Best Pre-Med Schools In Ohio
1. Case Western Reserve University
| Location: | Cleveland, OH |
| National University Rank: | 42 |
| Average SAT score: | 1340-1520 (ACT 31-35) |
| Acceptance Rate: | 30% |
| Tuition: | $54,020 |
| Private/Public: | Private |
| Undergraduate Enrollment: | 5,433 |
| Student-faculty ratio: | 11:1 |
Case Western Reserve University is a private institution known for its world-class research. The campus is located about 20 minutes from downtown Cleveland where students have access to a handful of museums like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center.
64% of CWRU undergrads who applied to medical school were accepted in the last 5 years. And they have taken 37 different undergraduate majors.
Some of the many different bachelor’s degrees recently earned by students accepted to medical school include:
- Anthropology
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Cognitive Science
- Economics
- English
- Modern Languages and Literature
- History
- International Studies
- Music
- Nutrition
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
The campus is within walking distance from the following nationally-ranked hospitals:
- Cleveland Clinic
- University Hospitals
- Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- MetroHealth Medical Center
This proximity allows pre-meds to learn from renowned health care professionals who welcome undergraduates on their research teams.
The school also has a Pre-Professional Scholars Program (PPSP) that sets an early medical-career path. It is a competitive program that grants first-year admission to Case Western Reserve and conditional access to CWRU School of Medicine (8 years total). Applicants must apply for Early Decision I or Regular Admission and indicate an interest in the program.
The school has 16 Nobel Prize winners in physics, chemistry, physiology, medicine, and economic science.
See the video below for more info on the PPSP program offered at Case Western Reserve…
DETAILS
- Name: Case Western Reserve University
- Location: Cleveland, OH
- Phone: (216) 368-2000
- Website: case.edu
2. Ohio State University
| Location: | Columbus, OH |
| National University Rank: | 49 |
| Average SAT score: | 1210-1430 (ACT 26-32) |
| Acceptance Rate: | 68% |
| Tuition: | $11,936 (in-state) and $35,019 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
| Undergraduate Enrollment: | 46,984 |
| Student-faculty ratio: | 19:1 |
Ohio State University – Columbus is a public institution founded in 1870. It has more than 1,000 on-campus organizations. All freshmen must live on campus unless they are from Central Ohio and can commute.
At Ohio State, pre-med is not a major but is an officially recognized area of academic interest.
The undergraduate preparation for medicine needs to include a solid science foundation. As a result, undergraduate course work at Ohio State should consist of:
- one course in biochemistry
- one year of biology
- one year of general chemistry with laboratory
- one year of organic chemistry with laboratory
- one year of physics with laboratory
Ohio State’s Lead.Serve.Inspire (LSI) curriculum fully integrates foundational and clinical science throughout the four years.
They also encourage students to:
- Participate in some kind of observation (8 Physician Shadowing Programs In Columbus, OH), volunteer, and/or paid work experience in a medical setting. This might involve lab or research work with a faculty member.
- Participate in the pre-med Alpha Epsilon Delta club coordinated out of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The club is student-run with a physician advisor. The club sponsored various activities to help students become more informed and conscious of the medical profession.
The Ohio State University College of Medicine also has a Medical Careers Pathway Post Baccalaureate Program (MEDPATH). It is a one-year program designed to increase the number of students in medicine and from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.
For more on what pre-med life can look like at the college, check out the video below…
DETAILS
- Name: Ohio State University
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Phone: (614) 292-6446
- Website: osu.edu
3. Miami University (Oxford)
| Location: | Oxford, OH |
| National University Rank: | 103 |
| Average SAT score: | 1160-1370 (ACT 24-30) |
| Acceptance Rate: | 92% |
| Tuition: | $16,705 (in-state) and $37,379 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
| Undergraduate Enrollment: | 16,522 |
| Student-faculty ratio: | 17:1 |
The Miami University-Oxford is a public school founded in 1809. It is located in Oxford, Ohio, an approximately 7-square-mile town, and its students are up three-fourths of the town’s population. Freshmen live on campus, where they can enjoy more than 400 student organizations. Cincinnati and Dayton are 35 and 45 miles away, respectively.
In addition to their primary major, the school suggests students choose the pre-med studies co-major to have a broad-based pre-med background.
It integrates formal advising sessions with professional development courses and courses covering the fundamental concepts in the biological, physical, and social sciences required for admission into med school.
This co-major requires only 2 additional credit hours to a regular pre-med curriculum.
This co-major is not a standalone major and must be taken in conjunction with a primary major. It basically covers the following program:
- Year 1: Initiating Premedical Studies/Exploring Career Opportunities in Medicine
- Year 2: Continuing Premedical Studies/Exploring the Field and Gaining Medical Experience
- Year 3: Preparing the Application/Exploring the Field and Gaining Medical Experience
- Year 4: Finishing Premedical Studies/Planning for the Future
But pre-meds are not required to pursue this co-major. Premedical Studies courses and access to the advising services provided by the Mallory-Wilson Center for Healthcare Education and the Premedical Advisory Committee are available to all students.
Check out the video introduction from Pre-Health Adviser Rob Balfour (for more information about pre-health programs at the university) below…
DETAILS
- Name: Miami University (Oxford)
- Location: Oxford, OH
- Phone: (513) 529-1809
- Website: miamioh.edu
4. University of Dayton
| Location: | Dayton, OH |
| National University Rank: | 47 |
| Average SAT score: | 1030-1220 (ACT 23-29) |
| Acceptance Rate: | 81% |
| Tuition: | $44,890 |
| Private/Public: | Private |
| Undergraduate Enrollment: | 8,644 |
| Student-faculty ratio: | 15:1 |
The University of Dayton is a Catholic private school founded in 1850. It is located about an hour north of Cincinnati and about an hour west of the state capital of Columbus.
Pre-med programs are both an academic unit and a service unit. The institution offers pre-med as a major. It provides various services and programs for students of any major who wants to pursue a health professional career.
Premedical Programs oversee the Bachelor of Science in Premedicine (MED) or Predentistry (DEN), an interdisciplinary study curriculum. These majors are outlined to give students a biomedical science-based education and prepare them for health professional schools; especially medical, dental, physician assistant, veterinary, and chiropractic.
Its pre-med major is distinctive because:
- Has a biomedical science curriculum that meets requirements for health professional school admission.
- Provides students with required clinical experience in the Dayton area.
- Includes 15-18 semester hours for self-designed study.
Their program has had a 71% medical school acceptance rate over the past five years. And 77% acceptance rate in 2019.
Alongside the director and assistant director of Premedical Programs, 20 full-time faculty members are pre-med advisors. And all MED/DEN majors are assigned to a pre-med advisor, who provides academic and career-related advising.
Their pre-med programs office works as an information clearinghouse and provider of services to assist students in preparing for health professional development courses.
See the video below for more on premedical programs at UD…
DETAILS
- Name: University of Dayton
- Location: Dayton, OH
- Phone: (937) 229-1000
- Website: udayton.edu
All admissions data is taken from the American Association of Medical Colleges (Source). Ranking data is taken from U.S. News.
Related Questions
Is It Important To Attend A Good Pre Med School In Ohio?
Having a reputable school on your med school application can look good. Performing well during undergrad, at any of the colleges recommended above, is a strong indicator you’ll fit in studying medicine.
How much an individual school actually contributes to your chances of becoming a doctor is open for debate, however.
The biggest factors, in terms of competitiveness, are your GPA score, your clinical experience (shadowing, working, etc), and extracurriculars, and how well you present yourself in application essays and interviews.
To say the strength of your candidacy comes solely down to where you studied for pre-med would be a stretch!
What College In Ohio Has The Best Medical Program?
The best medical school in Ohio, according to U.S. News Ranking (Source), is Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. You’ll need an average GPA of 3.78 and an average MCAT of 518.
How To Improve Your Medicine Application As A Pre-Med In School In Ohio
A great way to make your med school application as competitive as possible is through extracurriculars.
In Ohio, you have a lot of clinically relevant medical/hospital volunteering opportunities to take advantage of.
These positions are organized and very useful for obtaining letters of recommendation (LOR’s), shadowing, and other important networking connections.
You can also look into relevant pre-med jobs like scribing, EMT, and phlebotomy available in the state for extra clinical experience.
What Is The Hardest/Easiest College In Ohio To Get Into?
Based on the data above, Miami University-Oxford appears easier to gain admission into as an undergrad. Their admission rate is one of the highest and their undergraduate admissions places are more than most other schools in the state.
Case Western Reserve University for undergrad appears the most competitive.
What Major Should I Choose As A Pre-Med?
The standard advice is to choose a major you feel you can do well in. Your GPA will be possibly the biggest differentiator between you and other pre-med candidates.
Here’s what you should consider:
- How motivated you’ll be to study (choose something you’ll enjoy)
- How “suitable” you are to the subject (maximize your chance of a high GPA)
If you did well in a particular subject in high school, or find something relatively easy to get good grades in, that could make for a good pick.
Something else to think about is the MCAT. Sometimes life science subjects can be a good fit as they’ll help you in the preparation for this key med school exam. They also may cover many of the prerequisites.
If you found this article useful, make sure you check out the rest of our pre-med guides…
- Best Pre-Med Schools In Virginia (Costs, Extracurriculars & Admission Info)
- Best Pre-Med Schools In New Jersey (Costs, Extracurriculars & Admission Info)
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I spend most of my time washing dishes, changing diapers, playing doll/ball/house/doctor/cooking with my daughter, and making my son sleep. I write and read about education, philosophy, law, religion, finance, and real estate when there is some time left. And I usually don’t sleep!