| Medical schools in America can be classified into two | | | | There are a number of advantages to studying at |
| broad categories - those that concentrate on | | | | one of the top American medical schools. The name |
| research and those with a focus on primary care. | | | | on the degree's masthead has a lot to do with how |
| Each category has a sort of hierarchy as far as | | | | easy or hard it will be to get future academic and |
| reputation is concerned. There is no clear-cut way of | | | | professional breaks. Further, medical studies become |
| establishing a list that begins with the "best" and ends | | | | a lot more comfortable with the right pedigree, and it |
| with the "worst," but of course some are far more | | | | is quite possible that a student from one of the |
| reputable than others. | | | | high-ranking institutes will be awarded one of the |
| Again, this does not mean that a student can simply | | | | plum residency slots at a practicing medical |
| select the "best" and apply for admission there. The | | | | establishment. |
| higher a medical institution ranks in repute, the higher | | | | At present, among the most reputable |
| will be its requirements as far as the required GPA | | | | research-oriented medical schools in America, in a |
| (Grade Point Average) for admission eligibility. An | | | | roughly descending order, include Harvard University, |
| upper-bracket medical school will also have a far | | | | John Hopkins University, Duke University and |
| tougher version of the Medical School Admissions | | | | University of California San Francisco. University of |
| Test (MCAT). Other factors that decide eligibility for | | | | Washington, Oregon Health & Science University, |
| admission are the aspiring student?s state of | | | | Michigan State University College of Osteopathic |
| residence and the manner in which the application | | | | Medicine and University of Minnesota Duluth rank |
| essay has been written. | | | | among the most reputable in primary care. |