Emory University

Emory University School of Medicine, located in Atlanta, Georgia, was initially founded in 1915 when the Atlanta Medical College, the Southern Medical College, and the Atlanta School of Medicine merged. The school is part of Emory’s Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center and Emory Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in Georgia. The school is affiliated with several medical facilities, including Grady Memorial Hospital, Emory University Hospital, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Emory University also works closely with research centers like the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Emory medical school has just over 580 M.D. students and over 2,900 full- and part-time faculty members. Class sizes are small with a faculty-student ratio of approximately 3.5 to 1.

Aside from a traditional MD degree, the Emory medical school offers dual degrees, including a MD/Masters in Public Health, MD/Masters in Clinical Research, MD/Masters in Business Administration, and MD/MA in Bioethics. They also have PhD programs that are run through the Emory University Laney Graduate School, Rollins School of Public Health, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. For regular MD degrees, Emory’s curriculum is a little different from other medical school programs. Courses are divided into four stages: Foundation of Medicine, Applications of Medical Sciences, Discovery, and Translation of Medical Sciences.

First year Emory medical school students focus on basic medical sciences, and the second year allows students to start medical clerkships. During their third year, students spend five months conducting research in the field of their choosing including translational medicine, clinical research, or public health. Some of the most popular areas of study include pediatrics, neurology, internal medicine, and anesthesiology.

Emory’s curriculum also differs because students are separated into four societies when they start the MD program. In these groups, students focus on group learning exercises promoting differential diagnosis abilities, clinical skills, and professional development. The four groups are named after doctors who are famous for contributing to the medical field. They include the William Harvey Society, the Ignaz Semmelweis Society, the Joseph Lister Society, and the Sir William Osler Society. Aside from academics, Emory provides students with opportunities to get involved in more than 30 organizations that cover a wide range of interests. Consequently, the Emory University School of Medicine offers students the opportunity to participate in a unique program with many chances for professional development.