Medical Schools in Pennsylvania: How to Get In (2024)
/Which are the best medical schools in Pennsylvania? Learn the Pennsylvania medical school rankings, plus strategies to get into your top-choice schools
There are nine medical schools in pennsylvania
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: List of medical schools in Pennsylvania: 2023 rankings and admissions statistics
Part 3: Pennsylvania medical school profiles
Part 4: Pennsylvania medical school admissions strategies
Appendix A: Pennsylvania medical schools by degree type
Appendix B: Pennsylvania medical schools by institution type
Appendix C: Pennsylvania medical schools by region
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Part 1: Introduction
Pennsylvania is known for its rich history, plethora of museums, and record of scientific advancements (e.g., the telescope lens, the polio vaccine, and the extra-uterine placenta). It is also well-regarded for its numerous medical schools, located in a diverse range of cities from Erie to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.
Whether you want to work with urban patient populations as a Philadelphia medical student or you aspire to immerse yourself in the osteopathic tenets of medicine at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine or the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, it’s likely that you will find a Pennsylvania medical school that dovetails with your professional aspirations.
Our goal for this guide is to outline the various admissions statistics and unique qualities of Pennsylvania medical schools so you can prepare an informed and comprehensive medical school application geared towards getting into these institutions.
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Part 2: List of medical schools in Pennsylvania: 2023 rankings and admissions statistics
Below you will find statistics on Pennsylvania medical schools’ rankings, locations, average GPAs and MCAT scores, and other information to help you compare the schools side-by-side. While compiling this information, a few main takeaways were observed:
Six Pennsylvania medical schools appear in the 2023 U.S. News Best Medical Schools (Research) ranking, with two landing in the top 15.
In-state applicants enjoyed higher interview rates at all allopathic medical schools in Pennsylvania, with the exception of the University of Pennsylvania.
The majority of Pennsylvania medical schools are located in the largest city, Philadelphia.
All Pennsylvania medical schools are private.
In the ranking column below, numbers in parentheses show each medical school’s national ranking, whereas numbers outside parentheses reflect each Pennsylvania medical school’s relative rank. Relative rankings allow us to more easily answer the question, “Which are the ‘best’ medicals school in Pennsylvania?”
(Note: We strongly recommend that you sign up for MSAR for the most up-to-date information on MD programs and that you sign up for Choose DO for DO program data.)
| Pennsylvania Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine | $67,291 OOS |
11.5% OOS |
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| University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | $62,600 OOS |
8.9% OOS |
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| Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University | $61,270 OOS |
5.4% OOS |
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| Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine | $58,761 OOS |
5.5% OOS |
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| Drexel University College of Medicine | $62,089 OOS |
9.2% OOS |
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| Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine | $37,200 OOS |
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| Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine | $66,725 OOS |
8.0% OOS |
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| Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine | $52,482 OOS |
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| Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine | $53,502 OOS |
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Part 3: Pennsylvania medical school profiles
Now that we’ve covered the admissions statistics for Pennsylvania medical schools, we’ll provide you with an overview of what each school is known for. Although competitiveness is an important factor in determining which medical schools to apply to, you’ll also want to consider factors like curriculum, culture, and resources to ensure a terrific fit.
Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel has a traditional curriculum with two years of pre-clinical coursework followed by two years of clinical rotations. Key differentiating factors of the Drexel curriculum include placement of students into one of six learning communities known as “societies,” which provide students with both academic and social structure in a larger student body. Additionally, Drexel offers a BA+BS/+MD Early Assurance program, an eight-year combined undergraduate and graduate education that allows accepted students to gain early acceptance into medical schools. Moreover, Drexel offers students several dual-degree opportunities, including MD/PhD, MD/MPH, MD/MBA, and MD/MS programs.
(Suggested reading: How to Get Into Drexel Medical School: Requirements and Strategies)
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Geisinger’s curriculum is notable for the longitudinal integrated clerkship model where students follow a group of patients and learn from preceptors over a year-long longitudinal experience; this differs from the traditional clinical rotation model of many medical schools. Additionally, students have the opportunity to rotate at hospitals in various settings in central Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Moreover, the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program offers tuition benefits to students who work as Geisinger primary care physicians upon completion of residency. In order to be considered for the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program, applicants must indicate their interest on their Geisinger Commonwealth secondary application.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
LECOM has four different medical school campuses; the primary campus is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Additional campuses are located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Bradenton, Florida, and Elmira, New York. The primary Erie campus recognizes various learning styles and offers four learning pathways: the Lecture Discussion Pathway, the Problem-Based Learning Pathway, the Directed Study Pathway, and the Primary Care Scholars Pathway, which allows students who are interested in primary care to complete medical school in three years. The other three campuses only offer the Problem-Based Learning Pathway.
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Penn State offers various four-year and three-year accelerated curriculum options. Once students are accepted into Penn State, they have the option of choosing between the Hershey Curriculum, the University Park Curriculum, and the Hershey Accelerated Pathways. Notably, if a student chooses to pursue an accelerated pathway, they may complete medical school at Penn State in three years and directly advance into one of Penn State’s residency programs. Examples of specialties included in the accelerated pathway curriculum are family medicine, neurosurgery, internal medicine, emergency medicine, and psychiatry. Students may also pursue a three-year MD accelerated pathway and dedicate their fourth year of medical school to either research via the Clinician Scientist Pathway or the completion of a Master of Education degree via the Clinician Educator Pathway.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
PCOM is located in the heart of Philadelphia, and students have the opportunity to learn at various clinical sites, pursue research opportunities, and engage in advanced senior medical student electives. Unique to PCOM is the OMM Clinical Scholars Program; students are selected to take part in this program after matriculating to PCOM, applying to the program, and interviewing with faculty. These clinical scholars receive specialized clinical opportunities and mentorship from PCOM faculty, and additionally benefit from monthly stipends and travel allowances.
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Jefferson recently redesigned its medical school curriculum, now known as JeffMD, to incorporate more case-based and patient encounters as the foundation for its students’ medical education. Additionally, Jefferson medical students pursue one of eight Scholarly Inquiry tracks over the course of their four years. Students undertake various research projects under the mentorship of Jefferson faculty via the Scholarly Inquiry tracks, which include clinical and translational research, digital health, health policy and systems; and others. Additionally, high school students may apply to the Penn State Accelerated Program, a seven-year BS/MD program run in conjunction with Penn State’s undergraduate program.
Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Temple offers medical students the opportunity to rotate at many major urban and suburban hospitals, including Temple University Hospital, Fox Chase Cancer Center, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Lancaster General Hospital, and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. The Temple curriculum incorporates a longitudinal “doctoring” course alongside the traditional basic science lectures throughout medical students’ preclinical years. Topics covered include how to take a patient history, how to perform a comprehensive physical exam, and how to understand other factors that dictate patient care, such as healthcare disparities, interprofessional team dynamics, and healthcare policy.
High school seniors can apply to the Medical Scholars Program, an eight-year combined BA/MD program jointly adminstered with Washington & Jefferson College. Additionally, the Health Scholar Program at Temple University is an early assurance program for Temple University undergraduates. Temple also offers early assurance programs to juniors at other universities, such as Muhlenberg College and Moravian College, who have demonstrated academic excellence and commitment to service.
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine is a state-of-the-art medical school located in the heart of Philadelphia. Here, students will pursue an accelerated eighteen-month preclinical curriculum which allows them to embark on clinical rotations in year two of medical school. Students will have the opportunity to rotate at large academic medical centers, including the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian, in addition to community hospitals such as Pennsylvania Hospital.
Additionally, students may benefit from pursuing supplemental educational opportunities, such as certificates in clinical neuroscience training; clinical informatics; medical education; spirituality and health; and healthcare management, entrepreneurship, and technology. Medical students can also collaborate with globally recognized thought leaders from the Wharton School of Business, the Penn Center for Innovation, the Leonard Davis Institute, and the Center for Global Health. In addition, students have the opportunity to pursue international health rotations abroad while they are fourth-year medical students in countries such as Nepal and Guatemala.
(Related reading: How to Get Into Perelman School of Medicine: Requirements and Strategies)
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
The University of Pittsburgh is home to one of the top medical schools in the nation. The institution has numerous research opportunities available; students may pursue an MD/PhD, Master of Science, or certificate programs in biomedical informatics, clinical and translational science for doctoral students in the health sciences, clinical research, and medical education. There are also a number of summer research programs available for interested medical students. Beyond research, the University of Pittsburgh has an integrated lecture and problem-based learning curriculum, multiple opportunities to engage with the larger Pittsburgh community, and international opportunities such as global health electives at the University of Ghana Medical School, Tenwek Hospital East Africa, and the Himalayan Health Exchange.
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Part 4: Pennsylvania medical school admissions strategies
Strategy 1: Develop a data-driven list of Pennsylvania medical schools to apply to
The data listed above demonstrate that Pennsylvania medical schools have a wide range of average GPAs and MCAT scores. Therefore, it is important that you reflect on these statistics and strategically select schools that align with your own objective metrics when choosing which medical schools to apply to.
Given that each institution requires applicants to craft unique, school-specific secondary essays, it behooves you to carefully consider which schools you have a strong chance of receiving an admission offer from in the context of your prior academic and extracurricular records. Alternatively, by applying to medical schools that are unlikely to accept you, you risk spreading your time and energies too thin, which may result in low-quality essays.
For example, with a 3.7 GPA and 513 MCAT, Temple, Drexel, and Geisinger would likely make excellent target schools for you (especially if you’re an in-state Pennsylvania resident), whereas getting into the University of Pennsylvania would be highly unlikely.
Strategy 2: Identify the key features of the schools you want to attend in Pennsylvania and ensure that your own application demonstrates fit with these schools
As detailed above, there are a range of medical schools in Pennsylvania, from globally-renowned research institutions to osteopathic medical schools to medical schools offering BS/MD programs. Many of the schools also allow you to apply for selective programs, certificates, additional degrees, and scholarships.
Moreover, while many Pennsylvania medical schools are located in Philadelphia and offer students the opportunity to rotate at urban medical centers (plus satellite sites for exposure to rural medical communities), there are also schools located elsewhere in the state, each of which will provide you with a different set of patient exposure experiences.
This information should help you select which Pennsylvania medical schools dovetail with your own professional interests. Take time to consider what you hope your future career as a physician will look like and determine which Pennsylvania schools will help you achieve these goals.
For example, if you are interested in pursuing a career in academic medicine or want to participate in globally renowned research, you should consider applying to the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh. If you are more interested in primary care, you will likely benefit from attending a school such as LECOM, which has a specific curriculum geared towards primary care medicine education.
Next, focus your efforts on writing school-specific secondary essays that demonstrate an understanding of each school’s mission, and elucidate specifically why you will be successful at the programs you have selected.
Strategy 3: Individualize your interview
Just like in your secondary essays, an individualized approach should also be applied to your interview preparation process; it is of utmost importance to convey to your interviewers how the school you are interviewing at specifically aligns with your own professional goals and personal strengths.
To this end, consider how you might respond to frequently asked questions such as “What is your greatest weakness?” or “Tell me about yourself.” It can be difficult to formulate a coherent response to these open-ended questions in the moment. You should do all you can to practice your answers with friends or family by going through common questions and testing your responses.
For example, when answering, “What is your greatest weakness?” does your answer strike a balance between something believable but not detrimental? You don’t want to say that your greatest weakness is that you care too much or that you’re a perfectionist. It should be something you’ve found challenging but also something you’ve worked to correct.
When answering “Tell me about yourself,” try to tie in aspects of the school that align with who you are and who you want to become. By highlighting these features, you’ll signal to your interviewer that you have clear reasons for choosing their school and are well-aware of how attendance will help you achieve your goals.
Final thoughts
There are many excellent medical schools in Pennsylvania and, therefore, there is a lot of information to consider when you construct your application materials and prepare for your interviews. By reviewing each individual school’s website and the recommendations in this guide, you can position yourself to be successful when applying to medical schools in Pennsylvania.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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Appendix A: Pennsylvania medical schools by degree type
Allopathic medical schools in Pennsylvania (MD)
Drexel University College of Medicine
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Osteopathic medical schools in Pennsylvania (DO)
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
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Appendix B: Pennsylvania medical schools by institution type
Public medical schools in Pennsylvania
There are no public medical schools in Pennsylvania.
Private medical schools in Pennsylvania
Drexel University College of Medicine
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
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Appendix C: Pennsylvania medical schools by region
Medical schools in Philadelphia
Drexel University College of Medicine
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM)
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
Temple University Lewis Katz School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Medical schools outside Philadelphia
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM)
Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
