In the newly released 2007 edition of U.S. News and World Report "America's Best Graduate Schools" issue, Tufts Medical School ranked 42nd among the country's 125 research schools of medicine.
The medical schools of the University of Cincinnati and the University of Maryland share the 42nd spot with Tufts.
Harvard University's Medical School topped the list, followed by the medical schools of Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Criteria used in the calculation of these rankings included the results of a peer assessment survey among medical professionals, research activity as measured through National Institutes of Health research grants awarded, student selectivity and faculty resources.
In the department-specific "health disciplines" top rankings, Tufts was included in two categories. The community health program at Tufts was ranked first among other community health programs, and the Tufts University-Boston School of Occupational Therapy was ranked fifth in its category.
Although the validity of college and graduate school rankings has been questioned, many students continue to use these resources to assist them in their graduate school search.
However, in an e-mail statement to the Daily, the Tufts Medical School administration emphasized that rankings such as those in U.S. News and World Report do not tell the entire story.
"Our hallmark... is the Medical School's supportive student environment, which features easy access to faculty and administrators," the statement said.
"We also offer distinctive combined degree programs, an internationally renowned science knowledge database, a diverse set of clinical experiences and opportunities for active citizenship. None of these areas are measurable through the rankings."
Tufts' undergraduate college was ranked 27th in the 2006 edition of U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue. The 2007 edition has not yet been released.
Pre-med student and junior Sarina Bains, a former Daily photographer, said that she could not speak to Tufts' specific ranking, but did offer her reflections on the prestige of the Tufts medical school.
"The facilities that they have and the professors are very well-known," Bains said. "It definitely is a prestigious school, and people who have gone there and have graduated are some of the most successful doctors [out there]. The majority end up being [at] the top of their field."
Sophomore Marc Bouffard, another Tufts pre-med student, agreed.
"The clinical training is amazing, and 95 percent of grads place into one of their top 2 residency choices," he said.
While other programs might rank higher, Tufts "gets you into the hospital from day one," Bouffard said.
