April 1, 2005

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Ranked 4^th in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report

(Philadelphia, PA) -- The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has, once again, been ranked one of the top research-oriented medical schools in the nation, according to the annual survey of graduate schools conducted by U.S. News & World Report. Penn is ranked fourth in the survey, and is the only medical school in the Delaware Valley to appear in the top 50 ranking.

Penn was also ranked in the "Top 10" in four specialty programs, including pediatrics (2^nd), women's health (3^rd), internal medicine (5^th), and drug/alcohol abuse (7^th). The School of Medicine also ranked among the top 50 medical schools for students going into primary care practice.

"These rankings are a valuable indicator of our reputation among academic medical schools," said Dr. Arthur H. Rubenstein, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. "Penn's standing in the U.S. News survey reflects the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff, and our ongoing commitment to national leadership in medical education, patient care, and research."

To determine the top research-oriented medical schools, the criteria used in the magazine's survey of 123 accredited medical schools included research activity, faculty resources, and student selectivity. Overall program quality was also assessed, based on
the results of questionnaires distributed to medical school deans, senior faculty, and residency program directors. The primary care survey factors in the proportion of graduates entering primary care specialties.

According to survey results, the top five medical schools in rank order are: Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of California, San Francisco.

The complete survey will be available in the newsstand book, America's Best Graduate Schools, on Monday, April 4^th. Category rankings will also appear in the magazine's regular April 11^th issue.

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PENN Medicine is a $2.7 billion enterprise dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and high-quality patient care. PENN Medicine consists of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

Penn’s School of Medicine is ranked #3 in the nation for receipt of NIH research funds; and ranked #4 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s most recent ranking of top research-oriented medical schools. Supporting 1,400 fulltime faculty and 700 students, the School of Medicine is recognized worldwide for its superior education and training of the next generation of physician-scientists and leaders of academic medicine.

Penn Health System is comprised of: its flagship hospital, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, consistently rated one of the nation’s “Honor Roll” hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first hospital; Presbyterian Medical Center; a faculty practice plan; a primary-care provider network; two multispecialty satellite facilities; and home health care and hospice.