With a total of ten medical schools in Florida, most of which give preference to in state applicants, Florida is a great state for medical school hopefuls and the state with the fourth largest number of medical schools. It falls behind the following three states:
One of the most notable osteopathic programs in the country, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, has a campus in Bradenton, Florida. Additionally, the University of Florida, University of Miami, and University of South Florida are ranked in the top sixty for research by US News and World Report. According to the 2020 Physician Workforce Annual Report, nearly 60% of clinicians in Florida are over the age of 50. This means that the state will be in desperate need of tomorrow's doctors so most of the medical schools hope to train students who will ultimately practice in Florida. Can you see yourself pursuing your medical education in the sunshine state?
Let's take a look at all the medical schools in Florida:
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Related Article: Medical School Admissions Statistics
To determine your competitiveness for a Florida medical school you must review the average MCATs and GPAs for accepted students as well as the medical school acceptance rates. For out of state students, it is important to pay attention to how many out of state students are interviewed and what percentage are in the entering class each year. There are many Florida medical schools that give preference to in state residents and some that take very few out of state students most of whom likely have some affiliation with the state.
Also, remember that writing an effective medical school personal statement, and AMCAS application entries (for allopathic schools), along with strong letters of recommendation, will greatly impact your chances of earning a medical school interview.
So, how difficult is it to get accepted into a Florida medical school? Let's review the data. Below are the average MCAT scores and GPAs, interview rates for in state and out of state applicants, acceptance rates, percent of entering class that is in state, and tuition for all medical schools in Florida.
The data below will help you assess your competitiveness for allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in Florida. As you will see, the state of Florida, as a whole, is much "friendlier" for in state applicants and offers a wealth of options. While still very competitive, we consider Florida a good state to be from if you want to study medicine.
In our work with applicants we find that Florida residents who choose to do their undergraduate work out of state and then want to return to Florida for medical school often yield great outcomes.
University of Florida (Gainesville)
| GPA | 3.86 |
| MCAT | 515 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 10% in-state | 2.7 % out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 5 % |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 84.4% |
| Tuition + Fees | $62,438 in-state, $74,698 out-state |
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine (Private Medical School)
| GPA | 3.8 |
| MCAT | 515 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 5.35% |
| Acceptance Rate | 4.1 % |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 46.8% |
| Tuition + Fees | $53,500 (all) |
USF Health Morsani College of Medicine (Tampa)
| GPA | 3.95 |
| MCAT | 520 |
| Interview Rate(s) | NA |
| Acceptance Rate | 7.4% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 46.2% |
| Tuition + Fees | $33,726 in-state, $54,916 out-state |
University of Central Florida (Orlando)
| GPA | 3.9 |
| MCAT | 515 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 11% in-state | 8.2% out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 6.5% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 62.5% |
| Tuition + Fees | $29,680 in-state, $56,554 out-state |
Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton)
| GPA | 3.8 |
| MCAT | 516 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 10% in-state | 2% out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 66% |
| Tuition + Fees | $31,830 in-state, $67,972 out-state |
Florida State University (Tallahassee)
| GPA | 3.68 |
| MCAT | 507 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 7.4% in-state | <1% out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 2% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 98.3% |
| Tuition + Fees | $76,419 in-state, $99,757 out-state |
Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (Miami)
| GPA | 3.82 |
| MCAT | 510 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 11.1% in state | 4.1% out of state |
| Acceptance Rate | 6.5% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 82% |
| Tuition + Fees | $38,016 in-state, $69,516 out-state |
Nova Southeastern Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic School of Medicine (Fort Lauderdale)
| GPA | 3.75 |
| MCAT | 512 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 8.2% in-state |4.8% out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 2.7% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 60% |
| Tuition + Fees | $69,870 (all) |
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine- Bradenton Campus
| GPA | 3.73 |
| MCAT | 506 |
| Interview Rate(s) | NA, NA |
| Acceptance Rate | NA |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 67.4% |
| Tuition | $38,275 in-state, $40,535 out-state |
Nova Southeastern University University Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine – Patel (Fort Lauderdale)
| GPA | 3.6 |
| MCAT | 505 |
| Interview Rate(s) | 32.5% in-state | 14.3% out-state |
| Acceptance Rate | 17.2% |
| Percent of Entering Class In State | 48% |
| Tuition | $69,879 (all) |
Related Article: Average Medical School MCAT Scores (By School)
So, what can you do to increase your chances of getting accepted into a Florida medical school?
It is important to note that most of the Florida medical schools accept a majority of in-state students. Therefore, Florida is a great state to be from if you hope to be a physician!
That being said, if Florida is your dream state for medical school, the University of Miami (Miller) and the University of South Florida both accept a large percentage of out-of-state students. When evaluating how competitive you are, be honest with yourself. Are your MCAT and GPA close to the metrics for accepted students?
If not, consider retaking your MCAT or enhancing your GPA. Several Florida medical schools have MCAT averages above the 90th percentile, so consider this when generating a list of schools you want to apply to. Whether you opt for an MD or DO school, it is important to remember that about 9% of current physicians hold an osteopathic degree according to Health Affairs. Both degrees offer you the opportunity to practice medicine, advance your field, and care for patients, and Florida boasts fantastic MD and DO options.
When composing your Florida medical school secondary essays, you want to make sure that you answer prompts directly as they reflect the mission and values of the medical school. For example, USF Morsani has a more research, and scholarly emphasis while Florida State is committed to caring for the region's elderly and underserved populations. You can see this mission difference based on a few secondary essay prompts from each medical school:
Florida State:
Why are you choosing to apply to the FSU College of Medicine? Please be specific describing what is particularly attractive about FSU COM.
In what field/specialty of medicine do you envision yourself working ten years from now? Please list no more than three (3) specialties. (500-character limit)
Write a short statement describing how you envision using the specialty/ies you listed above to advance our unique mission and contribute to the success of the FSU College of Medicine. (9999-character limit)
USF Morsani:
The USF Morsani College of Medicine's Scholarly Concentrations program aims to support the educational development of medical students by providing opportunities for academic endeavors in areas of special interest. This program facilitates self-directed learning, enhances interactions between students and fosters relationships between students and faculty. Scholarly concentrations provide a forum where diversity of ideas and perspectives are valued. Each concentration includes elements of course work, practical application and scholarly presentation. Please review our Scholarly Concentrations website to determine which concentration would be of interest to you and answer the following question: (Scholarly Concentrations Program | USF Health) a. How would the USF Morsani College of Medicine's Scholarly Concentrations Program help your personal career goals? (1500 characters)
The USF Morsani College of Medicine strives to educate a very diverse set of students who bring a variety of strengths and interests to the field of medicine. The definition of diversity is broad and includes (but is not limited to) lifestyle, race/ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status and distance traveled through life. The definition of strength is also broad and includes (but is not limited to) humanism, scholarship, intellectual curiosity, research, and leadership. How do you feel your particular experiences, interests, and passions will add to the strength and diversity of the USF class and ultimately to the field of medicine? (2000 characters)
The number of secondary essays you need to complete will differ from medical school to medical school. Below is a basic outline of what is required.
Florida can be a great state in which to be a medical student for in and out of state students alike. If you are out of state, be careful applying to those schools that favor in state applicants. Be sure your metrics are within range for accepted students and that your background and future goals are aligned with each medical school you apply to.
Want to know how to be a more competitive medical school applicant? Sign up for a free consultation.