UF College of Medicine research rankings rise in national graduate school survey

The University of Florida College of Medicine remains Florida’s top-ranked medical school, and in research and primary care it stands among the nation’s elite institutions, according to the latest graduate school rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.

The college ranked No. 15 nationally for research among public institutions and No. 36 among all medical schools. That is up, respectively, from No. 17 and No. 40 last year. Additionally, UF College of Medicine primary care ranked No. 33 nationally for public institutions and No. 51 overall.

In U.S. News’ diversity index, new this year, the college landed as the nation’s 20th most-diverse medical school, No. 15 among public institutions. This is based on a number of metrics, including the percentage of medical school enrollment from underrepresented populations — 23.7%, according to the U.S. News release.

The College of Medicine was not alone in being recognized for excellence. The UF College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, or DNP, was the 24th-highest ranked public program nationally and No. 36 among all institutions. For public health doctoral programs, the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions stood at No. 22 among public schools and No. 41 overall.

“These rankings reflect a growing and widespread consensus: The University of Florida’s expertise in medical research, the health sciences and education is among the nation’s best,” said David R. Nelson, M.D., senior vice president for health affairs at UF and president of UF Health. “Continually improving UF Health’s standings among the county’s elite health care programs requires intense dedication by many people. It is very rewarding to see those accomplishments recognized yet again.”

The College of Medicine’s research ranking is based on factors that include federal research funding, faculty-to-student ratio, acceptance rate and a nationwide survey of academic administrators.

“We continually strive for excellence in patient care delivery, research and education. We are grateful for the talented students who entrust the UF College of Medicine to provide them with a preeminent education, as well as our committed faculty educators, researchers and care providers,” said Colleen G. Koch, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., dean of the College of Medicine. “The growing national reputation these rankings reveal is a testament to the tireless work and commitment of so many people on our talented team. They should all be proud that their hard work is being honored."

The College of Nursing’s DNP program remained top-ranked in Florida as well as being among the best in the nation.

“At the College of Nursing, we prepare DNP graduates who meet the needs of diverse populations and reduce health care inequities through their commitment to care, lead and inspire,” said Anna McDaniel, Ph.D., dean and the Linda Harman Aiken Professor at the UF College of Nursing. “The past year has proven how invaluable nurses are in responding to and providing care and support at all times, but especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The ongoing efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic has put public health services at the forefront of care around the world, and the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions stands among the naton’s elite in training the next generation of health care providers.

“We are gratified to be ranked No. 22 among public health graduate programs at public universities and ninth in National Institutes of Health funding among schools of public health at public universities,” said Michael G. Perri, Ph.D., dean of the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions. “This past year has demonstrated the critical importance of public health, and our faculty, staff and students have made extraordinary contributions to COVID-19 response.

“We will continue to protect the health of our communities through research, education and service that addresses health disparities, chronic health conditions and infectious disease outbreaks,” Perri added.

UF Health Shands CEO Ed Jimenez said the U.S. News rankings are yet another indicator of the outstanding care received by patients who have made UF Health Shands a destination hospital for patients throughout Florida and the Southeast.

“That excellence begins with our gifted medical students, extends to our most experience faculty and touches every aspect of clinical care,” Jimenez said. “These rankings validate the inspired work by everyone at UF Health who pull together each day to offer the best in education, patient care and research.”

In September, UF was ranked No. 6 among the nation’s top public universities by U.S. News. Last year, U.S. News also ranked the College of Pharmacy at No. 5, and the College of Veterinary Medicine No. 9 in 2019, among all institutions. Pharmacy and veterinary programs are not ranked each year, so there are no new rankings in 2021.

Media contact: Ken Garcia at kdgarcia@ufl.edu or 352-265-9408