Q: What Should You Consider in Selecting A Medical School?

By now you've probably figured out that you can earn the same degree-the M.D.-from 125 medical schools in the United States. Their ranks include fine regional schools, many state-supported, whose graduates often want to practice in nearby towns and cities.

And there also are a few medical schools acknowledged as "national" in scope that draw their students from every part of the country. Besides offering superb training in patient care, these institutions are changing the future of medicine. Researchers working in the basic science and clinical laboratories at these schools are coming up with new understandings about disease and how the human body works that will lead to advances in diagnosing and treating common conditions and dangerous diseases. Since its inception late in the 19th century, Johns Hopkins has been recognized as a leader among this group of medical schools.

Now the important question: Should Johns Hopkins be on the list of schools you're considering? That's what we hope to explore with you. By giving you direct answers from students and faculty who know this place best, we want to explain what the expertise behind the Hopkins reputation can bring to you. You'll also discover a bit about learning and living at Hopkins-and in Baltimore. And you'll get a feeling for some of this medical school's traditions, philosophies and priorities.