Medical School-startclass rankings

[mr.mkitty]

Outa sheer curiosity, how many people actually look at the rankings on a website such as http://medical-schools.startclass.com/.
I would not attend a school solely based on it's supposed ranking, but I am curious to see how many people actually look into a website's rankings such as startclasses'.

Furthermore, how much of an actual advantage will a student have in the Match process by attending a school such as John Hopkins/Yale/Harvd/ect. compared to Rosy Franklin/Arizone COM (Both ranking relatively low in comparison) ---Assuming the same Step scores.

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[Holmwood]

Those rankings are dumb.

 

[sharkbyte]

The GPA/MCAT data on that website for the schools I've looked up seems to conflict with MSAR.

 

[mr.mkitty]

The GPA/MCAT data on that website for the schools I've looked up seems to conflict with MSAR.

I noticed that as well.
Nevertheless, how do they decide that Harvard is ranked #1 overall and John Hopkins #3? Im assuming through the use of an algorithm that takes a number of things into account?

 

[gyngyn]

I noticed that as well.
Nevertheless, how do they decide that Harvard is ranked #1 overall and John Hopkins #3? Im assuming through the use of an algorithm that takes a number of things into account?

Their algorithm (if any) should be plainly stated.
US Snooze is as goofy as heck, but at least they disclose how they come up with their "ratings."

 

[takeurmeds02]

I guess the better question is which sources are actually reputable in rankings?

 

[md-2020]

US Snooze is as goofy as heck, but at least they disclose how they come up with their "ratings."

For some people (college admissions deans) USNWR rankings publication is an office holiday. I remember once they had a cake and everything after we moved up a spot.

 

[gyngyn]

For some people (college admissions deans) USNWR rankings publication is an office holiday. I remember once they had a cake and everything after we moved up a spot.

Poor things.

 

[Shipping News]

Furthermore, how much of an actual advantage will a student have in the Match process by attending a school such as John Hopkins/Yale/Harvd/ect. compared to Rosy Franklin/Arizone COM (Both ranking relatively low in comparison) ---Assuming the same Step scores.

Do you even need to ask? 99 times out of 100, the Hopkins/Yale/HMS grad will be exalted over the Rosalind Franklin grads any day of the week, all other things equal. The brand name of the top 10 places is a big feather in your cap. After that, things start to normalize and land more on merit.

 

[625233]

Do you even need to ask? 99 times out of 100, the Hopkins/Yale/HMS grad will be exalted over the Rosalind Franklin grads any day of the week, all other things equal. The brand name of the top 10 places is a big feather in your cap. After that, things start to normalize and land more on merit.

+1000000

 

[lmn]

I guess the better question is which sources are actually reputable in rankings?

What info are you trying to decipher from the rankings? All they really tell you is how the schools compare on whatever arbitrary measures they decided to rate the schools by. The rankings may be completely repeatable based on their judging measures, that doesn't mean the ranking means anything. Imo the rankings are very near to completely useless for premeds deciding on schools.

 

[el_duderino]

It puts Michigan State's DO program above dozens of US MD programs including SUNY Downstate and Upstate, Drexel, Penn State, Tulane, and NYMC. It even puts LECOM over PCOM.

Believe me, if you have to choose between Michigan State COM and SUNY Downstate.... you should choose SUNY.

These rankings seem somewhat arbitrary and based on an invisible formula using incorrect or imaginary data.

 

[mr.mkitty]

Do you even need to ask? 99 times out of 100, the Hopkins/Yale/HMS grad will be exalted over the Rosalind Franklin grads any day of the week, all other things equal. The brand name of the top 10 places is a big feather in your cap. After that, things start to normalize and land more on merit.

Well you didn't actually answer my question, I asked "How much," Not "If it impacts matches." Obviously all other things being equal, Hopkins/Yale/HMS grads will be put on a pedestal.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Do you even need to ask? 99 times out of 100, the Hopkins/Yale/HMS grad will be exalted over the Rosalind Franklin grads any day of the week, all other things equal. The brand name of the top 10 places is a big feather in your cap. After that, things start to normalize and land more on merit.

But all other things are never equal between 2 candidates. I'm not saying that prestige is a non-factor, but you're oversimplifying the effect of a brand name school.

 

[mr.mkitty]

It was a simple question that I wanted discussed to some extent. Obviously no two students are ever the "exact" same.

 

[Australopithekus]

Ah yes, the site that ranks OHSU 18 places above Yale.

 

[claduva94]

Ah yes, the site that ranks OHSU 18 places above Yale.

Lol and Drew at UCLA coming in at 176.

 

[SuperSlim]

How accurate is the # of acceptances? msar doesn't show this stat.

Edit:Was thinking of another site

 

[claduva94]

How accurate is the # of acceptances? msar doesn't show this stat.

Edit:Was thinking of another site

USNWR seems to have reasonably accurate numbers.

 

[SuperSlim]

USNWR seems to have reasonably accurate numbers.

Aren't these numbers locked or something ?

 

[claduva94]

Aren't these numbers locked or something ?

Subscription is cheap!

 

[Shipping News]

Well you didn't actually answer my question, I asked "How much," Not "If it impacts matches." Obviously all other things being equal, Hopkins/Yale/HMS grads will be put on a pedestal.

It impacts matches far more than you think it does.

But all other things are never equal between 2 candidates. I'm not saying that prestige is a non-factor, but you're oversimplifying the effect of a brand name school.

You're under-estimating it. Hopkins/Yale/HMS/etc grads are simply successful in the match. At the end of the day, there aren't that many confounders. Research opportunities are available all over the place, and you don't get any better curriculum at Hopkins than you do at Rosalind Franklin (it's not like there are secret diseases only Ivy-tier med schools get to teach about). Sure, some students may be on average smarter at the top 10 schools and thus that predisposes to their success, but I think that's the only confounder and it's a mild one at best.

 

[WingedOx]

Ah yes, the site that ranks OHSU 18 places above Yale.

Well Portland > New Haven, and it's not close.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Well Portland > New Haven, and it's not close.

That pizza tho

 

[WingedOx]

That pizza tho

well if we're going by pizza, Wayne State would be the best med school on the planet.

 

[Lisha]

Does the USWNR have a general category for their rankings or only research and primary care categories?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Does the USWNR have a general category for their rankings or only research and primary care categories?

Only research and primary care rankings. When people say things like top 20 or whatever, they're almost always referring to research rankings. The primary care rankings are viewed by some as a "consolation prize" ranking, either warranted or unwarranted.

 

[AirplaneFruit]

What are the med school tier lists for prestige / research?

For example law schools have T14 which itself is split into different tiers.


Like, top 20s...then some privates and above average state schools ...then average state schools...?

 

[WedgeDawg]

What are the med school tier lists for prestige / research?

For example law schools have T14 which itself is split into different tiers.


Like, top 20s...then some privates and above average state schools ...then average state schools...?

Trying to parse this out is an exercise in futility. There's no T14 for medical school where you're locked out of certain jobs or firms if you don't go to one. Does prestige play a role in residency placement? Absolutely, but its neither necessary nor sufficient.

 

[avgn]

It was a simple question that I wanted discussed to some extent. Obviously no two students are ever the "exact" same.

Yeah well we hardly need another thread to discuss this...