Medical School Ranking

[BlueJayBill]

Originally posted by UCSBPre-Med1
If you actually think that, then you are sadly mistaken.

Heck, Harvard isn't even the best med school in the US! Just because it has the "Harvard" name does not mean its med school is comparable to its undergrad.

Ummmmmm...... internationally its perceived that way, and among present docs in the field Harvard and Hop are considered in a league of their own in respect to US med schools (very different curriculums, but both have fantastic clinical facilities and opportunities.

regarding, oxford and cambridge, I have to say that the sun set on the empire a long time ago. They are still fantastic schools, but from what I hear from the Euros themselves is that Europe has the superior undergradaute education, but graduate medical education has been outpaced by the US. (They really say to get the best of both worlds do ur ugrad in Europe's top schools and do ur graduate in the US.) The fundamental reason for the US lead in graduate education is that we have much more $$ to spend on training and facilities, and the recruitement of talent. The cutting edge stuff is done here.. (look at the increasing US hegemony in the Nobel prize for example.. and that's a 30 yr lag..)

Also, you have to consider that all these UK/Euro schools are state subsizided (socialized).. very few in number and very few private.. as a trade-off they're cheap and great, but they cant financially support the large number of great schools like we have here in the US.

Finally, does Oxford and Cambridge have 20-some odd hospitals and medical centers affiliated to one school? (HMS does) Are most of them world-renowned? Also, when a foreign head of state gets really sick, do they go to Oxford or Cambridge? Or do they go to Mayo, Hopkins Hospital, or MGH (Harvard)????

Game. Set. Match.

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[Doctor&Geek]

A recent article in the journal Nature put it this way (paraphrased):

Harvard has a 12 billion dollar endowment. Oxford and Cambridge don't even come close.

 

[UCSBMed1]

I'm not going to get into the whole Harvard debate, because undoubtedly its going to turn into (just as it has done) a regional debate.

Harvard and JHU are definately in the Top 5, but who's to say which school is actually the best? UWash, UCSF, Yale, etc. Are good schools as well.

 

[BlueJayBill]

Originally posted by UCSBPre-Med1
I'm not going to get into the whole Harvard debate, because undoubtedly its going to turn into (just as it has done) a regional debate.

Harvard and JHU are definately in the Top 5, but who's to say which school is actually the best? UWash, UCSF, Princeton, etc. Are good schools as well.

ok.. i'm going to be a little harsh.. i don't think you are very familiar with the whole med school app process..

PRINCETON DOESNT EVEN HAVE A MED SCHOOL..

frankly, what matters is the pay differences, what residency directors think, etc.. because it reflects differences in quality in the market..

 

[UCSBMed1]

My mistake. I meant to say YALE.

I was talking to a friend about Princeton when I wrote that. Sorry.

Let me guess. You're from the East Coast, right?

Residency Directors here (and I know because I know one of them) holds Harvard, JHU, Yale, UWash, UCSF, and a few others, on equal footing in terms of attraction level.

Granted, it will only get you so far, but it is all relative to where you want your residency. If you want to practice in Cali (like I do) if you go to UCSF, it will look just as good as if you came from Harvard.

I'm not trying to say that UCSF is better than Harvard, but residency directors REALLY do not distinguish between Top 10 schools when selecting potential residents.

If you plan on practicing in New England, then by far, Harvard is the better option.

All I was trying to say is that most would agree that there is no CLEAR-CUT best med school in the US. If you don't believe me, than fine, but try talking to more residency directors outside of the East Coast.

P.S. I'm also going to be a little harsh...I've already been accepted to med school, so I obviously know about the application process. Forgive me if I mixup a few Ivy League schools (heck, they're pretty comparable to us on the West Coast).

How have you done?