If you are interested in cutting-edge medical research, research should be done to see how much grant money each school is able to obtain. According to U.S. News and World Report, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University and University of Pennsylvania lead the pack.
For those interested in the practice of medicine and working with patients, without a strong emphasis on research, then it's important to note which schools produce the most primary care doctors. There are schools that are just as good as the top research institutions, but they have a different focus. University of Washington, University of North Carolina and Oregon Health and Science University are the three rated the highest.
The best medical schools, as measured by peer review, research grants and selectivity, are consistently Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Washington in St. Louis and University of Pennsylvania. However, it is important to keep in mind that there are always personal factors that can make one school better than another. University visits are often important to find the right school for you.