There are four items to consider when choosing the best medical school: your priorities, admissions requirements, accreditation, and faculty. Medical school is also known as the Faculty of Medicine and is organized within a larger university. In order to become a doctor, candidates must complete a graduate degree in medicine from an accredited medical school.
Deciding on the best medical school is a difficult process. Published rankings list medical schools according to a specific criteria and each item is weighted according to its relative importance. However, the priorities of the ranking organization may not match your priorities. For example, many ranking organizations place a high value on the physical environment of the school, including the buildings and amount of open space. As a medical student, you may decide that these items have less value for you, but that subsidized family housing near campus is much more important.
In order to qualify for admission to medical school, a combination of high marks in both high school and undergraduate degree courses are required. The undergraduate degree can be in any field, but science courses can be beneficial. They often provide the underlying knowledge necessary to complete the advanced courses in biology, human anatomy and chemistry. Many programs require applicants to complete a standardized test to determine their level of knowledge and suitability for medical school.
If you are looking at the best medical school in the country or state, take note that the admissions standard is higher to reflect the increased demand. As such, only students with the very best combination of marks, personal interview, test scores, and letters of recommendation are offered admissions. If you don't have the very best marks in your class, think about applying to schools that offer programs that you are interested in or will help your career later on.
When looking for medical schools, the first item to check is the accreditation status. An accredited school has been reviewed by an independent third party that has examined its academic and administrative policies. Courses from an accredited school can be transferred to other post-secondary institutions and are accepted by certifying and licensing boards. Accredited schools are able to offer students access to government student aid programs.
Most medical schools provide the biographies of their faculty or instructors on their website. The information provided typically includes the academic credentials, research focus, publications, and any awards they have received. Review this information to learn more about the interests and focus of the course instructors.