School of Medicine withdraws from the news organization’s “Best Medical Schools” survey and rankings, citing methodology limitations.
January 23, 2023
Dear community,
I am writing to share that the Stanford School of Medicine will withdraw from U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Medical Schools” survey and rankings. We made this decision after extensive deliberation about the methodology with colleagues and members of our community. Ultimately, we believe that the methodology, as it stands, does not capture the full extent of what makes for an exceptional learning environment.
As educators, we have a profound responsibility to honor and support those weighing an education at Stanford School of Medicine. To help prospective students better evaluate their options, starting March 1, 2023, we will begin independently reporting data about our medical school’s performance.
Our metrics will reflect and assess the efforts and accomplishments of our faculty in education, research, and patient care as well as the innovation and impact of faculty and trainees on biomedicine and their roles in developing tomorrow’s leaders. Our reporting will also represent our tripartite mission and key priorities that our students have identified as important to their educational experience, including access to extensive patient care and research opportunities. Moreover, our process will reflect our core values, emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will ensure that our metrics are measurable, verifiable, and transparent. We welcome opportunities to discuss our metrics with key stakeholders as they are finalized.
Although we are withdrawing our participation in the U.S. News rankings, it is important to note that the publication may continue ranking our institution based on publicly available data. I also want to underscore that this does not change Stanford Health Care’s or Stanford Medicine Children’s Health’s participation in the U.S. News “Best Hospitals” rankings. Medical school and hospital rankings are separate and independent and use different methodologies.
Deciding where to attend medical school is one of the most important decisions a student can make. For many, it sets the foundation for a lifelong career in service of others. We believe that our decision, along with those of a growing number of peer institutions, is necessary to lead a long-overdue examination of how medical education quality is evaluated and presented to aspiring students.
Sincerely,
Lloyd Minor, MD
Dean, Stanford School of Medicine
About Stanford Medicine
Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu.
