Discover the World’s Top 10 Universities for Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry Degrees
Ranked based on the latest Times Higher Education World Subject Rankings data.
A Look at the Top 10 Universities for Medicine in 2025
| Clinical Health Rank 2025 | Clinical Health Rank 2024 | University | Country/Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
| 2 | 2 | Harvard University | United States |
| 3 | 3 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
| 4 | 4 | Imperial College London | United Kingdom |
| 5 | 6 | Johns Hopkins University | United States |
| =6 | 5 | Stanford University | United States |
| =6 | 8 | Yale University | United States |
| 8 | 7 | UCL | United Kingdom |
| 9 | 9 | University of Toronto | Canada |
| 10 | 10 | University of Pennsylvania | United States |
Explore the full ranking of the best universities for medicine here.
The way medicine is studied differs widely across the globe. In the US, students pursue medicine in graduate school after completing an unrelated undergraduate degree.
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In other places, like the UK, students can enroll directly in undergraduate clinical degrees.
No matter where you study, most clinical degrees take several years—longer than non-clinical programs. So, it’s important to choose wisely before committing to such an extensive course.
Times Higher Education has ranked the top 1,150 universities for clinical, pre-clinical, and health studies, featuring institutions in over 50 countries.
The ranking follows the same method as the THE World University Rankings but places more weight on citations and slightly less on teaching and research metrics. The full methodology is available here.
Top 10 Universities for Clinical and Health Sciences
1. University of Oxford
Oxford’s medicine program follows a traditional structure, divided into pre-clinical and clinical phases.
Around 150 students are admitted yearly, plus an additional 30 for a fast-track graduate course that compresses medical training into four years.
Early years focus on theory with minimal patient interaction. Later, students transition to clinical training, spending significant time at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
The university has two key medical libraries—one for pre-clinical studies and another for healthcare. Beyond academics, Oxford offers a rich college life with social events and small-group tutorials.
2. Harvard University
Founded in 1782, Harvard Medical School is the third-oldest in the US.
Faculty teach across Harvard’s science departments and work in clinical roles at affiliated hospitals. Four major teaching hospitals serve the Boston area.
Harvard incorporates problem-based learning and offers a selective biomedical research program, admitting only 30 students per year.
Medical students join one of five alumni-named societies, engaging in small-group work, sports, and social activities.
3. University of Cambridge
Cambridge provides an undergraduate medicine degree, along with accelerated and condensed options for graduates.
Half of its medical graduates become general practitioners, with nearly all working in the UK’s NHS.
Admission requires top secondary grades and high BMAT scores. Students balance rigorous studies with college life and extracurriculars.
4. Imperial College London
Imperial’s medical program blends traditional lectures with hands-on learning.
Unlike other UK schools, students interact with patients from the first term. The six-year course includes a BSc alongside the MBBS.
Entry is highly competitive, demanding top grades in chemistry, biology, and a third subject, plus a strong BMAT score and interview performance.
Though Imperial is highly international, few overseas students are admitted to medicine each year.
5. Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine covers diverse fields, from dermatology to medical history.
Currently, it offers only graduate programs, including a combined MD/MBA with Carey Business School.
=6. Stanford University
Stanford’s graduate school provides master’s and PhD programs in medicine.
Its faculty includes six Nobel laureates, 31 National Academy of Sciences members, and 42 Institute of Medicine members. Research spans cancer, immunology, genetics, and neuroscience.
The school also runs healthcare services for adults and children.
=6. Yale University
Yale’s School of Medicine is the sixth-oldest in the US.
All students must write an original research thesis. Many take a tuition-free fifth year for extra study or internships. Joint degrees are available in public health, law, business, engineering, and divinity.
8. UCL
UCL’s medical education spans three London campuses:
- Bloomsbury: Clinical training at University College Hospital and other specialist hospitals.
- Royal Free (Hampstead): Home to the Royal Free Hospital.
- Whittington (Archway): Hosts the Whittington Hospital.
It offers a six-year undergraduate program and postgraduate options.
9. University of Toronto
Toronto’s four-year MD program requires a prior bachelor’s degree.
Students join one of four academies, each linked to specific hospitals. Rotations outside these hospitals are possible, and research opportunities are plentiful.
10. University of Pennsylvania
The Perelman School of Medicine is the oldest in the US.
It has six affiliated hospitals and offers MD, PhD, master’s, and joint-degree programs, plus certificates for healthcare professionals.
