Until recently, Nevada only had one option for those who wanted to continue their education and become physicians. Fortunately, two medical schools in Nevada have opened not so long ago. This added another public medical school and a private medical school that grants D.O. degrees, which makes it perfect for both resident and non-resident applicants. Check the list we made so you can choose which suits you best!
Read More: 10 Steps to Become a Doctor in the United States
The Best Medical Schools in Nevada
1. University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
We start the list with the oldest medical school in Nevada. Founded in 1969, the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine was the first and for a long time the only public medical school in Nevada. They have now 50 years of experience in the medical field. This can be clearly seen on their ample degree offer, the up-to-date curriculums, their modern facilities, and the quality of their physicians.
The M.D. program divides the curriculum into a pre-clinical phase and a clerkships phase. The first two years consist of learning sciences, anatomy and all their medicine-related aspects through an organ-system based curriculum. Students will be exposed to clinical experiences since the first year, and they will have practices in laboratories with cadavers and simulators.
The last two years consist of clerkships which can be completed in the affiliated centers in Nevada.
This medical school has many degree programs. Dual degree programs include M.D./Ph.D., M.D./M.P.H. (Master’s of Public Health), and M.D./M.B.A. (Master’s in Business Administration). The last two are meant to be completed in five years. There are also Master’s and Ph.D. programs in Physician Assistant Studies, Biochemistry, Speech Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Audiology, among others.
There’s also a B.S./M.D. program for high school students. Admitted students start by completing their Bachelor’s degree, and then move into the M.D. education. However, there are strict requirements to stay in the program, like maintaining a GPA of at least 3.5 or obtaining good scores at the MCAT.
Admissions are done through AMCAS and applicants must submit letters of recommendation, complete the pre-medical courses, and take de MCAT. They are also required to take the CASPer Situational Judgment Test.
Class size at Reno School of Medicine is small. In 2017, there were 1,267 applicants but only 70 of them enrolled. They prioritize admittance for resident students. In fact, only 10% of students admitted in 2017 were out-of-state.
If you’d like to become a physician here, take a look at their website to learn more!
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2. Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUNCOM)
The Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine (TUNCOM) was the second medical school to be opened in the state of Nevada. It was founded in 2004 and grants D.O. degrees.
The D.O. curriculum is divided into a pre-clinical phase and a clinical phase. During the first two years, the program focuses on anatomy, organ systems, clinical reasoning, and behavioral medicine. All these aspects are taught through lectures, laboratory practices, and in the second year, early clinical experiences. They also learn the principles and skills related to osteopathic medicine.
In the last two years, students have to complete their mandatory and elective clerkships.
Besides the D.O. program, TUNCOM also offers a Master’s of Physician Assistant Studies (M.P.A.S) and a Master’s of Medical Health Sciences (M.H.S). They also designed a Geriatric Medicine Fellowship for those who finished their residency.
TUNCOM shares the campus with the College of Health and Human Services, and they offer other degree programs there. For example, they have a Master’s of Education and a Master’s of Occupational Therapy.
They also have different centers where students can get clinical experience. These include the Active Aging Center, Touro Health Center, the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, and the Physical Therapy Clinic.
If you want to apply to this medical school in Nevada, applications are done through the AACOMAS platform. Students must take the MCAT, complete the mandatory pre-medical courses, and submit letters of recommendation and any other proof of previous experience in the medical field, leadership skills, or commitment with the community.
Applicants compete for around 130 places each year. TUNCOM does Open House events and tours each year. This way, prospective students can get to know the facilities better and get more information from the staff.
To learn more, visit their website. We recommend you to check out their catalogs and student’s handbook.
3. University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine is the most recently opened medical school in Nevada. It was founded in 2014 and its first class enrolled in 2017.
This medical school has a very innovative curriculum and highly technological facilities. The M.D. program focuses on the community. During the first year, students start their education with a course that lasts for six weeks so they can obtain a certification of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
The curriculum of the first two years is organ-system based and mixes science with problem-solving classes and clinical cases. Instead of working with cadavers, students will learn in 3D interactive laboratories. This is why class groups are very small.
Additionally, they take courses like virtual anatomy and microscopy. Before the third and fourth year, students will be exposed to early clinical experiences and will have the opportunity to participate in community service.
Their main teaching hospital is the University Medical Center (UMC), but they are affiliated with other centers as well. Some of them are the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System, the Mike O’Callahan Military Medical Center, and the Sunrise Medical Center.
Once you finish the four-year program, Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine has excellent residency and fellowship programs. These include emergency, family or internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, etc.
The admissions process here is similar to the process mentioned above. If you are worried about your budget, they have many scholarship opportunities. Actually, the charter class got a four-year full tuition scholarship, and thanks to donations, 40% of the students in the following entering classes until 2020 will also get a full-tuition scholarship.
As we mentioned, this medical school in Nevada focuses on the community, and their goal is that physicians educated here practice in Nevada. That’s why they prioritize resident applicants and only consider out-of-state students if they have strong ties with Nevada. Out of the 60 students admitted in 2017, only 9 were out-of-state.
We hope that this article on medical schools in Nevada was helpful. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
