Updated at: 13-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

Florida is more than just a place to visit or retire to. Many of the best hospitals and medical research facilities in the United States, if not the entire world, can be found in Florida. As the third most populous state, with the highest percentage of residents aged 65 and older and a culturally and racially diverse population, California presents excellent opportunities for future doctors and medical researchers.

The majority of Florida’s educational institutions are found in and around the state’s major cities. However, there are many options available to medical students, and they are strongly encouraged to work in underserved areas.

Some of the most important things that students at Florida’s best medical schools learn in and out of the classroom are how to interact with patients, how to think critically, and how to use new and creative methods to learn and advance the field. In general, these institutions attract students who are not only bright but also caring and socially conscious.

The colleges and universities on this list were chosen because of their widespread influence, ground-breaking research, exceptional educational opportunities, high average grades and MCAT scores, and competitive admissions processes. US News’ list of the top medical schools in the country served as the basis for this ranking as well. We also considered the school’s connections with prominent medical institutions to ensure that its students have access to meaningful, practical, and professional internship and externship opportunities.

The top Florida medical schools are included below.

Best Florida Medical Schools

Best Florida medical schools

Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Florida Atlantic University’s medical school is one of the state’s newest and it’s focused on preparing doctors to work in underserved areas of the state. The first-year curriculum at FAU includes supervised doctor-patient relationships with patients, which is part of the school’s “high-touch, high-tech” integrated curriculum. Topics like “Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice” and “Ethics, Professionalism, and Professional Identity” are also a part of the curriculum at FAU. Florida Atlantic University is well-known for its small class sizes and individualized attention, as well as its pass/fail grading system and “white space time” in the third year, which students can use to work on their own projects or research. Students at FAU can participate in clinical rotations at affiliated hospitals in Broward and Palm Beach counties and conduct research at the renowned Scripps Research Institute Florida and the Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience thanks to the university’s partnerships with both institutions.

Florida State University College of Medicine

Florida State University College of Medicine

The College of Medicine at Florida State University was established to address the need for more medical professionals to serve the state’s growing elderly population and underserved areas in rural and urban Florida. For this reason, FSU has a Rural Education Program and a geriatrics department (one of the few in the country) to prepare students for primary care. Clinical training is completed at one of six regional campuses across the state of Florida after the first two years of study are completed at the main FSU campus in Tallahassee. The medical school program at FSU begins in the summer, with an anatomy course for incoming students. In addition, each student is assigned to a Learning Community, a cohort of about 30 peers who work together and share common spaces like study rooms and lounges.

Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine

The mission of Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (NSU-COM) is to educate primary care physicians, with a focus on serving the needs of the medically underserved and fostering interprofessional collaboration in the healthcare system. Clinical exposure at NSU-COM’s two Florida campuses (Fort Lauderdale and Tampa/Clearwater) begins in the first month of medical school, and all students are required to spend three months of their education in a rural setting. Cuba, Ecuador, India, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico all host international medical outreach programs that students can join. The clinical rotations at NSU-COM have been around for a while and now include major hospitals in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties and beyond. Although NSU-COM has taken some heat in the past for its students’ dwindling first-time COMLEX pass rates, recent years have shown a positive upward trend.

Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University is widely recognized as one of the best medical schools in the country, and it is responsible for groundbreaking studies and excellent primary care education and practice. The college’s curriculum has won awards, and its students have a 99 percent success rate on the United States’ medical licensing exam.

The college has a strong track record of both high-quality academic research and extensive, life-changing community service in South Florida, benefiting tens of thousands of individuals and families. Students from traditionally under-represented groups make up 43% of the student body at Wertheim College of Medicine, another point of diversity for the institution.

The university may have only been established for a little over a decade, but its scholars have already made significant contributions to knowledge, such as their study of the newly emerged virus COVID-19.

Every application gets reviewed, but the average MCAT score of those who are accepted is 509. A 3.73 average is achieved.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Bradenton, FL)

LECOM’s suburban Bradenton campus, like its sister campuses in Elmira and Greensburg and its parent campus in Erie, offers medical students a low-cost, high-quality education. It has cutting-edge technology throughout its buildings, including several flexible study areas.

With over 2,200 students across its three campuses in Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York, LECOM is by far the largest medical school in the United States. In addition, more people apply to LECOM than to any other medical school. The tuition is remarkably low compared to other medical schools, and the students will receive a high-quality education with promising outcomes.

An MCAT score of 503 is typical of a first-year medical student, with a GPA of 3.5 being the norm.

Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine

Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine physicians collaborated with scholars from other FAU schools to establish a registry and repository in February 2021 to track the spread of COVID-19 and the effectiveness of current treatments. This is just one example of the ground-breaking work being done at the medical school. The college’s facilities are also among the best in the nation, especially the Clinical Skills Simulation Center.

There is another allopathic medicine school on the list. About sixty-four freshmen are accepted each year into the medical school’s MD program. Each year, the College of Medicine and The Scripps Research Institute select four to five students from the cohort to participate in the innovative MD/PhD program.

With a focus on serving the local community, FAU’s medical school collaborates with the three major health care providers in Palm Beach County to give its students the best possible education.

Admitted students typically have a GPA of 3.79 and an MCAT score of 512.

University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine

University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine

In terms of research, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine is placed at #50, and in terms of primary care, it is placed at #75, by US News and World Report. Not only is it the state’s oldest medical school, but it also receives the most National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding of any Florida institution.

Its researchers have made significant strides in the fields of diabetes, cancer, and HIV/AIDS research, among many others. The Children’s Heart Center, the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, and many more are just a few of the more than 15 research centers and institutes run by the Miller School of Medicine.

Its incoming class has one of the highest averages in both MCAT scores (513) and grade point average (3.86), out of all the medical schools in the state. Candidates are not only judged on their MCAT scores and GPAs, but also on their interpersonal skills, life experiences, and commitment to medicine and patient care.

University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine

The University of South Florida has an openly funded medical school called the Morsani College of Medicine at USF Health. It has been around since 1975 and is connected to USF through a variety of programs.

It was established in the post-war era, making it one of only two medical schools in Florida. The other is at the University of Miami.

In addition to its MD and PhD programs, USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine is also home to a renowned research institute. The Liaison Council on Medical Education has granted the university’s request for accreditation.

You’ll also need to spend ten weeks learning clinical skills. Furthermore, in order to graduate, you must complete a two-year internship rotation.

There are six locations across Florida: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, Fort Myers, and Lakeland.

The doctoral degree opens up research and university teaching careers for those interested in academia.

The USF Health Morsani College of Medicine is a popular choice, but admission is just as competitive as at other prestigious medical institutions. Thousands of students apply each term, but only about 150 are admitted. The acceptance rate is just under 4%.

University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine

The Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami is one of the best in the country, training doctors who will go on to provide care for underserved populations, assume leadership roles in the medical field, and conduct groundbreaking research to better the health of people everywhere. Those interested in pursuing a PhD or MD can do so here. The LCME has granted the University’s medical school an accreditation.

If you want to get your medical degree quickly, UM is the place to do it. Classes are scheduled in blocks, and the pace is high, so that you can get right to work. Scholarships are just one of many doors that the university throws open to its students.

The University of Maryland’s College of Arts and Sciences has a lot to offer students. Immunology, Medicine 101, Introduction to Pharmacology, Principles in Evidence-Based Medicine, and many more are among the introductory courses provided. Regardless of what you hope to accomplish in your professional life, you will find classes at UM that can help you get there. In addition, there are numerous research opportunities available for students interested in healthcare-related fields.

Those who aspire to become professors or pursue doctoral degrees in clinical medicine will find that their teaching program is among the best in the country. Classes like General Pathology I and II are just two of the many available to aspiring researchers. The medical school also offers a robust program through which students can complete clinical rotations at a wide variety of hospitals in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. As a result, medical professionals have ample opportunities to broaden their training.

The University of Miami (UM) is widely regarded as one of the best medical schools in Florida, providing its students with numerous internship and employment opportunities at the state’s finest medical facilities upon graduation.

Due to its residency programs, wherein more than half of its students remain in Florida after graduation, UM provides students with an opportunity for a sense of community not found at other Florida universities.

University of Florida College of Medicine

University of Florida College of Medicine

The College of Medicine at the University of Florida (UF) is widely regarded as the best medical school in the state of Florida due to its welcoming atmosphere, small class sizes, and extensive first-year mentoring program. Furthermore, UF provides excellent research opportunities, such as the Discovery Pathways Medical Student Research Program, pass/fail grading, and early clinical exposure (students leave Gainesville to work with a Florida primary care physician for 2.5 weeks after three months of school). Student-run free clinics, international medical outreach trips, and rotations at UF’s large teaching hospital, Shands Hospital, give students additional opportunities to gain patient care experience.

FAQs

Which Florida university has the strictest admissions process?

The average MCAT score at Nova Southeastern University’s Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine is 511, making it the most competitive medical school in the country.

How much of a GPA do you need to get into the UF Medical School?

The University of Florida requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.9. The medical school admissions process is highly competitive, so you’ll need a GPA of at least 4.1 to be considered.

Conclusion

Choosing a career in general is not an easy task, and medical school is no different. Given the magnitude of the decision to attend medical school, there are many factors to weigh.

Determine first if you truly care about this field. Your ability to take care of schoolwork and family obligations while following your passions has a direct correlation. If you don’t feel enthusiastic about it, you should probably look elsewhere.

Do not pursue a career in medicine unless you are completely dedicated to the field. Intense study and hard work are required to enter the medical field. One must feel a genuine calling to do this. Ignore your parents’ wishes and don’t join that group. Not for the money, thank you very much. Money can’t buy happiness, and it’s not worth risking your life for it.