Rising in the rankings
UF College of Medicine breaks into top 20 public medical schools, and a UF College of Pharmacy program into the Top 10
By Morgan Sherburne
The UF College of Medicine and the UF College of Pharmacy’s doctor of pharmacy program have achieved the highest-ever position in the U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the nation’s top research medical schools and health programs. Three other programs under the aegis of University of Florida Health jumped in annual rankings of the nation’s best graduate schools as well.
The UF College of Medicine rose in rank to No. 40, up from No. 43 in 2015 among the 141 medical schools in the country and to No. 16 from No. 22 among medical schools at public institutions, according to the U.S. News & World Report rankings released recently. This is the highest ranking ever received by the UF College of Medicine.
UF also is the highest-ranking medical school in Florida. The rankings take into account National Institutes of Health research grants awarded to the medical school faculty as well as faculty-to-student ratios. The rankings also include assessments by leaders at peer institutions and the medical college admission test scores of incoming students, the median undergraduate grade point average and the medical school’s acceptance rate.
“Nationally, leaders at peer institutions are taking notice of the outstanding education and research being conducted by faculty in the UF College of Medicine. Our National Institutes of Health funding continues to rise, a reflection of the important and innovative research conducted by our faculty,” said Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine.
The UF College of Pharmacy’s doctor of pharmacy program rose in rank as well, breaking into the Top 10 in this year’s assessment. It is ranked at No. 9 nationally and first in Florida, up from No. 14 in its last national ranking.
“In recent years, we have made aggressive moves to advance the quality of our Doctor of Pharmacy education program and raise the impact of research done by our faculty,” said Julie Johnson, Pharm.D., dean and a distinguished professor of pharmacy and medicine at the UF College of Pharmacy. “The U.S. News & World Report rankings reflect that the excellence of our program is recognized nationally.”
The UF College of Public Health and Health Professions’ doctorate degree program in clinical psychology rose from No. 37 to No. 31 and the master’s and doctorate degree program in physical therapy rose to No. 10 from No. 12.
In addition, the UF College of Nursing’s doctor of nursing practice program was ranked No. 32 nationally, in the top 23 for public universities, and was the top-ranked program in Florida.