John A. Burns School of Medicine ranked number 19 in the U.S.

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Tina Shelton, (808) 692-0897
Director of Communications, Office of Dean of Medicine
Posted: Mar 10, 2015

John A. Burns School of Medicine. Andrea Brizzi photo.
John A. Burns School of Medicine. Andrea Brizzi photo.
Governor David Ige
Governor David Ige

The University of Hawai`i John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) is ranked in the top 20 of medical schools in the country, based on the 2016 “Best U.S. Medical Schools” rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report.  Climbing steadily on the list for several years, this is the medical school’s best ever showing in the rankings, which are closely watched among the country’s 171 accredited medical schools.

JABSOM’s ranking of number 19 in the U.S. for Primary Care medicine represents a leap from 2015’s 57th place finish. The number 19 ranking in Primary Care is shared with the University of California-Davis, UC-San Diego, and the medical schools at the University of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh and Washington University in St. Louis.  In addition, the UH Mānoa medical school also ranked in the top 75 in Research, landing today at number 74, tied with the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine at Rutgers University. Last year JABSOM research was ranked number 78.

“We are very proud to be selected in the Top 20 among U.S. medical schools in Primary Care,” said Dr. Jerris Hedges, Dean of JABSOM. “Every year more than half of our graduating physicians choose to continue training toward licensure in primary care fields. These are physicians on the front lines of health-care delivery—specialists in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Geriatric Medicine and Emergency Medicine. The U.S. News & World Report scores continue to show that JABSOM is gaining additional national recognition amongst its fellow U.S. medical schools."

Said Hawai`i Governor David Ige, "Fifty years ago the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) opened with a vision to provide the best medical education for our community. Today, JABSOM was recognized as one of the top 20 medical schools in the country for primary care medicine. Congratulations to Dean Jerris Hedges, the faculty, staff, students and alumni for fulfilling that vision," said Governor David Ige.  "Primary Care is where doctors are needed most, on the front lines in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYN and emergency medicine. Building, strengthening and sustaining a medical school for Hawai’i has been a shared effort by public officials, our community hospital partners, and the citizens of our great State. Congratulations to all for a job well done."

Added UH Mānoa Chancellor Robert Bley-Vroman, “The entire campus joins me in congratulating JABSOM, Dean Hedges, and the JABSOM ʻohana for the school’s stellar vault into the top 20 of  this prestigious U.S. ranking for primary care medicine. Such recognition crystalizes the excellence of JABSOM, and affirms why our leadership continues to support the place of learning that produces physicians at an exemplary and now nationally recognized level.”

 The UH medical school finishes at the top of some other significant lists:

•       For the last three years, JABSOM has ranked number 1 in National Institutes of Health research awards among community-based public medical schools (i.e., public medical schools without a university hospital).

•       JABSOM is ranked number 1 in the nation by the Association of American Medical Colleges in retention of combined MD and Resident alumni practicing in-state.

•       In 10 out of the past 11 years, JABSOM second-year students have outscored the national average on the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam. About 90% of our MD students are kama`aina.

“Since its founding in 1965, JABSOM has delivered tremendous value to our community,” said Dean Hedges. “It gives local students the opportunity to get a professional degree, its graduates provide much of the medical care in Hawai`i, and research at JABSOM now attracts millions each year that flow into the local economy.  We are so grateful to our hard-working faculty (including 1,203 volunteer MD faculty), our students, staff, alumni and our partners in health at the major medical centers throughout the State.  We also enjoy significant support from Governor David Ige, members of the Hawai`i State Legislature, our Congressional Delegation, our University `ohana and the citizens of Hawai`i, and we want to express to them our deeply felt mahalo."

About the U.S. News rankings

The U.S. News rankings are based on expert opinions as well as statistics that measure medical schools’ quality in areas of faculty, research and students.

For more information, visit: http://jabsom.hawaii.edu