Medical schools in South Carolina don’t get the attention they deserve. While many students flock to more popular states, South Carolina has quietly been churning out some great doctors year after year.
This resource will share the essential information you need to know if you’re thinking about attending one of these schools. From the focus and background of each institution to the scores new applicants need, it’s all in here.
Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine
- Location: Charleston, SC
- GPA: 3.78
- MCAT: 511
- Tuition: $36,237 In-state, $62,629 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Public
The first medical school founded in the South and the tenth established in the nation, the Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine is located on a 50-plus-acre campus in Charleston. A national leader in recruiting and educating minority students, the college values the importance of a diverse student body and faculty. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the school fifth in the nation in the number of African-American students in educational institutions not historically considered Black colleges and universities.
You can choose from among several degree programs at the school, including the M.D., the M.D./Ph.D., the M.P.H. and a number of joint programs in which you can earn an M.S. in Public Health, Business Administration or Clinical Research along with your M.D. The traditional four-year M.D. program includes two years of foundational preclinical instruction, one year of core clinical clerkship instruction and a final year of advanced clinical clerkship and clinical elective rotations.
University of South Carolina School of Medicine
- Location: Columbia, SC
- GPA: 3.8
- MCAT: 509
- Tuition: $43,428 In-state, $88,494 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Public
A leader in incorporating state-of-the-art technology into its medical curriculum, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine emphasizes training its students to serve in rural populations and focuses on vital research programs that directly concern the health of the state’s population as well as that of the entire nation. Some notable areas of the school’s research include cancer, cardiovascular health, and neuroscience.
Besides the four-year M.D. program, you can choose from master’s or Ph.D. programs in biomedical science or nurse anesthesia, a physician assistant program or a clinical rehabilitation counseling program. There’s also the option for you to pursue a dual M.D./Ph.D. degree. The school’s degree programs are all accredited by official accrediting boards.
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
- Location: Greenville, SC
- GPA: 3.8
- MCAT: 509
- Tuition: $43,764 In-state $88,830 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Public
Located on the campus of Prisma Health Upstate, the region’s largest health care provider, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville offers its M.D. students a unique educational experience. Beginning your first day, you’ll receive hands-on clinical EMT training. Once you’ve passed the required exams, you’ll become a certified EMT in the first year of your program.
After you’ve completed your first semester, you’re eligible to participate in any of this Maryland medical school’s several research programs. You may choose to pursue a short-term project or select projects to work on throughout your M.D. training. The first medical school in the nation to include lifestyle medicine in its entire four-year M.D. program curriculum, the college emphasizes wellness among its students, who, once they’ve graduated, are expected to pass on this knowledge to their patients.
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – South Carolina
- Location: Spartanburg, SC
- GPA: 3.6
- MCAT: 500+
- Tuition: $45,500 In-state $45,500 Out-of-state
- Public/Private: Private
Located on an 18-acre campus, the private, nonprofit Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – South Carolina focuses on training students to practice medicine in underserved areas of Appalachia. The campus features a high-tech anatomy lab and a center for both standardized patient and mannequin-based simulation training. There are two 160-seat theater classrooms, as well as 20 medium-sized rooms designed for small group interaction. A member of the College Town Consortium, this medical school in Maryland collaborates with other local colleges in offering students a variety of social and service opportunities.
The program toward your D.O. degree is based on a system of blocks as opposed to traditional semesters. Your first two years consist of eight blocks with each block concentrating on a particular organ system. You’ll also get more training in the musculoskeletal/neuromuscular system than would a traditional medical student. Your third and fourth years include clerkships in such specialties as family, internal and primary care medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, and surgery.
Planning Your Next Move
Now that you know more about the medical schools in South Carolina it’s time for you to start planning your next move. Think about what schools appeal to you and which ones might be a bit tricky to get accepted to.
If you want to significantly increase your chances of getting accepted get in touch with us. Over the years we’ve helped hundreds of premeds get into their medical school of choice, and can do the same for you.
