Medical school applicants often compile the list of schools they apply to based on medical school rankings. But what do the rankings actually mean and are they accurate? There are many in the medical community and in premed advising circles who believe that rankings provide little benefit and are not wholly accurate. And of course the rankings rankle medical school administrators since there is much more to a med school than its ranking. Medical school administrators understand, though, that the rankings loom large in the minds of many and, as a result, medical schools can sometimes be at the rankings’ mercy.

A recent blog post an AM Rounds by Drs. William McGaghie and Ralph Leischner of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine decries the dominance of medical school rankings and describes the flaws in the US News ranking. They espouse the notion that individual metrics are better gauges of a medical school’s excellence and they raise valid and important points.

Medical school applicants should use rankings with caution, understanding what they measure and the methodology used, which can be flawed. Applicants should also bear in mind that they would receive an excellent education at almost any US med school as medical education in this country is outstanding. As such, if you look at rankings acknowledge their limitations and take them with a grain of salt.

–Liza Thompson, Expert Medical School Admissions Consulting