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April 26, 2020

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U.S. News Releases 2021 Ranking of Best Medical Schools

U.S. News Releases 2021 Ranking of Best Medical Schools

U.S. News released its 2021 ranking of Research and Primary Care Medical Schools. The rankings are based on expert opinions about the quality of each program and statistical indicators that calculate the quality of a program’s faculty, research, and students. The reputation surveys were sent to academics and professionals in fall 2019 and early 2020. 

U.S. News assessed the data for each quality indicator and then standardized the value of each indicator around its average. Each indicator has a weight assigned to it, which reflects U.S. News’ evaluation of their relative importance, after consulting with experts in the field. These weighted values developed into each school’s rank.

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The highest-scoring school was given a score of 100. All other schools’ scores were recalculated as a percentage of the top score. A school’s score of 100 does not necessarily mean that it received the highest score on every measure; it means it had the highest overall score.

Highlights of the 2021 medical school ranking

Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins held onto the #1 and #2 spots for research medical schools. However, a few meaningful changes occurred near the top. 

  • New York University jumped from a three-way tie at #9 to a two-way tie at #4.

  • Stanford University, tied with New York University at #4 dropped a spot from last year, when it was tied at #3.

  • There was significant movement in the schools ranked below the Top 10. Rush University Medical College leapt 12 spots from a tie at #70 to a four-way tie at #58 this year. 

  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill remains in the #1 spot for primary care medical schools. 

  • University of California, San Francisco rose from #3 to a tie at the #2 spot. 

  • The University of Washington, tied for second place, held that spot by itself last year. 

  • The University of Virginia bounded up 20 spots, from a four-way tie at #26 last year to #6 this year. 

Top 10 medical schools: Research 2021 ranking

RankSchoolLocation
1Harvard UniversityBoston, MA
2Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, MD
3University of Pennsylvania (Perelman)Philadelphia, PA
4New York University (Grossman)New York, NY
4Stanford UniversityStanford, CA
6Columbia UniversityNew York, NY
6Mayo Clinic School Of Medicine (Alix)Rochester, MN
6University of California, Los Angeles (Geffen)Los Angeles, CA
6University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
6Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MO

Top 10 medical schools: Primary care 2021 ranking

RankSchoolLocation
1University of North Carolina, Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC
2University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA
2University of WashingtonSeattle, WA
4Baylor College of MedicineHouston, TX
5University of Michigan, Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI
6University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA
7Oregon Health & Science UniversityPortland, OR
7University of California, DavisSacramento, CA
9University of ColoradoAurora, CO
10Harvard UniversityBoston, MA

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Related Resources:

  • Navigate the Med School Maze: 12 Tips From Start to Acceptance, a free guide
  • Medical School Selectivity Index, discover the medical schools where you are competitive
  • How to Use the MSAR to Choose the Best Medical Schools for You

Article by Accepted / Medical School Admissions / Baylor, Columbia Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins Medical School, mayo clinic, med school rankings, NYU Medical School, researching med schools, Stanford University School of Medicine, UCSF med school, University of Penn. Medical School

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