Tennessee
Medical schools in Tennessee
Tennessee has 5 medical schools: 4 MD and 1 DO, 2 of them public. They are listed by our overall ranking, which weights research funding and admissions selectivity most.
- Most research funding: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine ($517M from the NIH).
- Most graduates in primary care: Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (44.2%).
- Lowest median debt: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine ($184,224).
| # | School | MCAT | NIH funding | Primary care | In state | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Vanderbilt University School of MedicineNashville · MD · Private | — | $517M | 13% | 18% | $184K |
| 81 | Meharry Medical College School of MedicineNashville · MD · Private | — | $13.8M | 36% | 14% | — |
| 97 | University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of MedicineMemphis · MD · Public | 511 | $42.0M | 23% | 42% | $204K |
| 126 | East Tennessee State University Quillen College of MedicineJohnson City · MD · Public | 512 | $5.4M | 28% | 47% | $226K |
| 177 | Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic MedicineHarrogate · DO · Private | — | — | 44% | 19% | $343K |
# = national rank on the overall ranking. Rank Tennessee schools on your own weights.
Medical schools in Tennessee: questions
How many medical schools are in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 5 medical schools: 4 MD and 1 DO.
What is the best medical school in Tennessee?
On our overall ranking, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine ranks highest in Tennessee (15th nationally). The best school for you depends on whether you value research, primary care, rural practice or low debt most.
Which medical school in Tennessee leaves graduates with the least debt?
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, with median federal debt of $184,224 at graduation.
Browse medical schools
Rankings by goal
- Best Medical Schools for Research
- Best Medical Schools for Primary Care
- Best Medical Schools for Rural Medicine
- Medical Schools Whose Graduates Stay in State
- Medical Schools With the Lowest Debt
- Most Diverse Medical Schools
- Osteopathic (DO) Medical School Rankings
- Best Public Medical Schools
- Most Selective Medical Schools
- Medical Schools With the Lowest MCAT Scores
By state
- Alabama 3
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 2
- California 16
- Colorado 2
- Connecticut 3
- District of Columbia 3
- Florida 9
- Georgia 4
- Hawaii 1
- Idaho 1
- Illinois 9
- Indiana 2
- Iowa 2
- Kansas 2
- Kentucky 3
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 1
- Maryland 3
- Massachusetts 4
- Michigan 7
- Minnesota 2
- Mississippi 2
- Missouri 6
- Nebraska 2
- Nevada 3
- New Hampshire 1
- New Jersey 5
- New Mexico 2
- New York 16
- North Carolina 5
- North Dakota 1
- Ohio 7
- Oklahoma 2
- Oregon 1
- Pennsylvania 9
- Puerto Rico 4
- Rhode Island 1
- South Carolina 3
- South Dakota 1
- Texas 16
- Utah 1
- Vermont 1
- Virginia 6
- Washington 3
- West Virginia 3
- Wisconsin 2
Outside the US
Sources: NIH RePORTER fiscal year 2025 (research funding); CMS Doctors and Clinicians file (where 2005–2019 graduates practice); USDA rural-urban commuting area codes 2020 (rural ZIP codes); College Scorecard (median federal debt); IPEDS 2023–24 (graduates and class makeup); each school's own admissions pages (admissions figures, linked on each school page). Methodology · Download the data (CSV)