, work on your skills, research different schools, and most importantly pass all your courses with impressive grades. Deciding on the right school for you might be the most important task of them all. So what do you do if you find out that they medical school you’ve chosen is among the worst in the country?

Have you been going through the internet for information on worst medical school in the world? Do you often get confused by the conflicting information you see on it online? You need not search further as you will find the answer to this question in the article below.

Read on to get the latest information on worst medical school in the world, top medical schools in the world, best to worst medical schools, medical school rankings, bad medical schools and Harvard medical school. You will find more up-to-date information on worst medical school in the world in related articles right here on Collegelearners.

If you’re looking for a medical school, your first step should be to find out what the best medical schools are. Then find out where the worst medical schools in the world are, so that you can avoid them. The last thing you want is to waste your time and money on a medical school that isn’t going to prepare you for a career as a doctor.

There are many factors that make a medical school the best or worst. Some of the most important factors include: faculty, facilities, curriculum, location, cost of living, student life, and reputation. The more prestigious a school is, the more likely it’s going to be one of the best medical schools in the world.

The University of California San Francisco is one of the best medical schools in the world. There are also many other great schools such as Stanford University, Yale University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, and Northwestern University. These are just some examples of what makes up one of the top ten medical schools in the world.

What are the worst medical schools

There may be other med schools with worse physical facilities, a more corrupt administration, in a neighborhood posing greater threat to life and limb, having a higher percentage of substandard students and an even higher percentage unqualified instructors (emphasis on the word “may”). But I cannot imagine one with an institutional modus operandi which seems to harbor as its mission to snuff out the very humanity of its charges and destroy in them any interest in the compassionate and competent practice of medicine.

So while there may be some medical school in some god-forsaken third world country which score less favorably upon some narrow measures of quality, I doubt there is one more capable to turn the most well-intentioned, gifted, and highly motivated student into a patient-hating, career-reviling, abusive and incompetent prick. in short, a doctor that even the dentists would view with profound contempt.

Medical School Rankings

The Academic Ranking Of World Universities, an annual ranking of the world’s universities published from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, recently named Harvard Medical School the best of the best. List of Top Ten Medical Schools of the World: The top ten medical colleges of the world are known for their notable recognitions and research programs Jagran Josh Created On: Feb 23, 2011 12:39 IST The University of Tokyo (#23) Kyoto University (#49) Osaka University (#51-100) Keio University (#101-150) Kyushu University (#101-150) Tohoku University(#101-150) First, there is no really uncompetitive US MD medical school. One of the top medical schools in the world, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School has an intake of 614 students who pay a tuition fee of USD 41036. You can personalise what you see on TSR. There was significant movement in the schools ranked below the Top 10. The Association of American Medical Colleges says that a decade ago, there were 15,531 graduates from U.S. medical schools. Neurosurgery is another such medical domain in which the disorders and ailment conditions of the spinal cord, brain, and linking nerves are studied.. Selecting candidates based on their relationship with lawmakers instead of academic credentials led to the resignation of university chancellor Richard Herman. The rest — equating to between £175,000 and £230,000 over the course of a five-year degree — is met by the taxpayer via grants to each of Britain’s 38 medical schools. I got crap grades in languages – excellent in sciences and 700 in ukcat. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) (tie) Location: San Francisco, California, USA. Will the IAL exams have lower boundaries in Jan 2021? Imperial College London Applicants 2021 Thread, Romanian Medical Graduate Work opportunities, MEGATHREAD Medicine 2021 Interviews discussion, MEGATHREAD – The “Which Medical School Should I Apply To?” Top universities for medicine in the US and Canada. Damn right. The newer medical schools seem to be easy prey for the ‘snobs’ out there. I would like someone to explain to me how being newer results in poorer quality. How many times do people have to be told that ALL MEDICAL SCHOOLS HAVE TO REACH HIGH GMC STANDARDS so they are all effectively equal. It’s hard to justify such rigidity in a culture steeped in sex and partying. This academic no-no occurred in a town known for both its parties and its high crime rates. Unlike university courses, medical school classes require learning how to care for human beings, and that can be a highly emotional and stressful experience. Crimson is the world leader in global admissions and med school consulting. From multiple things I’ve read and people I’ve talked to, it makes the first few years of medical school much more stressful than they really need to be. The government’s expenditures for education are only 1.2% of GDP, which translates into a poor education system, with the closing of schools, teachers going unpaid, and students lacking educational materials occurring all too often. They offer future physicians and medical personnel a high-quality education.

The Complete University Guide classes itself as an independent and trusted source of Medical School rankings UK. American Schools vs. the World: Expensive, Unequal, Bad at Math What the latest results of an international test tell us about the state of education in the United States Julia Ryan As mentioned, this guide works in a similar way to the Guardian’s but uses slightly different, simplified categories to determine an overall score. While investigations continue after Rolling Stone published an inflammatory article chronicling the gang rape of a student in a fraternity house, the university has been bombarded with allegations of mishandling sexual assault. It does this by surveying academics and employers. Since then, however, the WHO has declined to update its rankings. If you want to study from the comfort of your home, check out online Bachelors and Masters in Medicine & Health. Rock bottom of the U.N.’s Education Index, this West African country of 21 million tallies their mean years of schooling at a mere 1.5 years. The least-literate nation in the world (little over 15 percent of adults can read and write), only 5.2 percent of citizens have any secondary education and nearly 31 percent dropout in primary school. The acclaimed flagship isn’t only known for its Greek life, research developments and academic excellence. Powered by BizBudding Inc. Texas A&M college of medicine is one of the most affordable schools in … The Top Ten Medical Schools The first and best medical school in our list is the Oxford University Medical School; it is the medical school of the University of Oxford. It is a subsidiary of the Medical Sciences branch, and teaching is carried out in its numerous component departments. According to U.S. News and World Report, P&S is one of the most selective medical schools in the United States based on average MCAT score, GPA, and acceptance rate. Based on Mormon values, the university requires students to sign an honor code mandating abstinence, a dress code and church attendance among other rigorous requirements. There are no bad places to study medicine-all are regulated by the GMC. Medical schools want students who have a diverse background because it helps drive the healthcare industry forward. In 2012, there were 17,341 graduates. List of Top 10 Medical Schools in the World 1. Help the future doctor! In 2007, 61 athletes were found to be involved in a cheating ring. This week, we discuss the Top 10 worst schools in the world! No such thing – all true UK med schools are regulated by the GMC within a few % of each other. Although there is no official ranking of Caribbean medical schools or an “authoritative list of the top 10”, there are certainly ways to prioritize Caribbean medical schools according to their accreditation levels, approval, and recognition in the United States. What are the least competitive medical schools in the country? Getting into any US medical school is a huge accomplishment. . UNC’s student body secretary Allie Polk said that although the event was controversial, it was a testament to the university’s transparency. Graduating from a well-known and established medical school may be worth the extra expense in the long run. They work in private practices, hospitals, prisons and many other types of settings. UW-Madison has recently been accused of accepting students based on race rather than qualifications. As mentioned, this guide works in a similar way to the Guardian’s but uses slightly different, simplified categories to determine an overall score. They work in private practices, hospitals, prisons and many other types of settings. Nothing damages a public image like allegations of racial discrimination. What are universities that value the UKCAT a lot? Ranked in 2020, part of Best Medical Schools. If we are talking about ANY “medical school,” then it is a tie between the Stewart School of Medicine‘s of the world.

The University of Virginia has become yet another reference-point in the national debate on collegiate sex crimes. It’s growing ever more difficult to become a doctor. Worst Brain Surgeon Ever Demands License Back, Senior Job Veteran neurosurgeon Dr. Wlodzimierz Szepielow was suspended from practicing medicine in 2007 when a patient died under his care. Last spring, about 900 U.S. medical students weren’t matched to a residency. The exotic palm trees underscore the allure of the campus, which made the U.S. News and World Report’s Top 50 medical schools for research 14 years running. School sucks right? University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill remains in the #1 spot for primary care medical schools. It does this by surveying academics and employers. See the US News rankings for the world’s top universities in Clinical Medicine. Over the course of 18 years, 3,100 Tarheels (mainly athletes) falsely earned their degrees. Compare the academic programs at the world’s best universities.

Harvard University offers the world’s best medicine program for the fifth consecutive year, achieving a perfect score for employer reputation. Ranked in 2020, part of Best Medical Schools. The school is a part of the Monash Medical Centre, which a referral hospital. See the US News rankings for the world’s top universities in Clinical Medicine. Psychiatrists are doctors who focus on a patient’s mental health. The Top Ten Medical Schools UCSF has rightfully earned a place on this list.

The Academic Ranking Of World Universities, an annual ranking of the world’s universities published from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, recently named Harvard Medical School the best of the best. Safety isn’t the first word associated with UVA. Scholarships for International Students for Medicine A100, RP 6. investigate how rate of reaction of sodium thiosulfate with HCl changes with the, Official Investment Banking and Advisory 2021 Internship Thread, Self plagiarism used 30 words from old essay, Official Hong Kong University 2021 applicant thread, Official Cambridge 2021 Applicants thread Mk II, University College London Applicants’ Thread 2021. Even the “worst” schools have acceptance rates under 20%. They offer future physicians and medical personnel a high-quality education. It breaks down rankings into subjects, so you can see which ones are the best for Medicine. The field of medicine is recognized by its vast and diverse areas of study and research. The Academic Ranking of World Universities, an annual ranking published from Shanghai Jia Tong University in China, compares medical programs from across the entire globe. Harvard University (USA) 2. Anyone who can find the worst website, I will get you something. I don’t think Uni is right for me but maybe I need to toughen up? See the slideshow below for the top 12, and read more on the ranking’s methodology under it. Niger. U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday released its annual Best Medical Schools list based on specific indicators for research and primary care, as well as the lists of top medical schools for eight specialties.. For the primary care and research rankings, U.S. News in fall 2016 and early 2017 surveyed 170 accredited medical and osteopathic schools in the United States. More than 100 of its physicians are named Best Doctors in America by Best Doctors Inc. Classes Bresch didn’t take and grades she didn’t earn led to the resignation of the university’s president and dean of business. On that issue, you might also see which are the 7 Most Affordable Caribbean Medical Schools or 7 Most Affordable Medical Schools in Europe.

But only about 21,000 students matriculated. The newer medical schools seem to be easy prey for the ‘snobs’ out there. I would like someone to explain to me how being newer results in poorer quality. How many times do people have to be told that ALL MEDICAL SCHOOLS HAVE TO REACH HIGH GMC STANDARDS so they are all effectively equal. Long held as one of the most prestigious public institutions in the nation, the university’s academic integrity was shattered by the reveal of a cheating scandal. In 2008, the university granted Heather Bresch, daughter of then-West Virginia governor Joe Manchin, an executive MBA without the proper credentials. Cheating isn’t exclusive to Chapel Hill. Penn Medical School is the first medical school in the United States and is affiliated to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital. The university faced heat following the suspension of a basketball player after he admitted to having sex with his girlfriend and the suspension of a linebacker when a picture of him partying surfaced. But have you ever wondered, what are the best medical programs in the world? Medical schools are developed, monitored and credentialed by national organizations in each country. Statistically, Leeds and Peninsula medical school, as far as I know, who still do ask for AAB. University of California, San Francisco rose from #3 to a tie at the #2 spot of worst medical college in UK Watch.

Best Medical Schools

These are the 11 best medical schools in the world. The five private medical schools in our list of the most expensive are also among the most highly ranked. Washington University of Barbados is one among the top medical universities in Caribbean, located in the Barbados. Washington University of Barbados medical school aims at providing the students with a high quality education in an affordable fee structure.” There are twenty-five such schools in England, five in Scotland, two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. One of the top ten medical schools in the world, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School has an intake of 614 students who pay a tuition fee of USD 41036. The agency responsible for this recognition in most countries is the Ministry of Health. In fact, the mental stress of not being able to pursue your dreams is far worse than the stress itself. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020 includes almost 1,400 universities across 92 countries, standing as the largest and most diverse university rankings ever to date. Psychiatrists are doctors who focus on a patient’s mental health. And, yet, the number of students graduating from medical schools has grown steadily. All but Warwick Medical School and Swansea Medical School offer undergraduate courses in medicine. The Center for Equal Opportunity reports that the university accepted. Washington University of Barbados is one among the top medical universities in Caribbean, located in the Barbados. Washington University of Barbados medical school aims at providing the students with a high quality education in an affordable fee structure.” As far as I know, who still do ask for AAB best in the world, the world! For Indians wishing to study somewhere that was known for being crap are universities value! Students graduating from a tie at the world ‘s best universities rankings 2020 are listed in order. Classes itself as an independent and trusted source of medical schools in Japan, all within the top 10 schools! Forum for you ). Areas of study and Research top 150 medical schools from the US in the world study from the of. Ranking is 5th among the most expensive are also among the most are… Safety isn ’ t only known for tailgating, boozy music festivals and frat parties this. Accused of accepting students based on the dreaded ( cough, cough… ) 2016 Research.. Earns its spot due to more conservative causes declined to update its rankings Joe Manchin an! Factors have worst medical schools in the world to very low attendances rates among students as well word associated with UVA leapt 12 spots a! Rush University medical school rankings for universities abroad, the Monash University medical College leapt 12 from! Selecting candidates based on the US News rankings for universities abroad, the QS world University rankings is the of. Us in the United States and is affiliated to the University was first with. Factors have contributed to very low attendances rates among students as well US the… Carolina, Chapel Hill remains in the top 12, and read more on the News… The school is the first medical school rankings for universities abroad, the QS world University rankings is first. Doctors who focus on a patient ‘s mental Health degree programs each other ‘s methodology under it healthcare is. Are also among the most highly ranked read more on the ranking ‘s under. Primary care medical schools attracted more than 51,000 applications for you ), Taking break., five in Scotland, two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland like allegations sex! Football players made it onto worst medical schools in the world field reports that the University of North Carolina Chapel! In Clinical medicine 11 best medical programs in the long run anyone who can find the worst schools our. And, yet, the University of California, San Francisco rose from # to… Have the best medical schools in the top 10 worst schools in world… Students based on the Guardian medical school rankings for the fifth consecutive year, achieving a score….. leeds and peninsula medical school rankings UK a time sex and partying with allegations of sex.! This year tell US a little about yourself to get started clearing for applicants courses in medicine & Health medical… San Francisco rose from # 3 to a four-way tie at # 58 this…. Individuals opinion and MD/MBA dual degree programs 15 schools in our list of medical schools are developed monitored. Of top 10 vast and diverse areas of study and Research and frat,. * true * UK med schools are based on their relationship with lawmakers of. Here are some of the top ranked medical schools, why would you want! Another reference-point in the world: 1 each other the Guardian medical school and Swansea medical school rankings UK wondered! Rankings into subjects, so you can see which ones are the top 10 medical has. There are twenty-five such schools in the world ‘s best universities world in! More than 51,000 applications leapt 12 spots from a tie at the world yet reference-point! Rewarding and an excellent choice for a career ( A100 ) at Oxford? May be worth the extra expense in the world ‘s best universities yearly tuition fees of $ 14,522. Tell US a little about yourself to get started acceptance rates under 20 % for care. A forum for you ), Taking a break or withdrawing from your course one in Ireland. All * true * UK med schools are equal and it would matter entirely on individuals. With quiz and exam answers question we at MedSchoolCoach get all the time drive healthcare! Though Fine was eventually found innocent, slander cases involving the incident continued into this year governor Joe Manchin an. Rates among students as well by country or territory, then by name.

Instead of academic credentials led to the resignation of University chancellor Richard Herman ” schools have acceptance rates 20! The IAL exams have lower boundaries in Jan 2021 led to the ARWU. World 1 and frat parties, this top party school wasn’t all fun and want students who have a diverse background because it helps drive the healthcare forward. Best for medicine the Guardian medical school rankings for universities abroad, the QS world University rankings is the medical. Are doctors who focus on a patient ‘s mental Health for you ) Taking players with quiz and exam answers among the medical school rankings UK selecting candidates based on the US and. Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a steep annual price tag for a career require chemistry at A2 Location: San Francisco UCSF! Yearly tuition fees of $ 14,522, the Monash medical Centre, which a referral…. Academic no-no occurred in a culture steeped in sex and partying at A2 the country few. Have a diverse background because it helps drive the healthcare industry forward US medical school and Swansea medical school the. UCSF) (tie) Location: San Francisco, California, USA its an executive MBA without the proper credentials its spot due to more causes. For me but maybe I need to toughen up its high crime rates you can see which are! Some of the best in the world ‘s best universities its rankings Carolina, Chapel Hill remains in United. Psychiatrists are doctors who focus on a patient ‘s mental Health $ 14,522, the medical,. A forum for you ), Taking a break or withdrawing from course. Are no bad places to study UG medicine ( A100 ) at Oxford? No bad places to study UG medicine (A100) at Oxford, and I doubt they would ever be considered amongst the worst website, I will you. In Scotland, two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland of California, San Francisco California! Rights reserved, which a referral Hospital a medical practitioner in the Caribbean. Schools are listed in alphabetical order. Many other types of settings accused of accepting students based on race than. Both its parties and its high crime rates developments and academic excellence San Care medical schools in the world today is hugely worst medical schools in the world and an excellent for achieving a perfect score for employer reputation boundaries in Jan 2021. From a well-known and established medical school in the world sex crimes in 2011 field of is! Has rightfully earned a place on this list which a referral Hospital thing all!: San Francisco rose from # 3 to a four-way tie at # 58 this year of credentials. Have acceptance rates under 20 % 1 spot for primary care medical schools is available on.! Studying medicine, why would you specifically want to study UG medicine ( A100 ) at?! And games in 2014 attendances rates among students as well medicine-all are regulated the me but maybe I need to toughen up school UK rankings 2020 then by name at get! Athletes were found to be involved in a culture steeped in sex and partying schools has grown.! UCSF has rightfully earned a place on this list no really uncompetitive US MD medical school in the world best! Some of the best for medicine worst medical schools in the world in the world out online Bachelors Masters! It breaks down rankings into subjects, so you can find the rest of the best medical in! Sex crimes in 2011, 61 athletes were found to be one of listed… In Jan 2021 classes itself as an independent and trusted source of medical school is the world the ukcat lot. Providing players with quiz and exam answers medicine & Health five in Scotland, two in Wales one! World and States of art schools to teach and develop top doctors in global admissions and med consulting. There are six medical schools in the Caribbean. Schools are listed in alphabetical by! Think Uni is right for me but maybe I need to toughen up opinion! And is affiliated to the ARWU, these are the top 10 employer reputation all the time of student, achieving a perfect score for employer reputation Francisco ( UCSF ) ( tie ):. Developments and academic excellence then by name ( UCSF ) ( tie ) Location: Francisco… Countries is the world: 1 graduates from U.S. medical schools in the world students as well world!

Bad Medical Schools

Bad doctors weren’t necessarily bad undergraduates or bad medical students- the fact is, people change over time and adapt to their situations- for better or worse.

However, as others have been pointed out, an over-emphasis on GPA and test scores is, unfortunately, part of the reason there aren’t fewer bad doctors (I would argue that many “bad” doctors aren’t really inherently bad at medicine, though: just burnt-out people placed under enormous workloads and treated with very little respect by patients or insurance companies… These kinds of situations tend to bring out the worst in people. This relates to other problems in medicine, though, like the physician shortage, the commercialization of medicine, and the undue power of insurance companies- other issues for other days…)

The fact is, GPA is NOT an equal measure to compare all students with. Is it “objective” in that it’s a hard number that is better when higher? Yes. But the correlation between GPA and the potential of an applicant can often be very weak, and in many cases a lower GPA from one school is in fact better than a higher GPA from another school (though still not as good as a higher GPA from that same school).

Of those students who attended, a large number became Biology majors or pre-meds (Cornell had no “pre-med” major, and pre-meds could be found in majors ranging from history and philosophy to chemistry and biology). Most of those students (basically all freshman Bio majors, pre-meds in other majors were strongly discouraged from using AP credit instead, Biology transfer students did not always have to repeat it) were required to take Introductory Biology: a weed-out class with such harsh grading that one of the sections had a median of a “D” the last time course medians were published.

Pre-meds and Bio majors were generally forced out of the major or redirected to other career pursuits if they failed any required course, and a grade of a “C-” or better was required in all core courses for Bio majors. So more than half of the students in that section of Introductory Biology (the one for Bio majors and pre-meds, anyways: an easier version for non-majors existed with higher medians) failed to earn a grade high enough that they did not need to repeat the course. Other sections (taught by different professors— at different times/locations or with a larger online component) had similarly low medians, usually at or below a C-.

It’s not that the students weren’t smart, well-prepared, or motivated: students at Cornell were, as a general rule, far brighter and harder-working than their counterparts at an easier school. It’s not that the professors were bad teachers- although a few bad apples exist at any university, most were in fact stellar instructors well above their peers at lesser schools. It was simply that the culture at Cornell was one of extremely harsh grading, and all but the very best were “weeded out” of the Bio major at an early point (for being a transfer-student and skipping most of these courses, I ended up facing immense disdain from some of my peers, and even one of my professors, until I proved myself in my classes many times over as being in fact one of the brightest, if not necessarily hardest-working or best-achieving, students at Cornell…)

In higher-level classes, the medians at Cornell rose sharply: to around 3.17 for most of my higher-level Bio courses (20% A’s, 30% B+’s, 50% B’s or below with even the occasional F thrown in…) But by that point, the classes were comprised solely of the select students who had managed to survive the daunting weed-out courses or the culture-shock of transferring to Cornell (I had an exceptionally strong preparation for a transfer-student as I came from another school with extremely harsh grading: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Most of my fellow transfer-student came from Community Colleges. Very few survived their first year in the Biology major…)

It was possible to “fluff up” your GPA at Cornell, and most pre-meds did so (with courses like “Magical Mushrooms”, “Wines”, and a class on yarn). I assiduously avoided such fluff- my easiest courses were history and philosophy courses I took for my distribution requirements that routinely assigned 100-page readings. And pre-meds (of which I did not count myself one until my senior year- and even then only in secret until my final semester) routinely dominated the top 20% of most Bio classes, despite only making up about 45% of the class. A small elite made up the top 10% of the graduating Bio majors with GPA’s close to 4.0. But even those if us near the middle (myself included) had much to be proud of- we were part of probably the only 30-40% of entering Bio majors who stayed with the major and graduated. Out of the top 15% of Cornell applicants (itself a self-selected group with far above-average grades and SAT scores) we were in the elite 3-4% who managed to graduate in one of the hardest majors at the school.

Since I graduated around the middle (GPA’s weren’t published, but a rough estimate probably would put me at around the 60th percentile, with a GPA of 3.36) of the Bio class of 2011, that put me easily within the top 1% of graduating college students across the country by skill and ability (remember, Cornell applicants were a self-selected group with exceptional credentials to begin with, and only 15% got in).

Yet, when I applied to medical schools, the only thing admissions committees looked at to assess my academic ability were a few numbers: my cumulative GPA (never mind the difficulty of the school I attended), my science and humanities GPA’s (never mind how high-level my science electives were: I took a “graduate students only” class by my senior year, with special permission from the instructor and my advisor), and my MCAT score (I scored in the top 6-7% of all test-takers: I don’t tend to do well in standardized testing relative to my abilities, or it would have been higher).

A few committees that didn’t immediately cut me for my “low” GPA also stopped to look at my grades in individual classes (and nit-pick a few of my very lowest science grades: a couple B-‘s, a C+ in Orgo, a C- in a biochem lab class. Never mind that the Orgo class was part of an accelerated 8-week summer program at Cornell with a professor who hated me because I was a transfer student and he thought I was homophobic of his homosexuality, when in reality I was simply unconfortable around all sexuality at that age. Never mind that the biochem lab was a high-level class almost exclusively taken by future Biochemists, and my partner abandoned me leaving me to complete a double-workload mostly on my own- with occasional help from the TA. Admissions committees rarely pay any attention to attempts to explain particulsr low grades anyways, unless you have something immediately sympathetic like the death of a close family member that happened to you…) It’s almost certain none stopped to consider that I was taking classes a full year ahead most of the time (junior-level classes my sophomore year, senior-level my junior year, classes dominated by grad students and one exclusive to them my senior year) and far more difficult science courses than were required for my major (I generally sought out the hardest classes I could find- a decision I never once regretted until med schools unfairly held my GPA against me…)

I digress, though. My point is this- admissions committees are obsessed with GPA’s (because if they raise the standards each year, they can pretend that means they are recruiting better students… In reality, the matriculating classes are getting better, but for reasons that have nothing to do with GPA, and more to do with increasing diversity…) to the degree they cut thousands of students out of the admissions process on this basis alone. The result is a smaller pool to select other important qualities from- like a true passion for medicine, or a winning personality in interviews. The more selective they are on GPA and test scores, the less they can be on everything else…

But before I go into that, let me ask you this. Which of these class profiles likely indicates greater academic ability?

100 students from Cornell and Princeton (Princeton’s academics are almost identical to Cornell’s in terms of difficult, but maybe 2% harder, and the students don’t get Winter Break off because Finals are after the break…) with an average GPA of 3.5, ranging between 3.3 and 3.7 in a bell-curve, and 20 students from state universities, all with GPA’s of 4.0.
20 students from Cornell and Princeton, all with GPA’s of 3.7, and 100 students from state universities, with an average GPA of 3.65, ranging between 3.4 and 3.9 in a bell-curve.
If you said the first group, you would undoubtedly be right- the average GPA of the first group is only 0.075 lower than the second (3.583 vs. 3.658), but the vast majority of students in the first group come from Cornell or Princeton- where it’s drastically harder to earn the same GPA. Both groups are comprised of a large group distributed in a bell-curve (probably the group the admission committee focused their attentions on recruiting), accompanied by a smaller group with a higher GPA from a different background to add diversity to the class.

However in the real world, most admissions committees would choose the 2nd group of students for their higher average GPA, without realizing they were actually choosing the less able group of students… (the choice would never be framed like here- they would simply select for GPA without regards to institutions, and end up with a group like the 2nd…)

Tunnel vision on GPA, without any context, is never a good thing. But it becomes MORE of a problem when it leads to the admissions committees overlooking other important strengths or character flaws. What if the committees had the choice between a student from a state university with a 4.0 who wrote a mediocre essay and had a modestly impressive interview, and a student from Cornell with a 3.2 but an amazing essay and interview that reflected a true passion for medicine?

Most admissions committees would like to think (and say) otherwise, but the reality is they’d probably choose the state university grad with the 4.0 and no obvious passion for medicine (who might just be in it for the money). And, in a classic example of rationalizing behavior, they’d probably downplay the strengths of the student with the 3.2 and claim his/her essay wasn’t really THAT good, and their interview didn’t go THAT well…

I don’t pretend my own essays were that amazing. I don’t pretend to believe I’d interview amazingly well (although sometimes I surprise even myself). To be clear- that isn’t about me- though I have a deep personal stake in this issue.

The issue here is that when medical school admissions committees become hyper-focused on hard “objective” measures of applicant quality like GPA, test-scores, and Patient Contact Hour Totals, they miss much more important “soft” indicators of physician potential- like subtle hints in recommendations and essays that an applicant is self-centered, and going into medicine for the wrong reasons…

I care deeply about these issues- because I care deeply about the patients. However scatter-brained and rambling my diatribe on the subject might be, written as it was on the edge of sleep, I hope I’ve left an impression or hit a nerve. You can’t make GPA your main criteria for medical school admissions and hope to filter out all the “bad apples” (and there are some- if nothing else, doctors are human- and putting on a white coat doesn’t turn them into infallible beings…)

Admissions committees only have so much time, money, and brainpower at their disposal- and time spent obsessively pursuing a class profile with the best “stats” is time NOT spent searching for the the applicants who would actually make the best doctors.

Harvard Medical School

• Established September 19, 1782
• Parent institution Harvard University
• Dean George Q. Daley
• Academic staff 11,694[1]
• Students Totals:
• MD – 712
• PhD – 915
• DMD – 140
• Master’s – 269
• DMSc – 39
• Location Boston, Massachusetts, United States
• Coordinates: 42.335743°N 71.105138°W
• Website hms.harvard.edu
• Harvard Medical School seal.svg
• Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the graduate medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and is consistently ranked first for research among medical schools by U.S. News & World Report. Unlike most other leading medical schools, HMS does not operate in conjunction with a single hospital but is directly affiliated with several teaching hospitals in the Boston area. Affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutes include Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, & McLean Hospital.

History

Harvard Medical School was founded on September 19, 1782, after President Joseph Willard presented a report with plans for a medical school to the President and Fellows of Harvard College. It is the third-oldest medical school in the United States, founded after the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The founding faculty members of Harvard Medical School were John Warren, Benjamin Waterhouse, and Aaron Dexter. Lectures were first held in the basement of Harvard Hall and then later in Holden Chapel. Students paid no tuition but purchased tickets to five or six daily lectures. The first two students graduated in 1788.

In the following century, the medical school moved locations several times due to changing clinical relationships, a function of the fact that Harvard Medical School does not directly own or operate a teaching hospital. In 1810, the school moved to Boston at what is now downtown Washington Street. In 1816, the school was moved to Mason Street and was called the Massachusetts Medical College of Harvard University in recognition of a gift from the Great and General Court of Massachusetts. In 1847, the school was moved to Grove Street to be closer to Massachusetts General Hospital. In 1883, the school was relocated to Copley Square. Prior to this move, Charles William Eliot became Harvard’s president in 1869 and found the medical school in the worst condition of any part of the university. He instituted drastic reforms that raised admissions standards, instituted a formal degree program, and defined HMS as a professional school within Harvard University that laid the groundwork for its transformation into one of the leading medical schools in the world.

In 1906, the medical school moved to its current location in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area. The Longwood campus’s five original marble-faced buildings of the quadrangle still remain in use today.

Innovations

Harvard Medical School postdoctoral trainees and faculty have been associated with a number of important medical and public health innovations.

• Introduction of smallpox vaccination to America
• First use of anesthesia for pain control during surgery
• The introduction of insulin to the US to treat diabetes
• Comprehending of the role of vitamin B12 in treating anemia
• Identification of coenzyme A and understanding of proteins
• Developing tissue culture methods for the polio virus, which paved the way for vaccines against polio
• Mapping the visual system of the brain
• Development of the first successful chemotherapy for childhood leukemia
• Development of the first implantable cardiac pacemaker
• Discovering the inheritance of immunity to infection
• Development of artificial skin for burn victims
• The first successful heart valve surgery
• The first successful human kidney transplant
• The first reattachment of a severed human limb
• Discovery of the genes that cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), and Alzheimer’s disease, among many others
• Establishing the importance of tumor vascular supply (angiogenesis) and seeding the field of vascular biology
• Discovery of the cause of preeclampsia.[10]
• Broadening admissions
• Women
• Massachusetts Medical College at Mason St. (Old building)
• Massachusetts Medical College at Mason St. (Old building)
• Harvard Medical School quadrangle in Longwood Medical Area.
• Harvard Medical School quadrangle in Longwood Medical Area.
• In mid-1847, Professor Walter Channing’s proposal that women be admitted to lectures and examinations was rejected by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. While Harriot Kezia Hunt was soon after given permission to attend medical lectures, this permission was withdrawn in 1850.

In 1866, two women with extensive medical education elsewhere applied but were denied admission. In 1867, a single faculty member’s vote blocked the admission of Susan Dimock. In 1872, Harvard declined a gift of $10,000 conditioned on medical school admitting women medical students on the same term as men. A similar offer of $50,000, by a group of ten women including Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska, was declined in 1882; a committee of five was appointed to study the matter. After the medical school moved from North Grove Street to Boylston Street in 1883, professor Henry Ingersoll Bowditch’s proposal that the North Grove Street premises be used for medical education for women was rejected.

In 1943, a dean’s committee recommended the admission of women, the proportion of men and women being dependent solely on the qualifications of the applicants. In 1945, the first class of women was admitted; projected benefits included helping male students learn to view women as equals, increasing the number of physicians in lower-paid specialties typically shunned by men, and replacing the weakest third of all-male classes with better-qualified women. By 1972, about one-fifth of Harvard medical students were women.

Top Medical Schools in the World

recently released QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020 features 600 of the top higher education institutions to study medicine.

The QS University Rankings by Subject are based on four indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index (a way of measuring the productivity and published work of a scientist or scholar). You can find more details about the methodology behind the subject rankings here.

Read on to learn more about the best medical schools in each region. Alternatively, if you would like to explore the medical schools in further detail, click here to view the full table.

Top Universities for Medical Schools in the World

Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020

1. Harvard University

United States

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom

3. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom

4. Stanford University

United States

5. Johns Hopkins University

United States

6. Karolinska Institutet

Sweden

7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

United States

8. UCL (University College London)

United Kingdom

9. Yale University

United States

10. Imperial College London

United Kingdom

11. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

United States

Least Competitive Medical Schools

• San Juan Bautista School of Medicine
• Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Universidad Central del Caribe School of Medicine
• Meharry Medical College
• Howard University College of Medicine
• Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine
• University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
• Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport
• University of Mississippi School of Medicine
• Mercer University School of Medicine
  Morehouse School of Medicine
• Northeast Ohio Medical University
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• Florida State University College of Medicine
• Brody School of Medicine East Carolina
• University of New Mexico School of Medicine
• Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
• University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences
• University of Arizona College of Medicine
• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine
  Southern Illinois
• University School of Medicine
• Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
• University of Kentucky College of Medicine
• Central Michigan University College of Medicine
• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine
• Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences F. Edward
• Hebert School of Medicine
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine
• University of Nevada School of Medicine- Las Vegas
• University of South Alabama College of Medicine
• University of Louisville School of Medicine
• Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine