The Liaison Committee on Medical Education—plus the 20 fully accredited schools of osteopathic medicine—were surveyed for the highest ranked medical schools, according to the U.S. News & World Report's annual, authoritative, and comprehensive list of top medical schools.
The institutions are ranked according to two main categories: "Research" and "Primary Care." The methodology for the medical school rankings in the research category revolve around a weighted average of eight different indicators. The primary care model is based on seven. Four of these indicators are common to both categories. They are determined by requirements for medical school, admission statistics, and faculty-to-student ratio. Medical school deans across the country were invited to rank peer institutions as part of the study as well.
Harvard University Medical School in Boston is a tough act to follow in many of these regards. The critically-acclaimed school earned the number one spot in the categories of research, internal medicine and women's health. They earned recognition in the specialty areas of Pediatrics, and AIDS research, trials, and initiatives, where they claimed the second and third spots, respectively. Harvard's current medical school curriculum was originally designed by the then-university president in the late 1800s.
The University of Washington's medical system includes the highly ranked University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center and the in-air medical services program, Airlife Northwest. Students choose from six different programs, and can go on to earn either an M.D. or a Ph.D. A small select group of students can earn both through the school's elite Medical Scientist Training Program. The University of Washington came in first in primary care, family medicine, and rural medicine.
The University of Pennsylvania garnered the second research spot among medical institutions. This school is home to the first medical school and first hospital in the country. Their medical students acquire hands-on experience at simulation facilities, such as the Flyers/76ers Surgery Theatre. This school ranked first in Pediatrics and fifth in internal medicine.
Johns Hopkins University - which has earned attention for recent advances made in clinical cancer research - earned top honors for internal medicine. They ranked third among research institutions. They came in second in the specialties of AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse, and Geriatrics. The students learn through a system which pairs academics alongside clinical experience. The school receives a great deal of notoriety for their Johns Hopkins Hospital, which is home to the only pediatric and eye trauma centers in Maryland.
The highly sought after Yale Medical School ranked first in their treatment of drug and alcohol abuse, fourth in women's health and fifth in research. Columbia Medical School tied with Ann Arbor for the tenth spot among research institutions. They earned second for their drug and alcohol abuse treatment and sixth in women's health.
Students in their first two years at Vanderbilt Medical School participate in the university's widely renowned Emphasis Program. In this program, students complete a project which is designed to help them determine what kind of doctoral avenue they would like to pursue. Students at this school also have the option of completing dual degree programs such as an M.D./J.D. through the Vanderbilt Law School, and M.D./MB.A. through the Vandberbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, and more. Vanderbilt earned the fifteenth spot in the research category.
Sources
"Clinical Cancer Research." NewsofMedical.com. 1 July 2011.
"Harvard Yet Again Dubbed Top Medical School." US News & World Report. 15 March 2011. 1 July 2011.
"Vanderbilt Medical School." NewsofMedical.com. 1 July 2011.
Robert Wilson - I am a professional writer that has written for a variety of websites around the internet. I have written for blogs and news websites.
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