Although Connecticut may not seem like the first option for those who want to pursue a career in medicine, there are some excellent medical schools with decades and decades of an educational tradition that grant MD degrees. They have unique programs and facilities that make them very different from other universities.

Requirements to enroll and to get your license are similar to those in other states: having a bachelor’s degree, taking the MCAT, completing the four-year program, finishing the residency, an internship, and making practical and written examinations. However, even if this is a long journey, medical schools in Connecticut make it easier and very enjoyable! So, let’s see which universities are qualified to grant M.D. degrees.

Connecticut Medical Schools

1. Yale School of Medicine

Back in 1810, the Yale School of Medicine was one of the first ones to establish in the U.S. Even if it’s one of the oldest medical schools and one of the best medical schools in the USA. Its curriculum and programs are among the most flexible and innovative ones. It is currently ranked as the 13th medical school in terms of research and the 51st in terms of primary care.

Education at the Yale School of Medicine is very flexible and will depend on the interests of each student. It has many dual-degree options. Besides the most common combinations, such as a joint M.D./Ph.D degree program or M.D./Master of Public Health, students can also pursue other dual degrees according to their interests. They can combine their M.D. degrees with a Master’s of Divinity, with sciences of engineering, or even with a Juris Doctor degree (along with the Yale School of Law).

It also has Physician Assistant programs and online programs. If you choose the latter, your education will combine online classes and coursework, clinical rotations in the place you live, and immersions on the campus of Yale for three weeks.

Students are also required to write a thesis before graduating, and there is an extensive and varied list of electives.

Admissions at Yale School of Medicine are highly competitive, but the process is not very different from other medical schools. In 2018, 4,374 people applied but only 104 were admitted.

In order to apply, you must start by the online application and the Yale Secondary Application. Then, you’ll have to submit your letters of recommendations and go to the interviews in case you were invited. They accept international students and also offer financial aid.

See Also: 10 Steps to Become a Doctor in the United States

2. Quinnipiac Medical School

Formerly known as the Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, the Quinnipiac Medical School is one of the newest medical schools in the U.S. It was established in 2010 and received preliminary accreditation to grant M.D. degrees in 2012. They received full accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) in 2017.

However, being a new medical school in Connecticut doesn’t mean that it isn’t as good as other ones. It actually has an innovative curriculum and a different approach. Besides the M.D. program, they also have an anesthesiologist assistant program. Another interesting aspect is that students must work on a capstone project before graduating.

Quinnipiac Medical School is focused on primary care and on the preparation of students. This is why they make sure that professors are completely focused on education rather than on personal research.

Another priority here is the clinical experience. This medical school has hundreds of affiliated centers where students can make their clinical rotations, or get research or residency opportunities. Also, they start having clinical experience when they start the four-year program.

Admissions at Quinnipiac Medical School are competitive, especially because class sizes here are slightly smaller than in other universities. Although it is a relatively new medical school, for the class of 2020 there were 7,675 applicants! 614 of them were interviewed but only 90 were admitted. They expect to expand class size throughout the years. Actually, for the class of 2021, they accepted 96 students, and for the class of 2022, they accepted 99 students.

The application process is very similar to the process in other universities. It starts with the online application through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Then you’ll receive an invitation to submit a secondary application, and after that, you’ll be invited to an interview. They also offer on-campus information sessions for prospective students.

Check out: 7 Cheap Medical Schools in USA

3. University of Connecticut School of Medicine

The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine was established in 1968, and it is part of the UConn Health Center. This medical school is known for its research centers and its many program and admissions options.

It offers a few dual degree programs that include a joint M.D./Ph.D. program, a M.D./M.B.A program with the School of Business, a M.D./M.P.H program, and a Special Program in Medicine (B.A./B.S. and M.D.). The four-year program is divided into three phases that cover foundation coursework, clinical rotations, and a flexible phase during the last year that comprises electives, clinical experiences, a capstone project, and a boot camp experience.

Additionally, a new curriculum was implemented, called M-DELTA, which aims to prepare students for the medicine of the 21st century through innovation and by taking advantage of new technologies. This is also part of the biomedical research institution that was started in 2011, called Bioscience Connecticut.

Regarding admissions, the UConn School of Medicine accepts 3.3% of its applicants. They only accepted 98 students in 2018. However, they have more admissions options than other universities.

There is an 8-year program for high school students that meet specific requirements. There’s also a post-baccalaureate program for those who don’t meet certain course requirements and have to complete science coursework before applying. The application process has the same steps mentioned in the other two medical schools above.

Unlike other universities, they accept transfer students from other certified medical schools in Canada or the U.S. They also offer different types of financial aid that include grants, loans, and scholarships.

Connecticut is a great destination for medical students, for it is home to some of the most renowned universities in the U.S. Going through medical school is a paramount step to become a doctor in the United States, and Connecticut has a reputation for being very accepting of international students; Something that cannot be said about many states in the country.

We hope that this article on Connecticut medical schools was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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