Healthcare education in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has one of the highest concentrations of medical schools in the country, with 7 MD schools and 3 DO schools. Philadelphia alone is home to multiple medical schools and teaching hospitals, including the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution consistently ranked among the top research medical schools nationally. LECOM (Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine) in Erie is one of the largest osteopathic medical schools in the nation by enrollment, with additional campuses in other states.
Pennsylvania is home to 7 MD schools and 3 DO schools.
Pipeline programs and pre-med resources
Drexel University College of Medicine offers the Pathway to Medical School program for post-baccalaureate students seeking to strengthen their applications. Penn State College of Medicine operates the Premedical-Medical Program for undergraduate students. Temple University runs Health Scholars Pipeline programs for underrepresented students.
LECOM partners with multiple undergraduate institutions for early acceptance programs, providing qualified students with a conditional seat in the DO program.
Philadelphia’s concentration of academic medical centers (Penn, Jefferson, Temple, Drexel, and their affiliated hospitals) creates extensive opportunities for clinical volunteering, research, and shadowing.
For students in Pennsylvania, we recommend starting with our level-specific guides: Middle School, High School, or Undergraduate. See also our What Is Pre-Med? and Pre-Med Requirements pages.
Scholarships and loan repayment
PA State Grant
Primary Care Loan Repayment
For federal programs available in all states, see our Income-Driven Repayment, PSLF Guide, and Military Medical Scholarships pages.
Medical schools in Pennsylvania
Drexel University College of Medicine (MD, Philadelphia) | Website
Duquesne University Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO, Pittsburgh) | Website
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (MD, Scranton) | Website
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO, Erie) | Website
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (MD, Philadelphia) | Website
Penn State College of Medicine (MD, Hershey) | Website
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (MD, Philadelphia) | Website
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO, Philadelphia) | Website
Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University (MD, Philadelphia) | Website
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (MD, Pittsburgh) | Website
For complete data including application systems and school details, see our Medical Schools Database and filter by state.
Help us improve this page
If you know of a Pennsylvania-specific program, scholarship, or resource that should be listed here, please use the Contact Us form or the “Share Your Thoughts” button. We update state pages regularly based on community input.