Medical schools in Alabama are seriously underrated. Even though a number of them have high national rankings, this state is often overlooked.
If you’re one of the clever premed students who’s caught on to the great med schools that Alabama has to offer, you’re going to love this guide.
In it, you’ll find each Alabama medical school and the info you need if you plan on applying.
University of Alabama School of Medicine
- Location: Birmingham, AL
- GPA: 3.85
- MCAT: 509
- Tuition: $32,118 In-state, $65,854 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Public
The University of Alabama School of Medicine maintains its primary campus in Birmingham with regional branches in Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa. Six departments within the school have ranked among the top 10 in their fields in National Institute of Health funding, topped by the Department of Dermatology in first place.
The college and its hospitals hold a number of other distinctions, including the nation’s first public university diabetes hospital and the first use of color doppler echocardiography.
Recently ranked 21st nationally in research by U.S. News & World Report, the school focuses on five research areas, including basic science discovery; inflammation, infection and immunity; informatics; population health, health disparities, and outcomes effectiveness; and precision medicine. You as a student have several research programs from which to choose, ranging from dual degrees to summer projects.
University of South Alabama School of Medicine
- Location: Mobile, AL
- GPA: 3.9
- MCAT: 509
- Tuition: $31,803 In-state, $62,807 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Public
Located on the university’s 1,200-acre campus in Mobile, the University of South Alabama School of Medicine offers both an M.D program and a Ph.D. in Basic Medical Sciences program. A member of the Association of American Medical Colleges, this Alabama medical school is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The Gulf Coast’s only health educational institution, the school has, since its founding, provided one-third of Mobile-area physicians.
The four-year holistic curriculum toward your M.D. degree centers around six core competencies that you begin to study your first week of instruction. Your first two years involve the study of sequence modules, each highlighting a particular organ system.
If you wish, you may participate in the school’s Summer Research Program prior to your freshman and/or sophomore years. Prior to graduation, you may also participate in the M.D. With Research Honors Program as long as you remain in good academic standing.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Location: Auburn, AL
- GPA: 3.6
- MCAT: 500
- Tuition: $39,530
- Public/Private: Private
Located on 16 scenic acres on the campus of Auburn University, the private, nonprofit Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine combines a four-story, 100,000 square-foot high-tech facility with the personalized learning environment of a small academic institution.
As one of three of the college’s branches, VCOM-Auburn offers its students the opportunity to engage in activities, events, the arts and research at all campuses. This medical school in Alabama grants both D.O. and M.A. in Biomedical Science degrees. In order to be considered for admission, you must have achieved at least a 3.2 grade point average both in science and cumulatively.
The beautiful, state-of-the-art VCOM-Auburn building features classrooms throughout, spacious second-floor auditoriums and a third-floor library with small study rooms. The spacious first-floor research lab houses special equipment that, among all VCOM campuses, is available only at Auburn.
Other labs at the Auburn campus include a high-tech anatomy lab and an osteopathic manipulative medicine lab equipped with electrically-controlled adjustable tables.
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Location: Dothan, AL
- GPA: 3.4
- MCAT: 503
- Tuition: $52,800
- Public/Private: Private
Located in Dothan, the private Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, or ACOM, was not only the state’s first osteopathic medical school but also the only one that’s an educational division of a county health care system.
The college emphasizes providing patient-centered primary care to the underserved populations of Alabama, as well as those of the entire country. The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation has granted the school full accreditation.
ACOM’s 110,000-square-foot facility provides students with a high-tech learning environment. The library features predominantly electronic access, and the Clinical Competency Center testing environment is similar to that of the National Board of Osteopathic Examiners. Your first two years toward your D.O. degree include classes in basic science, and your third and fourth years consist of clinical clerkships.
Time To Get Started
Now that you know about each of the medical schools in Alabama it’s time for you to get started. Take a second to think about which schools you’re interested in, and what scores you’ll need to get accepted.
If you think you might need some help getting into one of the schools on your list, we’re here to help. We’ve helped hundreds of premed students get into medical school over the years and we’ll happily do the same for you!
