4 Best Medical Schools in Boston

Boston is a beacon for higher education in the U.S, with some of the best medical schools for aspiring medical doctors and physicians.

Keep reading to know the 4 best medical schools in Boston, various M.D programs, comprehensive M.D curriculum, research opportunities, affiliated hospitals and medical centers, and why you should study in South Carolina.

Why study in Boston

1. Vibrant academic atmosphere

Boston is an appealing destination for passionate undergraduates because of its deeply rooted academic heritage, and the oldest universities in the US.

There are over 50 prestigious academic colleges and universities in Boston’s metropolitan area, inspiring public libraries, and more than 250,000 students from around the globe pursuing programs designed to fit their talents and ambitions

Whatever your program of study or interests inside and outside of the classroom maybe, you’re sure to experience a comprehensive learning curriculum and find like-minded students to network with.

2. Student-friendly city

In addition to its academic appeal, Boston is home to a wide range of top-class restaurants, entertainment, sports, and athletic activities.

Boston’s small geographic size makes it easy for students to navigate through the city on foot, or through the city’s network of buses, subway, trams, and rail systems. The popular Duck Tour makes the neighborhoods readily accessible.

Students who are sports enthusiasts can experience some of America’s favorite pastimes, and watch major professional teams from baseball (the Red Sox) to American football (the New England Patriots), basketball (the Celtics), and ice hockey (the Bruins). Students who are Red Sox fans can benefit from the $9 tickets for home games at Fenway Park.

3. Rich arts and cultural diversity

Boston has a rich history and diversity that makes the city a cultural hotspot for students looking to enjoy live music, theater, museums, and much more.

With the undergraduate student ID, students can benefit from great discounts in watching a Broadway show, visiting the museums to learn more about American history, or watching some stand-up comedy.  you can often. For example, special student admission deals are offered by the vast Museum of Fine Arts to learn a lot about the world-class culture. Likewise, the Boston Symphony Orchestra offers a College Card that will enable students to enjoy free tickets to performances by renowned musicians.

4. Great Exploration and travel location

The Logan International Airport’s frequent transatlantic flights and non-stop flights to major U.S. cities like New York, Miami, Chicago, and San Francisco makes Boston an ideal study destination for international students who will like to explore more of America.

There are also beautiful beaches in the summer, New York has easy access, while Vermont’s attractive peaks can be used for hiking and skiing.

5. Excellent job opportunities and career connections

With its vibrant academic atmosphere and well-connected East Coast location, the Boston area is home to global companies such as Boston Scientific, Bain Capital, Converse, Fidelity Investments, and State Street, as well as reputable hospitals and medical centers. 

Boston leads the way in a number of growing industries in healthcare, finance, management consultancy, and venture capital, making it a great place for career-focused graduates to get job opportunities. 

You can make good use of Boston’s networking opportunities and work experience to gain a big advantage when starting your professional life in whatever profession or career you venture into after graduation.

What Makes Medical Schools in Boston Unique?

Medical schools in Boston are equipped with several resources and opportunities for medical school students and treating the diverse patient population. 

There are various unique attributes of each medical school. Below are some of the characteristics of medical schools in Boston that can help guide you in choosing which medical school to apply to and completing your secondary applications.

Harvard: Harvard is the top medical school in Boston. It centers on leadership. Medical students at Harvard focus on healthcare across different disciplines. They get access to different research opportunities at MIT & Harvard University and can join projects at the public health school, business school, law school, and public policy school. Harvard Medical School offers several other joint degree programs. 

Boston University: Boston University (BU) medical students get involved with public health, especially in rural communities. The school’s main hospital is the Boston Medical Center, an exceptional academic community hospital. 

Tufts: Tufts Medical School students work at several hospitals in Massachusetts while rendering patient care to a wide range of patient populations in rural communities in Boston. 

READ ALSO: Boston University Scholarship Opportunities 2022

4 Best Medical Schools in Boston

1. Harvard Medical School (HMS)

Location: Boston, MA

Type: Private

Harvard Tuition: ~$62,000 (in-state and out-of-state)

Average GPA: 3.9

Average MCAT: 519

The best medical school in Boston on our list is the Harvard Medical school. Harvard Medical School (HMS) is a private medical school founded in 1782 and located in Massachusetts, Boston. It is the third oldest in the U.S. Harvard Medical School and is hugely selective. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranks it#1 in the best medical school of research and #17th best medical school of primary care.

Harvard offers medical degrees in Medicine, Public Health, Dentistry, Medical Information Management, and more. There are nine Ph.D. programs, in the fields of immunology, neuroscience, chemical biology, virology, biophysics, e.t.c. There are also seven Master’s programs in the fields of healthcare quality, bioethics, and safety, medical education, clinical investigation, immunology, etc. M.D./Ph.D. programs are also available.

The M.D. curriculum comprises two years of foundational coursework, a year of clerkships, and a year of other clinical rotations and advanced courses. Two curricular tracks are available for prospective students two tracks of the MD program are: Pathways or Health Sciences and Technology (HST). Pathways is the traditional four-year track that includes the rigorous Harvard education such as active learning, and early advanced clinical experiences while the Health Sciences & Technology (HST) track is a combined approach between Harvard and MIT that adds the latest in sciences, biomedical research, and physiology. HMS is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital.

Important medical innovations of Harvard include the first use of anesthesia during surgery, the first successful kidney transplant on an individual, the smallpox vaccine introduction to the U.S., the discovery of the cause of preeclampsia, the use of insulin in the U.S, and the first successful heart valve surgery.

In 2018, there were applications and only 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. Learn much more by visiting their website!

Admission to Harvard Medical school is very competitive. A total of 6,917 applications were received for an incoming class of 165 students in 2018. International students are hugely accepted only if they have studied for at least one year in an accredited U.S. or Canadian university. An average GPA score of 3.9 and an MCAT score of 519 are required to get admitted into Harvard.

Discover more about Harvard by clicking their website below!

Visit School Website

READ ALSO: Studying at Harvard University, Tuition Fee, And Admission Requirements.

2. University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS)

Location: Worcester, MA

Type: Public

University of Massachusetts Medical School: ~$61,000 (in-state); ~$35,000 (out-of-state)

Average GPA: 3.73

Average MCAT: 514

The University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) is a public medical school founded in 1962 and located in Worcester. It is the only public medical school in Boston known for its excellent primary care program. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranks the school #15 best medical school of primary care, and  #45th best medical school of research.

UMMS grants M.D. degrees, as well as a joint M.D./Ph.D. program. The Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health (PURCH) Track program which is focused on healthcare inequalities, urban and rural health, and teamwork is also available for applicants. The school’s M.D. curriculum focuses on providing early clinical exposure and community practices from the first year of education. It also emphasizes communicative, scientific, patient, and community-related skills. Half of UMMS graduating doctors and physicians in Massachusetts are accepted into primary care residencies and get to work in primary care.

UMMS has over 200 researchers working in various medical areas. Its research centers have made huge discoveries in various aspects of healthcare. There have been significant advances in several diseases like HIV, diabetes, cancer, and immune disease, among others.

Admission to the University of Massachusetts Medical School is less competitive. A total of 3,914 applications were received for an incoming class in 2018 and 938 were admitted. Out of the 162 students that enrolled, 60 were out-of-state students.  An average GPA score of 3.73 and MCAT score of 514 are required to get admitted into UMMS.

Discover more about UMMS by clicking their website below!

Visit School Website

3. Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM)

Location: Boston, MA

Type: Private

Boston University School of Medicine Tuition: ~$61,000 (in-state and out-of-state)

GPA: 3.77

MCAT: 516

Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) is a private university founded in 1848 and the first university to train women in the medical field. It was originally known as the New England Female Medical College and was located off Concord Street, in Boston’s South End. BUSM is affiliated with Boston Medical Center and the major campus buildings are close to Frederick Douglass Square Historic District.

The school offers medical degrees in Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Dentistry, Physical Therapy, Health Management, and General Health Services. The M.D. curriculum at BUSM centers on a four-year program divided into the phases: foundational, clerkships, and advanced clinical experiences. These phases are joined with non-graded extracurriculars for each student.

The first pre-clinical years of med school are mostly lecture-based and the subject blocks include anatomy, genetics, physiology, neuroscience, human behavior in medicine, and immunology. In the second year, focus is changed to pathologies: oncology, infectious diseases, and more.

Year two of clinical rotations last four to eight weeks while the Third-year rotations include pediatrics, family medicine, OB-GYN, and neurology. Fourth-year courses include geriatrics and home care, as well as a sub-internship in the student’s chosen specialty, and one elective rotation (surgical or ambulatory subspecialty). BU School of Medicine is affiliated with the Boston Medical Center, as well as many other centers

Various dual degree programs are also available. These combine the M.D. program with a Master’s in Public Health, a Ph.D., a Master’s in Business Administration, a Juris Doctor degree, a Master’s of Clinical Investigation, or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.  

There are more than 640 funded research programs at the Boston University School of Medicine. Students at the BUSM have different distinct ways to earn an M.D. One of these ways is the Early Medical School Selection Program, which works with large Hispanic populations at historically black colleges and universities, and the Indian Health Service. Students who have completed two years of undergraduate study are accepted into the program, and they are helped to slowly transition into medical school throughout the next two years.

BU School of Medicine also offers another unique M.D. program that allows recent high school graduates to spend three years in the Boston University College of Arts & Sciences, taking premed, social sciences courses, and humanities, which are combined in the third year by modular medical courses. Those graduates land with both an M.D, and a B.A. Other joint degree programs include those that combine an M.D. with either an M.B.A., Ph.D., or a master of public health.

BU med students can make friends and check out the school’s many service-learning opportunities from any of the 30 student organizations in the School of Medicine, which range from the Domestic Awareness Violence Project to the Asian American Medical Society.

Many sources of advising and support are provided by the School of Medicine at BU for students, including strategies for Success workshops, tutoring programs, and peer advising—which entails students informing their classmates what life in the School of Medicine is like.

U.S. News & World Report ranks BUSM among the best medical schools in Boston, #30th best medical school of research, and the #41st best medical school for primary care in Boston.

Admission to Boston University School of Medicine is quite competitive. A total of 10,000 applications were received for an incoming class in 2018 and 160 were admitted. International students are hugely accepted only if they have studied for at least one year in an accredited U.S. or Canadian university. An average GPA score of 3.77 and MCAT score of 516 are required to get admitted into BUSM. 

Discover more about BUSM by clicking their website below!

Visit School Website

READ ALSO: Boston University Presidential Scholarship 2022 for International Students

4. Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM)

Location: Boston, MA

Type: Private

Tufts University School of Medicine Tuition: ~$62,000 (in-state and out-of-state)

Average GPA: 3.64

Average MCAT: 513

The Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) is a private medical school in Massachusetts founded in 1893 and situated on Harrison Avenue, close to Boston Common. Its main campus buildings are located in Chinatown and the school itself is affiliated with Tufts Medical Center. 

TUSM offers medical degrees in Medicine, Veterinarian,  Dentistry, Nutrition, Health Care Administration, Occupational Health, and more. There are also three distinguished doctoral programs at its school of medicine.

The M.D. degree program lasts four years and the curriculum at TUSM focuses on a four-year program combined with non-graded extracurricular activities. The traditional MD requires two years of pre-clinical classes and two years of rotation, the same as the BU’s med program. Towards the end of the third year, advanced clinical rotations begin.

Another unique M.D program at TUSM is the Maine Track MD which implements a community-based curriculum in the state of Maine to prepare students for the unique challenges of rural medicine. The program is offered in conjunction with the Maine Medical Center.

And lastly, the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), is an accelerated two-year program that integrates intensive lab sessions into online learning. The mode of learning is virtual, and eight hands-on clinical training labs are the only on-campus requirement. It is the most accessible accredited program for anyone living in the U.S.

There are also joint degrees at TUSM. Students can combine their M.D. degree with an M.A. in International Relations, a Ph.D., a Master’s in Public Health, or an M.B.A. in Health Management. A physician Assistant degree and a Master’s in Biomedical Science are also available.

In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranks TUSM as #56 best medical school of research, and the #59th best school of primary care. Tufts University School of Medicine is one of the best medical schools in Boston for clinical medicine. Other rankings include ranking #6 for research impact rates in Thomson Reuters’ Science Watch ranking.

Admission to Tufts University School of Medicine is quite competitive. A total of 12,189 applications were received for an incoming class in 2018. 819 were interviewed and 200 were admitted. International and transfer students are hugely accepted only in the third year. An average GPA score of  3.64 and an MCAT score of 513 are required to get admitted into TUSM. 

Discover more about TUSM by clicking their website below!

Visit School Website

FAQs on the Best Medical Schools In Boston

Conclusion

That’s everything about the 5 best medical schools in Boston. 

These schools provide medical students with various M.D programs, joint degree programs, a comprehensive M.D curriculum, access to different research opportunities, and clinical hands-on experience training at affiliated hospitals and medical centers.