If you are looking at medical schools in Boston, you are looking at one of the most competitive admissions markets in the country. Four MD programs sit in or near the city: Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine in Boston itself, and UMass Chan Medical School about an hour west in Worcester. Massachusetts has no osteopathic (DO) medical school; the closest is the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine.
I'm Dr. Mario Tomei, a practicing emergency physician, university professor and former medical school admissions committee member. This guide covers what each Boston medical school looks for, how their numbers compare, and how to decide which ones belong on your list.
Last updated: October 2026. Admissions statistics, tuition and program details change every cycle, so confirm the details with each school before you apply.
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Book my free auditHow Many Medical Schools Are in Boston?
There are three medical schools in Boston and four in Massachusetts, all of them MD programs:
- Harvard Medical School – Boston (Longwood Medical Area)
- Tufts University School of Medicine – Boston (Chinatown)
- Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine – Boston (South End)
- UMass Chan Medical School – Worcester, about an hour from Boston
If you want a DO program near Boston, the nearest option is the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) in Biddeford, Maine, roughly two hours north.
Boston Medical Schools at a Glance
| School | Degree | Location | Avg GPA | Avg MCAT | In-state share of class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard Medical School | MD | Boston | 3.96 | 521 | About 15% |
| Tufts University School of Medicine | MD | Boston | 3.84 | 514 | About 28% |
| Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian | MD | Boston | 3.79 | 517 (median) | About 20% |
| UMass Chan Medical School | MD | Worcester | 3.80 | 512 | About 64% |
Sources: Harvard and Tufts figures are each school's published averages for its most recent entering class. BU's GPA is the school's published mean; its MCAT and the UMass Chan figures are MSAR-based medians. In-state shares are calculated from published matriculant counts. Every Boston school accepts only a small fraction of applicants; check the AAMC's MSAR for current acceptance data.
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School admits a small class through two main MD tracks: Pathways, its standard curriculum, and Health Sciences and Technology (HST), a smaller track run with MIT for students with strong quantitative and research backgrounds. Students train across Harvard's affiliated hospitals, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital.
Harvard's most recent entering class averaged a 3.96 GPA and a 521 MCAT, and the school interviews only a few hundred of its thousands of applicants.
Tufts University School of Medicine
Tufts sits next to Tufts Medical Center in downtown Boston and is known for its emphasis on community health and service. Its Maine Track partners with Maine Medical Center to train physicians interested in rural practice in Maine.
Tufts' most recent entering class (Class of 2030) had a mean MCAT of 514 and a mean total GPA of 3.84, and it is one of the larger classes in New England, at just over 200 students.
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
BU's medical school is based at Boston Medical Center, which describes itself as the largest safety-net hospital in New England. That partnership shapes the school's identity: much of your clinical training will involve underserved, urban and immigrant patient populations.
BU reports a mean undergraduate GPA of 3.79 for its entering class, and the school receives well over 10,000 applications each cycle.
UMass Chan Medical School
UMass Chan is Massachusetts' public medical school, located in Worcester and affiliated with UMass Memorial Health. It has a strong primary care and community medicine mission and gives Massachusetts residents a major advantage: about two-thirds of the class are in-state residents, and in-state tuition (about $42,700 a year in recent MSAR data) is far lower than the roughly $71,800 out-of-state rate.
The Nearest DO Option: University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine
Massachusetts has no DO school, so Boston-area applicants interested in osteopathic medicine most often look at UNE COM in Biddeford, Maine. It has a long-standing primary care and rural medicine focus, and students complete clinical rotations across New England.
Which Boston Medical School Fits You?
The four schools share a city, but not a mission. Match your experiences to what each one values:
- Research-intensive or physician-scientist goals: Harvard, especially if you have years of substantive research
- Urban health equity and safety-net medicine: BU
- Community health, service and rural interest: Tufts, including the Maine Track
- Massachusetts resident with a primary care interest: UMass Chan
Most applicants should apply to more than just Boston schools. Even strong applicants need a balanced list of reach, target and more attainable programs across several states.
How to Get Into a Boston Medical School
In my experience on admissions committees, the applicants who stand out at competitive schools do a few things well:
- Show depth, not just hours. Committees look for sustained clinical and service commitments with real responsibility, not a long list of short experiences.
- Make your research count. Boston schools weight research heavily. Be ready to explain your question, your role and what you learned.
- Write school-specific secondaries. Name the programs, patient populations and missions that actually connect to your experience.
- Apply early. Submit your primary application in June and turn secondaries around within about two weeks.
- Prepare for interviews. Interview formats differ by school, so practice both traditional interviews and multiple mini interviews (MMI).
Clinical Experience and Shadowing in Boston
Boston's hospitals offer exceptional opportunities for premed clinical experience, but they are also competitive. Start early, look beyond the largest academic centers to community hospitals and health centers, and log your hours as you go. See our guides to clinical experience for medical school and shadowing in Boston.
Boston's Competitive Landscape
Dr. Tomei's Perspective
Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Schools in Boston
How many medical schools are in Boston?
Three medical schools are in Boston: Harvard Medical School, Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. A fourth Massachusetts school, UMass Chan Medical School, is about an hour away in Worcester.
Is there a DO school in Boston or Massachusetts?
No. Massachusetts has no osteopathic medical school. The closest DO program is the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine.
Which Boston medical school is easiest to get into?
None of them is easy. For Massachusetts residents, UMass Chan is usually the most realistic option because about two-thirds of its class are in-state residents. For out-of-state applicants, all three Boston schools are highly selective.
Do Boston medical schools accept out-of-state applicants?
Yes. Harvard, Tufts and BU are private schools, and most of their students come from outside Massachusetts. UMass Chan strongly favors Massachusetts residents.
What MCAT do you need for medical schools in Boston?
Recent averages range from about 512 at UMass Chan to about 521 at Harvard. A score at or above a school's average makes you competitive on paper, but your experiences and essays decide the outcome.