The University of Massachusetts T.H. Chan School of Medicine, located in Worcester, is a nationally recognized public medical school with a strong primary-care and community-health mission. It charges full tuition (AY 2025-26: $42,284 in-state, $72,710 non-resident); free tuition is only a pending Massachusetts Senate proposal. It gives strong preference to Massachusetts residents but has admitted non-residents since the entering class of 2016, and produces physicians strongly oriented toward primary care, community health, and service to underserved populations. The school is affiliated with UMass Memorial Medical Center and maintains a distributed clinical training network across the Commonwealth. Its research enterprise spans cancer biology, neuroscience, and population health, anchored by the Chan Medical School Research Institute.
What makes it different
A public MD program with a strong primary-care and underserved-community mission, closely integrated with UMass Memorial Medical Center. It gives strong preference to Massachusetts residents (~90% of matriculants are MA residents) but is not residents-only — non-residents have been admitted since the entering class of 2016. The MD program is not tuition-free: AY 2025-26 tuition is $42,284 (in-state) and $72,710 (non-resident); free tuition is only a pending Massachusetts Senate proposal, not current policy.
Course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Year 1–2 integrate basic science with early clinical skills; Year 3–4 are core clinical rotations through UMass Memorial and affiliated community sites. A scholarly project is required. The curriculum emphasizes evidence-based medicine, interprofessional education, and community-based practice.
Research strengths
UMass Chan Medical School (MD) has notable research strength in RNA biology and therapeutics, Cancer immunology, Neurodegenerative disease, Health disparities, Community-based participatory research.
Interview
UMass Chan Medical School (MD) interviews via MMI (multiple mini-interview, typically 8–10 stations, conducted in person). UMass Chan uses a structured MMI format with 8–10 stations of roughly 8 minutes each, covering ethical scenarios, communication tasks, and role-play situations. The interview day also includes a student-panel Q&A and a campus/hospital tour at UMASS Memorial Medical Center. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their commitment to serving Massachusetts communities; the school gives strong preference to Massachusetts residents (most matriculants are MA residents) but also admits non-residents (since the entering class of 2016). The MD program is not tuition-free — it charges standard public-school tuition.
Intake
Approximately 162 students per year.
At a glance
Founded in 1962, based in Worcester, MA. Programmes offered: Primary Care, Community Health, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, Population Health.
