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Q. Are there graduates of medical schools (MDs and comparable) who are unable to get into a residency program? If so, what happens to them?A. A few articles of interest:Understand Your Odds of Getting into ResidencyShortage of residency slots may have chilling effect on next generation of physiciansOptions Exist for Med Students Without Residency Matches (usnews.com)Medical Students Match Day (statnews.com)Unmatched Graduate: “Med Schools to Blame”Foreign medical graduates get a raw deal. Here's why.Understand Your Odds of Getting into ResidencyMARCH 08, 2017 Heidi Moawad, MDIn recent years, we have all been hearing more and more in the medical community about doctors who are not able to successfully get into a residency training program in the United States. Physicians in this predicament are in a difficult jam, unable to proceed with a career they have spent so much time and money working toward, while at the same time, unable to get work in most other desirable professions, which also require years of specialized education and internships.Many aspiring physicians wonder about the numbers behind this bleak situation and what it means for them. If you have been unable to match so far – or if you are apprehensive that you may have a low chance of matching – the statistics behind this problem can help you gain some insight into your chances of getting into an accredited residency program.MATCH PROGRAM FACTSThe National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) itself, which is the organization that matches physician applicants to U.S. residency training programs, provides a uniform process for all applicants, with consistent application deadlines and scheduled announcements of match results.According to the most recent NRMP results from 2016, there were more than 35,000 applicants for approximately 27,000 PGY1 positions. The gap between applicants and positions is the reason that there are so many medical school graduates who are not able to work as doctors. Of these applicants, about 20,000 are graduates of U.S. medical schools, and the remainder of physician applicants are International Medical School graduates.While there are certainly a substantial number of physicians who do not match in a residency spot, there were more available positions for PGY1 spots this past year than ever before. But, the number of applicants for the 2016 match reached an all-time high. The number of U.S. allopathic medical school and osteopathic medical school applicants was only about 20,000, which is substantially fewer than the number of residency positions available. And, it turns out that most (more than 95 percent) U.S. graduates did match in a residency program.However, there are hundreds of U.S. medical school graduates who do not match each year. U.S. medical students who were not recent graduates had a significantly lower match rate than recent graduates, for various reasons. And American students who graduated from international medical schools did not fare as well as American students who graduated from U.S. medical schools, with a slightly higher match rate than non-U.S. citizen International Medical School graduates, which was little more than 50 percent in 2016.LARGER NUMBER OF APPLICANTSThere has been a larger number of applicants than ever before because most of the applicant groups are growing. There are slightly more U.S. allopathic medical school graduates, more U.S. citizen International Medical School graduates and more Osteopathic medical school graduates, which adds up to more applicants. And, there are more non-U.S. International Medical School graduates applying for residency spots as well. Despite all of the negativity about the medical field, there are still huge numbers of people who want to work as physicians, particularly in the United States, where most doctors perceive the system to be relatively fair, uncorrupt and of high quality.Interestingly, there are also many non-U.S. International Medical School graduates who do not even apply for the match because they have not passed USMLE tests, have scored low on the examinations or have other concerns that make it impractical to apply. And a large number of non-U.S. International Medical School graduates apply for residency, but receive no interviews, and thus do not have the option to proceed with ranking programs in the match.DO YOU HAVE TO MATCH TO WORK AS A DOCTOR?While you can take USMLE parts 1 and 2, and there are special circumstances that allow for you to take USMLE part 3, each state has its own requirements for medical licensing. At least one to two years of residency or internship training is typically required in order to obtain a medical license. If you want to work as a clinical physician, it is best to try to get a position through the match, or shortly after the match during the so-called scrambling period if you do not match. In fact, there are even instances in which physicians become ill or leave training programs, opening unexpected slots that need to be urgently filled at any time during the year.Physicians who want non-clinical work can succeed without residency training, but residency training even helps open the non-clinical route to better options. Therefore it is worthwhile to continue in the process, even accepting a position in a less desirable specialty, whether your aspiration is patient care or non-clinical work.There are options for doctors who do not have residency training, however. To get the most updated information, visit Careers for Physicians Without Residency, which is regularly updated with more opportunities.Shortage of residency slots may have chilling effect on next generation of physiciansBY BRUCE KOEPPEN, M.D. — 01/22/16 11:00 AM ESTMost people are aware of America's looming physician shortage, but the shortage of residency slots for medical school graduates has received less attention.In order to practice medicine in this country, graduates of allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools must complete a residency training program. In recent years the number of MD and DO graduates has increased by more than 23 percent in an effort by schools to address the country's growing physician shortage, which the American Association of Medical Colleges estimates will approach 90,000 too few physicians by 2025.While the number of medical school graduates is increasing, the number of residency training positions has not kept pace. If this imbalance is not addressed, the number of American MD and DO graduates will exceed the number of first-year residency positions, which by some estimates could occur as soon as 2017. When this happens, young physicians-who dedicated years to the pursuit of a medical education and incurred significant debt doing so-will not be able to practice medicine, and the physician shortage will persist.Part of the problem stems from the funding mechanism for Graduate Medical Education (GME). Medicare covers the majority of the cost teaching hospitals spend on training medical residents, but the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 capped the number of residency slots the federal government would fund. The shortfall-what is not covered by the Federal government-is paid for by the hospitals where residents train. While it is possible to increase the number of residents they train, to do so, hospitals must fund the entire cost of those training positions.Though patient care has shifted its emphasis to wellness and prevention, the current reimbursement system has not yet caught up. It is still based on the number of procedures performed, incentivizing hospitals to fund additional residencies in revenue-producing specialties instead of primary care.Adding to the problem, are for-profit schools that pay hospitals for medical student residency training spots-an incentive for some cash-strapped hospitals-something that is a growing concern among medical school deans. Residency slots that are taken by trainees from non-accredited schools reduce the number of slots available to trainees from accredited allopathic and osteopathic schools.Some of these non-accredited for-profit schools train as many as 1000 students a year without clinical facilities or full time faculty. According to a 2013 Bloomberg Markets investigation, many students who attend these schools incur tremendous debt and fail to complete the programs; many of those who complete the programs are unable to find a residency.The shortage of residency slots is also affecting graduates of accredited programs. Last year, more than 500 graduates from US allopathic medical schools were unable to obtain a residency training position. As more students graduate from medical school in the coming years, this number will only increase.We need to find ways to address the shortfall. There are several solutions being considered.The Foreign Medical School Accountability Fairness Act, a bi-partisan bill from the House and the Senate that would protect taxpayers and students, eliminates an exemption that entitles certain foreign medical schools to US Department of Education Title IV funding without meeting minimum requirements. The bill would ensure that 60 percent of enrollees in medical schools outside the US and Canada must be non-US citizens or permanent residents and have at least a 75 percent pass rate on the US Medical Licensing Exam.Other pending legislation includes the Training Tomorrow's Doctors Today Act, which would add 15,000 new residency training positions over the next five years; and the Resident Physicians Shortage Reduction Act of 2015, which aims to protect against the rapid shortfall of primary care physicians.The Affordable Care Act's $230 million Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program is designed to train primary care physicians mostly in non-hospital settings, which is exactly where the majority of primary medicine is practiced. Moreover, many of these new training programs serve underserved communities. These residency programs do not rely on Medicare funding, but must be self-supporting by 2017.These efforts all have merit, but the wheels are turning slowly and the clock is ticking. Training physicians doesn't happen overnight. Our lawmakers need to move quickly for the sake of patients and the physicians who have invested so much time and effort into learning how to care for them.Koeppen is founding dean of the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University.Options Exist for Med Students Without Residency Matches (usnews.com)Few days are as important as Match Day for a medical school student.Dozens of videos on YouTube show students crying tears of joy and hugging classmates as they finally learn, this year on March 15, where they will spend the next three to seven years doing their residency. This day marks the unofficial end of medical school and the beginning of a career as a doctor.[Learn about recent changes in the matching process for residents.]On the Monday of Match Week, students learn if they were matched with a residency program. This year there were approximately 40,000 registrants. Unmatched students – this month, 963 registrants were unmatched, according to the National Resident Matching Program – are automatically entered into the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, a one-week process that allows them to apply for unfilled residency positions.Residency offers through SOAP "continue through Friday of Match Week, and that process has been very efficient," says Hal Jenson, president-designate of the National Resident Matching Program.Before SOAP was created, students went through a similar process called "the scramble." But even with coordinated, last-minute efforts to place students, some still find themselves without a residency.After not matching in anesthesiology in 2010 and then failing to find a residency program through the scramble, one aspiring physician spent a year teaching anatomy, physiology and microbiology at a technical school until the next match."I still wanted to do anesthesiology, but I left it open to other fields as well. It sort of becomes a you-take-what-you-get type of deal," says the now second-year resident, who asked not to be identified. He settled for internal medicine."Initially you are disheartened, but what can you do about it? Either you sulk, or you fix it and figure out another situation," he says.[Find out how medical residency work hours can vary.]Experts say there are typically two reasons students don't match. They apply for highly competitive residencies, such as dermatology or radiology, even though their medical school performance makes them unlikely candidates for those slots, or they place too few schools on their ranking list, which they give to the National Resident Matching Program.While unmatched students can take alternative routes to residency, many in the medical field agree it's best to avoid the situation outright. One way is to rank several residency programs at which a student has interviewed."I tell medical students they should always put at least five places," says Stephen Klasko, dean of the University of South Florida Health's Morsani College of Medicine. He encourages students, particularly those who didn't initially match, to expand the number of hospitals they are willing to go within their chosen specialty, or consider choosing a different specialty.Lynn Buckvar-Keltz, associate dean for student affairs at the NYU School of Medicine, says grades and exam scores matter when applying for residency, but those aren't the only factors."Being an engaged, enthusiastic member of the clinical teams during the clinical clerkship is an important part of the student's medical school experience and therefore their residency application as well."[Follow a day in the life of a medical intern.]If an aspiring physician is unmatched, there are a few options.Students can contact their medical school and ask for a transitional slot, which mimics the fourth year of school, or seek a research fellowship."If they do a transitional year or a research fellowship, they can then become more competitive in one of those specialties or they can decide to match in family medicine or general internal medicine where it's easier to get a slot," says Klasko.Obtaining another degree could also increase a student's chances of matching in the next cycle, Klasko says."Now all of a sudden I'm a pretty cool candidate," he says. "It doesn't look like I'm somebody who failed. I'm somebody who decided to get a master's in public health or an MBA. Now I'm a differentiated candidate."Searching for a medical school? Get our complete rankings of Best Medical Schools.Corrected 4/10/13: A previous version of this article misstated the name of the National Resident Matching Program.Tags: doctors, education, graduate schools, medical school, studentsDelece Smith-Barrow is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering college admissions; she previously wrote about graduate schools.POLITICSMedical Students Match Day (statnews.com)Looming question for medical students: Will they be shut out of advanced training? By MELISSA BAILEY MARCH 17, 2016Dr. Heidi Schmidt looks on while a nurse takes the vitals of a patient in a medical clinic at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Indianapolis.They’re about to graduate from medical school with an MD to their names, but hundreds of students across the US learned this week that they haven’t advanced to the next step of training — and will not be allowed to practice medicine.Most medical students found out Friday where they’re headed for their residency, where they’ll work alongside licensed doctors, gradually gaining more responsibility. But each year, a sizable group learns shortly before the official “Match Day” that they’ve been shut out of this training.This year, for instance, more than 29,000 applicants got placed in a first-year residency through the main matching process. But 8,640 did not — a number that includes international applicants and aspiring physicians who graduated from medical schools in recent years, as well as current fourth-year students.That mismatch has prompted a policy debate: Should the rural and urban clinics that struggle to find doctors be allowed to scoop up unmatched graduates so their talents don’t go to waste? Or would it be dangerous to put them in front of patients without a traditional residency, which typically lasts at least three years?Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas have passed laws to allow unmatched graduates to work in medically underserved areas without doing a residency.Otherwise, “a lot end up wasting all of their education, because there is no place for them in the health care delivery system without having a residency,” said Dr. Edmond Cabbabe, a plastic surgeon in St. Louis who conceived of the Missouri law.Passed in 2014, but not yet implemented, the law will create an “assistant physician” license for these newly minted doctors, who will work with a collaborating physician. That physician will have to directly supervise the new doctors for at least a month before they can see patients on their own. One impetus for the law: Nearly all of Missouri’s 101 rural counties face a shortage of primary care providers.Arkansas this year approved new rules allowing recent medical school graduates with ties to the state to work as a “graduate registered physician” before residency. Kansas, too, created a special license; it’s restricted to graduates of the University of Kansas School of Medicine who strike out in the match process, and it allows them to work, under supervision, for just two years. At that point, they’re expected to move on to a residency.Related Story:Medical students demand an end to pricey exam testing patient care skillsWhile supporters hail such laws as a groundbreaking solution, the medical establishment has frowned on them.The Association of American Medical Colleges “is concerned by efforts that would bypass the experiences necessary for physicians to provide safe and effective patient care independently,” said Tannaz Rasouli, AAMC’s senior director of government relations.The American Medical Association also came out against such programs. Instead, it has called on government, insurance payers, and foundations to pitch in money to create more residency spots.So far, no one is practicing medicine under any of those new regulations.But they could help MDs like Dr. Heidi Schmidt, a Juilliard-trained opera singer and entrepreneur who graduated from American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine on the island of St. Maarten. She received honors in clinical coursework, but struggled with standardized tests and had to make multiple attempts to pass two national board exams.Residency programs often see multiple board exam attempts and degrees from foreign medical schools as red flags when evaluating candidates.Schmidt, who also has master’s degrees in public health, music, and pharmaceutical science, has the title “doctor,” but her options are limited. Without at least one year of postgraduate residency, she can’t practice medicine in the United States. To work as a nurse or a physician assistant, she’d have to go back to school and get a different degree.To stay in medicine, she volunteers in Indianapolis at Gennesaret Free Clinics for the homeless and working poor. She sees patients, but she said a licensed physician must sign off on all her work. Schmidt said she can’t get paid until she becomes a licensed physician. And she longs to treat patients on her own.“My dream has always been to be a physician for the poor,” she said.Dr. Heidi Schmidt at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Indianapolis, Ind. After not being matched with a residency, Schmidt’s plans of becoming a licensed doctor are on hold, so she volunteers at a medical clinic there.LUCAS CARTER FOR STATSeniors in traditional (non-osteopathic) US medical schools have better odds than those from foreign schools: Their match rate has hovered around 94 percent. But that still means 1,130 didn’t get a residency in the main match this year.That news can be a shock. As a senior at the University of Virginia medical school last year, Dr. Daniel Harris applied to 67 general surgery residencies and landed eight interviews at residency programs. On the Monday before Match Day, he got an email letting him know that none had accepted him.Harris said he was in disbelief, but he didn’t have time to process that feeling. He had just two hours to decide which programs he would apply to through the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program, or SOAP, which helps unmatched applicants find open spots.Harris picked 20 programs and hit “submit.”“I maybe started crying at that point,” he said. “There was nothing more I could do.”Harris got lucky: He was one of 599 US medical school seniors who scooped up unfilled spots through SOAP last year. Other types of applicants — for instance, those from foreign schools — grabbed another 400-plus spots.That still left hundreds of seniors at US medical schools, and thousands from international schools, halted in their quest to practice medicine in the United States.Were they weeded out for good reason? That’s open for debate. Surely, some were ill-prepared. Others may have been unlucky or just played their cards wrong when picking which residencies to apply for.The most common reason for not matching is poor scores on national board exams, according to a 2005 survey by the AAMC. Other reasons include: applying to a specialty that’s too competitive for the applicant’s academic standing; poor interviewing or interpersonal skills; and having to take a board exam multiple times to pass.Some people in this situation, like Dr. Nick Milligan, decide not to pursue a medical license. Milligan graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine, on the Caribbean island of Grenada, in 2014. He said he was disappointed not to match with a residency, but he ended up happily employed at Coachella Valley Volunteers in Medicine in California, where he has used his medical training to build a diabetes education program.Medical school grads face a staggering $183,000 in debt, on median, but they can seek relief, as Milligan does, from federal programs that limit monthly loan payments to 10 percent of income.Most graduates of US medical schools don’t give up on becoming a licensed doctor if they don’t match, said Geoffrey Young, AAMC’s senior director for student affairs and programs. They often spend a year doing research, or complete a fifth year of medical school, then apply to the match the following year.Related Story:An urgent call for diversity in medicine, ‘the profession I love’More than 99 percent of US medical school graduates do end up practicing medicine within six years of graduation, Young and coauthors found in a study published in JAMA.The new state laws might offer some of the unmatched students another route to a medical career.Missouri is expected to open enrollment for its assistant physician license this fall. Because it has the least restrictive rules, it may face a flood of applicants from around the country.Schmidt could be one of them.If Missouri opens the door for her to treat patients, she said, “I’d pack up and move in a second.”Update: The story has been updated to include statistics about the matching program for this year.Unmatched Graduate: “Med Schools to Blame”by SkepticalScalpel | Oct 17, 2016 | 30 commentsSkeptial Scalpel (click to view)The following was submitted as a series of comments on my Physician’s Weekly post about Missouri’s new law allowing medical school graduates who did not match into residency positions to work under supervision. The comments have been edited for length and clarity:I am a 38-year-old US medical graduate who has attempted to match 3 times with no success. I decided not to throw the money away again this cycle. I have half a million dollars in educational loans. I would exchange my situation with any non-US-IMG because they probably don’t have massive loans. I have seen kids coming fresh from India with no loans who match in their first attempts because they score high enough on USMLE to separate themselves from people like me.Based on USMLE scores, the matching system is fair to a lot of us. What fails US grads is the educational loan structure that allows us to borrow without any accountability of medical schools that are benefiting most. If medical schools are going to produce doctors who cannot match after genuine attempts, the schools should be blamed. They have standards that require students to pass each course in order to graduate. If they believe a student is not good enough to become a doctor, they shouldn’t graduate the student. Students would benefit more if the medical schools could determine which med students won’t be good doctors earlier on and dismiss them. Then the students will not pile up so much debt.Some graduates find that their training is not good enough to become a physician. It’s a scam. Why do medical schools get a free ride on this? Everyone who has completed medical school successfully with passing scores on USMLE Step 1 and 2 should be allowed to use that acquired knowledge. Why not let those who have demonstrated they can work under supervision get job?What fails US grads is the educational loan structure that allows us to borrow without any accountability of medical schools that are benefiting most.When I try to get a nonclinical job, they read my resume and tell me I am overqualified for the position. I have tried to hide my MD degree and use only my Bachelor of Science degree (biology) in order to get a job. But they tell me I don’t have experience, and the big gap between my undergrad education and my current situation cannot be explained. Some employers have asked me if I spent the time in jail.I applied to PA schools last year and had no success. Some of my rejection letters said as a medical doctor, I am not a good fit for PA career. Some PA programs wanted me to go back to college again to take pre-med courses.Besides medicine I have no other skills I can use to make a living. I am broke. I refuse to become homeless. Last month I applied and qualified for food stamps. Next week I am starting a $10.15/hour job as a UPS package handler while I am looking for other better opportunities.Each year about 5% of US graduates do not match to a residency and have nowhere to go. There are many reasons we did not match—most commonly because of academics. If I were a program director, I would interview the best applicants and rank them accordingly. I just believe unmatched doctors must be given other opportunities to make use of their acquired knowledge instead wasting it in a warehouse or a grocery store.If fresh college grads with 2 years in PA school can become providers under a licensed physician why can’t someone who made it through med school in 4 years function at the same level? Having an MD degree without a residency is like having a felony record. No one will give you a job. Having an MD degree without a residency dooms you to struggle in life. I wish I didn’t have the heavy weight of the MD degree on my back.I hope marginal pre-med students will read my story and make a rational decision before applying to medical school. Med schools want to fill their classes because they know the more students they have, the more money they will make. As they collect your tuition, they will tell you they are nonprofit institutions.No med schools will tell pre-med students the drawbacks such as the scarcity of postgraduate training as med school class sizes increased 30% since 2000. Most schools only publish lists of students who matched successfully and fail to mention those who don’t match. Pre-med students should be told what happens to all graduates of each med school.My story may not be relevant to pre-meds who have demonstrated great potential in medicine (GPA, MCAT, and motivation). The problem is some med schools can’t fill their classes with 100% smart kids. What they do instead is lower their standards to get more students to fill the class. Why? Because they want to make money and are not held accountable.If they can’t recruit students who can become licensed physicians in the US, the classes should be left unfilled. What is point of educating someone and giving him a piece of paper that can’t be used? These institutions should be held accountable for tuition and fees if a medical graduate attempts to match to complete his training but failed. This will force them to dismiss academically or professionally unfit students from medical schools before they accrue massive loans.I don’t see how the schools could ever be forced to do what the writer wants.Skeptical Scalpel is a retired surgeon and was a surgical department chairman and residency program director for many years. He is board-certified in general surgery and a surgical sub-specialty and has re-certified in both several times. For the last six years, he has been blogging at SkepticalScalpel.blogspot.com and tweeting as @SkepticScalpel. His blog has had more than 2,500,000 page views, and he has over 15,500 followers on Twitter.Foreign medical graduates get a raw deal. Here's why.ERIC BEAM, MD | EDUCATION | MAY 23, 2016On my recent tour of residency programs, I had the pleasure of meeting many foreign medical graduates (a.k.a. FMGs; not to be confused with international medical graduates, who are U.S. citizens who go abroad for medical school).Almost uniformly, they struck me as confident, mature and articulate. Many were older than me, some by as much as 10 or 15 years. Most had extensive research experience, and a few had even completed residency already in another country and were here to take a shot at becoming a U.S.-licensed physician, which would require them to do it all over again. To an outsider, they would appear as competitive candidates for programs that aspire to produce first-class doctors. But I did not envy their plight. In our conversations, one thing became clear: Whereas I was hoping to match into one of my top-choice programs, they were hoping to match, period. And, in 2016, only 50 percent did.FMGs get a raw deal. With the exception of Canada, we don’t recognize international medical training as meeting our quality standards; thus, doctors licensed to practice in their home countries must start at square one if they want to work here. Before they even apply to residency, FMGs need a stamp of approval from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Only about half succeed in getting certified.One major hurdle, apart from the written exams, is the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills test, which requires a high-stakes demonstration of English proficiency and a costly trip to one of the five U.S. cities where it’s offered. (Interestingly, from 1998 to 2004 this test was called the Clinical Skills Assessment, and only FMGs were required to take it.) It’s virtually impossible for a FMG to start residency directly after finishing medical school. They’re often encouraged to do a few years of research to pad their résumé, or to do a rotation or two at a U.S. hospital. This adds up to a lot of time, money and effort spent on an endeavor that is far from a sure thing.All of this is not to say that we shouldn’t have a rigorous screening process for who we allow to train and practice here. We should, and we do. But we must acknowledge that the deck is stacked firmly against FMGs. Imagine you’re a program director comparing two applicants side-by-side, one a U.S. medical graduate and the other a FMG. If, on paper, the two appear to have equivalent qualifications, there’s a good chance the FMG worked harder and sacrificed more to get there. That is an achievement worthy of recognition.But these days it’s become something of a badge of honor for residency programs to exclude FMGs from their rosters, and historically they have served as “fillers” for residency spots that remain vacant after U.S. students have matched. In 1995, the Council on Graduate Medical Education, an advisory body tasked with making recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services, singled out FMGs in their annual report and proposed cutting federal funding for their training by 75 percent in an effort to reverse course on an impending “physician surplus” (oh, the irony). They walked back this recommendation in a subsequent report due to anticipated “legal complexities,” but even their less controversial plan carried the same aim: to severely restrict FMGs from entering the physician workforce.I have heard two arguments for keeping FMGs out. The first is that their training is substandard. While I’m sure this applies to some cases, it is certainly not a universal truth. Is it really so hard to believe that a student whose education happens outside of a glittering first-world multi-million-dollar medical complex could learn the same principles of biomedical sciences as a student in this country? Is that student not examined as rigorously, mentored as thoughtfully, challenged as intensively, as one of ours?The second argument against FMGs is the so-called “brain drain” theory; that taking FMGs will siphon much-needed talent from poorer countries where doctors are scarce. I take particular issue with this one. All people, no matter their provenance, should be allowed to use their gifts to better their own lives, especially if that means escaping poverty or conflict.And let’s be honest: When a program director rejects a FMG, is he really thinking about the physician supply in Pakistan? What if we applied the same logic within our borders? If a medical student in physician-poor Arkansas graduates at the top of her class, with all the attendant publications and honors to her name, and wants to train at Massachusetts General Hospital, we don’t say, “No, you have to stay, Arkansas needs you.” We let her go as far as her talent and ambition will take her. Will Arkansas suffer? Minimally, perhaps, but they’ll be OK.The U.S. prides itself on having the best doctors in the world, so why not bolster our ranks by welcoming some of the best students the world has to offer? It’s curious that diversity is championed in medical school and residency admissions, just not this kind of diversity. Our knee-jerk aversion to FMGs seems to be the last true sanctioned form of admissions discrimination. First, we must ask ourselves if we want our admissions process to be truly merit-based. If the answer is yes, then it’s time to start recognizing merit even when it comes from outside our borders.Eric Beam is an internal medicine resident who blogs at the Long White Coat.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Q. What are the names of the universities in US which are cheaper but really good?A. The 50 Most Affordable Colleges with the Best Return (2014)(BONUS: The 20 Public Colleges With The Smartest Students)by John FerrerRanking of colleges and universities, balance: tuition and expected income on graduating with a bachelor’s degree. Schools keep cost of tuition down but promise high income after graduation. (Ignore the military academies.)1 United States Naval Academy (Annapolis) Annapolis, MDGraduates of the highly ranked liberal arts college obtain a Bachelor’s of Science degree. Graduates receive a commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy or as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. The students called midshipmen, are officers in training. The U.S. Navy pays for their tuition in return for an active-duty service obligation after they graduate. Applicants are required to apply directly to the academy and obtain a nomination, typically from a congressional representative.Website: United States Naval AcademyTuition: freeStarting Salary: $77,100Mid-Career Salary: $131,00015-Year Return: $1,560,7502 United States Military Academy (West Point) West Point, NYThe graduates of the highly ranked liberal arts college receive a Bachelor’s of Science degree. The students, known as cadets are officers in training. The United States Army pays for their tuition in return for an active-duty obligation. Graduates of the United State Military Academy receive a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Applicants must apply directly to the academy and obtain a nomination, typically from a congressional representative.Website: United States Military Academy (West Point)Tuition: freeStarting Salary: $74,000Mid-Career Salary: $120,00015-Year Return: $1,455,7503 SUNY Maritime College (State University of New York) Throggs Neck, NYSUNY Maritime College, a public institution, is the largest of the six state maritime academies. The college prepares students for careers in the international maritime industry. SUNY Maritime College provides nationally ranked programs in the fields of marine environmental studies, engineering, humanities and international business.Students can combine any bachelor’s degree program with preparation for the professional license as a United States Merchant Marine Officer. Every engineering degree hase received accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).Website: SUNY Maritime CollegeTuition: $5,870Starting Salary: $59,400Mid-Career Salary: $116,00015-Year Return: $1,315,5004 United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Colorado Springs, COThe core curriculum at the United States Air Force Academy comprises the majority of the academic experience, however the students, known as cadets are required to select a specialized field of study from over 30 majors.The cadets receive military training throughout their four years at the U.S. Air Force Academy which includes courses and instruction in aviation and airmanship. Candidates are required to pass a fitness test and obtain a nomination, typically from a member of Congress in the candidate’s home district.Website: United States Air Force AcademyTuition: freeStarting Salary: $64,900Mid-Career Salary: $109,00015-Year Return: $1,304,2505 Colorado School of Mines Golden, COThe Colorado School of Mines, an engineering and applied sciences public institution, has 21 academic departments including Geophysics, Engineering and Hydrologic Sciences. The school also provides degree programs in Liberal Arts & International Studies and in other areas.The school’s admissions standards are among the highest of any public university in the United States. The Colorado School of Mines has partnerships with local government laboratories. The Colorado School of Mines is one of the world’s major institutions regarding researching and teaching about mining-related engineering.Website: Colorado School of MinesTuition: $14,400Starting Salary: $66,700Mid-Career Salary: $106,00015-Year Return: $1,295,2506 Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GAThe highly ranked Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, is one of the nation’s largest research schools. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies Georgia Institute of Technology as a university with very high research activity.Georgia Institute of Technology’s six schools provide a wide variety of degree programs.Georgia Tech provides a focused, technology based education. Georgia Tech has received accolades for its degree programs in engineering, computing, architecture, the sciences, business, and liberal arts.Website: Georgia Institute of TechnologyTuition: $8,258Starting Salary: $60,700Mid-Career Salary: $108,00015-Year Return: $1,265,2507 University of California – Berkeley Berkeley, CAThe faculty members of the highly ranked University of California, Berkeley, a public research university, have received numerous national and international awards. UC Berkeley includes the prominent Hass School of Business, ranked among the top 25 business schools in the world.The National Research Council ranked more than 40 of the school’s programs among the top 10 in the United States. The College of Letters and Science is the schools largest college.Website: University of California, BerkeleyTuition: $12,864Starting Salary: $54,700Mid-Career Salary: $111,00015-Year Return: $1,242,7508 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rola, MOThe Missouri University of Science and Technology, also known as Missouri S&T, is known as an engineering and science based school. Missouri S&T is renowned for its hard science programs. Its graduates have made great contributions to science. Engineering is the most popular field of study, computer science is far behind in second place. Missouri University of Science and Technology also provides programs in the fields of the arts, social science and business.Website: Missouri University of Science and TechnologyTuition: $7,946Starting Salary: $61,900Mid-Career Salary: $96,10015-Year Return: $1,185,0009 Massachusetts Maritime Academy Buzzards Bay, MAMassachusetts Maritime Academy, a coeducational public institution, provides baccalaureate and master’s of science degrees. The undergraduate academic programs feature several distinct majors and emphasize a blend of technical and professional studies with liberal arts.Graduates of the school’s two oldest programs, Marine Transportation and Marine Engineering obtain two-fold credentials: A Bachelor of Science degree and a professional license as Third Mate or Third Assistant Engineer. The USTS Enterprise is a maritime academy training ship.Website: Massachusetts Maritime AcademyTuition: $1,465Starting Salary: $54,700Mid-Career Salary: $102,00015-Year Return: $1,175,25010 South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Rapid City, SDSouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology, a public institution, provides graduate and undergraduate degree programs in engineering and science fields. Graduates of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology design, construct and operate technology. The school performs research in a number of important areas of science and engineering. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution.Website: South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyTuition: $8,240Starting Salary: $62,400Mid-Career Salary: $91,80015-Year Return: $1,156,50011 Michigan Technological University Houghton, MIMichigan Technological University provides more than 120 undergraduate areas of study and numerous master’s degrees. The university offers degrees in engineering; business; technology; natural, physical and environmental sciences; social sciences and more.The university performs research in a wide array of areas. The students perform research, often one-on-one with a professor, as part of the academic curriculum. Students participating in the Enterprise Program work with industry sponsors on projects such as wireless communications, environmental sustainability, improved snowboards and more.Website: Michigan Technological UniversityTuition: $13,470Starting Salary: $59,200Mid-Career Salary: $94,70015-Year Return: $1,154,25012 California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) San Luis Obispo, CAUndergraduates at California Polytechnic State University, also known as Cal Poly, have a variety of majors to choose from. The highly ranked engineering programs are the most popular programs. The school has more than 80 state-of the art laboratories dedicated to the Cal Poly College of Engineering.Students choose a major when they apply for admission. Students take classes in their major beginning in their first year. The courses emphasize active learning methods; they have a high proportion of lab work and field work.Website: California Polytechnic State University - San Luis ObispoTuition: $8,523Starting Salary: $54,000Mid-Career Salary: $99,10015-Year Return: $1,148,25013 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJNew Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), a public research university provides a blend of liberal and technical education. NJIT provides graduate and undergraduate programs in the fields of business, architecture, medical, engineering, science, legal, technological and more. The school provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. NJIT is home to the Enterprise Development Center, one of the nation’s largest high-technology business incubators.Website: New Jersey Institute of TechnologyTuition: $12,800Starting Salary: $53,900Mid-Career Salary: $98,00015-Year Return: $1,139,25014 University of California – San Diego La Jolla, CAUniversity of California, San Diego, a public research university, provides a variety of graduate and undergraduate degree programs. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has designated UC San Diego as a university with very high research activity. UC San Diego operates four research institutes.The university includes the highly ranked Jacobs School of Engineering and School of Medicine. The faculty includes Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, Tony Award and Academy Award winners.Website: University of California San DiegoTuition: $12,192Starting Salary: $49,300Mid-Career Salary: $101,00015-Year Return: $1,127,25015 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NMNew Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, a public research institution, specializes in science, engineering and related fields. Students have opportunities for one-on-one mentoring relationships with professors and opportunities for on-campus employment in one of the numerous research facilities or with research faculty members.New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a world leader in numerous research areas such as astrophysics, hydrology, geophysics, atmospheric physics, geological sciences, information technology and more.Website: New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyTuition: $5,714Starting Salary: $50,500Mid-Career Salary: $99,50015-Year Return: $1,125,00016 Montana Tech Butte, MTMontana Tech of the University of Montana, a public institution, has a heavy focus on technical and scientific education. The school provides 40 academic programs. Students learn from professors (most of them have current industry experience) not from teaching assistants. The classes have an emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. Montana Tech has four main units: College of Technology; College of Letters, Sciences and Professional Studies; School of Mines and Engineering; and the Graduate School.Website: Montana TechTuition: $6,464Starting Salary: $63,100Mid-Career Salary: $83,70015-Year Return: $1,101,00017 University of Virginia Charlottesville, VAThe highly ranked University of Virginia, a public research university, offers a wide array of degree programs. The university’s graduate programs include the highly ranked School of Law and Medicine, Curry School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Darden School of Business Administration.Faculty members have received the Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Award, the Humboldt Awards, the National Book Award and Fulbright Fellowships. UNESCO has designated the University of Virginia campus a World Heritage Site.Website: The University of VirginiaTuition: $10,016Starting Salary: $51,000Mid-Career Salary: $95,70015-Year Return: $1,100,25018 Texas A&M University College Station, TXTexas A&M University, a public research institution, provides a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The school’s Cadet Corps is the nation’s largest ROTC program. Texas A&M University has highly ranked graduate offerings via its Mays Business School, Dwight Look College of Engineering and the College of Education and Human Development. Texas A&M University a prominent research university is among the nation’s top 25 for total research expenditures.Website: Texas A&M UniversityTuition: $9,006Starting Salary: $51,900Mid-Career Salary: $94,30015-Year Return: $1,096,50019 University of California – Irvine Irvine, CAUniversity of California, Irvine, a public research institution, offers a wide variety of graduate and undergraduate degree programs. The university has highly regarded graduate programs with specialty offerings at the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and the Paul Merage School of Business.Achievements in the sciences, arts, humanities, management and medicine have collected top national rankings in over 40 academic programs. The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher education has designated UC Irvine as having very high research activity.Website: University of California – IrvineTuition: $11,220Starting Salary: $48,900Mid-Career Salary: $97,20015-Year Return: $1,095,75020 University of California – Davis Davis, CAUniversity of California, Davis, a public research university, provides a wide variety of academic options through its graduate, undergraduate and professional schools and colleges. The University of California, Davis includes the highly ranked School of Law, Graduate School of Management, College of Engineering, School of Medicine and the School of Veterinary Medicine. The university offers a large number of undergraduate majors and graduate programs. UC Davis has an impressive research budget.Website: University of California – DavisTuition: $13,902Starting Salary: $49,000Mid-Career Salary: $97,00015-Year Return: $1,095,00021 Virginia Technological University Blacksburg, VAVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, also known as Virginia Tech, is a public institution providing a large number of degree programs through eight colleges, with strengths in technology, science, engineering as well as professional programs. The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets keeps the military tradition, but comprises only a small fraction of the student population.Virginia Tech is a prominent research school. All students, including undergraduates, have opportunities to benefit from research experiences. Virginia Tech includes the highly ranked College of Engineering.Website: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityTuition: $9,617Starting Salary: $51,700Mid-Career Salary: $94,20015-Year Return: $1,094,25022 University of California – Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAThe highly ranked University of California, Los Angeles, also known as UCLA, is a public university. UCLA includes high ranked schools such as the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies; Anderson School of Management; School of Law; Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Public Affairs; David Geffen School of Medicine, School of Public Health and the School of Nursing. The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is one of the nation’s top ranked hospitals.Website: University of California – Los AngelesTuition: $12,862Starting Salary: $49,600Mid-Career Salary: $95,30015-Year Return: $1,086,75023 Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OROregon Institute of Technology, also known as Oregon Tech, is a technical and professional public institution with a mission to provide technology education throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest region. Oregon Institute of Technology, traditionally known for its engineering and technology programs, also has programs in business, environmental science, management and health professions. Oregon Tech emphasizes sustainability in academic and campus life. The school also emphasizes lab-based instruction. The students can also learn through externships.Website: Oregon Institute of TechnologyTuition: $8,890Starting Salary: $57,000Mid-Career Salary: $86,60015-Year Return: $1,077,00024 Purdue University (Indiana) West Lafayette, INPurdue University, a public university, has a large number of undergraduate and graduate programs as well as renowned research initiatives. The university also has professional degrees in pharmacy and veterinary medicine.Purdue University includes the prominent Krannert School of Management, College of Education, College of Engineering and the College of Pharmacy. More than 20 of nation’s astronauts have Purdue degrees. Purdue University has the fourth largest international student population of all the universities in the United States.Website: Purdue UniversityTuition: $9,992Starting Salary: $54,200Mid-Career Salary: $89,10015-Year Return: $1,074,75025 Stony Brook University (State University of New York) Stony Brook, NYStony Brook University, a public institution and part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, offers a large number of majors, minors as well as combined-degree programs for undergraduates. The school also has numerous graduate degree programs.Freshmen belong to one of six undergraduate colleges organized based on students’ interests. Undergraduates have research opportunities. The university includes the highly ranked Stony Brook University Medical Center. Stony Brook University is a member of the elite Association of American Universities.Website: Stony Brook UniversityTuition: $5,870Starting Salary: $48,600Mid-Career Salary: $94,30015-Year Return: $1,071,75026 University of California – Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CAUniversity of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), a public research institution, has five schools and colleges. UCSB includes the Gervirtz Graduate School of Education, College of Engineering and the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management.Undergraduates at the University of California, Santa Barbara can apply for admissions to the College of Creative Studies, which emphasizes focused studies in one of eight areas: Chemistry, biology, biochemistry, art, literature, computer science, music composition, mathematics and physics.Website: University of California - Santa BarbaraTuition: $12,192Starting Salary: $46,300Mid-Career Salary: $96,20015-Year Return: $1,068,75027 University of Texas – Austin Austin, TXUniversity of Texas, Austin, a public research university, is one of the nation’s largest schools and offers a large number of degree programs. University of Texas, Austin, the flagship institution of the University of Texas System, includes the highly ranked College of Education, McCombs School of Business, College of Fine Arts, Cockrell School of Engineering, College of Pharmacy, School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. The university provides hundreds of study abroad programs.Website: The University of Texas at AustinTuition: $9,816Starting Salary: $50,400Mid-Career Salary: $91,70015-Year Return: $1,065,75028 San Jose State University San Jose, CASan Jose State University, a public institution, part of the California State University system, offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The school has strong programs in the fields of education, journalism, healthcare, social work, art and music. Popular areas of study among graduate students include education, engineering, library and information science, and social work. San Jose State University provides Silicon Valley companies with computer science, engineering and business graduates.Website: San Jose State UniversityTuition: $7,303Starting Salary: $50,500Mid-Career Salary: $90,40015-Year Return: $1,056,75029 University of Maryland – College Park College Park, MDUniversity of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), the flagship campus of Maryland’s university system offer more than 120 bachelor’s degrees and more than 100 graduate degrees. UMCP, strong in the sciences, has several schools and departments with records of excellence.UCMP has a strong research orientation. UCMP is involved in cooperative projects with the National Institute of Health, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Homeland Security. The Physical Science Complex has one of the world’s top quantum science laboratories.Website: University of Maryland – College ParkTuition: $9,162Starting Salary: $50,600Mid-Career Salary: $89,80015-Year Return: $1,053,00030 Rutgers University (New Brunswick, New Jersey) New Brunswick, NJRutgers University New Brunswick, a public institution, has five mini-campus named Cook, Douglass, Busch, College Avenue and Livingston. All the campuses have a unique environment. Busch Campus focuses mainly in academic areas related to the natural sciences. The Livingston Campus is home to the Rutgers Business School. The faculty at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, includes national and international experts in their field. Rutgers University, New Brunswick has more than 170 centers and institutes exploring a range of issues.Website: Rutgers University - New BrunswickTuition: $10,718Starting Salary: $49,700Mid-Career Salary: $90,40015-Year Return: $1,050,75031 University of Michigan – Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MIThe highly ranked University of Michigan, Ann Arbor provides a wide array of undergraduate and graduate degrees. The university includes the highly ranked College of Engineering, School of Education, Medical School, Law School, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, School of Nursing and the School of Public Health. The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a strong research institution, includes the Institute for Social Research, one of the world’s oldest and largest institutes for social sciences.Website: University of MichiganTuition: $12,948Starting Salary: $54,000Mid-Career Salary: $85,40015-Year Return: $1,045,50032 University of Washington – Seattle Seattle, WAUniversity of Washington, Seattle is the largest university on the west coast. The university includes the highly regarded School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Law, the Library and Information School, the College of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy. The university has strong programs in the liberal arts and sciences. More than a third of the University of Washington students enroll mostly or completely in online classes. The University of Washington is a major research school.Website: University of Washington – SeattleTuition: $12,397Starting Salary: $49,300Mid-Career Salary: $89,50015-Year Return: $1,041,00033 Clemson University (South Carolina) Clemson, SCClemson University, a public university and one of the nation’s major research schools, provides a variety of graduate and undergraduate degrees. Clemson University has many nationally ranked graduate programs. The university’s five colleges have more than 100 departments. The Calhoun Honors College educates gifted students who excelled in high school. Creative Inquiry, a unique form of undergraduate research, has a top priority at the university. Clemson University has a military presence.Website: Clemson UniversityTuition: $13,382Starting Salary: $49,000Mid-Career Salary: $89,70015-Year Return: $1,040,25034 George Mason University Fairfax, VAGeorge Mason University (GMU), a public university with several suburban campus locations, offers an array of undergraduate, graduate and professional programs from its colleges and schools. GMU includes the George Mason School of Law. George Mason University has strengths in the basic and applied sciences. George Mason University receives research support from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.Website: George Mason UniversityTuition: $9,908Starting Salary: $49,800Mid-Career Salary: $88,80015-Year Return: $1,039,50035 Southern Polytechnic State University (Georgia) Marietta, GASouthern Polytechnic State University, a public institution, offers a wide array of majors through its five schools: School of Arts and Sciences, School of Architecture and Construction Management, the School of Engineering, School of Computing and Software Engineering; and the School of Engineering Technology and Management.Southern Polytechnic University, part of the University System of Georgia, has a strong reputation in the areas of science, technology, engineering and related fields.Website: Southern Polytechnic State University Tuition: $5,388Starting Salary: $49,500Mid-Career Salary: $88,80015-Year Return: $1,037,25036 California State Polytechnic University – Pomona Pomona, CACalifornia State Polytechnic, Pomona, also known as Cal Poly Pomona, through eight colleges provides a variety of fields of study. The school has highly respected programs such as the engineering program. Cal Poly Pomona incorporates a learn-by-doing strategy into its project and presentation-based coursework. All of the academic areas utilize the teaching of theory through application. The students at Cal Poly Pomona also obtain a broad-based education via the general education program.Website: California State Polytechnic University – PomonaTuition: $5,472Starting Salary: $48,800Mid-Career Salary: $89,20015-Year Return: $1,035,00037 The College of William and Mary (Virginia) Williamsburg, VAThe Highly ranked College of William and Mary, a public institution, has a long history of liberal arts education. The college has a growing research and science curriculum with a commitment to undergraduate research. Undergraduates have opportunities to work with peers and experienced faculty mentors on projects.The College of William & Mary provides undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. The institutions highly ranked schools include the School of Education, Marshall-Wythe School of Law and the Mason School of Business.Website: College of William and MaryTuition: $10,428Starting Salary: $44,500Mid-Career Salary: $93,30015-Year Return: $1,033,50038 West Virginia U Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Montgomery, WVWest Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech), a public institution and a division of West Virginia University provides an array of baccalaureate degrees. WVU Tech has gained recognition for its academic programs, especially in STEM subjects. WVU Tech provides nationally renowned ABET accredited engineering programs.The school includes the Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering and Sciences and the College of Business, Humanities and Social Studies. The school’s strong STEM majors allows the school to provide high quality pre-professional programs.Website: West Virginia University Institute of TechnologyTuition: $5,808Starting Salary: $52,200Mid-Career Salary: $85,00015-Year Return: $1,029,00039 University of Minnesota – Twin Cities Minneapolis, MNUniversity of Minnesota, Twin Cities, a public research university and part of the University of Minnesota system, provides a large number of degree programs. Besides traditional degree programs the university offers bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctoral degree and specialty degrees completely online. The university includes the highly ranked College of Education and Human Development, the Carlson School of Management and the Law School. The University of Minnesota, Twin Cites has over 300 exchange programs around the world.Website: University of Minnesota Twin CitiesTuition: $12,060Starting Salary: $48,700Mid-Career Salary: $87,20015-Year Return: $1,019,25040 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NCNorth Carolina State University, also known as NC State, a public research institution, has received national and international rankings for its academic programs and research. NC State has an array of academic departments serving graduate students such as the highly ranked engineering school, well known for its nuclear and biological/agricultural engineering programs. NC State is part of the Research Triangle along with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University in Durham.Website: North Carolina State UniversityTuition: $8,206Starting Salary: $48,500Mid-Career Salary: $86,80015-Year Return: $1,014,75041 University of Arizona Tucson, AZUniversity of Arizona, a public research university offers a large number of academic and professional programs. The university includes the prestigious School of Public Administration and Policy, College of Engineering, College of Nursing and the Eller College of Management.Programs such as geosciences, management information systems and rehabilitation counseling have received high rankings. The university’s Department of Astronomy has received recognition as one of the best in the world. The university is a member of the Association of American Universities.Website: University of ArizonaTuition: $10,390Starting Salary: $48,400Mid-Career Salary: $86,90015-Year Return: $1,014,75042 University of Delaware Newark, DEUniversity of Delaware, includes seven colleges. Although the university receives public funding it has a private charter. The university provides a large number graduate degree programs. The highly ranked College of Engineering and the School of Education provide graduate programs. The university of Delaware also provides a large number of undergraduate programs. Students in the school’s nationally acclaimed Undergraduate Research Program work with faculty members as research assistants.Website: University of Delaware Tuition: $12,112Starting Salary: $50,300Mid-Career Salary: $85,00015-Year Return: $1,014,75043 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, ILThe University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a public research university, is one of the universities with the highest research classification from the Carnegie Foundation. Through the UIC Undergraduate Research Experience, college students can pair up with a faculty mentor and create a research project in an array of academic areas.UIC includes the recognized College of Education, Liautaud Graduate School of Business and an engineering school. The Honors College resembles a small liberal arts college situated in a large research university.Website: University of Illinois at ChicagoTuition: $10,406Starting Salary: $48,200Mid-Career Salary: $86,80015-Year Return: $1,012,50044 University of Alabama – Huntsville Huntsville, ALUniversity of Alabama, Huntsville, also known as UA Huntsville, is a public university and part of the University of Alabama System. The university is located in the Cummings Research Park, a major international center for advanced technological research. The school’s location provides faculty members and students unique opportunities. The university also helps NASA reach its goals. The University of Alabama, Huntsville has received recognition for its engineering and science programs.Website: University of Alabama - HuntsvilleTuition: $9,192Starting Salary: $49,600Mid-Career Salary: $85,10015-Year Return: $1,010,25045 University of Houston Houston, TXThe University of Houston, a public research university, operates more than 40 research centers and institutes on campus. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Houston as a Tier One research university. The University of Houston Law Center has received recognition for its intellectual property law, healthcare law and part-time law programs. The university also includes the Cullen College of Engineering, the C.T. Bauer College of Business and other graduate schools.Website: University of HoustonTuition: $9,318Starting Salary: $49,500Mid-Career Salary: $85,20015-Year Return: $1,010,25046 Miami University (Ohio) Oxford, OHMiami University, a public research university, provides a wide variety of graduate and undergraduate degrees. Graduate and undergraduate students have numerous opportunities to perform research. Miami University ranks first among public colleges in the United States for the rate of undergraduate students who study abroad.Miami University has the following academic divisions: The School of Education; College of Arts and Science; School of Engineering and Applied Science; College of Education, Health and Society; the Farmer School of Business and the School of Creative Arts, College of Professional Studies and Applied Sciences and the Graduate School.Website: Miami University of OhioTuition: $13,266Starting Salary: $47,300Mid-Career Salary: $87,20015-Year Return: $1,008,75047 Binghamton University (State University of New York) Binghamton, NYBinghamton, SUNY, a public research institution, has a dedication to undergraduate education. The school also provides graduate degrees from the highly ranked Department of Public Administration, Department of History and the Department of Psychology.Binghamton University has gained recognition for its sustainability efforts. The university has one of the nation’s largest study abroad programs. Binghamton University emphasis entrepreneurship via its Entrepreneurship Across the Curriculum program. Binghamton University consists of six schools.Website: Binghamton University (State University of New York)Tuition: $6,170Starting Salary: $47,200Mid-Career Salary: $86,90015-Year Return: $1,005,75048 Baruch College (City University of New York) New York City, NYCUNY, Bernard M Baruch College, known as Baruch College has three schools providing graduate and undergraduate programs: The Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, Zicklin School of Business and the School of Public Affairs. The Zicklin School of Business is one of the nation’s largest business schools and its received AACSB accreditation.The Division of Continuing and Professional Studies provides many non-degree and certificate courses. Baruch College provides solid education in business, the arts and sciences and professional education.Website: Baruch College (City University of New York)Tuition: $5,730Starting Salary: $48,500Mid-Career Salary: $85,40015-Year Return: $1,004,25049 Auburn University (Alabama) Auburn, ALAuburn University, a public university, offers more than 140 degree programs. Auburn University has highly ranked programs in the fields of pharmacy, architecture, engineering, veterinary science, forestry and business. Auburn University has graduated six astronauts. The university emphasizes international education.Auburn University has a global impact via modern agricultural extension as well as forestry/wildlife programs. The university provides vital research in the sciences, mathematics, pharmaceutical, nursing, education and human science areas.Website: Auburn UniversityTuition: $9,852Starting Salary: $45,500Mid-Career Salary: $87,90015-Year Return: $1,000,50050 James Madison University (Virginia) Harrisonburg, VAJames Madison University, a public research university, offers a large number of graduate and undergraduate degree programs. The university has its main emphasis on undergraduate students. James Madison University offers an education with a foundation based on a wide range of liberal arts.James Madison University has an extensive variety of professional and pre-professional programs enhanced by numerous learning experiences outside of the classroom. James Madison University has a strong study abroad program as well as exchange programs via partner institutions throughout the world.Website: James Madison UniversityTuition: $9,176Starting Salary: $48,000Mid-Career Salary: $85,20015-Year Return: $999,000The 20 Public Colleges With The Smartest StudentsPeter JacobsWith the rapidly rising price of college tuition, many top students are realizing you don't need to pay an arm and a leg for a quality education, and that state schools are just as great.The College of William and Mary is the public college with the smartest students, according to data put together by Niche. To compile this ranking, we looked at Niche's lists of smartest girls and smartest guys.We've included student quotes from Niche to illustrate the student intellect and academic caliber of each school.#20 University of Florida — Gainesville, FloridaAP Photo/John Raoux"I'm busy! But it's manageable. My program focuses on making connections among peers and professors, so we are a very close-knit bunch that provides each other with support whenever it's needed. Having the same classes with peers and professors allows close bonds to develop that will last a lifetime."Visit Niche for more on University of Florida.#19 SUNY Geneseo — Geneseo, New YorkVia Wikimedia Commons"This school is very rigorous and hard. However you know that you are getting an amazing education and are being taught by some of the best people. The workload is also tough but it's nothing you can't handle. As long as you keep on top of your work you will succeed."Visit Niche for more on SUNY Geneseo.#18 New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology — Socorro, New MexicoVia Flickr"There are a lot of classes and opportunities for extra-curricular activities. There are also a lot of people and professors that are included in the real-world of your future occupation and you can ask them to help you or include you in their research."Visit Niche for more on New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology.#17 California Polytechnic State University — San Luis Obispo, CaliforniaVia Wikimedia Commons"You literally learn by doing and it's the best. I actually remember the things I learn when I applied them in class and labs. It's awesome. Having to take GE's sucks, but it always does. Major courses are super awesome."Visit Niche for more on California Polytechnic State University — San Luis Obispo.#16 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Urbana-Champaign, IllinoisFlickr/VSmithUK"There are many hard working students at University of Illinois. Since there are over 40,000 students, you'll find all sorts of people of your interest and similarities."Visit Niche for more on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.#15 University of California, San Diego — San Diego, CaliforniaVia Flickr"The quality of people at the university is superb; intelligent, attractive, bright, and all extremely hard-working and sociable."Visit Niche for more on University of California, San Diego.#14 University of Wisconsin — Madison, WisconsinVia Flickr"Everyone here is very intelligent and extremely hard working. With all the hard work does come with a lot of fun ranging from fraternity events to football games to laying out on Bascom Hill, the people at this university are amazing to say the least."Visit Niche for more on University of Wisconsin — Madison.#13 Truman State University — Kirksville, MissouriVia Wikimedia Commons"The academics at Truman definitely keep students busy but aren't unmanageable especially with a staff that is, for the most part, open and more than willing in aiding in student success."Visit Niche for more on Truman State University.#12 University of California, Davis — Davis, CaliforniaVia Wikimedia Commons"My professors are all so knowledgeable and helpful and most TAs are really great and helpful as well. The curriculum are great. I always feel challenged."Visit Niche for more on University of California, Davis.#11 Michigan Technological University — Houghton, MichiganVia Wikimedia Commons"I love my professors — all of them seem dedicated to their job, as well as understanding. The workload is more than most schools, but the best isn't the easiest!"Visit Niche for more on Michigan Technological University.#10 University of Maryland, Baltimore County — Baltimore, MarylandVia Wikimedia Commons"UMBC is a very good school with heavy emphasis on the sciences. Most students are either science majors or are science majors who want to be doctors. Obviously most students are very serious about their academics."Visit Niche for more on University of Maryland, Baltimore County.#9 New College of Florida — Sarasota, FloridaVia Flickr"Unlike most other undergrad programs, New College puts you in direct contact with your professors- who actively encourage you to visit them to talk about the classes and possible projects. If you have a dream, New College will work with you to make it happen."Visit Niche for more on New College of Florida.#8 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, North CarolinaGrant Halverson/Getty Images"Heavy workload, but manageable. Professors are simply the best in their field. Popular study areas are biology, psychology, business."Visit Niche for more on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.#7 Colorado School of Mines — Golden, ColoradoVia Flickr"Mines is great on the academic side. The work load is difficult but reasonable. The professors are all very invested in your process of learning and provide plenty of help for your success. The curriculum is well known around the country for being one of the best in Engineering."Visit Niche for more on Colorado School of Mines.#6 University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, MichiganGregory Shamus/Getty Images"I'm not exaggerating when I say the academics here are 'the best.' They truly push students to grow and push past limits they place on themselves. The environment is so conducive to learning and there are so many places to meet up with friends, lab partners, or members of a group project to get all your work done."Visit Niche for more on University of Michigan — Ann Arbor.#5 University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CaliforniaVia Wikimedia Commons"There are students from different backgrounds whom which I learn a lot from. There is a lot of reading but it's interesting and doable. There are also a lot of internship opportunities, as well as scholarship opportunities."Visit Niche for more on University of California, Los Angeles.#4 University of Virginia — Charlottesville, VirginiaVia Wikimedia Commons"The academics here are stellar. Brilliant, engaging, helpful professors are the norm. Though I don't have experience with faculty in every department, my first hand combined with what I've heard from friends points towards high quality across the board."Visit Niche for more on University of Virginia.#3 Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, GeorgiaScott Cunningham/Getty Images"I think there is nothing sexier than intelligence in both men and women, and the good thing about Tech is that most everyone is smart here."Visit Niche for more on Georgia Institute of Technology.#2 University of California, Berkeley — Berkeley, CaliforniaVia Wikimedia Commons"Berkeley is nationally ranked in almost every academic discipline. If you want great academics at a fraction of the cost of an Ivy, then look no further."Visit Niche for more on University of California, Berkeley.#1 College of William & Mary — Williamsburg, VirginiaAP Photo/Scott K. Brown"Studying at William and Mary is strongly emphasized. Everyone pushes themselves to work hard and get good grades. Those who go above and beyond are highly respected. We pride ourselves on our studying habits and our willingness to work hard to learn. We like to feel challenged."Visit Niche for more on College of William and Mary.

Q. What is the best school for premed: Cornell, Duke, Northwestern or Dartmouth?A. Why rankings are meaningless, followed by rankings. All four schools you listed are outstanding, highly regarded and have excellent record of sending well-prepared (well credentialed) successful applicants/matriculants to medical schools. And you stand a better chance of getting admitted into their own highly ranked medical schools (except Cornell’s is in NYC, not Ithaca). Choose one that fits you.Undergraduate medical school acceptance rate stats are meaninglessCM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students (College Magazine)Top Premed Colleges (college.lovetoknow.com)by MCAT and GPAby Student ApplicationsBest Universities for Pre-Med Students: List of Top Schools (Student.com)Colleges That Produce the Most DoctorsPre-Med Choice of Undergraduate College Does Affect Med School Chances: What to ConsiderTop 20 Pre-Med Schools in America - Education AmericaUndergraduate medical school acceptance rate stats are meaninglessMany parents of aspiring doctors have asked me how they can choose the optimal college for medical school acceptance. The answer is simple -- there is no answer.By David Thomas, Photo by Damon SacksRecently, the mom of a high school student asked me if I could, as an educational consultant, supply her with a list of colleges and universities that had high rates of acceptance to medical school. She had found a number of them via Colleges That Change Lives. She stumbled onto others via internet searches.In my capacity as both a college and medical school admissions consultant, I have been asked to supply lists like these many times. The problem is always the same; it's impossible.Why? Many colleges boast high medical acceptance rates that are practically meaningless, since each school uses its own methodology to calculate the statistics, creating wildly misleading results.Some colleges only calculate the number of students who were accepted to medical school using the college's officially sanctioned Pre-Med Committee. So if 100 students declare freshman year that they are applying to medical school, 50 drop out after not doing well on prerequisites, 20 get a high-enough GPA to qualify for a Committee Letter, and 18 of those 20 get into medical school. So the school claims a 90% acceptance rate, but could as easily claim a rate of 18%. Cornell is a great example of a school like this.But wait, it gets more complicated. Some of the students apply without a committee letter -- let's say 30. And 10 of those get in, meaning out of the ACTUAL APPLICANTS to medical school, 28 out of 50 got in, which yields a 56% acceptance rate. So depending on how you look at it, 18%, 56% or 90% of Cornell applicants get into medical school.And of course, some colleges do not have a Pre-Med Committee. In those cases, schools usually publish simple acceptance rates. Because of the statistical gamesmanship, these schools can appear to have worse rates of acceptance but actually have BETTER rates!The sad truth is this; MED SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE STATS ARE UTTERLY MEANINGLESS. Medical school admissions usually starts with a computer-screening process, and computers don’t weight GPAs differently (at least, not yet). In other words, a 3.9 GPA from Fresno State will always trump a 3.5 from Cornell in this process. Once the Secondary Essays are received, and humans begin to get involved in the screening process, then the subjective factors are considered (as in all admissions).So what is important? DO WELL AS AN UNDERGRAD—wherever you are. How well you do in college is more important than where you went to college. And the existence of a premed committee doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get better advising there. In fact, the advantages and disadvantages of a premed committee can balance each other out.Medical school admissions is incredibly nuanced and tricky, and I've just barely given the tiniest example of its complexities. But first and foremost? Ignore the acceptance-rate stats. They are meaningless.CM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students - College MagazineBy Alyssa Aguero |March 21, 2016As exciting (and scandalous) as Grey’s Anatomy may be, becoming a doctor is no walk in the park. But before you even begin thinking about what medical schoolyou want to go to, you’ll have to survive undergrad first. While pre-med isn’t exactly a major, many universities offer a track that’ll prepare you for med school. Pre-med clubs, shadowing opportunities and special programs should be considered when you’re deciding how you want to begin your medical career. College Magazine took some of the load off your shoulders (you guys have a lot of work ahead of you) and ranked the top universities for pre-med students.1. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILLNinety percent of UNC’s students who apply to medical school get in…let that sink in for a second. One of this university’s gems is their 9-week Medical Education Development (MED) summer program. This rigorous program allows students to shadow physicians and participate in lectures and seminars for professional development. MED also mirrors a first-year medical student curriculum—it’s like getting a little taste of med school. Although there is no specific pre-med track at UNC, these students still receive a lot of guidance. “I think that the way all pre-med students, regardless of their declared majors, are accommodated and assisted throughout the process is [unique],” said Danielle Jamieson, a psychology and Hispanic linguistics senior.2. GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYThe pre-med students at GWU aren’t limited to studying within the U.S. The university offers a study abroad program in the United Kingdom where students are given the option to either study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. GWU also offers an all-in-one program where students can earn their bachelor’s degree and medical degree. However, this is a selective program. Only students who have demonstrated leadership and academic excellence, and have healthcare experience are permitted in this program. These lucky students get their MCAT waived and are admitted into GWU’s Medical School at a fixed tuition (big emphasis on lucky students).GWU offers an all in one program that leads to BA/MD. Program is based on academic excellence, healthcare experience, community service and demonstrated leadership. Incoming freshman are admitted into George Washington Medical at a fixed tuition rate; MCAT is waived.3. HARVARD UNIVERSITYEver wish you had a mentor who was also a doctor and always available for you? Well, Harvard does for their pre-med students. “At Harvard, we have three separate pre-medical advisers, one of whom is a doctor, available at any time, in addition to a pre-medical advisor who lives in the same dorm as you once you get to sophomore year, which is not common at other colleges,” said Bryan Peaker, a freshman studying human developmental and regenerative biology. And the advising doesn’t stop there. Harvard has a handbook for students on the pre-med track that tells them what classes they need to take, when to take them and how to get into medical school.4. BOSTON UNIVERSITYRemember when Charlie got a golden ticket to get into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? This is a similar case for the students at BU, except instead of a chocolate factory it’s med school. With their Early Assurance Program, students are guaranteed a ticket (provisional admission) into BU’s Medical School. This university also offers a duel liberal arts and medical degree path that gives students the chance to earn both their Bachelor of Arts and medical degree in seven years, as apposed to eight. To get into their accelerated program (different from the early assurance one) you need to complete the SAT or ACT plus Writing and SAT Subject Tests in Chemistry Math 2 and, if you’re feeling brave, Foreign Language. This place keeps sounding more and more like a chocolate factory.5. GEORGETOWNImagine finding out you got into medical school during your sophomore year of college—that’s what we call a stress reliever. The pre-med students at Georgetown get this privilege with the university’s Early Assurance Program. This program is for students who want to attend Georgetown’s School of Medicine and have excelled in their studies and have completed four semesters and classes in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry. These brainiacs can apply at the end of their sophomore year if they have completed four semesters at Georgetown and have taken four pre-med courses. Another plus from this program is that the students’ MCAT is waived. Georgetown also has a few pre-med clubs like the Pre-Medical Society and the Pre-Dental Society. The Pre-Medical society not only provides advising for pre-med students, but also sponsors mock interviews and brings in guest speakers from the medical field to talk to the student members.Georgetown allows undergraduate students to gain the training needed to meet medical school criteria; program is part of the degree curriculum. A Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program is also available for bachelor degree holders who lack core Pre-Med Science courses.6. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYSome say the best learning happens outside of the classroom, and that’s the case at Johns Hopkins University. Occasionally the professors let their students into their labs for research. The students here can get even more outside learning by taking a 15-minute shuttle ride to Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, where they can shadow doctors and conduct research. With all these opportunities, the pre-med students here don’t feel the need to compete with each other. “As undergrads, we encourage and assist each other in all of our coursework. [It’s] definitely not a cut-throat, competitive environment like some say,” said George Bugarinovic, a public health and natural sciences senior.JHU offers a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program for all medical specializations. Program is offered on the undergraduate campus, School of Medicine and at the School of Public Health; students are able to carve out their own area of study.7. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAIf you’re in no rush to start med school, you’ve stumbled upon the perfect university. U Penn doesn’t believe in giving their pre-med students a fast track path into medical school. They want their students to complete their degree in four years so they can take additional classes that will make them more prepared for med school and beyond. U Penn is also located near several large medical institutes, like the Pennsylvania Hospital, which provide them with opportunities to shadow doctors and volunteer at hospitals. Clearly, this university knows what it’s doing since 76 percent of U Penn students get into medical school.U Penn offers a few Post Baccalaureate programs, two are relevant to the study of medicine; these include the Pre Health Core Studies and the Pre Health Specialized Studies. Both programs are very selective and pave way for further medical studies.8. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONAs one of the top medical schools in the nation, it’s no surprise that the University of Washington has one of the best pre-med tracks in the nation as well. With a large number of premedical clubs (Alpha Epsilon Delta is a big one) and numerous shadowing opportunities, these students will be wearing white coats in no time. “The shadowing opportunities and your ability to get into research your freshman year is unreal, it’s [one] you can’t get everywhere. My winter quarter of my freshman year I got to shadow a mitral valve replacement [surgeon],” said Alec Sullivan, a competitive history of ideas sophomore.9. CORNELL UNIVERSITYHere’s a shocker: another Ivy landed on our list. With its two-year pre-med track program, Cornell prepares students by offering courses—introductory biology and chemistry courses to name a few—on sciences that are related to medicine. Students also have the chance to volunteer at the Cayuga Medical Center—a non-profit hospital right by the university. One of Cornell’s greatest resources is their PATCH club—a student-run organization that brings together pre-med and pre-health students. PATCH welcomes all pre-health students and offers a supportive environment and beneficial opportunities for its members such as bringing in guest speakers to talk about their experience in the health care field.10. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITYThe pre-med track is not an easy one, and Northwestern University gets that. Its pre-med peer mentor program (NU PPMP) selects upperclassmen with a strong academic standing to guide and support underclassmen on the pre-med track. This university is also big on research. Students are allowed to conduct their own independent study.“I joined a lab for two years and was able to take a really active role in research and actually got a Nature publication out of my time there,” said Jane Wang, biology major and 2014 graduate.NWU offers study abroad programs in the United Kingdom; students may elect to study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. A Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is also offered to those hoping to complete the course work required for medical school.Top Premed CollegesBy Joe ThomasTop premed colleges can be ranked several ways, but the title of best academic program is indicative of the overall quality of medical students that a premed college produces. There are several ways to rank top premed colleges, such as MCAT and GPA, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores or applications received, but the fact remains that you should find a school that is a good fit for your personality and in a location you would enjoy attending. Some feel that for many students, their success, or lack of it, might be largely unrelated to the individual medical school.Using Student Scores and GPAWhen you consider MCAT scores that are greater than 31.5 and GPAs of greater than 3.5, the list gets narrower and can give you a better indication of competitive med schools that turn out the highest achievers and therefore, get more prestigious academic acknowledgement. The average USMLE scores are better statistics to consider than USMLE pass rates, but med schools don't publish board scores for confidentiality reasons. There are some premed colleges that have high pass rates, but lower average USMLE scores. It is a combination of several factors that make up the top premed colleges on this listing of colleges.The Ten Top Premed Colleges by MCAT and GPAWashington University St. Louis: 1 Children's Place, #4S20, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, Phone (314) 454-6120, http://www.medschool.wustl.eduHarvard Medical School: 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone (617) 432-1000, http://www.hms.harvard.edu/hmsJohn Hopkins University School of Medicine: 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, Phone (410) 955-5000, Home | Johns Hopkins UniversityVanderbilt School of Medicine: 215 Light Hall, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, Phone (615) 322-2145 Vanderbilt University School of MedicineYale School of Medicine: 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, Phone (203-785-2696), Yale School of MedicineDuke University School of Medicine: DUMC 3710, Durham, North Carolina 27710, Phone (919) 684-2985, Office of M.D. AdmissionsStanford School of Medicine: 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, Phone (650) 723-4000, Stanford MedicineMayo Medical School: 200 First Street S.W., Rochester Minnesota 55905, Phone (507) 284-2316, Mayo ClinicNew York University: 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, Phone (212) 263-7300, Education and TrainingUniversity of Pennsylvania: Suite 100, Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, Phone (215)898-8001, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaRankings of Premed Colleges by Student ApplicationsThe number of student applications gives an indication of the most popular choices made by premed students, but a larger portion of students will not be admitted due to admissions limits. Harvard and Stanford also make this listing, but the other eight choices are not in the top ten that are ranked by MCAT and GPA scores.University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine: 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90095, Phone (310) 825-4321, University of CaliforniaUniversity of California: 110 Sproul Hall, #5800, Berkeley, California 94720, Phone (510) 642-6000, University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of Michigan Medical School: 1301 Catherine Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, Phone (734) 763-9600, Michigan MedicineUniversity of Texas Medical School: 6431 Fannin Street, MSB G420 Houston, Texas, Phone (713) 500-5116, http://www.uth.tmc.eduUniversity of Florida Gainesville: P.O. Box 100235, Gainesville, Florida 32610, Phone (352) 273-7500, University of FloridaUniversity of California San Diego: 9500 Gilman Drive, LaJolla, CA 92093, Phone (858) 534-2230, University of California San DiegoHarvard School of Medicine: 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone (617) 432-1000, http://www.hms.harvard.edu/hmsUniversity of Wisconsin Madison: 750 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, Phone (608) 265-6344, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Virginia School of Medicine: P.O. Box 800725, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, Phone (434) 924-5571, UVA Health SystemUniversity of Illinois Medical School: 601 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois, Phone (312) 996-7000, http://ww.uic.eduStanford School of Medicine: 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, Phone (650) 723-4000, Stanford MedicineChoosing a CollegeThere are many fine colleges for premed students and while some names are more recognizable than others, there is a good selection in a variety of regions across the country. The best advice when searching for the premed college choices that offer the best programs, is to find the ones that are best suited to all facets of your life and your medical education goals. Accredited colleges offer similar basic programs, but some might offer more specialized courses that are tailored to different healthcare fields. This is a consideration that most premed students use when determining the best premed college to meet their medical career goals.Best Universities for Pre-Med Students: List of Top SchoolsAlthough medical schools are often indifferent to an applicant's major, they usually look for prerequisite coursework in general and organic chemistry, biology, English, and physics. A strong undergraduate grade point average and competitive Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores can also help students gain entry to a good medical or dental school. Some of the best universities for pre-med students include Harvard University, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and the University of Pennsylvania, all of which are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report.Harvard University in Cambridge, MAHarvard University was ranked as the best medical research school for 2015 by U.S. News World Report. It is an Ivy League institution and has over a dozen groups for pre-med students, such as the Harvard Premedical Society, Harvard Hippocratic Society, and Latinos in Health Careers. The Office of Career Services provides pre-med planning for undergraduate students who want to apply to medical school upon graduation. Harvard also assists students in planning for careers in dental medicine, public health and advanced nursing.University of North Carolina in Chapel HillAs designated by U.S News & World Report in 2015, the University of North Carolina's medical program ranked second in primary care. Pre-med students get assistance from the Health Professions Advising Office in choosing programs and classes, applying to medical schools, and preparing for the MCAT. UNC also offers the Medical Education Development program (MED), a rigorous 9-week summer program for select students that mirrors a first-year medical school curriculum. Of the MED students who apply to medical school, 90% are accepted.The University of North Carolina has an active chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-professional health honor society.University of Pennsylvania in PhiladelphiaIn 2015, US News & World Report ranked the University of Pennsylvania eighth among national universities and fifth for medical research. A member of the Ivy League, this university offers advising and planning for undergraduate students preparing to attend allopathic or osteopathic medical schools. It also offers guidance for students interested in dental school. Through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, Penn also provides a post-baccalaureate, pre-health program for students who have earned an undergraduate degree in a non-science major or who want to be better prepared for advanced medical study.The University is home to several medical research institutes studying Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and AIDS, as well as cardiovascular health, developmental biology, and head injuries.Top Schools for Pre-Med StudentsLet's take a look at some of the other top schools for pre-med students.Columbia University in New York, NY provides a comprehensive pre-medical handbook for students planning a pre-med curriculum. Columbia University offers a Post-Bachelor Premedical program that is considered the oldest and largest in the United States. Students from the program make up 90% of placement in American medical programs; program provides linkage to Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.Cornell University in Ithaca, NY was named 11th best university in the world by the Center for World University Rankings.Johns Hopkins University encourages students to take a year off between undergraduate and medical school to gain additional experiences or conduct research. The school is located in Baltimore, MD.Northwestern University, located in Evanston, IL, has an undergraduate research grants program that provides pre-med students with funding to conduct independent research.The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in Minneapolis, MN offers an online interactive workshop for students called Planning for Medical School.The University of Washington in Seattle, WA has an online guide to help students prepare for medical school admissions.The University of Wisconsin - Madison advises students wishing to pursue studies in physical or occupational therapy, pharmacology, physician assistance, and nursing in addition to medicine and dentistry.The best university for pre-med studies really depends on what you want from a school, because each of the top-ranked schools has unique aspects that help to make it one of the best.Colleges That Produce the Most DoctorsBy Nick Selbe on September 24, 2015In the coming months, pre-med undergraduates at colleges across the country will be preparing to apply for medical school.But where are most of the medical school applications coming from? StartClass set out to find which undergraduate schools produce the most medical school applications.The data comes from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The AAMC notes that the data is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as an assessment of an institution's pre-medical educational or advisory programs.Another caveat for this list is that schools with larger overall student bodies will obviously have more medical school applicants than smaller schools. Though the list is not a ranking of the best premedical schools, it is helpful to know which schools have the most aspiring doctors.#1 UCLA (919)#2 Michigan (825)#3 UC Berkeley (769)#4 UF (760)#5 UT Austin#6 UCSD#7 Cornell (509)#8 U Georgia (481)#9 Ohio State (473)#10 U Wisconsin - Madison (456)#11 BYU (450)#12 UIUC (427)#13 UC Davis (427)#14 U Washington (417)# 15 Texas A&M (411)#16 UNC (394)#17 JHU (390)#18 Duke (387)# 19 Emory (386)# 20 Rutgers (385)#21 UVA (368)#22 U Maryland - College Park (365)#23 Wash U (354)#24 U Arizona (353)#25 U Miami (348)#26 U Notre Dame (344)#27 Michigan State (343)#28 NYU (339)#28 U Penn (339)#30 Harvard (323)Pre-Med Choice of Undergraduate College Does Affect Med School Chances: What to ConsiderPosted on January 27, 2017 by Cheryl — 22 Comments ↓(Updated 2016) Some maintain that it doesn’t matter which undergraduate college you go to, as long as you get a top GPA and MCAT score. That’s wishful thinking. While high numbers are essential no matter where you go, once med schools look beyond their MCAT/GPA cut-offs, their decisions are impacted by where you attend undergraduate college, just as residency decisions are affected by which med school you attend. It’s not so much the school’s name, but the resources that it offers, that make the choice of undergraduate college so essential.This post is a long one because there are many things to consider. So, get comfy and read on.Look Closer When You’re Pre-MedPre-meds have to consider more than the basic college selection criteria — a good fit socially, the right size, talented professors, a decent location, etc. A pre-med also needs tools and opportunities that the average college undergraduate doesn’t, such as chances for research and publication, guidance from a knowledgeable pre-med adviser and, if possible, a letter of evaluation from a pre-med advisory committee. In fact, my son, AC, was so convinced the undergraduate college mattered, that he decided to transfer from his good, solid state university to a more pre-med focused university. That new college had the resources to better prepare him for the demanding medical specialty and top research med schools he hoped to (and eventually did) attend. Here’s what he considered:History of Med School Admissions. Even as a freshman, AC had an idea of what specialty he wanted to get into, and which med schools would help him get there. But after doing research, including discussions with his college advisers and professors, and Internet searches on class profiles for various med schools, he found that almost no one from his college had gone to those schools. It could have been that no one from his college had applied – that wouldn’t have been surprising considering how few pre-meds were on campus. Or, it could have been that those from his college who had applied had not gotten in. Either way, that lack of a connection between his undergraduate college and his target med schools was a concern. Such history, or lack of it, is one factor to look at in considering an undergraduate college.2008.11.25 – The physician by Adrian Clark (Flickr Creative Commons)Availability of a Comprehensive Pre-Med Advisory Committee Program. While many undergraduate colleges do not have pre-med advisory committees, there is a significant benefit to those that do. An established pre-med committee program offers expert advice and guidance as to course selection, application development, and application processing throughout the undergraduate years. An experienced pre-med adviser will protect you from rooky mistakes such as taking your organic chem classes during the summer (most med schools don’t like that) or assuming your high school AP chemistry credits will satisfy the pre-med chemistry requirement (it probably won’t).Most valuable are those committees that provide a committee letter of evaluation, which med schools prefer over only individual recommendation letters. The pre-med committee letter is given after the student provides information on his activities and research, sometimes a draft of his med school essay, and even a med school style interview with one or more committee members or other faculty. Some medical schools have relationships with certain pre-med committees, which could make a great letter from one of those committees have greater weight. Overall, an experienced pre-med committee can be invaluable, and whether your potential undergraduate college has one is an important consideration.Availability of Pre-Med Living-Learning Communities. Some colleges offer pre-med living-learning communities, much like honors communities, where pre-meds are grouped together in dorms and offered medicine-related programs. AC’s first undergraduate college did have one, and it was one of the most valuable aspects of his freshman year there. Although it had just a handful of pre-med students, the learning community offered AC exposure to other pre-meds and health professionals, presentations about and by some med schools, and community service or clinical opportunities.Pre-Med Honor Societies.. Alpha Epsilon Delta is the national honor society for pre-meds. Check to see whether your prospective college has a chapter. AC was a member of a chapter in his freshman year, and found it helpful both in meeting more pre-meds and in planning events of interest to aspiring physicians. Just be careful not to spend too much time attending meetings that won’t necessarily advance your goal to become a doctor. While groups like this can have value, especially for people who aren’t positive they want to commit to medicine, if you must choose between going to a meeting and taking part in another meaningful activity that you love, choose what you love. Being passionate about something is attractive to med schools, which seek students who will become passionate doctors.National Eye Institute : Documenting Research Findings (Flickr Creative Commons)Availability of Research Opportunities. Pre-meds, especially those planning on a research (as opposed to a primary care) medical school, need some type of research experience, preferably in an area that relates to medicine. Undergraduate schools with significant research money and a willingness to get their students into research early on, are much more valuable to such pre-meds than colleges with only small pots of research money.Potential for Publication. In addition to research opportunities, a pre-med planning on attending a research medical school benefits from a chance to publish. Generally, universities with significant research money have more publication opportunities than universities that aren’t heavy on research funding.Availability of Clinical Experience. Pre-meds, especially those interested in primary care, need opportunities to get clinical experience. Colleges with nearby hospitals or clinics could offer that potential.Rigor of the Curriculum. Top med schools often list a rigorous curriculum as a selection factor. When looking at colleges, ask these questions: Are the hard science courses strong enough that they will help prepare you for the MCAT? Are high-level science courses such as genetics or neuroscience offered? (Small, humanities-focused liberal arts colleges may not offer them.) Is the college recognized by inclusion in chapters of highly selective honor societies? Does it actively promote and advance its students to become scholars for exclusive programs such as the Fulbright or Goldwater? Med school committee members, like everyone else, are impressed with those types of honors. Does your potential undergraduate college nurture them?I can’t read a word of this essay of yours. Excellent WorkOther Considerations. There are plenty of people who want to chime in on which universities are the best for pre-meds. Online Colleges, Schools, Universities and Scholarships reviews by America edu - compiled a list of its “Top 20 Pre-Med Schools in America.” College Magazine published a Top 10 list in its 2015 “CM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students.” And there are endless discussions about which are the best pre-med schools on forums such as College Confidential.But there are many very personal questions you need to answer before choosing your school. For example, becoming immersed in a predominantly and aggressively pre-med culture could narrow and skew your view of the world. How would that impact you as a person and an aspiring doctor? Also, the top pre-med colleges sometimes have a very competitive, almost cutthroat atmosphere, and some schools are very harsh in their grading. Will you will be able to thrive and pull the top grades you need from such a college? Consider seriously that your plans to be a doctor could end if you can’t get the grades you need for med school acceptance from that top pre-med college. You must know yourself well when choosing your pre-med college, just as you must in making the decision to pursue a career in medicine.Interview Groups told AC the Real Story: Your Undergrad College MattersGotCredit: College (Flickr Creative Commons)There are numerous debates on whether the undergraduate college you choose is important to your success with getting into med school. Some people charge that it’s all about “name dropping,” and that private schools perpetuate the myth that their degrees hold more value than less expensive public universities. The subject has been hotly debated in the college and student doctor forums. For example, see The Student Doctor Network’s “The Effect of Undergrad School on Med School Acceptance,” and “Theory: Admissions at Medical School DO Care Where You Went to Undergrad,” and Student Doc’s “Does Undergrad Prestige Carry Any Weight in Admissions?”But for AC, the tale was told when he did his interviews at a half-dozen of the best med schools in the country, and found one similarity: “I was meeting kids from the same schools over and over. They were from the Ivys, the public Ivys, and other top, very selective undergraduate colleges. I almost never met applicants from regular state schools. I know this isn’t a scientific way to make the conclusion, and I know so many of the best doctors and minds come from state schools and community colleges, but what I saw repeatedly in my interviews convinced me that coming from a top-ranked university with a lot of resources seemed to be a prerequisite for interviews at the top med schools.”Maximize the Resources of Your CollegeCollege Gameday by Phil Roeder (Flickr Creative Commons)All of this advice is valid and (I hope) valuable. But the reality is, circumstances (money, grades, scores, personal obligations, simply personal preference) may dictate you attend a college that doesn’t have a big pre-med focus. Yet, that does not mean you won’t have a chance of attending a good — or even a top — medical school. The most important way to make it to med school is to be knowledgeable and fully prepared for the journey ahead. Read all you can about different med school programs, what the schools are looking for, how to prepare for the MCAT test, even the possibility of doing a post-baccalaureate program if needed to boost your preparation for med school. Figure out how to get that clinical experience, research, community service, and leadership background that will prepare you for medicine.Learn about any and all activities your undergraduate school does have for pre-meds, and take full advantage of them. Even if it doesn’t have a pre-med advisory committee, it may have a pre-professional honor society such as Alpha Epsilon Delta. If your school’s chapter isn’t very active, join it and lead it into new and more productive directions. If there is no chapter, look into starting one, or check on whether there are chapters at nearby colleges.No honor society chapter? Start a less formal pre-med club to bring in speakers and doctors for education and possible mentoring. How to do that? Check with your school’s student activities office about the process for starting a club. Then talk to one of your professors, perhaps one that teaches a pre-med course such as biology or organic chemistry, about being your club adviser. AC was able to start an organic chemistry club at his school. It took a couple months to figure out the process, find an adviser, and then organize and publicize meetings, but the school was supportive and it eventually did happen. Your college wants you to succeed because it makes it look good, too, so let it know what you need, and ask for help.Aggressively look for a mentor who can guide you and, when the time comes to file your application, can speak personally about the qualities you have that will make you a good doctor. If you want to end up at a good med school, search out your college pre-med adviser early on, and talk about your goals. Ask for ways to help prepare you for what will be ahead as a pre-med, a med school applicant, and a med student. If your adviser is not very knowledgeable about med school preparation and the application process, ask him who is. Have him direct you to other possible resources, such as a local doctor who might take you as an intern. Or, talk to your university health clinic about letting you shadow its doctors. And, do your research on what is needed for a competitive application, then work hard to get the experience that will make you stand out in the crowd.Finally, keep in mind that, in some ways, being at a less pre-med focused university or a smaller college can have benefits, because you are more likely to stand out among your peers. You also may end up with much closer personal relationships with your professors, who will want to help you meet your high goals, and promote you in every way they can.The key is to be a knowledgeable self-starter, to ask for help and opportunities, and then to run with them. In fact, that is an essential characteristic for being a good doctor, so you might as well start building it now.TEDx GeorgeMasonU:George Mason University’s First TEDx Conference (Flickr Creative Commons)Parental Assist: Of course, there is the normal preparation needed for any kid considering colleges — take him to the schools to check them out, consider the big issues like location, costs, etc. Urge him to see whether there are any admissions talks specifically for pre-meds, and to attend them with questions ready to ask. Suggest he focus on issues such as med school admissions information, strength of any med school advisory committee, whether the committee does letters of evaluation, etc. Ask if he has specific med schools in mind yet, and offer to help research information such as med school admissions data for those schools. You could also offer to create files for each school, and/or charts to facilitate comparisons. But remember to also gauge how much your student is invested in these preparations. You should be a helpmate, not the driving force. If he isn’t interested in doing prep work himself, he probably is not ready to embrace a medical career.If it’s clear your kid is committed to pre-med, but won’t be going to a great pre-med school, be sure he understands that does not mean he will lose his dream of getting into a good or even a top med school, and becoming an excellent doctor. Plenty of exceptional doctors have come out of lesser- known undergraduate schools. It’s all about working hard to accomplish the goal.Top 20 Pre-Med Schools in America - Education AmericaMarch 8, 2011Top 20 CollegesTop 20 Pre Med Schools in America, listed by School, Average Verbal MCAT Score, Average Physical Science MCAT Score, Average Biological MCAT Science Score and Average GPA (unraked).Ø Cornell University offers a two year Pre Med track; program prepares students for entry into the four year medical degree program. Course focuses on sciences that are related to medicine; no degree is awarded.Ø Creighton University offers a 4 or 5 year Pre Med Nursing Track; a bachelor’s is awarded in both programs. A Post-Baccalaureate is also administered through the School Of Medicine; program prepares students intensively for medical school.Ø Boston University offers a Pre-Medical program in Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Medicine and Pre Veterinary Medicine, program allows students to create specific areas of study; a post baccalaureate certificate program is also offered.Ø Dartmouth Medical School offers a pre-med program in conjunction with Dartmouth College, an arrangement also exists between Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and Dartmouth College. Health professionals advise and help students applying to medical, veterinarian and medical schools.Ø East Tennessee State University (J.H. Quillen) prepares students for the 4 year Doctor of Medicine degree through its Pre-Medicine Program. Students must complete courses required by most medical schools; these include Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, English and Communication.Ø Baylor University provides a Pre-Med curriculum that emphasizes all areas of course work; medical pre-professionals are recommended to take Biology Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Physics.Ø George Washington University offers an all in one program that leads to BA/MD. Program is based on academic excellence, healthcare experience, community service and demonstrated leadership. Incoming freshman are admitted into George Washington Medical at a fixed tuition rate; MCAT is waived.Ø John Hopkins offers a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program for all medical specializations. Program is offered on the undergraduate campus, School of Medicine and at the School of Public Health; students are able to carve out their own area of study.Ø Georgetown allows undergraduate students to gain the training needed to meet medical school criteria; program is part of the degree curriculum. A Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program is also available for bachelor degree holders who lack core Pre-Med Science courses.Ø Saint Louis University’s 4 year Pre-Medical curriculum provides a foundation in the courses required for med school. Courses include Biology, Chemistry Physics and Calculus; program allows students to complete courses across disciplines.Ø Mount Sinai School of Medicine administers a Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program, program was designed to prepare students for medical school. The 8 week summer program includes studies in Physics & Organic Chemistry, as well as other health disciplines.Ø Northwestern University offers study abroad programs in the United Kingdom; students may elect to study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. A Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is also offered to those hoping to complete the course work required for medical school.Ø Ranked as one the Best Medical Schools (US News), Ohio State’s School of Allied Medical Professions Division of Medical Technology offers a Medical Science Track that leads to a BS in Science. Program was designed for pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, pre-vet and pre med students.Ø Howard University offers a dual degree in BS/MD; program allows students to earn both degrees in six years. Program makes an easy transition from undergraduate to graduate study; an overall G.P.A of 3.5 and an MCAT score of 24 must be satisfied. Students must also meet the minimum G.P.A of 3.25 in science.Ø Temple University offers two tracks of study for students who intend to study medicine, tracks include BCMS and ACMS. BCMS-Basic Core in Medical Sciences Program was designed for those lacking the core requirements needed for medical school. ACMS is for students who wish to enhance their credentials so as to pursue a career in medicine.Ø University of Iowa administers a Pre-Medicine track that includes math, chemistry, biology and physics. Students must declare a major in a specific area, program has led to high medical school acceptance rates.Ø University of Miami offers a Pre Law Undergraduate Program as well as a Post Baccalaureate Program; the Post Baccalaureate Program helps bachelor degree holders who feel they need more preparation prior to applying to law school.Ø University of Pennsylvania offers a few Post Baccalaureate programs, two are relevant to the study of medicine; these include the Pre Health Core Studies and the Pre Health Specialized Studies. Both programs are very selective and pave way for further medical studies.Ø University of South Florida offers programs to help prepare students for professional schools of medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and many other health related fields. Students must choose another major besides the pre-professional requirement.Ø Columbia University offers a Post-Bachelor Premedical program that is considered the oldest and largest in the United States. Students from the program make up 90% of placement in American medical programs; program provides linkage to Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.