The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, founded in 1797 as one of the oldest US medical schools, offers an integrated four-year MD curriculum within a small, intimate academic community in Hanover, New Hampshire. As the medical school of Dartmouth College, Geisel maintains strong Ivy League affiliations while delivering a curriculum with distinctive emphasis on health policy, outcomes research, and evidence-based medicine. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center — a Level I trauma center and quaternary referral hospital — serves as the primary teaching hospital and places Geisel students in a high-acuity, broadly rural clinical environment.
What makes it different
One of the smallest Ivy-affiliated US medical schools (class ~90); strong outcomes research program; close affiliation with Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, a major academic medical center in rural New England. Home to The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice — a leader in health policy, shared decision-making, and outcomes science. All students complete a scholarly project (The Scholarly Project) in Year 3–4.
Course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Pre-clerkship phase (Year 1–2): integrated systems curriculum blending basic science and clinical skills; strong early emphasis on evidence-based medicine and health policy through The Dartmouth Institute coursework. Clinical phase (Year 3): core rotations at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and affiliated sites. Year 4: required Scholarly Project culminating in a presentation or publication; clinical selectives across subspecialties.
Research strengths
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth (MD) has notable research strength in Health policy and clinical outcomes, Cancer biology and immunotherapy, Cardiovascular medicine, Global health, Biomedical engineering and innovation.
Interview
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth (MD) interviews via Traditional two-interview format — one faculty/physician and one medical student, each ~30 min. Geisel conducts a traditional two-interview format: one session with a faculty member or clinician and one with a current medical student, each approximately 30 minutes. Interviewers read the application in advance and probe motivation for medicine, research background, and interpersonal maturity. Geisel's small program size means the committee seeks evidence of intellectual curiosity and collaborative character beyond academic metrics. The interview day includes a morning welcome, campus tour of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center complex, lunch with students, and afternoon debrief. Informal interactions throughout the day are considered part of the holistic evaluation.
Intake
Approximately 90 students per year.
At a glance
Founded in 1797, based in Hanover, NH. Programmes offered: Health Policy & Outcomes Research, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Rural and Community Medicine, Biomedical Research.
