Dartmouth

The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College was founded in 1797 and is the fourth oldest medical school in the United States. Since its establishment, the School of Medicine has grown to be a well-respected research institution as one of the seven Ivy League med schools. The school is famous for several notable achievements, like conducting the first clinical X-ray in 1896 and operating the country’s first intensive care unit in 1955. The Geisel School is associated with several clinical partners including the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, California Pacific Medical Center and Manchester Veterans Administration Medical Center.

The Geisel School of Medicine consists of about 360 M.D. students, and class sizes remain extremely small with a faculty-student ratio of approximately two to one. There are several options for various medical degrees at Dartmouth, including traditional MDs or joint programs that combine an MD with an MBA (from the Tuck School of Business) or a PhD. Some students also choose to complete a Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science (MS) degree. The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice (a DMS research institute) also offers post-doctoral fellowships and a residency program for preventative medicine. The Doctor of Philosophy degree is used to prepare students for careers in biomedical research. The six fields covered in the degree are pharmacology and toxicology, molecular and cell biology, immunology, molecular pathogenesis, systems biology, and experimental and molecular medicine. Some of the most popular fields for traditional MD degrees include anesthesiology, family practice, pathology and pediatrics.

The curriculum for a regular MD degree takes four years to complete. First years focus on anatomy and biomedical science, and students start a two-year program in clinical studies. The students’ second year is about pathophysiology, and their third year is comprised of six eight-week clerkships with various medical institutions. In their final year, Geisel School of Medicine students take on more clerkships (usually with a specific specialty) and prepare for their residencies after graduation. Students are also required to complete at least 12 weeks of electives in their last year. Upper-level students who participate in clerkships have more than 75 sites to choose from ranging from local hospitals in New England to various locations on the West Coast.

There are opportunities outside the classroom and hospitals as well. More than 80% of lower-level students take part in some form of community service. Many individuals also join student organizations on campus. Dartmouth hosts several notable events for students, including the White Coat Ceremony, in which beginning medical school students receive their first white coat. Students also enjoy the Transition Ceremony, where they can acknowledge the end of their first two years. Applicants interested in a well-renowned school with many options for academic challenges will find Geisel School of Medicine has much to offer.