While all medical school are judged by certain factors - test scores, acceptance rate, faculty-student ratio, reputation, etc. - the list ranks medical schools separately for research and primary care, with the former emphasizing research activity and the latter emphasizing the proportion of graduates that enter primary care. (Schools are also ranked for various specialties, but those rankings are based only on recommendations from medical school deans and faculty members, not other factors.)
This year, Harvard University retained its number one spot for research. For primary care, the University of Washington moved into the number one spot, just ahead of last year's leader, the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
The methodology behind the lists is controversial and, some say, unreliable. William C. McGaghie, the director of the Leischner Institute at Loyola University Chicago and an expert in medical education, has dismissed the rankings as "ill-conceived," "unscientific," and "elitist." Still, they are still hotly anticipated each year.
Here are the top 5 medical schools in each category for 2014.
Research
1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. Johns Hopkins University
4. University of California - San Francisco
5. University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)
For the full list, visit U.S. News >>
Primary Care
1. University of Washington
2. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
3. Oregon Health and
Science University4. University of California - San Francisco
5. University of Massachusetts - Worcester