Medical student Varsha Pudi '27 with preceptor Hannah Johnson, M.D. '20 at Essex Pediatrics. (photo credit: Dave Seaver)
The University of Vermont Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine was recently recognized for excellence in both primary care and research in the 2024 U.S. News and World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings.
In its 2024-2025 edition of “Best Medical Schools,” U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Vermont Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine in these categories:
Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas: No. 49
Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas: No. 82
Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care: No. 69
Most Diverse Medical Schools: No. 4
Primary Care: Tier 2
Research: Tier 2
This year, U.S. News categorized medical schools into one of four tiers for research and primary care. Tier 1 medical schools represent the 15 highest performing, and Tier 2 includes the next 35. Inclusion in either tier 1 or 2 provides eligibility for a “badge” as one of the “Best Grad Schools” from U.S. News. Each school’s tier was derived from an overall score, calculated across several factors. The first two tiers comprise approximately 50 medical schools. The Larner College of Medicine shares this designation with other highly regarded medical institutions including Dartmouth, UC-Davis, and Tufts.
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education Christa Zehle, M.D., remarked, “The United States physician shortage, which includes primary care physicians, influences equitable access to care. Approximately 40% of our graduates pursue primary care specialties annually, and our 2024 ranking in the top fifty nationally for primary care recognizes the importance of and our efforts in developing the primary care physician workforce.”
“Vermont is among the top 10 states in per capita in research funding, with the Larner College of Medicine receiving nearly $100 million dollars in research funding per year,” said Senior Associate Dean for Research Kate Tracy, Ph.D. “We are pleased to be recognized among the nation’s top medical schools for research.”
The Larner College of Medicine was also recognized for its commitment to diversity, tying with University of California—Davis for the fourth most diverse medical school in the United States. Each medical school's ranking is based on the percentage of each school's fall 2023 total enrollment that is underrepresented in medicine students, as reported to U.S. News or provided to U.S. News by the American Academy of Family Physicians, and how that percentage compares with state and national race-ethnic-group proportions.
In addition, Larner also claimed a spot in the top fifty Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas. According to the National Rural Health Association, the "ease of access to a physician is greater in urban areas (than in rural areas). The patient-to-primary-care-physician ratio in rural areas is only 39.8 physicians per 100,000 people, compared to 53.3 physicians per 100,000 in urban areas. This uneven distribution of physicians has an impact on the health of the population."
“Placement in the top tiers for both categories acknowledges our commitment to medical education that provides a balance between excellence in primary care and excellence in research,” summarized Dean of the Larner College of Medicine Richard L. Page, M.D. “Thanks to the outstanding faculty and staff at Larner, our graduates are prepared to pursue diverse career opportunities.”
About U.S. News and World’s Methodology for ‘Best Medical Schools’ rankings
During the winter of 2023-24, U.S. News surveyed 196 medical and osteopathic schools fully accredited in 2024 by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association. Data from these medical schools, along with some third-party statistics, was used to calculate the rankings. There were 99 schools with eligible data for the Primary Care category, and 102 for Research. Of note, this year 20 of the top 100 medical schools listed in 2023 did not participate in the review process.
For Primary Care and Research, medical schools are presented in tiers instead of numbered rankings. There are four tiers. Rankings within the tiers was not provided.
For the Rural Areas, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and Practicing in Primary Care rankings (each category consisting of 168 participating institutions), U.S. News calculated the percentage of 2015-2017 medical and osteopathic school graduates practicing in these respective areas. For the Most Diverse Medical Schools ranking (consisting of 164 participating institutions), U.S. News examined a school’s total enrollment of underrepresented minority students and the ratio of a school’s underrepresented minority students to state or national numbers. Learn more about the methodology here.