MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS

HOW TO GET ACCEPTED AND SCHOOL PROFILES

There are FOUR medical schools in Massachusetts. The med schools are both research giants and strong community health advocates. 

Our goal in this blog is to give you information and tips about how to get into medical schools in Massachusetts. 

We will give you our insights about what makes each Massachusetts med school unique. Our information comes from years of knowing med students in the Boston area. Additionally, as residents in Boston, we’ve worked with medical school students from all of the Boston medical schools. 

Boston is great because it’s an intellectual and innovative university town. Other than studying medicine, you have the opportunity to combine your knowledge with biotech, public health, public policy, business, and law in order to make endless improvements in healthcare. 

1. List of Med Schools in Massachusetts
2. What Makes Each Massachusetts Med School Unique
3. Tips for Getting Accepted to Medical Schools in Massachusetts
4. Massachusetts Medical School Rankings and Information

For each Massachusetts medical school, we made an expanded school profile. Check them out!

If you need help getting accepted to medical schools in Massachusetts, get help with the best experts out there: The Cracking Med School Admissions team. Contact us at info@crackingmedadmissions.com or fill out the contact forms on this page.

EACH YEAR, WE GET SEVERAL STUDENTS INTO BOSTON MEDICAL SCHOOLS

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LIST OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS

Check out our school profiles for each medical school. You can click each school’s hyperlink!

MD (Allopathic) Schools In Boston

• Harvard Medical School
• Boston University School of Medicine
• Tufts University School of Medicine

MD (Allopathic) Schools Outside Boston

• University of Massachusetts Medical School

WHAT MAKES EACH MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL UNIQUE?

Each medical school in Massachusetts treats a diverse patient population and has several resources and opportunities for medical school students. There are several unique attributes for each med school, but based on medical school students and faculty we know, we highlight some unique characteristics that can help guide you when 1) choosing which Massachusetts medical schools to apply to and 2) completing your secondary applications.

Harvard: Harvard is the dominating medical school in Boston. Havard Medical School emphasizes leadership. When the admissions committee is reading your application, they are thinking, “How are you going to be a leader in healthcare one day?” At Harvard, you can also think about healthcare through across different disciplines. Not only do you have access to a wide network of research opportunities at MIT & Harvard University, but you can tap into projects at the business school, law school, public health school, and public policy school. Harvard Medical School offers several joint degree programs. 

Boston University: Boston University (BU) Medical School’s main hospital is Boston Medical Center. It’s a great academic community hospital. Students at Boston University Medical School can get involved with public health, especially with under-served populations. 

Tufts: As a Tufts Medical School student, you’ll get to work at several hospitals around Massachusetts, seeing a wide-range of patient populations outside of an urban center. 

Get Accepted to Massachusetts Medical Schools with Our Team!Contact Us

TIPS FOR GETTING ACCEPTED TO MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Study What Makes Each Medical School Unique:

Above, we listed some of the characteristics of each Massachusetts medical school. But, do your homework by looking at each school’s website and speaking to medical school students. Several students shadow, volunteer, and pursue research opportunities in Boston. 

Apply to Medical Schools That Are In Your GPA / MCAT Range:

There is a wide array of average GPA and MCAT differences among the medical schools in Massachusetts. Be sure to look at the MSAR or U.S. News to see where your undergrad GPA falls.  for example, Harvard’s median GPA is a 3.90 while Tuft’s median GPA is 3.65. We listed some of the admissions statistics below! Additionally, we support our mentees to apply to reach schools, but it’s important to apply to a majority of your schools where your GPA / MCAT scores are within the range in which students typically gets accepted. 

Get to Know Medical Students at Each School:

There’s no better way to learn about the culture and nuances of each medical school without getting to know med students! Reach out to your undergrad’s alumni network, friends, and relatives to learn more about each medical school. We learned the details about each medical school largely by talking to med students. While our Cracking Med School Admissions team spent summers in college in Boston, we would shadow doctors in different specialties. 

Tailor Each Secondary Application Towards the Opportunities and Culture of Each Medical School:

Secondaries can be exhausting but you have to make each secondary unique. Envision yourself at each medical school and describe to the admissions committee why you are a good fit, what you can contribute to the school, and how you will excel at the medical school. 

Each year, we get several students into Boston medical schools!Work With Us Today

MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS STATISTICS

HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL

• Location: Boston, MA
• Public or Private: Private
• Stanford School of Medicine Tuition: ~$62,000 (in-state and out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.93
• Average MCAT: 519
• Interview rate: 22% (in-state) | 12% (out-of-state)
• Cracking Med’s How to Get Into Harvard Medical School
• Harvard Med School Website: https://hms.harvard.edu/

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

• Location: Boston, MA
• Public or Private: Private
• Boston University Medical School Tuition: ~$61,000 (in-state and out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.77
• Average MCAT: 516
• Interview rate: 22% (in-state) | 15% (out-of-state)
• Cracking Med’s Cracking Boston University Medical School Admissions
• Boston University Med School Website: https://www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/

TUFTS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

• Location: Boston, MA
• Public or Private: Private
• Tufts Medical School Tuition: ~$62,000 (in-state and out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.64
• Average MCAT: 513
• Interview rate: 16% (in-state) | 7% (out-of-state)
• Cracking Med’s Tufts Medical School: How to Get In
• Tufts Med School Website: https://medicine.tufts.edu/

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL

• Location: Worcester, MA
• Public or Private: Public
• UMass Medical School Tuition: ~$61,000 (in-state); ~$35,000 (out-of-state)
• Average GPA: 3.73
• Average MCAT: 514
• Interview rate: 50% (in-state) | 16% (out-of-state)
• Cracking Med’s UMass Medical School Admissions
• UMass  Med School Website: https://www.umassmed.edu/

Medical Schools in Boston

Boston University School of Medicine (Boston, MA)

The Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) started as the New England Female Medical College, the first institution in the country to teach medicine to women. In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler beat the odds and became the first African American woman to earn an MD in the U.S. from New England Female Medical College.

Today, this med school continues to break down barriers, recruiting a diverse student body and treating underserved patient populations.

The first two pre-clinical years of med school at BU are mostly lecture-based. In the first year, subject blocks include anatomy, physiology, genetics, neuroscience, immunology, and human behavior in medicine. Second-year shifts focus to pathologies: infectious diseases, oncology, and more.

Then comes two years of clinical rotations, each one lasting between four to eight weeks. Third-year rotations include family medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYN, and neurology. Fourth-year students do advanced courses in geriatrics and home care, a sub-internship in their chosen specialty, and one selective rotation (ambulatory or surgical subspecialty).

In addition to the regular curriculum, BU med students have the opportunity to participate in programs with local impact, such as the Outreach Van Project, which provides health services to low-income and homeless communities in the greater Boston area.

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Tufts University School of Medicine (Medford, MA)

Tufts offers three distinguished doctorate programs at their school of medicine.

One is the traditional MD: two years of pre-clinical classes followed by two years of rotation, similar to BU’s med program. Advanced rotations begin late in the third year instead of the fourth year.

Another is the Maine Track MD, offered in conjunction with the Maine Medical Center. This program utilizes a community-based curriculum in the state of Maine to prepare students for the unique challenges of rural medicine.

And then there’s the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), an accelerated two-year program that combines online learning and intensive lab sessions, the most accessible program to anyone living in the U.S. Most classroom learning is virtual, and the only on-campus requirement is eight hands-on clinical training labs.

Like BU, Tufts offers a plethora of community service opportunities so students experience the type of local impact they will have as future doctors.

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Harvard Medical School (Cambridge, MA)

At Harvard, the #1 medical school for research according to U.S. News, students are at the forefront of technological and biomedical research. Past alumni include Harvey Cushing, a pioneering neurosurgeon who first described Cushing’s disease in 1912.

Harvard’s exhaustive list of medical innovations includes the introduction of the smallpox vaccine to the U.S., the first use of anesthesia during surgery, the first successful heart valve surgery, and the discovery of the cause of preeclampsia.

The MD program has two tracks: Pathways or Health Sciences and Technology (HST). Pathways resembles the traditional four-year track described above, with all the rigor of a Harvard education. HST is a joint approach between Harvard and MIT that integrates the latest in technology and engineering to inform medical practices.

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Pre-Med Programs in the Boston Area

Pre-med programs are the general curricula of anyone — usually undergrads — planning to go to med school. Pre-med students include biology, chemistry, physiology, and other majors in related STEM fields.

In addition to the above med programs, the following schools have excellent pre-med programs.

Boston College (Newton, MA)

The pre-health program at Boston College helps undergrads plan their courses, major, and preferred career specialization. Whether they intend to go into medical, dental, veterinary, physical therapy, or nursing school, students can find ample guidance at BC for the specific health career they want.

BC advisors hold annual application meetings to help pre-med and pre-dental students through the long application process. They are paired with a committee advisor who helps them keep track of their letters of recommendation and required pre-health courses.

BC grads have gone on to successful careers in health and research. Neurosurgeon Kevin J. Tracey, a BC grad himself, was cited in 2019 as one of the world’s most-cited researchers.

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Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)

Likewise, pre-med undergrads at Brandeis receive plenty of guidance and preparation for med school. In addition to traditional pre-med advising, Brandeis is home to a unique undergrad program that provides a more holistic approach to studying medicine.

The Health: Science, Society, and Policy Program (HSSP) is an interdisciplinary program that educates students on health from biological, social, economic, and policy standpoints. It is available as either a major or minor for those interested in medicine as well as any other health-related career.

Brandeis alumni have attracted renown in all fields of academia, STEM research in particular. Susan Band Horowitz earned her biochemistry PhD from Brandeis and received international acclaim when she co-discovered Taxol, a cancer-fighting drug.

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MCPHS: Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science (Boston, MA)

Students at MCPHS have over 100 different health programs to choose from, starting early in their college career. By the time they get to advanced degree programs, they are often more prepared than their peers.

Acupuncture, dental hygiene, pharmacy, nursing, premedical and health studies — within each track, there are further specializations for specific careers. For example, the premedical and health studies pathway includes majors in physician assistantship, medicine, dental medicine, optometry, and veterinary medicine.

MCPHS’s Boston campus is centrally located near the city’s top hospitals — Boston Children’s Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — and Harvard Medical School. Proximity to so many different institutions gives MCPHS students unparalleled access to learning with world-class physicians.

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How to Get Accepted

Getting into a top-tier med school, like those described in this article, is challenging to say the least. Each of the three med schools we highlighted has an acceptance rate below the national average of 7%.

But don’t let that deter you, especially if you have an exceptional application.

GPA, MCAT, and Required Classes

How do you stand out from the crowd? To start, make sure your GPA and MCAT scores are competitive. Most Harvard applicants have an average GPA of 3.92 and MCAT score of 519, and BU applicants earn around 3.83 and 518. Tufts hopefuls average a tad lower, with a GPA of 3.73 and MCAT score of 514.

Successful candidates excel in their pre-med requirements, which include the following (generally one year each unless otherwise specified and depending on program).

●  Biology with lab

●  Inorganic chemistry with lab

●  Organic chemistry with lab

●  Physics with lab

●  Biochemistry (one semester)

●  Statistics (one semester)

●  Calculus/higher level math (one semester)

●  Writing

Grades and classes are important. However, they’re not everything. If your application is particularly strong in other areas, admissions officers will take notice.

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Letters of Recommendation

In addition to solid grades, strong letters of recommendation will help you get ahead. Generally, aim for at least two letters from faculty whose science classes you’ve taken, and one additional reference (academic or non-academic). BU, Tufts, and Harvard’s requirements vary slightly, so it’s a good idea to check their specific guidelines.

Furthermore, these letters should highlight your personality and passion for healthcare through specific anecdotes, rather than generic comments about your good grades and attendance.

So when asking your references for letters of rec, give them your resume and personal statement — these materials will help them write a more compelling endorsement.

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Extracurriculars and Research/Work Experience

References should come from in and out of the classroom. Extracurriculars and work experience reveals yet another side of the applicant.

Highlight your science and health experience: shadowing physicians, volunteering at clinics, researching in the lab. These are the minimum expectations. But you should also show off leadership and interpersonal skills.

Demonstrating your leadership in a school or community organization, where you work with others to solve problems, helps med schools see you as a future champion for patients’ wellbeing.

You can even underscore the summer jobs in retail or afterschool tutoring you might have had. These positions, too, help build the interpersonal skills that are vital to doctor-patient relationships.

Those who get into top med schools like Harvard have also published research in peer-reviewed journals, proving scientific literacy and an ability to contribute to the field.

While there’s no official checklist, having some combination of the above that demonstrates both scientific knowledge and an indomitable desire to help others will make your application highly competitive.

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Interviews

Interviews at BU, Tufts, and Harvard are all traditional (one-on-one) and open-file, meaning your interviewer(s) will have your application in front of them during the interview.

Despite the low acceptance rate of these prestigious med schools, students reported low to moderate stress during the interview process. According to self-reports on The Student Doctor Network, questions were mostly standard: why choose medicine, elaborate on your experiences, and talk about any research you’ve done.

By all means, prepare as much as possible, but relax enough that you can be yourself and confirm their good impression of your application.

3 results

1. Harvard Medical SchoolHarvard University Graduate School BOSTON, MA Rating 5 out of 5 7 reviewsGraduate Student: Harvard Medical School is world renowned for its excellence in paving the way in Medicine. As a student, I feel incredibly supported by the school. There are abundant opportunities for networking and meeting the people who are the top in their field. The opportunities seem endless. People really work to ensure your success through their programs. I would highly recommend!
   Read 7 ReviewsAdd to List
2. Tufts University School of MedicineTufts University Graduate School BOSTON, MA Rating 4.91 out of 5 11 reviewsMaster’s Student: I have loved the professors I met at Tufts–they are encouraging and dedicated to seeing their students succeed. When I have struggled in a class or required additional help, I never had difficulty in scheduling a time to meet with a professor. Would 100% recommend attending Tufts!
   Read 11 ReviewsAdd to List
3. School of Medicine – Boston UniversityBoston University Graduate School BOSTON, MA Rating 4.2 out of 5 5 reviewsMaster’s Student: I am so grateful to be attending Boston University’s Physician Assistant program. This program truly puts importance to teaching patient-centered care, embraced diversity, and fosters a collaborative environment that promotes collegiality. It is committed towards its mission statement and puts the success of its students first.
   Read 5 ReviewsAdd to List
4. SponsoredMerrimack CollegeGraduate School NORTH ANDOVER, MA Rating 4.05 out of 5 19 reviewsGraduate Student: I would put 3 stars for the entire experience and an extra one for the memories.
   Academics: DECENT
   I had great professors and not so great ones. But the one’s that were great have helped me throughout my four years and I will never forget them.
   Athletics:
   Former athlete at Merrimack. They treat them great, some more than others. But overall athletics are supported and there are many oppetunties to see games/matches
   Campus Life:
   ALRIGHT
   Housing is terrible. Get off campus housing when you can! The food sucks too. I never ate at the cafe.
   Dorms are small and stupid. Not what you paid for 🙂
   Friends I made were amazing! However I wish there was more diversity!
   Read 19 ReviewsAdd to List

List of Medical Schools in Massachusetts (4 Schools)

The Massachusetts medical schools listed below are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which is an organization that provides accreditation for medical education nationwide.

Schools are sorted by size with the largest medical schools first, based on the number of medical student graduates per year.

Tufts University in Taunton, MA

The medical school is located on the Tufts University – Grafton Campus in North Grafton. Visit the website for Tufts University at http://www.tufts.edu

Program Details

• Medical program accredited since 1942
• About 200 students graduate per year
• Estimated tuition & fees are about $66,000 per year

Boston University in Chestnut Hill, MA

Visit the website for Boston University at http://www.bu.edu

Program Details

• Medical program accredited since 1942
• About 180 students graduate per year
• Estimated tuition & fees are about $65,000 per year

Harvard University in Amherst, MA

Visit the website for Harvard University at http://www.harvard.edu

Program Details

• Medical program accredited since 1942
• About 170 students graduate per year
• Estimated tuition & fees are about $65,000 per year

University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester in Buzzards Bay, MA

Visit the website for University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester at http://www.umassmed.edu

Program Details

• Medical program accredited since 1970
• About 130 students graduate per year
• Estimated tuition & fees are about $37,000 per year (Nonresidents: $64,000)

Salaries for physicians in Massachusetts can range from $70,000 to $107,000. Physicians can work in many types of specialties which may cause a large range in salary expectations. Here is a list of average annual salaries for general practitioners working in major cities in Massachusetts.

• Worcester: $216,000
• Springfield: $229,000
• Lowell, Billerica, Chelmsford: $270,000
• Leominster, Gardner: $237,000
• Brockton, Bridgewater, Easton: $242,000

Doctor’s in Massachusetts Compared to Median Income Averages

+247% Above State Median Income

+304% Above National Median Income

Doctor’s in Massachusetts take home an average 78.00 per hour. Annual earnings for Doctor’s working in the State of Massachusetts average $162,049 which is 247% above the state median income and 304% above the national median income for all occupations. Employment for a Doctor makes up just of the working population in Massachusetts and is limited due to the specific qualifications required along with the schooling involved in this career path. The increasing demand for qualified Doctors coupled with the educational barrier to enter the field is met with a steady supply of eager college graduates anxious to make a long-lasting impact in the lives of others in and around Massachusetts.

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Average Income for a Doctor in Massachusetts

	Employment	Median Hourly Wage	Median Annual Wage
Massachusetts Doctor	75,320	$78.00	$162,049
State Average	3,291,460.00	$22.45	$46,700.00
National Average	155,760,000.00	$19.33	$35,977.00

Source: Bureau of Labor StatisticsMEDIAN: $78.00Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, NCES, O*NET Online

Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both Massachusetts in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective doctor school for information about the current school year.

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.