Medical School Education Guide

Medical Schools — Complete Guide to MD and DO Programs in the United States 2026

Medical school is the graduate-level education that trains physicians — doctors of medicine (MD) and doctors of osteopathic medicine (DO) — who diagnose illness, prescribe treatment, perform surgery, and lead the healthcare system across every specialty. There are approximately 155 accredited MD medical schools and 37 accredited DO medical schools in the United States. This guide covers everything about medical schools — how they work, what they require, how much they cost, how MD and DO programs compare, which are the best, how dental schools that accept patients work, and what it takes to get in.

Preparing your medical school application? Check your GPA with the Medical School GPA Calculator and the AMCAS GPA Calculator. Ready to plan your application? See the full How to Get Into Medical School Guide.

What Is Medical School and How Does It Work?

Medical school is a four-year graduate professional program that trains students to become licensed physicians. Unlike most graduate programs, medical school follows a highly standardized curriculum structure — the first two years (preclinical years) are primarily classroom and laboratory based, covering the biomedical sciences that underpin clinical medicine. The final two years (clinical years) consist of supervised rotations through every major medical and surgical specialty in hospital and outpatient settings. After graduating from medical school, physicians complete residency training — a period of supervised specialty practice lasting three to seven years depending on the specialty — before practicing independently. The total training timeline from college graduation to independent physician practice is typically eleven to fifteen years.

MD Programs (Allopathic)

MD (Doctor of Medicine) programs are offered by allopathic medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). There are approximately 155 LCME-accredited MD programs in the United States. MD programs follow the biomedical model of medicine and train physicians to practice across every specialty and subspecialty. Applications to most MD programs are submitted through AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service). MD graduates are eligible for residency programs in all specialties and are recognized as physicians in all countries.

DO Programs (Osteopathic)

DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) programs are offered by osteopathic medical schools accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). There are approximately 37 accredited DO programs operating across more than 50 campuses in the United States. DO programs train physicians in the same clinical sciences as MD programs with the addition of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) — a hands-on diagnostic and treatment approach. Applications to DO programs are submitted through AACOMAS. Since 2020, MD and DO residency programs have been fully merged — DO graduates compete for the same residency positions as MD graduates.

The Four Years of Medical School

Years 1 and 2 — Preclinical: Anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, neuroscience, behavioral science, and clinical skills. Most programs now integrate clinical exposure earlier than traditional curricula. USMLE Step 1 (for MD students) or COMLEX Level 1 (for DO students) is taken at the end of Year 2 or beginning of Year 3. Years 3 and 4 — Clinical: Core rotations in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Psychiatry, Family Medicine, and Neurology. Year 4 includes elective rotations, sub-internships, and residency application. USMLE Step 2 CK is taken during Year 4.

After Medical School — Residency

After graduating from medical school, physicians must complete residency training to practice independently. Residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and range from three years for primary care specialties to seven or more years for neurosurgery or other surgical specialties. Residency match — the process by which medical students are matched to residency programs — occurs through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in March of the fourth year of medical school. Match outcomes are significantly influenced by USMLE scores, clinical evaluations, research, and the medical school's reputation.

MD vs DO Medical School — What Is the Difference?

The MD and DO degrees both lead to full physician licensure in the United States. The following comparison covers the key differences applicants need to understand.

Scroll right to see full table

Feature	MD Program	DO Program
Degree awarded	Doctor of Medicine (MD)	Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
Accrediting body	LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education)	COCA (Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation)
Number of programs (US)	~155 programs	~37 programs, 50+ campuses
Application system	AMCAS	AACOMAS
Additional curriculum	Standard biomedical curriculum	Biomedical curriculum plus OMM (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine)
Licensing exam	USMLE (Steps 1, 2 CK, 3)	COMLEX (Levels 1, 2, 3) or USMLE
Residency eligibility	All ACGME residency programs	All ACGME residency programs (since 2020 merger)
Average accepted GPA	3.73 cumulative, 3.65 science	3.54 cumulative, 3.44 science
Average accepted MCAT	511.9	503.8
Grade replacement policy (application)	None — AMCAS includes all attempts	Yes — AACOMAS applies grade replacement
Total US programs	155	37 (50+ campuses)
International recognition	Universal	Varies by country

The practical difference between MD and DO training has narrowed significantly since the 2020 residency merger. DO graduates now match into the same residency programs as MD graduates — including highly competitive specialties such as dermatology, orthopedic surgery, and plastic surgery — and are licensed as physicians with identical scope of practice. The primary remaining differences are the addition of OMM training in DO curricula, the use of COMLEX instead of USMLE (though many DO students take both), and the lower average GPA and MCAT of accepted DO students — making DO programs more accessible for applicants below the MD average accepted profile.

Best Medical Schools in the United States — Rankings and Context

Medical school rankings are published annually by US News and World Report across two dimensions: research programs and primary care programs. The two lists frequently differ — schools that excel in research may not be the same as those that excel in primary care training. Rankings should be one factor in school selection, not the primary one — location, cost, curriculum philosophy, class size, research opportunities, and match list history are equally or more important for most applicants.

Scroll right to see full table

Rank	Medical School	State	Type	Avg Accepted GPA	Avg Accepted MCAT
1	Harvard Medical School	Massachusetts	Private MD	3.9	522
2	Johns Hopkins School of Medicine	Maryland	Private MD	3.9	522
3	University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)	Pennsylvania	Private MD	3.87	522
4	Columbia University (Vagelos)	New York	Private MD	3.87	522
5	Duke University School of Medicine	North Carolina	Private MD	3.87	521
6	University of California San Francisco	California	Public MD	3.83	517
7	Stanford University School of Medicine	California	Private MD	3.77	519
8	University of Michigan Medical School	Michigan	Public MD	3.82	517
9	Washington University in St. Louis	Missouri	Private MD	3.91	523
10	Yale School of Medicine	Connecticut	Private MD	3.87	522
—	Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine	Minnesota	Private MD	3.88	521
—	UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine	California	Public MD	3.78	518
—	University of Washington School of Medicine	Washington	Public MD	3.72	513
—	Uniformed Services University	Maryland	Federal MD	Military eligible	Military eligible

The US News primary care rankings consistently feature public medical schools with strong community health missions — including the University of Washington, University of North Carolina, University of Massachusetts, Oregon Health and Science University, and University of Minnesota. These programs produce a high proportion of primary care physicians and often offer lower tuition for in-state residents. For applicants committed to primary care, family medicine, or rural health careers, primary care-focused schools may provide a more supportive training environment and stronger match outcomes in these specialties than research-intensive programs.

Rankings change modestly year to year and do not reflect the full dimensions of program quality that matter most to individual students. A program ranked 25th nationally with exceptional match outcomes in your target specialty, strong mentorship in your research area of interest, and in-state tuition may be a better choice than a top-5 ranked program with a 65,000 dollar annual tuition and limited clinical exposure in your specialty. Evaluate programs on the factors that matter for your specific career goals rather than rankings alone.

How Much Does Medical School Cost?

Medical school is one of the most expensive graduate degrees in the United States. The following table reflects typical total four-year costs including tuition and fees — living expenses, board examination fees, and residency application costs are additional.

Scroll right to see full table

Medical School Type	Annual Tuition and Fees	Total 4-Year Cost	Notes
Private MD Program	$55,000 – $75,000	$220,000 – $300,000	No in-state tuition advantage
Public MD Program (In-State)	$30,000 – $55,000	$120,000 – $220,000	Significant in-state advantage; residency requirement
Public MD Program (Out-of-State)	$55,000 – $75,000	$220,000 – $300,000	Equivalent to private program cost
DO Program (Private)	$45,000 – $65,000	$180,000 – $260,000	Slightly lower average than MD private programs
DO Program (Public)	$30,000 – $50,000	$120,000 – $200,000	In-state advantage where available
Military Medical Programs	$0 tuition	$0	Service commitment required; competitive
Average Total Medical School Debt	—	$200,000 – $250,000	AAMC reported average at graduation

Despite the high cost, physician salaries provide strong return on investment relative to most professions — though the long training timeline delays earning significantly. Primary care physicians earn approximately 230,000 to 280,000 dollars annually. Surgical specialists earn 350,000 to 600,000 dollars or above depending on specialty and practice setting. A primary care physician graduating at 30 years old with 250,000 dollars in student debt and earning 250,000 dollars annually will typically pay off educational debt within five to eight years of practice while maintaining a strong lifestyle. Specialty physicians with higher salaries and equivalent debt achieve payoff significantly faster.

Federal student loans — Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Graduate PLUS Loans — cover the full cost of attendance at most medical schools. Income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are available for physicians working in qualifying nonprofit or government healthcare settings — primary care physicians in underserved areas can have substantial loan balances forgiven after ten years of qualifying payments. The National Health Service Corps scholarship covers full tuition and living expenses in exchange for primary care service commitment in underserved areas. Military scholarships through HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program) cover full tuition in exchange for active duty service after residency.

Medical School Requirements — What MD and DO Programs Require

Medical school admission requirements are standardized across most programs with variation in specific course requirements and weighting of application components. The following overview covers the universal requirements for MD and DO program admission.

Scroll right to see full table

Requirement	MD Programs (AMCAS)	DO Programs (AACOMAS)	Notes
Bachelor's degree	Yes — any major	Yes — any major	Pre-med courses must be completed
Science prerequisites	Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, Math/Statistics	Same as MD	Vary by program; verify with each school
Minimum GPA	3.0 at most programs	2.75 – 3.0 at most programs	Average accepted: 3.73 MD, 3.54 DO
MCAT score	Required at all programs	Required at all programs	Average accepted: 511.9 MD, 503.8 DO
Clinical experience	Strongly expected	Strongly expected	Minimum 100 – 200 hours recommended
Research experience	Expected at competitive programs	Less emphasized than MD	Publications valued at top 20 programs
Shadowing	Expected	Osteopathic physician shadowing required	DO programs require DO shadowing specifically
Letters of recommendation	3 typically required	3 typically required	Pre-med committee letter preferred
Personal statement	Required	Required	AMCAS: 5,300 characters; AACOMAS: 4,500
Secondary applications	Most programs send secondaries	Most programs send secondaries	Additional essays and fees per program
Background check	Required at all programs	Required at all programs	Drug screening at clinical sites
Interview	Required for admission	Required for admission	Traditional panel or MMI format

The single most controllable variable in a medical school application is GPA — and the single most impactful GPA figure is the BCPM science GPA calculated by AMCAS. Use the AMCAS GPA Calculator to calculate your science GPA exactly as AMCAS will report it to programs. Use the Medical School GPA Calculator to benchmark your GPA against accepted applicant data across program tiers.

AMCAS vs AACOMAS vs TMDSAS — The Three Medical School Application Systems

AMCAS (MD Programs)

AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) is operated by the AAMC and is used by approximately 140 of the 155 accredited MD programs in the United States. AMCAS opens each May for programs beginning the following August. AMCAS recalculates your GPA from all undergraduate coursework across all institutions attended, without grade replacement, and produces three GPA figures — Total GPA, BCPM Science GPA, and AO GPA. Applicants pay a base application fee plus a per-program designation fee. Most MD programs also send secondary applications with additional essays and fees after reviewing the primary AMCAS application. The full AMCAS GPA calculation is available through the AMCAS GPA Calculator.

AACOMAS (DO Programs)

AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service) is used by all 37 accredited DO programs. AACOMAS opens each May alongside AMCAS. Unlike AMCAS, AACOMAS applies grade replacement for repeated courses — only the most recent grade is counted for each repeated course. This makes AACOMAS GPA potentially higher than AMCAS GPA for applicants who retook courses. AACOMAS calculates four GPA categories: Cumulative, Science (BCP — Biology, Chemistry, Physics without Math), Non-Science, and Repeated Courses. The full AACOMAS GPA calculation is available through the AACOMAS GPA Calculator.

TMDSAS (Texas Public Schools)

TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service) is used by twelve Texas public medical and dental schools. It uses a simplified grade scale without plus and minus distinctions — A equals 4.0, B equals 3.0, C equals 2.0 — which may produce a different GPA than AMCAS for the same academic record. TMDSAS applies grade replacement for courses retaken at Texas institutions. Texas residents applying to state schools must calculate their TMDSAS GPA separately.

Scroll right to see full table

Feature	AMCAS	AACOMAS	TMDSAS
Programs covered	~140 MD schools	All 37 DO schools	12 Texas public schools
Grade replacement	No	Yes	Yes (Texas institutions)
Science GPA category	BCPM	BCP (no Math)	Science GPA
GPA scale	4.0 with plus/minus	4.0 with plus/minus	4.0 without plus/minus
Application opens	May each year	May each year	May 1 each year
Personal statement limit	5,300 characters	4,500 characters	5,000 characters

Medical Specialties — What Can You Do With an MD or DO Degree?

Medical school trains physicians as generalists — specialization occurs during residency and fellowship training after graduation. The following table maps major specialties to their residency length, average salary, and competitiveness.

Scroll right to see full table

Specialty	Residency Length	Average Physician Salary	Competitiveness	Notes
Family Medicine	3 years	$230,000 – $260,000	Accessible	Highest demand; rural shortage areas
Internal Medicine	3 years	$240,000 – $280,000	Moderate	Gateway to subspecialty fellowship
Pediatrics	3 years	$220,000 – $250,000	Accessible	Pediatric subspecialties available
Psychiatry	4 years	$250,000 – $310,000	Accessible	Growing demand; shortage nationally
Emergency Medicine	3 – 4 years	$320,000 – $380,000	Moderate	Shift-based; high acuity
Anesthesiology	4 years (+ fellowship)	$350,000 – $430,000	Moderate to high	High procedural demand
Radiology	5 years (+ fellowship)	$400,000 – $500,000	High	Strong USMLE scores expected
Orthopedic Surgery	5 years	$500,000 – $650,000	Very high	Most competitive surgical specialty
Dermatology	4 years	$400,000 – $500,000	Extremely high	Lowest match rate nationally
Plastic Surgery	6 years	$450,000 – $600,000	Extremely high	Research and AOA membership valued
Neurosurgery	7 years	$600,000 – $800,000+	Extremely high	Longest training; highest salary
Cardiology	3 + 3 fellowship	$430,000 – $550,000	Very high	Internal medicine base required
Oncology	3 + 3 fellowship	$380,000 – $480,000	High	Growing field; research valued
General Surgery	5 years	$350,000 – $450,000	High	Foundation for surgical subspecialties

Medical Schools That See Patients — Dental and Medical Teaching Clinics

Medical and dental school teaching clinics provide supervised care to the public at reduced cost — services are provided by students under faculty supervision. This section covers how these clinics work, who is eligible, and what to expect.

How Medical School Teaching Clinics Work

Medical schools operate teaching clinics where medical students see patients under faculty physician supervision. These clinics provide primary care, specialty consultations, and preventive care services at reduced cost to uninsured or underinsured patients. Medical students conduct the patient interview and physical examination, develop a clinical assessment and plan, and present to the supervising attending physician who reviews, confirms, and adjusts the care plan as needed. Faculty physicians are fully licensed and responsible for all clinical decisions — the teaching context means appointments take longer than standard physician visits.

Dental School Teaching Clinics

Dental schools operate patient care clinics where dental students provide comprehensive dental services under faculty dentist supervision. Dental school clinics are one of the most accessible sources of low-cost comprehensive dental care in the United States — services typically include cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns, dentures, and implants at significantly reduced rates. Specialty dental school clinics at institutions with postgraduate programs provide orthodontic treatment, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics at reduced cost under resident or student supervision. Wait times for dental school appointments can be longer than private practice — procedures take more time as students work under supervision — but the cost savings are substantial.

How to Find Teaching Clinics Near You

To find medical school teaching clinics accepting patients in your area, contact the medical school's clinical affairs office or community health program directly. Many medical school clinics prioritize uninsured and underinsured patients — verify eligibility requirements before scheduling. For dental school clinics, visit the dental school's patient services page directly — most publish wait times, accepted insurance (if any), and appointment scheduling instructions. The American Dental Association (ADA) maintains a directory of dental school patient clinics at ada.org. For free dental implants at dental schools, contact oral surgery or prosthodontics departments at dental schools in your state — availability varies and waiting lists can be long.

What to Expect at a Teaching Clinic

Appointments at medical and dental teaching clinics take significantly longer than private practice appointments — a dental cleaning that takes 45 minutes in private practice may take two to three hours in a dental school clinic as the student works methodically under supervision. Treatment plans are comprehensive — dental school patients typically receive a full oral health assessment before treatment begins, which means multiple appointments before specific procedures are completed. For medical teaching clinics, expect a longer appointment with student-led history taking followed by attending review. Quality of care is supervised and verified by licensed faculty — the extended time reflects the teaching process rather than lower quality of clinical decision-making.