• Admission to the top American medical schools is highly competitive.Smiling young doctor image by Monika 3 Steps Ahead from Fotolia.com
  
  Admission into medical school is extremely competitive for most applicants but prospective medical students want to attend the best program in which they can gain acceptance. The top medical schools in the United States will have a strong research department, teaching methodology and low student to faculty ratio. Admission into the top American medical schools are highly competitive, but have the reputation of producing top physicians and researchers in the field of medicine.
  
  

Harvard Medical School

• Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, states that its mission is "to create and nurture a diverse community of the best people committed to leadership in alleviating human suffering caused by disease." The school offers two programs: the HST program, a rigorous research and clinical program that only accepts 30 students per year, and the New Pathway program, which combines new technology with the traditional medical curriculum.
  
  Harvard University
  Medical School
  25 Shattuck Street
  Boston, MA 02115-6092
  617-432-1550
  Hms.harvard.edu
  
  

Penn Medicine

• Founded in 1765, Penn Medicine is one of the oldest medical schools in the United States and has consistently ranked in the top five medical schools in US News and World Report. It boasts the first hospital built by a medical school and is a leader in research. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the curriculum at Penn Medicine is unique in that it integrates basic science and clinical experience throughout all four years. Students tend to work in a team environment with most classes taught in small group sessions. According to Penn Medicine, "in the last year, Penn faculty members were awarded 33 patents for their research efforts."
  
  University of Pennsylvania
  237 John Morgan Building
  3620 Hamilton Walk
  Philadelphia, PA 19104
  215-898-8001
  Med.upenn.edu
  
  

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

• Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine ranked third out of 146 medical school programs by US News & World Report in 2010. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins is one of the most difficult medical schools in which to gain acceptance. It prides itself on its strong research presence and its Genes to Society curriculum. The curriculum eliminates passive learning through lectures and focuses on active learning through team based learning, group discussions and presentations.
  
  Johns Hopkins University
  School of Medicine
  733 N. Broadway Baltimore, MD 21205
  410-955-3182
  Hopkinsmedicine.org