Research and preparation are key to getting into med school. If you’re based in Alabama (or interested in going to school there), choosing one of the best pre-med schools in the state can definitely help.
In this article we’ll cover:
Being a med student myself, I know how valuable it can be to think about each of these questions. Getting into med school is tough, the right information can help give you a small advantage.
Ready to learn more? Let’s go!
Before we get into the best pre-med schools in Alabama, you might be interested in what’s on offer in the surrounding states. Check out our guide; Best Pre-Med Schools in the USA for more information.
auburn medical school acceptance rate
Students in the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Auburn University are consistently accepted to medical school at a rate that is more than 30 percent higher than the national average. Additionally, acceptance rates of Auburn students to optometry and dental schools are at 85 to 100 percent almost every year.Professional school acceptance rates soar for Auburn students
“The truth is that I could not do my work without the assistance of every other employee in the college. Our work at Auburn is truly a family affair, and our high rate of acceptance to professional schools is due to a lot of hard work,” said Childress. “Auburn has a long-term record of doing an excellent job of preparing doctors, dentists, optometrists and other health care providers to succeed at the next level in professional schools and to become leaders in their chosen professions. It starts with the faculty and administrators designing a rigorous curriculum and setting high academic standards.
During their junior year, pre-health students submit their resumes to the committee for review. Childress conducts challenging interviews with every student who is applying to professional school, about 160 students per year. Included in that number are Auburn applicants to dental, medical and optometry schools, rural medical program applicants, alumni who graduated in the last few years, and students and alumni reapplying for the second or third time.
Students in the College of Sciences and Mathematics at Auburn University are consistently accepted to medical school at a rate that is more than 30 percent higher than the national average. Additionally, acceptance rates of Auburn students to optometry and dental schools are at 85 to 100 percent almost every year. The reason for these long-standing statistics has much to do with Beverley Childress, pre-health professions director for the College of Sciences and Mathematics. For more than 19 years, Childress has mentored, guided and established programs for Auburn students who have a desire for a career in health care.
“We encourage those who do not get into professional school the first time and remind them that its only the end of the world and time to give up if they want to give up,” said Childress. “I have students who have gotten in on the fifth try. Our job is to help them decide whether to redirect their efforts or keep fighting.”
During their junior year, pre-health students submit their resumes to the committee for review. Childress conducts challenging interviews with every student who is applying to professional school, about 160 students per year. Included in that number are Auburn applicants to dental, medical and optometry schools, rural medical program applicants, alumni who graduated in the last few years, and students and alumni reapplying for the second or third time.
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Minimum Requirements for Interview and Admission
Students must complete courses in biology, physics, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, English, and demonstrate the ability to master the subject matter of those courses. The students grade point average (GPA) in required courses weighs heavily in the admissions consideration. Applicants are required to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). In addition to demonstrated knowledge, acceptance is also based on the interview process. The College uses a mission-driven admissions process; therefore, the applicants ability to demonstrate a history of compassion, empathy, dedication, and interest in patient care, an orientation to a rural or primary care medicine, and/or to research is considered in the admissions process. Other qualities that reflect on the students ability to adapt to a rigorous academic environment and to a future as a professional provide an advantage in the application process.
COVID-19 Related Information Is a letter of recommendation required from a physician for the 2021-2022 cycle? – No, but encouraged. We recommend attending one of our Virtual Physician Experiences if invited for a Secondary Application, particularly if you do not have a letter.
The latest premed information for Auburn University
Auburn University Pre Med Program
Best Pre Med Schools In Alabama
| Location: | Birmingham |
| National University Rank: | 153 |
| Average SAT score: | 1090-1365 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 74% |
| Tuition: | $10,710 (in-state)/$25,380 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
Established in 1965, UAB is one of the newer colleges on this list but also one that, owing to its medical school, is hugely popular with pre-med and pre-health students.
The University’s Early Medical School Acceptance Program (extending to both Dental and Optometry – EMSAP) is an undergrad and professional program providing highly qualified students a path into training. Designed as an 8-year program divided into two parts; four years at UAB followed by 4 years in medical, dental, or optometry school, students can only apply in the senior year of high school.
Outside of this track, UAB has additional offerings for pre-health students via their busy Pre-Health Advising committee.
Resources to make use of include getting involved with Inquiro, an undergraduate journal publishing scientific research, the Reynolds-Finley Historical Lecture Series, admissions testing prep, assessment tools, and a ton of volunteer opportunities via the UAB Service Learning department.
Here’s a video that gives a snapshot of what life is like as a pre-med at the school…
University of Alabama
| Location: | Tuscaloosa |
| National University Rank: | 143 |
| Average SAT score: | 1080-1340 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 83% |
| Tuition: | $11,620 (in-state)/$31,090 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
Founded in 1831, the University of Alabama is one of the state’s largest schools with an undergrad enrollment of over 32,000.
Pre-Health is taken very seriously at the college with support offered by Pre-Medical Shadowing at the University Medical Center, the Alabama Student Rural Health Association (ASRHA), the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS), Pre-Dental Society, Society of Women in Medicine (S.W.I.M) and a bunch more student-ran organizations.
2019 saw the school produce 52.9% medical school applicants (significantly higher than the national average at 41.9% – Source). Of that cohort, 79% of MD applicants completed research.
Top medical schools attended by past UA grads include UAB School of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Saint Louis School of Medicine, and Case Western Reserve.
Here’s an insight into some of the pre-med offerings at the University, specifically the McCollough Medical Scholars Forum…
Auburn University
| Location: | Auburn |
| National University Rank: | 97 |
| Average SAT score: | 1150-1320 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 81% |
| Tuition: | $11,796 (in-state)/$31,956 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
The highest-ranked college in the state, Auburn University offers pre-health curricula for most allied health professions, including popular pre-dentistry and pre-medicine tracks.
Designed to prepare students for professional training by covering all the prerequisite courses, popular majors chosen by pre-med students at Auburn include Biomedical Sciences, BA Chemistry, Genetics, Microbiology, and Physics.
The college’s Pre-Health Advising Program helps provide guidance to students via competitive assessments, academic, and entrance test prep, event programming and more.
Competitive applicants have an acceptance rate of about 30% of the national average. Auburn is also affiliated with a Rural Medicine Program (RPM) designed to increase the number of family-practice physicians serving rural Alabama.
Samford University
| Location: | Birmingham |
| National University Rank: | 143 |
| Average SAT score: | 1070-1250 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 83% |
| Tuition: | $34,198 |
| Private/Public: | Private |
Samford University has a long record of preparing students for careers as physicians, dentists, and optometrists. Although there’s no direct pre-med track, Samford’s Prehealth resources offer personal mentoring, MCAT prep, and an alumni network to help students make the most of their undergrad studies.
They’ve sent students to schools like Mercer University School of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Loma Linda and more.
With one of the lowest student/faculty ratios of all colleges on this list, students can work closely with professors to help score important letters of recommendation.
The Christian mission of Samford also lends itself well to community service.
Here’s more on what they offer…
University of North Alabama
| Location: | Florence |
| National University Rank: | 40 in Regional Universities South |
| Average SAT score: | 1015-1180 |
| Acceptance Rate: | 67% |
| Tuition: | $10,800 (in-state)/$20,400 (out-of-state) |
| Private/Public: | Public |
The University of North Alabama recommends majoring in any academic discipline in preparation for med school, but mention that the majority of pre-meds choose either biology or chemistry.
Their Pre-Health Professions committee has played an instrumental role in helping send students from the college to the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Medicine, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, and more.
In order to support attending students, UNA offers summer programs like the Rural Medical Scholars Program (RMSP), Rural Medicine Program (RMP), and various internships and volunteer programs in the surrounding areas.
One local institution that has good connections with the college for things like shadowing, volunteering and more, is the nearby North Alabama Medical Center.
Here’s an introduction to what the group offers medical students…
All admissions data is taken from the American Association of Medical Colleges (Source).
Final Thoughts
There are several options to choose from when it comes to choosing great pre-med schools in Alabama.
Aside from the recommendations above, other schools that came up during my research, that also may be worth looking at, include:
Whichever major you choose, the connections, experiences, and opportunities at these colleges will give you all you need to help put together a competitive application.
You’ll still have to put in the time of course, but you’ll have lots of support to help you along the way.
Related Questions
Having a reputable school on your med school application can look good. Performing well during undergrad, at any of the colleges recommended above, is a strong indicator you’ll fit in studying medicine.
How much an individual school actually contributes to your chances of becoming a doctor is open for debate, however.
The biggest factors, in terms of competitiveness, are your GPA score, your clinical experience (shadowing, working, etc), and extracurriculars, and how well you present yourself in application essays and interviews.
To say the strength of your candidacy comes solely down to where you studied for pre-med would be unfair!
What College In Alabama Has The Best Medical Program?
The best medical school in Alabama, according to U.S. News Ranking (Source), is the University of Alabama Birmingham. You’ll need an average GPA of 3.77 and an average MCAT of 509 to compete for its 176 places.
Other high scoring med schools in the state include:
How To Improve Your Medicine Application As A Pre Med In School In Alabama
A great way to make your med school application as competitive as possible is through extracurriculars.
In Alabama, you have a lot of clinically relevant medical/hospital volunteering opportunities to take advantage of.
These positions are organized and very useful for obtaining letters of recommendation (LOR’s), shadowing, and other important networking connections.
You can also look into relevant pre-med jobs like scribing, EMT, and phlebotomy available in the state for extra clinical experience.
What Is The Hardest/Easiest College In Alabama To Get Into?
Based on the data above, the University of Alabama is possibly one of the easier Alabama-based colleges to gain admission into. Their admission rate is one of the highest in the state and their average SAT scores are lower than rival colleges.
What Major Should I Choose As A Pre-Med In Alabama?
The standard advice is to choose a major you feel you can do well in. Your GPA will be possibly the biggest differentiator between you and other pre-med candidates.
Here’s what you should consider:
If you did well in a particular subject in high school, or find something relatively easy to get good grades in, that could make for a good pick.
Something else to think about is the MCAT. Sometimes life science subjects can be a good fit as they’ll help you in the preparation for this key med school exam. They also may cover many of the prerequisites.
One thing is for sure though; you don’t need to be on a pre-med track at an Alabama-based college to get into med school. Your GPA, your MCAT, and your extracurriculars are what count!
If you found this article useful, make sure you check out the rest of our pre-med guides…
Born and raised in the UK, Will went into medicine late (31) after a career in journalism. He’s into football (soccer), learned Spanish after 5 years in Spain, and has had his work published all over the web. Read more.