If you have an interest in medicine or want to learn more about different pathways to careers in health care, you may be interested in applying to Johns Hopkins University, consistently ranked as one of the best colleges in the U.S. for pre-health students. JHU boasts a medical school acceptance rate of 85%, including admits to top medical schools such as Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Penn, UCLA, UChicago, Cornell, Brown, and more.
In addition to traditional medical school applications, JHU offers support for students applying to graduate schools in fields such as dentistry, osteopathic medicine, public health, and physician assistant programs. Due to its strong reputation, however, Johns Hopkins is extremely selective, with an undergraduate early decision acceptance rate around 15% and a regular decision acceptance rate at only 4% in 2025.
JHU students interested in pursuing health care-related careers are required to attend a series of Pre-Health 101 workshops. Upon completion, students may begin meeting individually with one of the university’s many pre-health advisors for personalized guidance.
While advice will be tailored to the individual student, JHU’s general approach to pre-health programming is holistic and emphasizes mastery across the sciences. As the first research university in the U.S., JHU students will find unparalleled opportunities to develop their intellectual curiosity through academic work!
JHU’s pre-health advising team also offers support for clinical opportunities, non-clinical volunteering, and shadowing, including through international organizations and study abroad programs. They even have a dedicated guide to international volunteering.
Additionally, Johns Hopkins supports students in finding summer employment, internships, and research opportunities through its partnerships with countless other universities across the country. Several of these programs offer special consideration for students from underrepresented groups in medicine.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore is one of the top 30 hospitals in the country according to U.S. News, and is ranked in the top 3 for its OBGYN, ENT, Ophthalmology, and Rheumatology Departments. JHU students will be able to access shadowing and research opportunities at the cutting edge of medicine through this institution.
Furthermore, the Center for Social Concern at Johns Hopkins offers students unique opportunities to volunteer and engage directly with people across the city of Baltimore in need of medical care. The Center boasts over 75 partnerships with local community-based organizations, virtually ensuring that interested students can support a cause they care about while deepening their medical expertise in these programs!
JHU’s pre-health advising office includes specific guides for each aspect of the graduate school application process: pre-health planning, recommendations, applications, and interviews. They also include an “Are You Ready to Apply” self-assessment to help students determine when the best time will be for them to apply to medical school. Additional supports include a detailed application timeline, interview and personal statement tutorials, and guides on choosing medical schools to apply to.
Students may also obtain a health professions committee letter in support of their application as long as they meet stated criteria throughout the advising process. Finally, if a student is unsuccessful in their first round of graduate school applications, pre-health advising at JHU includes specific resources for students looking to reapply to medical schools.
Pre-Health Coursework and Requirements
In addition to their university and department-wide graduation requirements, Pre-Health students at JHU are strongly recommended to take at least 1-2 courses across a variety of disciplines, including general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, biology and physics labs, mathematics, English, and social sciences. Courses that cover ethics, philosophy, cross-cultural studies, and population health are also recommended regardless of discipline.
Beyond the typical natural science majors, Hopkins offers several other programs that may be of interest to pre-health students, including:
These programs help students develop a deeper understanding of human behavior and the history of the medical field, as well as ongoing debates and controversies related to medical innovation. The critical thinking skills and broad breadth of knowledge that these departments provide can help students become more compassionate health care providers and stand out amongst others with strong backgrounds in biology and chemistry.
JHU also boasts one of the top programs nationwide for public health studies, as well as a Global Health Studies direct matriculation program allowing students to earn both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degree. Students may be admitted to the program as incoming freshmen or after two years as a public health major at Hopkins.
If you want to learn more about top 20 pre-health programs and how to increase your chances of acceptance to them, book a free consultation with PathIvy today!