Every ambitious and aspiring medical student wants to be accepted into the top medical schools. While it may make no difference which medical school you attend to get your license as an M.D., it does matter in the career and networking opportunities you have after graduation. In this article, we will discuss some of the top medical schools in the United States.

Harvard Medical School -- this one tops the list, especially when it comes to research, but is also strong for primary care.

John Hopkins University -- as far as US news is concerned, John Hopkins Hospital has been the best in America for the last 17 years in a row.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis -- with 115 years of experience and research, education and patient care. Its rich history and in-depth research is sure to help you in your professional career.

Oregon Health and Science -- while it's the only health research university in the state of Oregon, it presents an excellent opportunity to learn about patient care, both for in-state and out-of-state students.

University of Pennsylvania -- with an equal commitment to being a leader in patient care, research and education, Penn medicine is an excellent choice for any aspiring doctor. In fact, their goal is to be recognized nationally as the most accomplished and respected school of medicine.

Duke University School of Medicine -- Duke University boasts a community of scholars, who are devoted to teaching, research and patient care. In addition, they're graduating classes averaged 60% less debt than other private medical schools in the nation. In fact, the debt was even less than public medical schools, on average.

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons -- the main focus of the College of Physicians and Surgeons is on medical education, which they pour all their resources into. They are an excellent choice for both general and special practice, as well as offering advancement in research, teaching or even administration.

University of New Mexico School of Medicine -- the US news, 2007 addition, ranked the University of New Mexico school of medicine as a number two program in the nation for rural medicine, as well as number 10 in the nation for family medicine. In fact, five departments were also ranked in the top 40 in the National Institutes of Health.

In conclusion, consider this list of top medical schools when you consider who to send your application into, it also worth building strong credentials to increase the chances of being accepted into one of these top medical schools.