Medical Schools in Connecticut: How to Get In (2025)
/Which are the best medical schools in Connecticut? Explore the Connecticut medical school rankings, plus admissions strategies to get into your top-choice programs
There are three medical schools in Connecticut
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: List of medical schools in Connecticut: 2024 rankings and admissions statistics
Part 3: Connecticut medical school profiles
Part 4: Connecticut medical school admissions strategies
Appendix A: Connecticut medical schools by degree type
Appendix B: Connecticut medical schools by institution type
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Part 1: Introduction
Despite its small size, Connecticut packs a lot in for the prospective medical student. One of the original thirteen colonies, Connecticut offers students access to fascinating historical sites, scenic hiking trails, and vacation shore towns, as well as proximity to major cities like New York City and Boston. On top of this, it is also home to excellent educational institutions at which you can earn your medical degree.
Connecticut’s three medical schools offer three different locations, curricula, and focuses. For instance, you might opt to attend a globally recognized medical school with a large emphasis on research, such as the Yale School of Medicine, or you might prefer to study at a school that foregrounds humanism in medicine, such as the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University.
In this guide, we’ll go over what makes each Connecticut medical school unique and what you can expect when you apply. We’ll cover rankings, admissions statistics, give short profiles of each institution, and discuss strategies you can apply to your own application. This informed approach can help you select the best programs upon which to focus your efforts and therefore increase your likelihood of success when applying to medical schools in Connecticut.
This informed approach can help you select the best programs upon which to focus your efforts and therefore increase your likelihood of success when applying to medical schools in Connecticut.
Suggested reading: (Medical School Requirements in 2025: The Definitive Guide)
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Part 2: List of medical schools in Connecticut: 2023 rankings and admissions statistics
We’ve gathered statistics on Connecticut medical schools so you can easily compare and contrast the schools. While compiling this information, we noticed the following:
All three Connecticut medical schools are recognized by the 2024 U.S. News Best Medical Schools (Research) ranking, with one landing in the top tier.
All Connecticut medical schools are allopathic.
In the table below, each Connecticut medical school’s national ranking is listed inside parentheses, whereas each school’s relative rank within Connecticut is shown outside parentheses. Relative rankings help us answer the question, “What are the best medical schools in Connecticut?”
(Note: We strongly recommend that you sign up for MSAR for the most up-to-date information on MD programs and that you sign up for Choose DO for DO program data.)
Note: U.S. News and World Report moved to a tier-based ranking system in fall 2024, in part due to a number of schools declining to participate. Schools who declined to share sufficient data with US News are now unranked, which is reflected in the table below with ‘UR.' Schools that did participate are given ‘tier’ rankings by U.S. News. We’ve reported rankings from both the prior and current cycles to more accurately reflect where the top medical schools in Connecticut stand.
| Connecticut Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yale School of Medicine | Tier 1 (Research) - 2024 |
$76,763 OOS |
9.2% OOS |
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| University of Connecticut School of Medicine* | Tier 2 (Research) - 2024 |
$80,492 OOS |
(4,626 applications) “Approximately 320 applicants are selected for interviews.” |
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| Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University | Tier 4 (Research) - 2024 |
$67,935 OOS |
3.1% OOS |
(Suggested reading: Do Medical School Rankings Matter?)
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Part 3: Connecticut medical school profiles
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
The Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University is a relatively new institution dedicated to training future physicians through a student-centered, active learning approach.
The first two years of medical education are structured into integrated system-based blocks. These blocks incorporate key concepts from anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology, among other essential medical sciences.
In addition to this medical foundation, students at the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine participate in the Medical Student Home (MeSH) program during their preclinical years. Through MeSH, students form longitudinal relationships with patients in community practices and gain valuable insight into the continuity of patient care, the complexities of managing chronic diseases, and the importance of developing strong physician-patient relationships.
University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine
The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine is the only public academic medical center in Connecticut, and, as a result, prioritizes admitting and training Connecticut residents as future physicians.
A distinguishing feature of UConn School of Medicine is its innovative M Delta curriculum (Making a Difference in Education, Learning, and Teaching Across the Curriculum). This modernized curriculum emphasizes team-based, problem-oriented learning, shifting away from traditional lecture-based education. The curriculum integrates foundational biomedical sciences with clinical application, ensuring that students develop a strong knowledge base while actively engaging in decision-making processes relevant to patient care.
Beyond academics, UConn School of Medicine has a strong commitment to community health, exemplified by its Community Based Education (CBE) program. This initiative provides medical students with opportunities to engage in public health efforts, work with vulnerable populations, and gain firsthand experience in addressing social determinants of health. By partnering with organizations such as the Hartford Health Department, the Department of Children and Families, and the American School of the Deaf, students develop a deeper understanding of the complex healthcare needs of diverse patient groups.
Yale School of Medicine
The Yale School of Medicine is renowned for its unique educational philosophy, small class sizes, and strong emphasis on research, innovation, and community service. With an incoming class of approximately 100 students per year, Yale fosters a close-knit, collaborative learning environment where students support one another rather than compete in a curriculum design known as the Yale System.
A defining feature of the Yale System is the 18-month, pre-clerkship phase, which is structured to encourage deep learning without the pressure of grades or a class ranking system. Students are assessed on a pass/fail basis, and exams are primarily for self-evaluation, allowing them to focus on mastery of material rather than competition.
Yale also offers students the option to pursue a tuition-free, fifth year of medical school, providing flexibility for those interested in dedicated research, dual-degree programs (such as MD/MBA or MD/MPH), or additional coursework in specialized areas of interest.
Beyond academics, Yale School of Medicine maintains a strong commitment to both local and global health initiatives. Students have numerous opportunities to engage in community-based and international healthcare efforts, through global health rotations, at the HAVEN Free Clinic, and Neighborhood Health Project.
(Suggested reading: How to Get Into the Yale School of Medicine: Requirements and Strategies)
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Part 4: Connecticut medical school admissions strategies
Strategy 1: Use the data provided about each Connecticut medical school to select which programs you should apply to.
Since Connecticut medical schools encompass a wide range of average GPAs and MCAT scores, it is wise to reflect on how your own objective data align with the various schools’ statistics. By strategically choosing schools at which you are a competitive applicant, you can optimize your likelihood of receiving an admissions offer.
For example, with a 3.8 GPA and 513 MCAT score, UConn and Quinnipiac would be excellent target schools for you, whereas Yale would be considered a reach.
(Suggested reading: How Many Medical Schools Should I Apply To? Which Ones?)
Strategy 2: Leverage your holistic understanding of each Connecticut medical school in order to select institutions that align with your own strengths and future goals.
As elaborated on above, while there are only three Connecticut medical schools, each is unique in its focus and class profile.
If you are a high-achieving applicant who prefers a collaborative learning environment, the Yale School of Medicine would align with your goals. If you are an in-state Connecticut resident, you should certainly apply to the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, given their strong preference for in-state applicants.
Once you have identified schools whose missions and focuses mesh with your own experiences and aspirations, invest time in writing tailored secondary essays that demonstrate this fit.
Strategy 3: Consider secondary essays when organizing your time
Medical school applications require a lot of work if they’re to be completed well. Making the best case for yourself as a candidate in your secondary essays necessitates revision and time.
Most premeds apply to 15 to 20 schools which translates into a lot of essays. Each secondary essay you write should be tailored to each school for the best chances of admission. Organizing your time around the number of essays required is a useful strategy to ensure the picture you paint of yourself is as clear as possible.
In practice, this will depend on your personal work style. Whether you complete longer or shorter essays first is up to you but thinking this through beforehand will prevent a mad rush to finish essays before the deadline.
To help you with your organization, we’ve placed the number of secondary essays for medical schools in Connecticut in the table below.
Suggested reading: Medical School Secondary Essays: The Complete Guide
| Connecticut Medical Schools | |
|---|---|
| Yale School of Medicine | |
| University of Connecticut School of Medicine | |
| Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University |
Looking for secondary essay examples? Click below to access sample secondary essays for every prompt required by every MD and DO program in the United States and Canada. 1500+ essays and counting.
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Strategy 4: Planning for different interview styles is beneficial
You’ve written stellar essays and your scores are top-notch. All of this has been validated with the offer of an interview. However, all interviews are not created equal.
The type of interview you will encounter can vary across schools so it’s a good idea to prepare by familiarizing yourself with the interview styles at each institution before the big day.
Each medical school in Connecticut takes a traditional approach to interviews but Yale and Quinnipiac conduct them virtually. For Yale, the process is different depending on the program you are applying for, namely MD or MD/PhD. MD/PhD applicants are interviewed over two days, while applicants to the MD program have 2 interviews lasting about 45 minutes each.
UConn also takes a traditional interview approach but conducts them on campus. There is a faculty and student interview with all the activities wrapping up around 2:30 pm on interview day.
Recently, many schools have adopted the multiple mini-interview (MMI), and while medical schools in Connecticut don’t currently use this, it’s beneficial to familiarize yourself with this style as you’ll likely be applying to medical schools in other states.
This style of interview is done in short bursts in which you’ll have 7 minutes to answer a question either to a small panel of interviewers or a single interviewer.
It’s meant to test your critical thinking skills and sense of ethics with questions seeking to understand how you will react in different situations. This is markedly different from a traditional interview where a panel asks you questions such as “Why do you want to be a doctor?” and “Why do you want to attend our school?”
No matter which type of interview you encounter, with a little practice and forethought, you’ll ace interview day and walk away feeling confident of your ultimate acceptance.
Suggested Reading: How to Ace Medical School Interivews (Questions Included)
Invited to a med school interview? Congrats! There's no need to land in waitlist purgatory or the rejection pile. Learn how to craft memorable, acceptance-worthy responses using the resource below.
Gain instant access to the most common traditional and MMI interview questions, plus sample responses for each, to help you craft responses that lead to acceptances. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
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Part 5: Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into UConn med school?
UConn is a favorite among applicants for its robust research culture and proximity to top-tier facilities as well as major cities like New York and Boston. As we’ve seen above, the average stats of UConn matriculants are quite high—not as high as Yale, but still higher than Quinnipiac.
Getting into any med school across the country is tough but medical schools in Connecticut tend to be quite selective. UConn’s acceptance rate stands at just 4.8 percent, so you will need stellar stats and a healthy amount of extracurriculars to succeed.
Suggested reading: (How Hard Is It to Get into Medical School?)
What are the minimum GPA and MCAT score requirements for medical schools in Connecticut?
Neither of the three medical schools in Connecticut expressly list a minimum GPA or MCAT score as a requirement for consideration. However, as noted in the table above, the average GPA and MCAT scores of matriculants tend to be quite high at each school. It would be safe to say that a 3.5 GPA and below a 510 MCAT will likely have you denied acceptance in the first round without some exceptional extracurriculars or personal circumstances.
Do Connecticut medical schools have preferences for in-state applicants?
Applicants who claim Connecticut as their state of residence have favorable admissions odds at two Connecticut medical schools; this is especially true at the state’s sole public medical school (the University of Connecticut School of Medicine). While only 10.9% of the applications they received in 2023 came from in-state students, more than 75% of matriculants were Connecticut residents. Unsurprisingly, being an in-state student doesn’t seem to help you in your admissions odds to Yale.
Final thoughts
When choosing which Connecticut medical schools to apply to, make sure to select programs that support your prior achievements and future goals, and which align with your statistical profile. Educate yourself about the various features of each school and spend time making your application materials school-specific to maximize your odds of getting into your first-choice Connecticut medical school.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.
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Appendix A: Connecticut medical schools by degree type
Allopathic medical schools in Connecticut (MD)
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
Osteopathic medical schools in Connecticut (DO)
There are no osteopathic medical schools in Connecticut.
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Appendix B: Connecticut medical schools by institution type
Public medical schools in Connecticut
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
Private medical schools in Connecticut
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
Yale School of Medicine
