Medical School Search

Perusing a career in medicine can be both rewarding and challenging. Finding the right medical school is a huge step in the right direction. The first step is to determine which medical career you want to study, because not all medical schools offer the same programs. A future surgeon will have to consider a different medical school that a future dentist. It is important to narrow down the specialty field as much as possible when looking for a medical school.

However, before getting into medical school, there may be required coursework in pre-med programs. Such a prerequisite curriculum prepares future medical students by teaching basic studies in various scientific fields such as anatomy, biology, biochemistry, and physics. In reality, students must first finish three or four years of regular college or university before going on to medical school. It is highly recommended that pre-med students major in relevant subjects such as biology. Only then, students can start applying for medical schools, where admissions are very competitive.

When considering a medical school, you should look at what type of medicine you want to study and what schools offer it. A basic idea like “I want to be a nurse” will put you in a much different school and situation then “I want to be a doctor”. There are many different types of doctors and nurses. Now that you have figured out which way you want to go on a basic level, let focus a little more. What do you want to do? Work with kids? That is one path, others include surgery, specialized medicine (like cardiology), or private practice just to name a few. Different schools will prepare you for different medical career directions.

The direction you take may determined by how long you need to stay in school to get the credentials to do what you want. As a general rule you will be in school the least amount of time for a nursing degree, the next level is usually technical work like a radiology technician ( both programs take similar amounts of time so in some states you nursing degree may take longer then technician credentials). A doctor usually takes the most amount of time but the exact amount depends on your state and your field of choice.

Some of the top medical schools in the US are Dartmouth (in Hanover, NH), Tuffs medical school (in Worcester, MA), and UCLA (in Los Angeles CA). Going to a school in the state that you live in will cost you a lot less compared to going out of state. There is a lot of financial aide available so cost shouldn’t be a huge factor in your choice of school. If you really want to go to a school but you think it’s out of your price range, talk to the Financial Aide office of the school.

Aside from cost there are some other factors to consider when choosing to go to medical school in state or out of state.  The distance from home, the climate, and student enrollment, living options are to be considered. For example if you hate cold and snow, why would you go to school somewhere where the school experiences bad weather all year. Also, keep in mind that In the US you need to be licensed by the state, so if you get your medical license in one state and move you need to get re-certified.

Now that you have your list down to a few different schools, it is time to set up a tour with the schools and programs you are considering. These visits are really helpful in determining the right medical school. Potential students should pay attention to the school’s facilities such as labs, libraries, and research centers. There may also be actual on site hospital and clinics where students can practice towards the end of their medical program.

Bringing along a parent or friend for a campus visit is a good idea. They can think of things you might forget and are great to compare notes with later. All you need to do to set them up is contact the admissions department of the places you are interested in and they can help you from there.