Medical Schools in Indiana: How to Get In (2025)
/Discover the difficulty of obtaining entry to medical schools in Indiana and strategies for admissions success
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Part 1: Introduction
The great state of Indiana is home to two distinguished medical institutions, known for the quality and impactfulness of their research. Whether it’s pioneering advances in Alzheimer’s research, or contributing groundbreaking discoveries in genetics, these seem to come naturally to the Indiana University School of Medicine (IU SOM) and the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU COM).
For medical school hopefuls, Indiana has every path to a white coat covered, with IU SOM offering multiple MD degrees while MU COM provides a path to a DO. IU SOM offers students the flexibility to choose from nine campuses across the state, from urban centers like Indianapolis to more community-based settings such as Evansville or Muncie. MU COM, Indiana’s first osteopathic medical school, provides a holistic approach to medicine through its DO program.
Whether you’re seeking an MD or a DO education, Indiana has something to offer. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the latest admissions data, national rankings, application strategies, and program highlights at both IU SOM and MU COM to give you a full picture while you decide which medical school in Indiana best aligns with your goals and values.
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Part 2: List of medical schools in Indiana: 2024 rankings & admissions statistics
Each year, university rankings and admissions statistics fluctuate so it’s important to have the latest data when analyzing your med school options. We’ve made this process a bit easier for you by gathering statistics for each medical school in Indiana in the table below.
While compiling and organizing this data we came across a few key features of each medical school that we thought were worth mentioning.
The average GPA and MCAT scores for IU SOM are quite high.
IU SOM can afford to be selective, as according to US News and World Report its Indianapolis campus maintains a faculty-student ratio of 2:1. The hard work required for entry will result in excellent individualized attention.
While MU COM’s average MCAT score is lower, its average GPA is still substantial.
MU COM’s interview rate is on the lower side of the scale, pointing to the likelihood of needing a higher MCAT than the average to get an interview.
Both schools appear to greatly prioritize in-state applicants as their first-year classes consist of more than 70% Hoosiers.
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 Indiana stand.
| Indiana Medical Schools | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University School of Medicine* | Tier 2 (Research) - 2024 |
$71,270 OOS |
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| Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine | UR - 2024 |
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Part 3: Indiana medical school profiles
Indiana University School of Medicine
With nine campuses spanning the state, the Indiana University School of Medicine (IU SOM) stands as one of the largest and most comprehensive medical schools in the United States. It’s a formidable institution with an almost 120-year history spent training generations of physicians and pioneering research across a range of disciplines. IU SOM is especially prominent in areas such as Alzheimer’s disease, immunology, and endocrinology, where its faculty and researchers have contributed to national and international advancements in understanding and treating complex diseases.
Today, its cutting-edge initiatives in musculoskeletal health, traumatic brain injury, and precision medicine which considers a patient’s lifestyle, environment, and genetics when delivering care. The Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, is a nationally recognized center driving breakthroughs in neuroimaging, neurodegenerative diseases, addiction neuroscience, and spinal cord injuries.
IU SOM’s MD program is designed with flexibility and depth, providing students with clinical exposure from the earliest stages of their training. The longitudinal integrated curriculum at IU SOM is how students learn to care for patients in a variety of clinical settings—urban hospitals, community clinics, and specialty centers—across Indiana. Students become a part of learning communities where they engage with others, gaining support and guidance along the way.
Students also have plenty of opportunities to engage in research, with a wide array of scholarly concentrations such as public health, urban medicine, health equity, medical education, and global health.
For those interested in interdisciplinary careers, IU SOM offers several dual degree programs, including an MD-MBA, MD-JD, and an MD-PhD.
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
The Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MU COM) is a private Catholic medical school based in Indianapolis. It is attached to Marian University, a liberal arts institution with a faith-based teaching philosophy.
MU COM’s DO degree incorporates a variety of learning experiences, from lectures and laboratories to teamwork, and even podcasts. Students will gain knowledge in all aspects of osteopathic medicine, learning how to apply it in MU COM’s osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab and simulation rooms. They also have a state-of-the-art anatomy lab where students have the opportunity to practice dissection.
The college places a strong emphasis on primary care and community-based medicine. Clinical exposure begins early in the program, allowing students to build confidence and competence in patient care from the very start of their training. Like Indiana University, it is actively engaged in research and offers students the chance to bolster their skills through student research projects and faculty mentorship.
MU COM is an excellent choice for a DO degree as it has relationships with research institutions in Indianapolis and affiliations with clinics throughout the state, providing students with a diverse range of clinical rotation experiences.
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Part 4: Indiana medical school admissions strategies
Strategy #1: Check their stats carefully
When crafting your medical school applications, it’s important that you have a thorough understanding of their admissions statistics and how those stats line up with your scores. For example, some schools will list minimum GPA and MCAT scores while others will publish the average scores of each matriculating class.
Keep in mind that average scores mean there are just as many successful students above that mark as below. However, you should aim for your scores to be as close to the average for a school you’re applying to as possible.
For example, if you’re close to Indiana University’s average GPA and MCAT scores, 3.82 and 512, it may be worth applying to them as a “reach” school–a school that’s a bit beyond where you are likely to be accepted. If your scores are closer to the Marian University range of 3.71 and 504, your odds of acceptance will be greater there.
The trick is to not waste time applying to too many reach schools, as this can hinder your efforts. Check the statistics for each school carefully and target the ones where you’re most likely to get an interview.
(Suggested Reading: How Hard is it to Get Into Medical School?)
Strategy #2: Discern each school’s core values and target those values
Each medical school in Indiana has core values that inform their approach to education. Speaking to those values in your personal statement and secondary essays is a great way to get noticed by adcoms.
Read through a school’s website for how they describe themselves to discern their core values. IU SOM’s main page states, “We believe collaboration is what sparks creativity and innovation in health care.”
A form of the word ‘collaboration’ appears 4 times on the main page as they speak of their efforts to provide advanced patient care through clinical partnerships and create a team-based learning environment. This all points to an ethos of cooperation and inclusion through teamwork.
In your essays, you should mention experiences in your life where you’ve demonstrated those values and how you will bring them to the school’s community. Did you participate in a research project as a premed that required a high degree of cooperation? How could your extracurriculars fit into these values? Did collaboration lead to an answer or insight you hadn’t considered?
This goes for interviews, too
If you’re invited to interview at one of the medical schools in Indiana, you’ll certainly want to prepare answers to common questions, like “Why do you want to become a doctor?” and “Why is our school right for you?”
Don’t forget that within the answers to these questions lies a golden opportunity to highlight specific aspects of the school or its mission that excite you. For example, in answering “Why is our school right for you?” at IU SOM, you could speak to how you hold teamwork in high regard and the importance of collaboration in improving the lives of others. You could also list particular facilities at IU SOM or research projects taking place there that fascinate you.
Adcoms love to see that interviewees are confident and knowledgeable about the school they wish to attend. Portraying yourself as certain you not only wish to become a doctor, but do so at their university it crucial to interview success.
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Strategy #3: Illustrate your suitability for the program through specific opportunities
Adcoms read thousands of applications each year and as such, they love to see specificity in what they read. Illustrating that you have clear reasons for wanting to attend their program signals that you’ve not only done your research but that you will bring value to their student body in more ways than simply becoming a doctor.
For instance, IU SOM is well known for its research prowess. If you’re interested in researching big medical problems, this is certainly something to mention when applying. Perhaps you’ve watched a loved one deteriorate from Alzheimer’s and vowed to study the causes of the disease in the future. With the specialized expertise in neuroscience at IU SOM, and the backing of your personal experience, you can make a compelling case for admission.
Strategy #4: Think about how you will manage time around your secondary essays
Every medical school requires secondary essays, but each school has a different number of essays, different word counts, and some offer optional essays. Since you’re likely to be applying to a host of different institutions, those essays will need to be tailored to each one. Frankly, this takes a lot of time.
Make a plan for how you will manage your schedule to write these essays. This can come down to personal preference, as you may want to complete applications that require more essays first and fewer essays later, or vice versa.
Whichever way works for you, what’s most important is that your writing doesn’t get watered down as you go through the process. Adcoms will be able to tell in the voice and tone of your written language if you’re just not that into it. Aim to have every essay stand out and do so by carving out time to give them all the time and attention they need.
(Suggested Reading: Medical School Secondary Essays: The Complete Guide 2023)
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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Final Thoughts
Both medical schools in Indiana are substantial in their own right and in addition to a white coat, offer unique benefits to matriculants. By taking the advice in this guide and preparing thoughtfully, you can be on your way to graduation from one of the top schools in the Hoosier state.
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: Indiana medical schools by degree type
Allopathic (MD) Schools in Indiana
Indiana University School of Medicine
Osteopathic (DO) Schools in Indiana
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
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Appendix B: Indiana medical schools by institution type
Public Medical Schools in Indiana
Indiana University School of Medicine
Private Medical Schools in Indiana
Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine
