Medical Schools in Ohio: How to Get In (2022) — Shemmassian Academic Consulting (2023)

*Public medical schools in Ohio | UR: Unranked | IS: In-state | OOS: Out-of-state | NA: Not available

Part 3: Ohio medical school profiles

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

Medical students at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine can pursue one of three medical education pathways: the University Program, the College Program, and the Medical Scientist Training Program.

The University Program is a four-year Doctor of Medicine program, which is characterized by a two-year Foundations of Medicine & Health pre-clinical phase and a two-year clinical phase. The pre-clinical phase places a strong emphasis on self-directed learning through the Case Inquiry Program, a student-centered small group learning method. Students participate in these sessions several times a week during the first two years of medical school.

The College Program has a five-year curriculum that is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic and boasts a small class size of approximately 30 students yearly. These students will pursue the traditional medical education curriculum in addition to 12 months of master’s level research. For those, who want to pursue an MD-PhD track, the Medical Scientist Training Program is available.

Northeast Ohio Medical University

Over the four years at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), medical students will pursue two years of preclinical education and two years of clinical rotations. The first two years of preclinical education have horizontally and vertically integrated courses in clinical skills, community and population health, interprofessional teamwork and leadership, socially-just practice, and translational research. Students will then pursue their clerkship rotations followed by electives geared towards their own professional interests in their final two years of medical schools. Additionally, students will complete a Clinical Epilogue and Capstone course to culminate their unique clinical interests. While at NEOMED, students will benefit from support from the Professional Development Advising Team (PDAT); PDAT advisors form relationships with students early on in medical school and ensure their personal journeys to becoming physicians are successful.

Ohio State University College of Medicine

Most often, Ohio State University College of Medicine students pursue a traditional four-year MD program; however, the medical school also offers an accelerated three-year Primary Care Track and seven dual-degree options. Thus, medical students with all types of interests will find an educational focus of interest that aligns with their unique goals. Students in the four-year program will study medicine through the three-part Lead.Serve.Inspire (LSI) curriculum that has an integrated competency-based framework. The first phase of the curriculum is the clinical foundations phase, which includes basic and clinical sciences lectures, longitudinal practice sessions in which students rotate at clinical sites, and exploration weeks during which students explore careers in medicine of their choice.

The second part of medical students’ educations is the clinical applications phase, during which students will complete their clerkship rotations. Students finish medical school with the advanced clinical management part of the LSI curriculum, in which they pursue individualized rotations and electives.

Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine was established to address Ohio’s growing need for family medicine physicians who serve underserved areas and at-risk patients. Students will pursue an eighteen-month preclinical education at one of the three campuses located in Ohio: Athens, Cleveland, and Dublin.

In additional to foundational basic and clinical sciences coursework, students will study osteopathic approaches to patient care through the Pathways to Health and Wellness Curriculum during this time. The next twelve months are characterized by core clerkship rotations at sites throughout Ohio. Notably, students will have a closely mentored three-month family medicine clerkship during which they will work with an individually assigned preceptor and participate in weekly small-group learning sessions. Students will have the final eighteen months to personalize their elective rotations and prepare for residency.

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine brings early exposure to patient care at the bedside through its CincyMedEd curriculum by horizontally and vertically integrating these opportunities over the four-year program. Students will first study basic and clinical sciences along with fundamental clinical skills in their first two years of medical school. They will also participate in Learning Communities, a small-group-based learning format in which students will discuss clinical cases related to the organ block they are currently studying with preceptors and peers. During the third year of medical school, students will complete both clerkship rotations and specialty electives of their choice such as anesthesia, dermatology, and oncology. In the final year of medical school, medical students will participate in acting internships in which they are the primary patient care providers on inpatient services, in addition to twenty-four weeks of elective rotations.

University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences medical school curriculum, Rocket Medicine, was revised in 2017 and now emphasizes early and consistent integration of clinical reasoning, clinical skills, and professionalism. Students will complete two years of pre-clinical coursework, one year of core rotations, and one year of advanced rotations and electives. Rocket Medicine has a required Integrated Clinical Experience (ICE) in which first-year medical students are assigned to faculty preceptors and learn one-on-one how to deliver patient care in various settings, such as the clinic or inpatient medicine. Moreover, in the clinical phase of medical school, all students must complete a minimum of eight weeks of rotations in a rural Area Health Education Center. Students will learn at these centers, which work directly with area schools, government health departments, and community centers.

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

The Boonshoft School of Medicine piloted the new WrightCurriculum in 2017 and prioritizes self-directed learning, evidence-based medical education, and collaborative small-group learning environments. It is organized into three phases: Foundations (70 weeks), Doctoring (52 weeks), and Advanced Doctoring (52 weeks). Notably, during the pre-clinical Foundations Phase, there is no lecture-based learning; students learn the material by working in small-group interactive learning sessions with faculty and peers. This flipped classroom approach, along with the smaller 120-student class size, fosters an environment of collaboration.

Wright State University also seeks to train physicians who are committed to providing care in rural areas; this is reflected by the Wright Rural Medical Scholars program. Students can pursue the intensive Rural Pathway experience or opt into individual rotations at rural sites.

Part 4: Ohio medical school admissions strategies

Strategy 1: Take a data-driven approach when selecting Ohio medical schools for your school list

While you might be tempted to apply to every medical school that you can, we encourage you to take a more strategic approach to developing your school list. Many students make the mistake of playing the “accuracy by volume” game, thinking that if they apply to a large number of schools, chances are they’ll earn an acceptance to at least one of them.

There’s a hidden risk here, though. Producing great secondary essays takes time, and the more schools you apply to, the less time you’ll be able to devote to perfecting each individual application.

So, which schools should you apply to? Take a look at the average GPA and MCAT data, and shoot for schools whose stats align with your own. For example, with a 3.7 GPA and 510 MCAT score, the University of Toledo would be a good addition to your list while Case Western would be an improbable bet.

Strategy 2: Familiarize yourself with each Ohio medical school’s mission and demonstrate fit through secondary essays and interviews

Not all Ohio medical schools are created equal. While most medical schools express commitment to patient care, research, and medical education, you’ll notice that some schools emphasize achievements in certain areas more than others.

For example, Case Western boldly states on their website, “Research is a central mission of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and we think ours is world-class.” If you have demonstrated significant achievements in research through a longstanding commitment to a lab and multiple publications, be sure to highlight this in your AMCAS Work and Activities section and secondary essays.

You may also be asked why you decided to apply to a particular school during your interview. This is yet another opportunity to discuss why your background makes you a perfect fit for the program.

By demonstrating how your qualities and experiences align closely with the school’s values, you can maximize your chances of getting into your top-choice Ohio medical school.

Appendix A: Ohio medical schools by degree type

Allopathic medical schools in Ohio (MD)

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

• Northeast Ohio Medical University

• Ohio State University College of Medicine

• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

• University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

  (Video) Taking Tourette to College

• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Osteopathic medical schools in Ohio (DO)

• Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Appendix B: Ohio medical schools by institution type

Public medical schools in Ohio

• Northeast Ohio Medical University

• Ohio State University College of Medicine

• Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

• University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

• University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences

• Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine

Private medical schools in Ohio

• Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine