Pennsylvania Medical Schools—2026-2027 Guide to Acceptance

Everything you need to know about going to medical school in Pennsylvania—how to apply, tips for acceptance, and how to decide if Pennsylvania is for you. If Philly cheesesteaks, Hershey chocolate, world-class sports teams, diverse landscapes, an amazing cost of living, and some of the best allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in the country sound appealing, Pennsylvania medical schools may be the right fit for you. But what’s it actually like to attend medical school in Pennsylvania, and how do you get accepted?

Medical Schools in Pennsylvania

There are 7 allopathic medical schools in Pennsylvania and 3 osteopathic medical schools. Each medical school in Pennsylvania is in a different area and is designed to serve very different patient demographics. From research powerhouses to comprehensive trauma centers to gracious scholarship opportunities, there’s something for everyone in Pennsylvania.

Allopathic Medical Schools in Pennsylvania (MD)

• Drexel University College of Medicine
• Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
• Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
• Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
• Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
• Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

School Profiles and Institutional Missions

Drexel University College of Medicine

Drexel University College of Medicine delivers innovative biomedical education in an environment that embraces inquiry and collaboration, founded on excellence in patient care, and based on a culture of, and respect for, diversity. The heritage institutions that evolved into Drexel University College of Medicine were founded to educate students who were traditionally excluded from entering the practice of medicine. Drexel University College of Medicine has many intriguing tracks for its medical students to participate in, ranging from the Women’s Health and Equity Scholars Program to five different Medical Research Scholar Programs. With the fifth-largest MD cohort in the US, it would be easy for any incoming student to find their niche.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

Geisinger has a similar mission but focuses on the Scranton area. This is especially true of the Abigail Scholars program, which requires graduates to practice primary care in Scranton; however, it covers tuition while in med school. Perhaps because of this focus, Geisinger prioritizes in-state applicants more than other schools in PA.

Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University focuses on urban care, such as addiction disorders. The school also has an excellent podcast called Narratives of North Broad Podcast, which explores the type of physicians they tend to hire. Additionally, Lewis Katz School of Medicine recently developed its St. Luke’s campus in Bethlehem, PA, for 40 students each year to focus on community outreach.

Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Penn State is one of the largest health systems in central Pennsylvania. It offers the best care outside of the two big cities in Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Due to the large number of farm accidents in central PA, Penn State has a comprehensive trauma center, which means they have similarly sized trauma teams as the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn State only offers accelerated programs in primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry) and also offers notable research opportunities.

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has 30 full-tuition scholarships and extremely deep pockets. UPenn is also an international research powerhouse, as evidenced by a team of UPenn researchers winning the Nobel Prize for the development of mRNA vaccines, which were famously used to end the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are the type of person who can’t live without research and wants to advance medical knowledge, UPenn is the ideal place for you.

Drexel University Admission Requirements and Statistics

This section provides the latest information on Drexel University (Drexel)'s admission process, acceptance rate, and student profile. Drexel's acceptance rate is 79.44% for 2024-2025 admission. A total of 37,314 students applied and 29,642 were admitted to the school. Its acceptance rate is relatively high, making it somewhat easy to get into Drexel. To apply to Drexel, recommendations and personal statement (or essay) are required to submit.

Admission Statistics for the Academic Year 2024-25

• Total Applicants: 37,314
• Total Admitted Students: 29,642
• Total Enrolled: 2,399
• Acceptance Rate: 79.44%
• Yield (Enrollment Rate): 8.09%

Standardized Test Scores (2025 Median Scores)

For the academic year 2025, 804 students submitted SAT scores and 123 students submitted ACT scores as part of the admission process at Drexel. The SAT and ACT scores at Drexel University are low compared to similar colleges.

• Median SAT Total: 1,340
• SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 660
• SAT Math: 680
• Median ACT Composite: 30
• ACT Math: 27
• ACT English: 31

Application Requirements Summary

The following list summarizes the application requirements to apply to Drexel University:

• High School GPA: Required
• High School Record (or Transcript): Required
• Recommendations: Required
• Formal Demonstration of Competencies: Required
• English Proficiency Test: Required
• Personal statement or essay: Required
• SAT / ACT: Considered, if submitted

Statement Regarding COVID-19

The Admissions Committee will accept Pass/Fail, online, and courses not taken at an applicant’s “home school” without penalty to the applicant. Applicants will not be penalized for experiences they had planned to complete or participate in that were impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic.