In addition to offering the M.D. degree to its medical students, the School trains graduate students for the Master of Science in Public Health degree offered through Meharry's School of Graduate Studies and Research.  Similarly, the School trains graduate students for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Pharmacology or Physiology. Finally, the school provides significant training to students from Meharry's Schools of Dentistry and Allied Health Professions.

The School is nationally recognized for its community-based and academic programs.  National centers and programs have been established to address sickle cell anemia, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, environmental health, teen pregnancy, cancer, kidney failure, aging and more. The School's faculty, staff and students actively serve the community in many ways: mentoring for high school and college students; Health Careers Opportunity Programs for elementary, high school and college students; speakers on health topics and more. The School has a program to assist college graduates in preparing to enter health professions schools.

Meharry's primary affiliated clinical training sites also include the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, located in Nashville and Murfreesboro, Tennessee; the Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute; and the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Other affiliated clinical facilities include the United Neighborhood Health Services Medical Clinic, the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, the Centennial Medical Center, and the Baptist Medical Center.

Meharry's student body reflects the diversity of the nation, with representation from the African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American communities. The majority of Meharry's graduates keep the commitment of the founding fathers by practicing in underserved urban and rural communities. More than 60 percent of Meharry's School of Medicine graduates have selected generalist fields of family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology as areas of specialization. Since 1970, Meharry has conferred more than 10 percent of the Ph.D. degrees awarded nationally to African Americans in all of the biomedical sciences. Meharry continues to be proud of its leadership role in helping to ensure diversity in the nation's health professions work force.