National ranking places David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA #6 in research, #11 in primary care

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Phil Hampton310-367-7022phampton@mednet.ucla.eduMarch 17, 2020

The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA tied for #6 in research and placed #11 in primary care in a closely watched annual ranking.

The survey of medical schools is part U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate School Rankings released at 9:01 pm Pacific on March 16.

“We are proud of our position among the nation’s leading medical schools and are always striving to improve in all aspects of research and patient,” said Kelsey Martin, MD, PhD, dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Our medical school strives to develop physicians who work together to provide compassionate care and scientists who diligently pursue research essential to breakthroughs in the diagnosis, I commend the faculty, physicians-in-training, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and staff who are committed to patients and meaningful service to society.”

Medical school faculty and trainees provide patient care at UCLA Health hospitals on the UCLA campus in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and in Santa Monica, as well as in community clinics across Southern California. Medical students receive training at these hospitals, at partner hospitals and with community groups in the region.

John Mazziotta, MD, PhD, vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences and CEO of UCLA Health, noted that synergy between UCLA medical education, research and clinical programs.

“Patients benefit because the close relationship between our medical and our hospitals and clinics, which are united by an overarching goal – provide the best possible patient care informed by the latest research and utilizing modern technology,” Mazziotta said.

Data used to calculate the medical school rankings include a reputation survey of medical school leaders across the country, applicant admission rates, student scores on the Medical College Admission Test and faculty-to-student ratios, among other factors.

The research category also considered the value of grants received from the National Institutes of Health. The primary care category also considered the proportion of graduates entering primary care specialties.

In the most recent U.S. News and World Report ranking of hospitals, UCLA Health placed No. 1 in Los Angeles and No. 6 in the nation.

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA places among nation’s best, draws top students

By any measure, the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is among the nation’s best, with extraordinarily talented faculty, top-notch facilities and strong alignment with a leading clinical enterprise, among other attributes.

In the annual assessment of medical schools released March 29, 2021, by U.S. News & World Report, the Geffen School of Medicine placed in the top 10 in six of eight specialties, reflecting broad excellence in medical education as assessed by deans and senior faculty nationally.

In the assessment’s Diversity Index – a new measurement based on enrollment of underrepresented minorities – UCLA’s medical school placed #9, above most peer institutions.

In 2020, our medical school received more than $590 million in research grants from the National Institutes of Health – second highest in the nation.

Competition for student admission to UCLA’s medical school has never been greater – more than 11,700 applicants for only 175 newly available spots in 2020 – and residencies remain highly coveted.

Some may be surprised to see the Geffen School of Medicine ranked #21 in research by U.S. News, compared to #6 last year. (The primary care ranking was #12, compared to #11.)

The reason has to do largely with U.S. News & World Report’s new methodology affecting how 2019 research funding and expenditures are reported and factored into the assessment, resulting in a significant reduction in what is included.

While rankings provide imprecise measures of quality, they do offer a valuable tool that informs the Geffen School of Medicine’s culture of continuous improvement.