Are you considering applying to medical school in Connecticut? The Constitution State is known for its stunning natural landscapes, fantastic seafood, rich history, and some of the best education in the country—from public school straight through to medical school.
With a mix of research-driven programs and primary care, the state has plenty to offer hopeful premeds.
But what’s it like to attend medical school in Connecticut, and how do you get accepted?
In this post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about going to medical school in Connecticut, including where the medical schools are located, what it’s like to live in Connecticut, how to apply, and application strategies for gaining acceptance to medical schools in Connecticut.
Here’s what to expect below.
- How Many Medical Schools Are in Connecticut?
- List of Medical Schools in Connecticut
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
- University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine
- Yale School of Medicine
- Are There Osteopathic Medical Schools in Connecticut?
- Connecticut Medical School Locations
- How Much Is Medical School Tuition in Connecticut?
- What It’s Like to Go to Medical School in Connecticut
- How to Apply to Connecticut Medical Schools
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- Application Requirements
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- Application Deadlines
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- Tips to Gain Acceptance at Connecticut Medical Schools
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- Choose the School That Best Aligns with Your Interests
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- Gain Research Experience Now
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- Develop an Authentic Application Narrative
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- Bottom Line: Is Going to Medical School in Connecticut Right for You?
How Many Medical Schools Are in Connecticut?
There are three medical schools in Connecticut, and all are allopathic MD schools.
List of Medical Schools in Connecticut
Allopathic Medical Schools in Connecticut (MD)
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
- University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine
- Yale School of Medicine
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University
The Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University was established in 2010 in North Haven, Connecticut. The school was initially created in anticipation of the increased demand for medical professionals following the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
As opposed to the other two research-focused medical schools in the state, Frank H. Netter places a strong emphasis on primary care with a patient-centered curriculum. The school integrates clinical experiences from the first year and emphasizes small-group learning and simulation-based training.
In the first term, students begin a mentored, longitudinal clinical program called the Medical Student Home (MeSH), where they spend an afternoon every week observing and working on-site with a practicing community physician.
Netter is closely affiliated with St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport and St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. Students experience a variety of clinical work placements across both facilities and some community hospitals in suburban, urban, and rural areas in the state.
For the first two years, the curriculum of the MD program is focused on three interrelated courses: Foundations of Medicine, Clinical Arts and Sciences, and Scholarly Reflection and Concentration/Capstone (SRCC).
SRCC is a four-year course where students use narrative medicine and faculty mentorship to gain conceptual understanding and practical skills in research methods, epidemiology, and biostatistics to help comprehend medical literature. Students self-design an individual capstone project in an area they’re passionate about, create their own learning objectives, manage their budget, and work under the guidance of a mentor to gain hands-on experience to help prepare them for success in residency.
Median Academic Scores of Matriculants:
- Median GPA: 3.78
- Median MCAT: 513
Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University Secondary Questions.
In-State vs. Out-of-State Preference:
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 373 | 7160 |
| Matriculants | 13 | 82 |
*Quinnipiac does not show a preference for in-state applicants.
University of Connecticut School of Medicine
The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine was established in 1961 with a primary mission of innovation, discovery, education, and service. The school’s programs incorporate four interrelated goals:
- Advancing knowledge through basic, biomedical, clinical, translational, behavioral, and social research
- Providing educational opportunities for US residents pursuing careers in the patient care professions, public health, education, biomedical, and/or behavioral sciences
- Developing, demonstrating, and delivering healthcare services based on effectiveness, efficiency, and the application of the latest advances in clinical, translational, and healthcare research
- Helping healthcare professionals maintain their competence through continuing education
Since 2016, the UConn School of Medicine has adopted a new MDelta curriculum (Making a Difference in Education, Learning, and Teaching Across Disciplines) that focuses on humanism in medicine and the health systems sciences. The curriculum encourages team-based learning and interprofessional collaboration to mold and refine a student’s diagnostic, treatment, and problem-solving skills.
UConn emphasizes that physicians are scientists; therefore, research and new discoveries are central to the institution’s mission. The curriculum implements an integrated team-based learning curriculum with early patient exposure that highlights problem-based learning, chronic care, ambulatory experiences, disease prevention, and rehabilitation, all through the lens of scientifically-based knowledge and conclusions.
While its focus is primarily on academic medicine, UConn is state-funded; therefore, it has a strong reputation for primary care, with a focus on serving Connecticut residents and accepting in-state applicants.
The UConn School of Medicine suggests that physicians whose education has been grounded in both the sciences and the humanities are of the best service to medicine. To that end, they suggest that in addition to the required courses in the physical and biological sciences, applicants should also include courses encompassing literature, history, art, foreign languages, psychology, religion, political science, and mathematics.
Median Academic Scores of Matriculants:
- Median GPA: 3.85
- Median MCAT: 513
University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine Secondary Questions.
In-State vs. Out-of-State Preference:
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 463 | 3421 |
| Matriculants | 84 | 27 |
* UConn shows a strong preference for in-state applicants.
Yale School of Medicine
The Yale School of Medicine is one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country. It is part of the elite Ivy League, and accordingly, it is a very difficult school to get into. However, self-motivated applicants with the right qualifications and a detailed, cohesive application narrative will find success.
Founded in 1810, the Yale School of Medicine has an illustrious heritage and is responsible for such breakthroughs in medical research as the first use of chemotherapy to treat cancer.
Yale has a unique curriculum called the Yale System, which prioritizes its students’ freedom and sense of responsibility and seeks to treat them as mature individuals with a strong motivation to learn. As such, the Yale School of Medicine has grading scales that discourage competition, few mandatory activities, and infrequent tests.
Students receive Pass/Fail grades in the pre-clinic curriculum, and recently, this grading structure has also been adopted in the clinic period, forgoing the traditional Honors/High Pass/Pass system.
This allows students to pursue other research and engage with the broader community of Yale. As stated on the Yale website, “Memorization of facts should be far less important than a well-rounded education in fundamental principles, training in methods of investigation, and the acquisition of the scientific habit of mind.”
Yale also offers an additional, tuition-free Flex Year that typically occurs between the third and fourth year and allows students to extend the four-year MD program. This enables students to pursue a research fellowship, a joint degree at Yale, a clinical/research year, or a dual degree at another university for no extra tuition.
This extra year is especially helpful as Yale also requires its students to complete a thesis before graduating, which further emphasizes how heavily Yale prioritizes research. Together with UConn, Yale’s focus is on academic medicine and non-primary specialties.
Graduates of the Yale School of Medicine often match into competitive, non-primary care specialties.
Median Academic Scores of Matriculants:
- Median GPA: 3.95
- Median MCAT: 522
Yale School of Medicine Secondary Questions.
In-State vs. Out-of-State Preference:
| In-State | Out-of-State | |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 220 | 5707 |
| Matriculants | 6 | 86 |
*Yale does not show any preference for in-state applicants.
Are There Osteopathic Medical Schools in Connecticut?
Unfortunately, there are no osteopathic medical schools in Connecticut.
If you are interested in going the osteopathic route, you’ll need to look at schools in neighboring states.
Nearby osteopathic schools:
The New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) is located in New York, approximately 80-90 miles from the center of Connecticut.
The Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine is located approximately 60-100 miles from the center of Connecticut, depending on which campus you choose. The school has two campuses, one in Harlem and one in Middletown, New York.
The Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, located in Stratford, New Jersey, is approximately 100-110 miles from the center of Connecticut.
But keep in mind commuting to these cities is difficult due to heavy traffic. If you are considering these schools, you will likely need to relocate to these states. To learn more about what it’s like to attend medical school in New York and New Jersey, check out our other state guides.
Connecticut Medical School Locations
Connecticut is located in the New England region of the United States. The Constitution State is the third smallest state by land mass, but with a population of 3.617 million, it’s the 29th largest state by population, which puts it in fourth place in terms of population density. This means that there are 738.1 people for every square mile in Connecticut.
It’s bordered by New York to the west, Massachusetts to the north, Rhode Island to the east, and the Long Island Sound to the south, an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University: North Haven
- UConn School of Medicine: Farmington
- Yale School of Medicine: New Haven
North Haven, where Quinnipiac is located, offers a quiet and suburban environment, ideal for students who prefer a less hectic lifestyle while still being close to larger cities for clinical rotations. The school is approximately a 15-minute drive away from Yale School of Medicine, allowing students convenient opportunities to pursue away rotations, subinternships, and research collaborations with Yale faculty. North Haven has a population of 24,245.
Farmington, where UConn is located, offers a blend of suburban and rural living and is located close to Hartford, the capital of the state, where the Bradley International Airport (BDL) is located. The cost of living is typically lower than in New Haven due to increased housing options. Farmington is about a 35-minute drive from North Haven and 45 minutes away from New Haven.
New Haven, where Yale is located, provides a lively arts and food scene, with a strong academic environment and proximity to major cities like New York and Boston via rail or car. It has a population of 135,319.
How Much Is Medical School Tuition in Connecticut?
So, how much does medical school cost in Connecticut?
Connecticut Tuition Costs (2023 Data From MSAR)
| Connecticut Medical School | Yearly Tuition In-State | Yearly Tuition Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University | $63,690 | $63,690 |
| University of Connecticut School of Medicine | $47,326 | $77,027 |
| Yale School of Medicine | $71,389 | $71,389 |
View the most recent AAMC tuition data.
- Additional fees not included.
It’s also vital to factor in the cost of medical school applications, as these can compound significantly across primary fees, secondary fees, exam fees, study resources, and interview travel costs. Learn more: How Much Do Med School Applications Cost? The Full Price Analyzed.
Plus, there are several other financial factors to consider, including housing, transportation, food, exercise, and events. Unfortunately, Connecticut’s cost of living is higher than the national average, especially when it comes to utilities.
What It’s Like to Go to Medical School in Connecticut
Connecticut is known as the Constitution State, but not because it was where the US Constitution was first signed. It’s actually where the Fundamental Orders of 1638 and 1639 were adopted, which represent the first written constitution that created a formal government in the American Colonies.
If you’re a US history buff, you’ll find plenty to explore.
Most of Connecticut is flat, with hills and slopes to the northwest and marshes and rocky headlands along the Long Island Sound. The state’s climate is cool and snowy in the winter and warm and humid in the summer, with milder temperatures in the coastal areas. Unfortunately, the state is prone to all manner of extreme weather, from winter storms and flooding to severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tropical storms.
When the weather cooperates, outdoor enthusiasts can hike through miles of trails and camp within Connecticut’s 110 state parks and 32 state forests.
If you’re a sports fan, you’re a bit out of luck. There are no national sports teams in Connecticut. However, if you happen to be a fan of golf, the state is home to the Travelers Championship, a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour that is held in a suburb south of Hartford.
Connecticut’s position along the Long Island Sound means it is home to a wide variety of seafood, such as oysters, clams, and their very own take on the lobster roll, which is served warm and with butter as opposed to mayonnaise—something locals take very seriously.
Despite its extremely high population density, Connecticut has a very low crime rate. Rates of violent crime in Connecticut are more than 60% lower than the national average, making it the state with the third-lowest violent crime rate in the nation. Property crime is more common but is still well below the national average, with larceny being the most commonly reported crime.
Politically, Connecticut is a reliably Democratic-leaning state. Both of its Senate seats and all of its House seats are held by Democrats, and the state has gone to the Democrats in every presidential election since 1992.
While the state has tremendous natural beauty and plenty of activities for the outdoorsy sorts, if you’re more interested in the bustle of a major urban center, it’s just a short trip to New York City, where you can find big concerts, sporting events, and all the other boons of a major city.
The state’s proximity to New York’s JFK Airport connects you with the rest of the globe, making it easy to visit family living abroad or take a personal getaway.
If you have access to a vehicle, Connecticut is along the route of many major highways, including I-95, I-84, and I-91; however, these can become very congested during rush hour traffic.
A popular mode of travel in the state is by rail, with many railroad lines connecting different towns and cities in the state. The state is also connected to further areas via the Northeast Corridor railroad line, which connects New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, with New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and more while avoiding the often congested I-95.
How to Apply to Connecticut Medical Schools (MD)
You won’t apply directly to any of the three medical schools in Connecticut. Instead, you’ll use the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS), the AAMC’s centralized medical school application processing service and the primary application method for first-year entering classes for the vast majority of US medical schools.
It doesn’t matter how many schools you want to apply to; you only need to submit one set of application materials to AMCAS. The system will distribute your materials to each of the schools you choose.
Here’s what you need to know about applying to med schools in Connecticut.
1 | Application Requirements
Your primary application is quite different from a job application. It’s made up of several different pieces, and each is as essential as the last.
Your primary application consists of the following:
- Your college transcripts
- Your GPA
- Your MCAT score
- A personal statement
- 4-5 strong letters of recommendation
- A Work and Activities section
At the time of this article, no medical school in Connecticut requires the Casper test or AAMC’s PREview exam. If, however, you’re applying to schools in other states that do require either one of these situation judgment tests or a school in Connecticut eventually adopts one, utilize our comprehensive Casper Test Guide and AAMC PREview Guide.
Once your primary application is submitted, you’ll likely receive a secondary application two to four weeks later. As opposed to the primary application, secondaries must be submitted directly to each of the schools you received them from.
The reason it’s likely you’ll receive one is that most medical schools collect a fee for secondary applications, and these fees range from $30 to $200.
These are the secondary fees for medical schools in Connecticut:
- Quinnipiac: $100
- UConn: $85
- Yale: $110
If admissions committees are interested, you could receive an invitation to interview at any point between the end of August and the spring of the following year.
Learn more about the complete application process: How to Get Into Medical School: AMCAS Application Process.
2 | Application Deadlines
While the AMCAS application opens during the first week of May, submissions occur at the end of May or early June. If you plan to start medical school in the fall of 2027, you need to begin the application process in the spring of 2026.
While Connecticut medical schools have technical deadlines for your application on their respective websites, these should be largely disregarded, as they do not reflect reality in any way.
Applications are as they are received on a rolling basis. Admissions committees don’t wait until all applications have been submitted to begin looking for ideal candidates.
This means the first students to submit their primary applications are the first to receive secondaries. And the faster they submit their secondaries, the sooner they’ll be offered interview invitations. The first students to interview are then the first to be accepted. Since med schools only have a limited number of spots to fill in their first-year class, the longer you delay submitting any aspect of your application, the more you hinder your chances of acceptance.
This is why we encourage every premed to submit their application as soon as submissions open, and that includes submitting secondaries and booking interviews.
Interviews begin in September and can run through March of the following year for most schools in the country, and that includes Connecticut.
Here’s what you should be working on month-by-month: Medical School Application Timeline and Monthly Schedule. (Updated every application cycle.)
Tips for Acceptance at Connecticut Medical Schools (MD and DO)
1 | Choose the School That Best Aligns with Your Interests
Each school in Connecticut offers something unique, so while you may feel the Constitution State is the one for you, it’s important to take a close look at what each institution offers before you apply.
Yale School of Medicine is easily the state’s most prestigious medical school. One of eight Ivy League schools in the country, it’s also one of the most distinguished in the entire country. It places a strong focus on academic medicine and is well-known and celebrated for its flexibility in education. Students are heavily focused on research, and the curriculum emphasizes a self-directed learning approach.
Yale has pass/fail grading in the pre-clinical and clinical years, and each med student needs to complete a research thesis before graduating.
The University of Connecticut School of Medicine (UConn) offers an integrated curriculum with a strong commitment to in-state applicants. It is a state-funded school with a reputation for research as well as primary care and a focus on serving Connecticut residents. Match trends favor non-primary care specialties, though a number of students pursue primary care.
Welcoming its first class in 2013, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University is the newest medical school in Connecticut. It’s dedicated to producing primary care physicians, and its patient and community-focused curriculum is designed to support that goal.
If research and academic medicine is what you hope to build your medical career around, it doesn’t get much better than Yale. That said, the Yale System is radically unstructured compared to the curriculums at other medical schools, which means adcoms place a heavy emphasis on accepting self-driven and self-motivated students who choose to be involved even when it’s not required of them.
It’s essential to reflect on your own strengths, weaknesses, and habits. Are you a student who needs a push to get started and appreciates a clear grading structure? Or does the freedom—and the responsibility that comes with it—excite and motivate you?
However, if you’re more interested in primary care, both UConn and Quinnipiac are solid options, though UConn skews more toward the academic side of medicine. If you’re an in-state applicant interested in research or non-primary care specialties but your academic qualifications prevent you from being accepted to Yale, UConn could be an ideal fit.
Both institutions encourage team-based learning with early clinical exposure, but if you like the idea of learning how to build longitudinal relationships with patients as soon as the first year of med school, Quinnipiac may be the one for you.
2 | Gain Research Experience Now
Each of Yale Medical School’s students must complete a thesis before they graduate, and the institution offers a tuition-free extra year to further encourage its students to dedicate themselves to academic medicine.
Research is the name of the game at Yale, so understandably, admissions committees are on the lookout for students with this research experience who can help further the mission of their school.
UConn as well places a strong emphasis on research, so if it’s your dream to attend either school but research isn’t your strong suit, consider this your invitation to get started. If you don’t know where to start, working as an extracurricular research assistant can get you the kind of research experience that could turn the heads of Connecticut adcoms.
If you’re looking for a research position, your university’s resources are the first place to check. Many have an online list of research labs you can look through until you find a lab that’s exploring something you’re genuinely interested in as well as a Principal Investigator (PI) you’re excited to work with. A PI is the leader of the lab, which means they could one day be your future boss and mentor.
If you already have a specialty you’re interested in or know what kind of research you want to do, such as neurology or radiology, look for labs conducting that research.
You can also utilize your personal contacts. Is there a professor you already have a good rapport with? Do they have a lab you can join? Authentic enthusiasm won’t go unnoticed. Do you have a friend who previously enjoyed working in a particular lab?
Finding the right research experience takes perseverance, and it won’t happen overnight. When you do make contact with a PI, ask plenty of questions to make sure you understand what will be expected of you and that you can fully commit.
Whether you’re just starting in research or are looking to master more advanced research skills, the Med School Insiders Ultimate Premed & Medical Student Research Course will meet you where you are and help you maximize your potential as a more competitive medical school applicant.
The course will enable you to publish more in less time, build a research team, present your work with confidence, and so much more—including advanced tactics you won’t find anywhere else because we innovated them.
We’re so confident you’ll find tremendous value that it comes with a money-back guarantee. Try the course today at no risk.
3 | Develop an Authentic Application Narrative
Develop an authentic, cohesive narrative that’s unique to your interests and the types of schools you are applying to. And we’re not only speaking about your personal statement. Your story and central theme should be woven throughout the entire application, from your personal statement to your letters to your experiences to your secondary and interview anecdotes.
For example, if you say research is a main interest of yours in your personal statement and are applying to schools with a notable research focus, like Yale or UConn, but your extracurriculars show minimal research experience, it’s a major red flag for admissions committees.
By the same token, if you claim to be interested in primary care but volunteering and community involvement aren’t key components of your extracurriculars, adcoms won’t believe you.
Each piece of your application must complement the other to expand and deepen your narrative without being repetitive. What do you want and need admissions committees to know about you? How can you back that up with authentic, tangible, and unique examples from your past?
Once you settle on a narrative, weave it throughout every aspect of your application.
Learn more: How to Develop a Cohesive Narrative for Medical School Applications.
Bottom Line: Is Going to Medical School in Connecticut Right for You?
Connecticut’s medical schools offer a unique combination of academic excellence, clinical training opportunities, and quality of life.
Yale provides a prestigious research environment with unmatched flexibility, making it an excellent choice for students interested in academic medicine.
UConn offers strong in-state tuition benefits and a well-rounded medical education that prepares students for a variety of specialties.
Quinnipiac is an ideal option for those passionate about primary care, with a curriculum tailored to community-based medicine.
Additionally, Connecticut’s proximity to major metropolitan areas like New York and Boston allows students to access diverse clinical experiences while enjoying the state’s smaller, more manageable cities. Whether you are drawn to research, primary care, or specialty medicine, Connecticut’s medical schools provide an excellent foundation for a successful medical career.
However, every state comes with its pros and cons, and its essential to consider whether or not you’ll feel comfortable calling the community and environment home for the next four years.
Pros of Medical School in Connecticut
- Access to top-tier hospitals and clinical training
- Yale has phenomenal research opportunities
- UConn is very affordable for in-state students
- Quinnipiac’s focus on primary care caters to those with a clear career path
- Close-knit communities with strong faculty mentorship
- Great access to outdoor recreation year-round
- You’ll see all four seasons
- One of the 10 most educated states in the country
- Strong public school system
- Rich history
- Low poverty rate
- High quality of life
- Blend of urban and suburban lifestyles
- Easy access to major cities (New York City, Boston)
- Small size allows for convenient travel across the state
Cons of Medical School in Connecticut
- High cost of living, particularly in New Haven
- Extremely high cost of utilities
- High taxes (especially property)
- Cold winters, which may be an adjustment for some students
- Humid summers
- Weak housing market (old and neglected houses)
- No options for osteopathic medicine
- Fewer medical schools compared to larger states
Students considering Connecticut should weigh factors such as career goals, specialty interests, and financial aid opportunities. Each school has a distinct mission, and selecting the right fit is key to a successful medical education experience.
Learn more: How to Decide Which Medical Schools to Apply to (12 Important Factors).
What Adcoms Are Looking For
Regardless of which schools you apply to in Connecticut or across the country, admissions committees are looking for dedicated, well-rounded, resilient, and passionate students who will enrich their student body and help their school achieve its central mission. A cookie-cutter application won’t fool adcoms, which why it’s vital to show genuine interest and enthusiasm.
Med School Insiders can help you design a stand-out application that will get you noticed by Connecticut medical schools, as well as any schools at the top of your list. We have a range of services to suit your specific needs, from one-on-one guidance to application editing to mock interviews.
Our services are tailored to meet the needs of each student because we understand that every applicant is unique. Learn more about our comprehensive medical school application packages.
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Thank you to Kareem Kebaish, MD, from Yale School of Medicine, for being our Insider contributor for this guide.
