Virginia Tech Carilion

One of the important elements of applying to medical school is assembling a thoughtful  list of schools. In response to a predicted physician shortage, several new medical schools have opened in recent years, such as Kaiser, Commonwealth, Hofstra, Quinnipiac, the University of California at Riverside, Hackensack Meridian, California University of Science and Medicine, Carle Illinois, Western Michigan, and the University of Houston, among others. An article in Academic Medicine describes the opening of 29 new medical schools since 2000. For a full list of accredited medical schools, see the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Should you consider applying to a new medical school?  Some of the risks are obvious, others less so. The Association of American Medical Colleges interviewed two students who chose to enroll at new medical schools;  they share their takes on the pros and cons.

If you are considering applying to a new school, ask questions of the admissions staff, faculty, and current students (if there are any). Find out about the school’s mission, vision, curriculum, clinical rotations, and faculty  Be sure to do your due diligence.

For help devising the list of schools you will apply to, feel free to reach out to me via email at liza@thompsonadvising.com. 

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting

Originally posed in 2013 and updated in 2021.