Best Medical Schools In The World [Ranked]

As a student who intends to become a medical practitioner, attending any of the best medical schools in the world should be your target.

The best medical schools in the world will open you up to various opportunities, and also can become leverage for you to move far in the medical world.

In this article, you will see some of the best medical schools in the world, their ranking, and also the characteristics of good medical students.

Medicinal degrees and specializations 

USA and Canada

In India, you can study MBBS as an undergraduate, but in these two countries, you have to take pre-med classes first. 

In general, it takes between 3 and 6 years to get an MBBS. Including medical school, it will take a total of ten years.

UK

If you want to study medicine abroad, the UK is a great place to do so. This is because four of the top 10 best medical schools in the world are in this country. 

For an undergraduate degree, it usually takes six years to get an MBBS and five years to get a dentistry or pharmacy degree. Whether or not you take a specialization course depends on your career and what you want to study.

New Zealand and Ireland

In these countries, it takes about 5 or 6 years to finish school, just like in the UK. In New Zealand, on the other hand, the first year is the foundational year for a Bachelor of Health Sciences or Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science degree.

Top 10 medical schools in the world

There are various medical schools that are classified among some of the best medical schools in the world. But seeing that you want the best, the cherry-picked 10 below have stood out for years, and will continue to do so.

1. Harvard University

U.S news world rankings for 2021 show that Harvard Medical School, which has been around since 1782, is still topping among the best medical schools in the world.

Their medical health program teaches students how to become clinical and biomedical leaders so that they can help people who are in pain. 

Its mission and vision is to create a welcoming environment while working to meet the needs of all people and give good education. Because of this, they were named the best medical school in the world.

This university is ranked #1 in clinical medicine, and its average tuition is $66,280. Also, the acceptance rate is 5%. But to be eligible for admission, you need an ACT score of 34 and SAT of 1520.

2. University of Oxford

At the University of Oxford’s school of medicine, students get a well-rounded education and learn about medicine through in-depth research. 

You can do pre-clinical studies for three years and then clinical studies for another three years.

Here, students can improve their skills and learn more by working in research labs across the medical science division.

Being amongst the best medical schools in the world, it ranks #8 for clinical medicine and its average tuition fee is $49,99.

3. Stanford University

Another one of the best medical schools in the world is Stanford Medicine. The school, which was one of the first to study medicine, has an integrated and innovative research study program.

It gives the next generation of medical leaders the tools they need to be skilled and resourceful. Stanford Healthcare and Stanford Children’s Health are connected to the school. These two institutions are known for being leaders in the fields of child care, neurology, and obstetrics.

The ranking of this school is #4 for clinical medicine and the average tuition fee is $63,7400.

4. University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge’s medical college offers two types of medical courses: a standard course and a graduate course. 

The curriculum written here gives people who are interested in medicine a place to learn from rigorous training and practice that is based on evidence. During the course, the students can do research and work on projects.

The ranking of this university for clinical medicine is 24, and its average tuition is  $90,984

5. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University really thinks that teaching and learning should be done in an integrated way! 

The school of medicine at this university is one of the best in the world. There are a lot of different MD and Ph.D. programs to choose from at the school, and the curriculum is flexible and covers a lot of ground.

Johns Hopkins University is ranked #2 for best clinical medicine. And this makes it top as one of the best medical schools in the world. The average tuition fee at this school is $58,000

6. University of California

The David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California – Los Angeles is the youngest of the top ten best medical schools in the world. It is a new leader in the field of medicine and biomedical sciences. 

The school believes that education should be provided through partnerships with the community. It has programs for MD, postdoctoral, graduate, and residency studies.

This university is ranked #10 for best clinical medicine, and its average tuition fee is $50,130

7. Yale University

One of the best MBBS schools in the world, the Yale School of Medicine was the first to train doctors who are also scientists. 

Their main goal is to improve health innovation projects and move medicine forward through scientific research.

Nearly 11,000 professors work at this school of medicine. Students are inspired to study medicine there because of how kind, committed, and active the staff is.

The average tuition fee at this school is $66,160, and it is ranked as #13 for best university in clinical medicine.

8. UCL

Since 1834, UCL in London has been putting out doctors into the world. It works closely with seven major teaching hospitals that offer world-class medical education. 

Many of the school’s graduates have become leaders in the field of medicine because of how well they did in school. 

UCL is known for its academic reputation, which is backed up by students who are well-supported and teachers who are well-trained.

The ranking of this school is #7 for global medicine, and its average tuition fee is $50,149

9. Imperial College

This university is another top-ranked medical school that earned the Athena SWAN award for recognizing the work and service of women in the medical field. 

Imperial College’s medical school began in 1997, and the school has since put a lot of effort into making close ties with its healthcare partners. It works with faculties in many different fields, such as engineering and the natural sciences.

This university is ranked #14 for best clinical medicine. Also, its average tuition is $50,149

10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Even though the university doesn’t have its own medical school, it works with Harvard medical school on two programs. 

A joint MD-PhD program and a degree in health sciences are examples of these. This has made it possible for universities and hospitals in the Boston area to work together more closely.

The ranking of this university is #20 for clinical medicine, and its average tuition is $64,101.

Benefits of studying in the best medical schools in the world

There are various benefits attached to attending the best medical schools in the world and they are:

1. You will see more kinds of sickness.

Going to medical school abroad can help you learn about health problems that are very different from the ones you’re used to seeing. 

When you look at the profiles of different countries on the website of the World Health Organization, you can see some big differences.

As Dr. Alicia Chilito, a graduate of St. George’s University (SGU) who works as a family doctor in Miami, Florida, can attest, learning how to treat a wide range of diseases can help you get ready for other things as well. 

2. You will learn about different ways to get health care.

Even the US and Canadian health care systems are very different from each other, so it’s easy to see how models can be very different around the world. 

It can be helpful to learn about these differences. Dr. Pishoy Gouda, a resident in cardiology at the University of Alberta, learned this the hard way while studying in Ireland and England.

Dr. Gouda says, “I now have a unique understanding of how different health care models work, as well as their pros and cons.” He also says, “Working and learning in different health care systems gives you a unique view of common medical problems.”

3. You will learn how to be stronger

Dr. Buck Parker is a general surgeon and trauma surgeon at St. Mark’s Hospital. He was able to become a doctor because he went to an international medical school in Belize. He saw it as a chance to start over.

“If you want to follow your dreams, you have to find a way to get there,” says Dr. Parker. “Sometimes it means leaving the country for a few years, and that’s fine.”

Also, both Drs. Gouda and Parker say that studying medicine abroad can give you access to many specialties that are hard to get into.

Dr. Parker says, “I have friends who went to schools in the Caribbean and are now trauma surgeons, plastic surgeons, and pediatric anesthesiologists.”

4. You will have more freedom with how you submit your application.

Anyone who has used the Ontario Medical School Application Service (OMSAS) or the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) to apply to a program knows how strict the deadlines are. 

Even though each school is different, you need to make sure that all of your applications are on track to meet important deadlines.

International medical schools, on the other hand, often have more freedom. Many let people in all the time and start at different times.

 For example, in Australia, most medical schools start classes in January or February. SGU has three start dates each year: January, April, and August. This gives potential students the freedom to start medical school when it works best for them since each term has its own benefits.

Characteristics of students that attended any of the top medical schools in the world

Aside from studying in the best medical schools in the world, you also need to understand that there are some characteristics that are expected of you to display, as one who attends one of the best medical schools in the world. And they are:

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Do U.S. medical schools ever accept international students?

Yes, but it doesn’t happen very often. Some medical schools in the U.S. accept and enroll a small number of students from outside the country.

Which country has the hardest medical school?

In general, the United States and Canada are the hardest places to become a doctor. This is because both of these countries require you to get an undergraduate degree first.

Are Harvard doctors better?

Harvard University is ranked No. 1 for Best Medical Schools: Research and No. 9 for Best Medical Schools: Primary Care. Schools are ranked based on how well they do on a set of well-known measures of excellence.

What is the best doctor degree?

Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery is the most popular or most sought-after postgraduate medical degrees (MS). 

Which country has the best doctors?

The country that has the best doctors is the U.S.

How long is a medical school in USA?

To become a doctor, you have to go to medical school for 4 years and do a residency for 3–7 years.

Is Harvard medical school free?

Under Harvard Medical School’s current tuition plan, all students get a scholarship that is equal to their financial need, as determined by federal formulas, minus $33,950, which is the “unit loan” that all students are expected to take out each year.

What is the highest level in medicine?

The highest degree that a doctor or surgeon can get is an MD, which stands for “Doctor of Medicine.” It can be a professional doctorate (like in the US or Canada) or a research degree, depending on the country (like in the UK or Germany).

What is the highest-paying job in the world?

In a traditional sense, the job at the top of this list is the anesthesiologist.  Also, they are the only jobs that pay more than $300,000 a year. 

Mega-CEOs like Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos, who make much more than that, are not included on the list.