Decoding every
MD, DO & dental
school
MCAT and GPA profiles, acceptance rates, in-state preference, AMCAS and AACOMAS timelines and side-by-side comparisons for every US MD, DO and dental school — pulled together into one free toolkit.
163
MD schools
64
DO schools
78
Dental schools
$0
Lots of free tools
Photo: Ajay Suresh · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
Pick your path
Should I apply to MD, DO or dental school?
Jump straight into the full directory for your path — or carry on for the tools that tie it all together.
MD schools
All 163 US allopathic (MD) schools — MCAT/GPA medians, acceptance rates, in-state preference and AMCAS strategy.
Browse MD schoolsDO schools
All 64 US osteopathic (DO) schools — AACOMAS profiles, DO philosophy, COMLEX-USA and career outcomes.
Browse DO schoolsDental schools
All 78 US dental schools — DAT profiles, ADEA AADSAS, in-state preference and DDS vs DMD details.
Browse dental schoolsThe universities toolkit
What free tools are there for researching US medical schools?
Six free tools that take you from “where could I apply?” to a confident school list. Here’s what each one does — and when to reach for it.
School directories
Full profiles for every US MD, DO & dental school — MCAT and GPA medians, acceptance rates, in-state preference, secondary essay volume and MMI/panel formats.
When to use it: Start here to research a school from scratch or check a single requirement.
Browse all schoolsSchool rankings
Sortable rankings that blend the metrics applicants actually care about — selectivity, outcomes and reputation — into one place for MD and dental programs.
When to use it: Use it to build a balanced shortlist of reach, target and safety schools.
See the rankingsMCAT & GPA guide
The MCAT and GPA medians that win interviews, broken down by school tier — plus how holistic review weighs scores against experiences.
When to use it: Match your real MCAT and GPA against each school before you commit a choice.
Open the MCAT guideCompare tool
Put up to three schools side by side — MCAT/GPA medians, acceptance rates, in-state preference and interview formats in one table.
When to use it: Use it once you have a shortlist to settle the final call between schools.
Compare schoolsApplication strategy
How to turn your MCAT, GPA and experiences into an AMCAS/AACOMAS school list — and a secondary-essay plan — that maximises your odds of an offer.
When to use it: Read it after you know your scores to decide where to actually apply.
Plan your strategyInterview guides
Per-school interview breakdowns — MMI, panel, traditional or CASPer — what's assessed and how to prepare, plus the Prometheus AI mock interviewer.
When to use it: Open the guide for any school that has invited you to interview.
Explore interview guidesWhat MCAT score and GPA do US medical schools require?
Schools rarely publish a hard cut-off, so applicants guess. Know the scores you actually need: the median MCAT and GPA of admitted students at each school, how holistic review weighs scores against experiences, and where your numbers make you genuinely competitive.
- Median MCAT and GPA, school by school, for MD and DO
- How in-state preference shifts your real odds
- Cross-checked against the same data behind every school page
| # | School | MCATmedian | Accept.rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYU Grossman School of Medicine (MD — tuition-free)NY | 523 | 1.8% |
| 2 | Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (MD)MD | 522 | 1.8% |
| 3 | Perelman School of Medicine, UPenn (MD)PA | 522 | 3.0% |
| 4 | Columbia University VP&S (MD)NY | 521 | 3.3% |
| 5 | Yale School of Medicine (MD)CT | 521 | 3.5% |
How do I compare US medical schools side by side?
Compare your shortlist in one table. Once you have two or three contenders, stop flicking between tabs: pick up to three schools and see MCAT/GPA medians, acceptance rates, in-state preference and interview formats lined up so the differences jump out.
Open the comparison toolIllustrative — add your own schools in the live tool.
How can I practise for a US medical school interview?
Reading about interviews only gets you so far. Prometheus generates school-specific questions for US MD and DO programs — MMI stations, ethical scenarios and motivation questions tailored to each school’s format — and gives you feedback on the spot.
- Mock stations tailored to each school’s interview format
- Ethics, role-play and “why this school” practice on demand
- Instant, structured feedback to sharpen your answers
Ethics scenario
“A classmate asks you to share answers from an exam you have already taken. Walk me through how you respond, and the principles guiding you.”
Live feedback
Strong structure — you named the conflict and the principle. Add what you’d do next to support the classmate constructively.
Illustrative — your real session adapts to the school you choose.
Interview guides for every format
Which interview format does each US medical school use?
US schools interview by MMI, traditional or panel, and a growing number add CASPer. Find out which format yours uses, what it really tests and how to prepare for it.
Multiple Mini Interviews
A timed circuit of short stations — ethics, role-play, motivation and scenario stations under the clock. A common format at US MD and DO programs.
Read the guideTraditional & panel
One-on-one or panel conversations built around your AMCAS narrative, experiences and “why this school”. Learn the rhythm and how to structure an answer.
Read the guideCASPer & situational judgement
An online situational-judgement test a growing number of schools require alongside the interview to assess personal and professional attributes.
Read the guidePrefer it school by school? We have interview guidance for US MD, DO and dental programs.
Browse every interview guideMore than one way in
Which route into US medicine is right for me?
The MD/DO split and holistic review make the US path its own beast. If one of these is you, start here.
MD or DO?
Both lead to full physician licensure, but the philosophy, application service (AMCAS vs AACOMAS), licensing exam (USMLE vs COMLEX-USA) and competitiveness differ. See how to choose — and how to apply to both.
Building a standout application
US admissions are holistic — clinical and research hours, leadership and a compelling narrative matter alongside scores. See what counts, and the support for URM and disadvantaged applicants.
Your route from browsing to applying
In what order should I research and apply to US medical schools?
The tools are designed to be used in order. Here’s the path most successful applicants follow.
Explore the schools
Browse the directories to see what every US MD, DO and dental school looks for.
02Check your MCAT & GPA
Match your scores against each school’s published median before you build a list.
03Compare your shortlist
Put your contenders side by side and settle the toss-ups in one table.
04Plan your application
Turn your shortlist into a strategic AMCAS/AACOMAS list that maximises your odds.
Popular MD schools
A–Z sample — jump straight to a school’s page.
Popular DO schools
A–Z sample — jump straight to a school’s page.
Popular dental schools
A–Z sample — jump straight to a school’s page.
Common questions
US medical and dental school admissions, answered
How many medical and dental schools are there in the US?
Our directory covers 163 allopathic (MD) and 64 osteopathic (DO) medical schools plus 78 dental schools — 305 US programmes in total for the 2026–27 cycle, each with its own profile page. The counts come from our school catalogue and move as new schools reach accreditation.
What is the difference between an MD and a DO?
Both are fully licensed physicians in the United States with the same practice rights, and both routes lead to residency. DO programmes add osteopathic manipulative medicine to the curriculum, apply through AACOMAS rather than AMCAS, and sit COMLEX-USA as their licensing sequence (many DO students also sit the USMLE). MD programmes are, on average, more selective on MCAT and GPA.
What MCAT score and GPA do I need for US medical school?
There is no universal cut-off. US admissions are holistic, and schools publish the median MCAT and GPA of their entering class rather than a threshold — we hold both for 227 MD and DO programmes. The useful comparison is therefore how your score sits against each individual school's median, not whether you clear a national bar.
Which application service do I apply through?
MD programmes use AMCAS, DO programmes use AACOMAS, and dental schools use ADEA AADSAS. Most Texas public schools run their own service, TMDSAS. You can apply to MD and DO schools in the same cycle — the two services are separate applications, so each needs its own school list and its own secondary essays.
What interview format do US medical schools use?
Mostly traditional and panel interviews — the opposite of the UK. Of the 226 US MD and DO programmes in our directory that record a format, 192 run a traditional one-to-one or panel interview and 38 run a multiple mini interview circuit. A growing number of schools additionally require CASPer, an online situational-judgement test taken before the interview.
Does in-state preference really matter?
At public medical schools it often matters a great deal: many are state-funded with a mandate to train physicians for their own state, so a large share of interview invitations goes to state residents. Private schools generally have no residency preference. Each school profile in this directory records how strong that preference is, so you can weigh it before spending a secondary fee.
Ready to build your school list?
Loads of free tools to explore. Begin with the schools, then let the MCAT guide, rankings and Compare tool narrow it down to the reach, target and safety choices that are right for you.