Best Alternatives to Medical Schools

We all know that it takes hard work to become a medical doctor. 

First, it takes more than a decade of education, and one must undergo extensive training in medical school. 

Also, the admission process is very challenging; once you get into the program, it is another level of stress and a daunting experience. 

For example, you need to have at least a high MCAT score and GPA to meet the requirement of your desired medical school. 

Then, after completing a four or five-year medical program, you may choose to proceed to a specialization program which takes another couple of years, and the list goes on. 

If you are hesitant and think that you cannot meet the demands of medical school, or if you were unsuccessful with the admission process, there are alternative plans to taking a medical degree. 

These alternative programs are less competitive compared to medical school. And still, you can be able to work in the healthcare industry. 

The institutions that offer these alternative programs require a few requirements from their applicants. 

To help you decide, we have listed some of the best alternatives to medical school that can lead to very fulfilling careers.

Why Consider Medical School Alternatives?

A degree in medicine is a challenging course to take. If you cannot decide if this is the right course, consider some medical school alternatives. 

Most alternative programs are graduate-level, and some have master's programs. 

These medical school alternatives have a shorter course length, which only takes four to five years, and cost less than the traditional medical degrees offered in medical schools. 

Here are some reasons why looking into medical school alternatives is best. 

Easy Career Switch

If you have already attended medical school and find it not your best suit, you can easily switch career programs. There are many alternative degrees that you can look into, and they will still help you achieve a career related to health care. 

Given your acquired basic medical knowledge, switching career programs will be easier for your end. 

However, before you do so, ensure you have thoroughly considered all options before taking the big step, and it should not be done impulsively. 

It is also essential to be well-informed about the different alternative programs you might be interested in. 

Check how your previous academic record will fit the alternative schedule and the curriculum of your choice and what additional requirements of the school you need to comply with.

Global Recognition

A degree in medicine is the first choice in healthcare roles. Like those prestigious medical schools in the country, other medical-related programs are globally recognized for their excellence in education and curriculum system. 

Some alternative degrees are also essential and globally accepted in the healthcare industry, such as in Nursing, Pharmacology, Optometry, Physician Assistant Programs, and more. 

High Tuition Cost

Many students wish to become medical doctors and proceed to some medical specializations. 

However, due to the high tuition costs of most medical schools, they prefer to avoid continuing with a career in medicine, or some may graduate with an education debt loan. 

According to the report issued by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the median cost of four years of medical school last 2019 to 2020 was USD 250,222 for public medical schools, while those private medical schools cost around USD 330,180. 

Medical school tuition is undeniably expensive compared to other graduate degree programs. That is why it is best to check out some alternatives to medical school, which are way cheaper and more affordable than the programs offered in medical school.

Increased Rate of Competition 

The acceptance rate of most medical schools in the U.S. is low. Thus, the competition of landing a spot for admission is highly competitive.

Consequently, these schools are highly selective with their applicants, and each must undergo a rigorous admission process. 

The average acceptance rate of medical schools in the U.S. last 2020 was around 6.5%. 

While some medical schools have an acceptance rate of 2.9% and below, including Stanford University, New York University, Florida State University, Howard University, and more. 

3 Attributes in the Medical Field That Are Also Present in Other Professions

Below are different attributes in the medical field that are also present in other professions, whether medical-related or not.

Human Connections and Hands-On Aspect

It builds a strong foundation and shapes a patient's trust, understanding, and satisfaction. Keeping human connection is vital in building a good relationship. Health care revolves around people and is rooted in providing the best care for those who need it. 

Conveying empathy and understanding of a patient's health can improve the delivery of excellent patient care. It removes all barriers and simplifies the experience of patients in medicine. It is also one of the attributes in the medical field that exudes goodwill and promotes overall health care. 

The doctor-patient relationship is an excellent and favorable technique for therapy to be successful. There is over a 40% success rate in the field of diagnoses and medical treatment because of the favorable attitude and hands-on skills projected to patients by medical professionals. 

Patient Population Impact

Becoming a medical doctor is a long process and takes many years of education and training. It takes around eight to ten years, depending on the specialization and training you will undergo in medical school. 

Of course, medical professionals make a significant impact on the healthcare community. Still, it will not be immediately possible since the road to becoming one is long. Instead, you may choose other medical professions, which only require a couple of years to finish, and you can immediately extend your service to the patient population. 

Also, patient satisfaction is an essential factor that directly affects healthcare quality and the success of the medical facility. There are many alternative programs that you can choose from that will be of significant help in the healthcare system. It includes Nursing, Physician Assistant Programs, Dentistry, and more. 

For example, in Nursing, the essential elements for quality nursing care include

Diversity Awareness

Diversity and inclusion are essential in the healthcare community. It gives importance to delivering effective healthcare practice and helps ensure all patients are treated equally without biases. 

Also, the more diversity in the healthcare industry, the more opportunity for diverse innovations, brainstorming, and solutions. 

Medical professionals get to interact with a diverse community most of the time. It recognizes people with different backgrounds, beliefs, attitudes, races, ethnicity, gender preferences, and more. 

However, diversity awareness is not only limited to medical professionals. It is present in most careers, whether in the medical field or not.

To broaden the diversity in the population of medical schools, an accreditation committee for medical education, known as the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), has implemented diversity accreditation standards mandated for all medical institutions located in the U.S. and Canada. It helps to attract and retain medical students of different nationalities, ethnicities, races, and more. 

There is also an increase in the diversity of nursing students of 20% in U.S. schools. 

Best Alternatives to Medical Schools

Below are some of the best alternative medical degrees to medical schools. We have listed below the top educational institutions with their respective admission requirements to help you choose the right program for you.

Osteopathic Medical Schools

One of the best alternatives for traditional M.D. schools is to study in Osteopathic Medical Schools. 

The first-year enrollment percentage for Osteopathic Medical Schools increased by 68% from 2011 to 2012 and from 2021 to 2022. It is based on the current data from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Many students prefer going to D.O. schools if their MCAT scores do not meet the requirement for the traditional medical school they want to enroll in or if, by any chance, they did not qualify during the admission process. 

The D.O., or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, focuses on the wholeness of the person, which means that it treats the individual entirely and not just merely on the symptoms. It applies alternative therapies, holistic medicine, and disease prevention. 

It is a drug-free complementary medicine, uses non-invasive manual therapies, and has a comprehensive approach to treating patients. It applies osteopathic philosophy, structural diagnosis, and manipulative treatment to diagnose and manage various illnesses. 

Osteopathic medical doctors emphasize preventive health care helping patients develop attitudes and lifestyles that help fight and prevent diseases. 

Also, they receive extensive training in manipulating the musculoskeletal system, including the nerves, muscles, and bones, and how an injury or illness in one part of the body can affect others.

D.O. programs involve four years of academic study with a one-year internship and hands-on experience in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Surgery. 

Students taking up D.O. programs can also proceed to have their specializations, such as in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and more.

Top Institutions that Offer Osteopathic Programs

Nursing Schools

A degree in Nursing is one of the alternatives of medical school that you can take. The program offers a more direct path in patient care. And it is considered by most a rewarding and inspiring career. 

Based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) report, which targeted nursing schools in the US, the enrollment percentage for Baccalaureate, Master’s, and Doctoral Nursing programs exponentially increased by 5.6% in 2020.

Also, Nursing Education focuses on teaching each patient importance and attending to their needs. 

The curriculum is structured specifically for the basics of patient care, critical care, and the fundamentals of nursing skills. It also prepares students to assess clinical scenarios, navigate patient interactions, and work successfully in different healthcare settings. 

In medical school, the programs they offer are significantly longer than nursing programs, which is why students choose to take the latter. 

The degree program in Nursing usually ranges from two years for an associate degree, four years for a bachelor’s degree, and six years if you wish to pursue a master’s degree.

On the contrary, a medical program requires at least eight years of academic education, including residency and fellowship training programs.

Also, having a major in Nursing prepares you for a career path in Nursing Administration, Nursing Research, and Clinical Nursing. 

Nursing programs focus on both theoretical and practical learning. Students are exposed to studying the different branches of Science, Humanities, and Health Care Delivery. It also offers coursework in Pharmacology, Community Health, Psychiatric, and Mental Health Nursing, Leadership and Management Classes, and Ethics in Health Care Delivery. 

Top Institutions that Offer Nursing Programs

Physician Assistant Schools

Another alternative to studying Medicine (M.D. Program) is by taking up Physician Assistant (PA) Program.

Both medical careers play essential roles in the medical field. However, students who wish to enroll in medical school but are not qualified enough to pass the admission process may prefer to take physician assistant programs as their other option.

The curriculum for Physician Assistant Program usually takes two or three years to complete. Also, the students in this program are highly exposed to clinical rotations in hospitals and medical clinics under the supervision of practicing medical doctors. 

The coursework for PA Programs involves topics and subjects in healthcare, including Anatomy and Physiology, Pharmacology, Medical Ethics, Patient Evaluation, Physical Diagnoses, Laboratory Medicine, Principles of Medicine, and Clinical and Community Medicine.

And they are not required to complete any residency and fellowship training after taking up their master’s program. 

However, PA graduates can enroll in an optional PA residency training program should they wish to continue with their education and training. 

A Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed medical practitioner who can perform diagnoses and treat patients with various diseases under the supervision of a medical doctor or any licensed physician. 

They also received general training in different medical specializations, including Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery, and more. 

Also, Physician Assistant graduates can practice medicine under a broad scope of medical specializations. 

Top Institutions that Offer Physician Assistant Programs

Dentistry Schools

Choosing to enroll in dental school is a good option aside from taking up a degree in medical school. Dentistry offers a lot more hands-on and practical skills application in the field with far more freedom in terms of working hours. 

It is also one of the chosen careers by students because of the chance to be more independent in their practice, including private clinics, public health centers, academic opportunities, research programs, public health, and administration. 

A Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) is a six-year dental school program focusing on the basic sciences, clinical sciences, and dental public health courses. It consists of five academic years and one or two supervised practices. 

Its curriculum centers on developing dental students' skills in critical thinking, professionalism, health promotion, interpersonal skills, cultural competency, and interprofessional and management practice. It also focuses on the basics of Biomedical, Dental Clinical Sciences, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Oral Anatomy, and Oral Histology.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) Survey of Dental Education reported that 56% of first-year dental students were female in the 2021-2022 batch, which is by far the highest rate ever. 

Dentistry students are exposed to patient and preventive care. Also, they are reinforced and introduced to the fundamental differences between oral health and diseases. 

And the classes they have in the program center on different areas of medicine, including Oral Radiology, Microbiology, Oral Pathology, and Pharmacology. 

The curriculum also tackles preclinical courses in Endodontics, Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Oral Radiology, and more.

Also, students undergo extensive training in various preventive and operative clinics, allowing them to do hands-on training in different dental treatment techniques and procedures, including resin-based composite fillings, amalgam fillings, place sealants, and more. 

Top Institutions that Offer Dentistry Programs

Veterinary Schools

Another alternative for medical school is veterinary school, it is also a great option for those animal lovers who want to pursue medicine. 

There are 32 veterinary schools and colleges for Veterinary Medicine in the U.S. that are accredited by American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA). 

According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) statistics report for 2019 – there are 124,069 practicing veterinarians in the United States. And there is a projected increase of 19.4% in employment growth for veterinarians between 2021 to 2031. 

Earning a degree in Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) usually takes about four years of academic study and another three to four years of pre-professional study. It includes residency training and taking board certification. 

Studying veterinary medicine centers on the overall health of animals, diagnosing health conditions, administering vaccines, controlling animal diseases, and educating people who own pets. 

The program also focuses on practicing preventative medical care, such as check-ups, and gives the right treatment or surgery. 

Also, vet students are exposed to veterinary virology, veterinary immunology, bacteriology, mycology, anesthesia, and more. 

Veterinarians have wide career opportunities in pharmaceutical and private research laboratories, universities, and other government agencies that handle animal welfare.

Top Institutions that Offer Veterinary Programs