There are 126 accredited medical schools in the United States. How do they differ from one another? How do I know which ones might be right for me?

Medical schools in the United States offer a variety of excellent educational experiences in a variety of settings. Some schools are public and some are private, and they vary in size, curriculum, and character. To find out which schools might best meet your needs and goals, begin by consulting the AAMC’s Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™) and the Minority Student Opportunities in United States Medical Schools (MSOUSMS).

Talking with others can also yield valuable information about the opportunities available at the nation’s medical schools. For example, your prehealth advisor may be able to put you in contact with students from your school who have recently begun medical school. If your mentor is a physician, he or she might recommend you speak with colleagues who can tell you about their medical school experiences. 

Medical schools’ Web sites also offer a good deal of information about their curricula and medical student life. Links to all AAMC-member medical schools can be found here.

For More Information:

• Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™)
  Published by the AAMC, this book is the most authoritative guide for applying to medical school. This accurate, thorough, and reliable resource is the only complete guide to U.S. and Canadian medical schools fully authorized by the schools themselves.  In it you will find information on application procedures and deadlines, selection factors (including MCAT® scores and grade-point averages), medical school class profiles, education costs and financial aid packages, and much more.
  
  
  

• Minority Student Opportunities in United States Medical School (MSOUSMS)
  This guide is designed specifically for minority students to be used as a companion to Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR^TM).  It presents information from individual medical schools about recruitment, admission, academic support programs, financial aid, and more.