When using land mass as the basis of comparison, Colorado is the 8th largest state among the 50 states in the United States of America. Colorado is home to several very good universities that strive to ensure that you will be an active participant during the job-hunting phase of your life. You are probably reading this because you aspire to pursue an education in medicine and you are trying to research the best medical schools in Colorado that can offer you a quality education. Let us know about Best Medical Schools In Colorado.
First things first, you may be wondering if there are any good medical schools in Colorado at all in the first place. The answer to this is yes. There are top-notch medical schools that offer a quality education in Colorado. When the state was assessed in terms of primary care medical schools, the University of Colorado which offers medicine as part of its program was ranked at 6th position and was ranked at 27th position when assessed on the basis of the best research medical schools. This assessment and ranking were based on a national level. So, if you do decide to pursue your degree at any of the medical schools in Colorado, it is safe to say that the quality of education you would be getting in the state would be on par with any other medical student in the United States of America.
The Top Medical Schools in Colorado
It is important to note that although the medical schools in Colorado are not among the ivy league institutions in the United States of America, they do have a very good curriculum and the resources to train proficient future doctors. To be clear, you do not need to go to Harvard or the like to become a very good doctor or gain the best clinical experience and knowledge. Now that is out of the way, these schools have gone through the testing time and are worthy of the reputation of being among the best medical schools in Colorado.
Now getting to the main topic, only two duly accredited medical colleges are located in Colorado. One being allopathic and the other being an osteopathic medical school. These institutions are known to have fulfilled their role and commitment to producing the finest doctors through state-of-the-art facilities and extensive clinical connections in the field. So, if you are a resident of Colorado and wish to pursue a degree in medicine, you may not need to consider going out of the state to study.
The University of Colorado, School of Medicine
The University of Colorado, School of Medicine was founded in 1883. This institution is a giant medical school in the state and is a force to be reckoned with in the medical world in the United States. The reason for this may be because Colorado has only two medical schools and hence was able to properly and efficiently utilize their resources in building and maintaining the academic structure of the school. As mentioned earlier, this school is ranked in 6th position and was ranked at the 27th position when assessed on the basis of the best research medical schools. Not forgetting the beauty of the campus, the University of Colorado is often referred to as the Campus of Aurora because its location is based on this location. The University of Colorado, School of Medicine is well known and recognized as the backbone of the economy of the state. There have been medical pioneers and award winners that have graduated from the school.
At this institution, you will be getting the education you deserve due to the school’s ability to provide a well-mixed academic component with a strong, hands-on learning environment, whether in a clinical setting or practical setting. This will equip you with the skills that will help you in your medical career for years to come.
The acceptance rate
To be very honest, it is extremely difficult to get admitted into the medical program at the University of Colorado. This is because the quality of education and the academic structure is top-notch. The fact that the institution is the only medical school for aspiring allopathic students in the state of Colorado has made it highly competitive. If you aspire to pursue your medical degree at this school, then you better be rolling out your big guns. The acceptance rate at the University of Colorado is so low that it is sure to leave your jaw hanging. The acceptance rate is just about 7%. Yup, you read that very correctly. The acceptance rate is just over 7%. Yes, it is difficult, but it is not impossible.
The admission requirements
Well, it is now clear why the University of Colorado School of Medicine is the best school in the state for students who aspire to pursue a degree in allopathic medicine. Now that it is clear just how competitive and difficult it is to get accepted into the institution, you may be wondering what requirements you should have on average to even have a fighting chance.
For your application to be considered, you must have an average GPA of 3.82 and an average MCAT of 516. For average marks needed for an application, they sure are above average. It may seem pretty high, but remember that many students will be getting scores above these. Even though there is more to the application process than just academics, the grades you have worked for take up a huge chunk of the process. It is also important to note that during the application process, students who are residents of Colorado will be put first.
The interview rate
As mentioned earlier, in-state students will have the most considerations regarding the application process for the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. This policy also applies to the chances of getting an interview.
So, for aspiring students who are residents of the state, the chances of scoring an interview are around 24%. Although low, it is still high when compared to the interview rate that out-of-state students have to battle for. How low? The interview rate for aspiring students who do not reside in Colorado is 4.2%. So, if you do end up being able to score an interview session, make sure you use everything in your power to crush the interview. Not literally, though.
Tuition Cost
Although the University of Colorado School of Medicine is the best public allopathic medical school in the state, the tuition cost is quite pricey and not pocket-friendly. To be able to pursue your medical degree here, you need to be able to pay a tuition of about 42,000 dollars on an annual basis. Note that this is for students who are residents of Colorado. However, for out-of-state students, the tuition fee is much higher. You should be able to pay about 68,000 dollars per annum, of course. Yup, both competitive and expensive.
Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
If you are aspiring to become a physician soon, then getting your education at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine is not a bad idea at all. The institution, being a relatively new private college, was established in 2006.
Rocky Vista is well known for being a profit-based institution and is the best and only osteopathic medical school in the state. The institution also has a very beautiful campus that is located in Parker. Colorado does not seem to take chances when it comes to the academic structure of Rocky Vista. This may be because the state seems to lack an adequate number of needed physicians. One thing is for sure in this school, there is no question about the quality of education you would receive and you will be on par with any other osteopathic medical student in the United States of America.
Another reason why Rocky Vista is considered the best is that, according to US News & World Report, the graduates that are produced from this institution account for a large proportion of the people who serve in the primary health sector. Another reason why aspiring students seem to flock to this school is that Rocky Vista is known to take very seriously instilling the importance of compassionate and holistic care into their students. So, if you are looking to study osteopathic medicine in Colorado and have a passion for holistic care or want to become a pretty good physician, then Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine may be the best match for you.
The acceptance rate
Now that you have seen how great of a school Rocky Vista is, you may be wondering, for a private college, how high or low is the acceptance rate? Well, the admission rate is high. The rate is around 85%. However, like the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, students who are residents of Colorado will be given greater consideration than out-of-state students. Although it is not that difficult to get accepted here, you shouldn’t fall behind in the grades department, as Rocky Vista is a little strict when it comes to the grades of aspiring medical students.
The admission requirements
As mentioned earlier, you need to make sure that you work hard to get at least the average grades required to have a fighting chance during the application process. To get your application reviewed, you should thrive to score an average GPA of 3.55 and an average MCAT score of 506. Although this is not as high as what would be needed to get into the University of Colorado, it is still relatively high. So, it may be about time you started to hit the books. Although grades are not all that matter when it comes to applying at Rocky Vista, it is still best to excel in that area because many exceptional students that have gotten past the required grades will also be applying. Do not feel pressured. Just work hard and do your best.
Tuition Cost
You may be thinking that the tuition fee needed to study here may be astronomically expensive considering that Rocky Vista School is a private institution. However, the University of Colorado, School of Medicine is way more expensive. One good thing that has stolen the hearts of prospective students both in-state and out-of-state is that there is no difference in the tuition fee for these two sets of prospective students. Talk about a lack of segregation.
For in-state prospective students, the average tuition fee that you are expected to pay per annum is around 59,000 dollars. The same also goes for students who will be coming from outside the state of Colorado.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are only two medical schools that are located in the great state of Colorado. However, this fact has not helped the country or the state when it comes to their assessments or rankings. Although being the only 2 medical institutions in the state, they are the best and can stand toe to toe with any other medical school in the United States of America. These schools are the University of Colorado School of Medicine, which is the oldest and the only allopathic medical school in the state; and the Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is relatively new and the only medical school for prospective osteopathic medical students. If you wish to have comprehensive knowledge about these schools, like why these schools are considered the best medical schools in Colorado, the admission requirements, the acceptance rates, tuition, etc., you should read through this article as these points and facts were clearly stated in the course of this article. If you are working hard to attend any of these schools, Good luck.
FAQs:
- Is Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine accredited?
The accreditation process has started, and the university is expected to be fully accredited by 2023.
- Is the University of Colorado School of Medicine under a parent institution?
Yes, it is. The name of this parent school is the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus.
