There are obviously many things to consider when choosing a medical school. Here are some various teaching methods to look for among the medical education at different schools. From your previous school experience, there's a good chance you'll be able to decide which is best for you.
Lectures vs. Small Groups/ Problem-Based Learning (PBLs)
How much of your education is in big groups, small groups and how much are you expected to research on your own? Most medical schools seem to have something of a hybrid system, but there are a few that are quite far to one side or the other. Some people work better on their own, others really need structure. Different setups work best for different people. Asking the students at that school is a good way to find out the balance.
Many students report getting more out of small groups getting more out of them than could have been learned from any of the syllabi or lectures.
Basic Science-Based vs. Organ System-Based
Some medical schools follow the traditional system of teaching the subjects by discipline, i.e. anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, pharmacy, etc. Others use an "organ-systems" based approach, where you learn all about the physiology, pathology, pharmacy, etc. of a particular organ system in one course. For instance, in cardio you learn all about the normal behavior of the heart, all the different diseases of the heart and vascular system, and the drugs used to treat them.
Some medical schools may have something of a combination. There are some general basic science classes which you start out with, then you move on to organ systems where you learn in a more integrated fashion. Also when you take the boards, the sciences are integrated.
Course Structure: Broad vs. Focused
Some schools have you take all your classes at once. You'll have anatomy in the morning, then maybe a physiology and biochemistry lecture in the afternoon. Classes last the whole semester, or the whole year, and you have several at once.
The other approach is to basically teach one subject at a time, but intensely. For instance, for 6 weeks you could have anatomy in the morning, anatomy in the afternoon and study anatomy at night. This might be hard to get used to, but it allows you to focus more. And it avoids the problem of deciding which classes to devote more study time to.
Honors/Pass/Fail vs. Broad Grading Scale
This can be immensely important in choosing a medical school. If it bothers you that some people just below honors get the same grade as people just above fail, you'll want the standard ABCDF grading scale. But if you're not concerned about every little nuance in grading and want to concentrate more on learning rather than grades, H/P/F is for you. Be sure to ask about this at your interview.
Clinical Exposure
Different medical schools have different levels of clinical exposure in the first 2 years. It keeps you focused on why you're in medical school to begin with. One disadvantage having to split time between the hospital and study.
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