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UNMC programs rank among the nation’s best

U.S.News & World Report continues to rank five programs at the University

of Nebraska Medical Center among the top graduate programs in the country.

Their rankings of graduate programs include all post-baccalaureate areas,

including those in the health and medical professions. The 2005 rankings

appear in the April 5 issue of U.S.News & World Reports Americas

Best Graduate Schools guidebook.

The five UNMC programs are the College of Medicines primary care program

(ranked 20th out of approximately 140 medical schools); the College of

Nursings masters degree program (ranked 39th out of approximately 260

schools); the School of Allied Health Professions ‘ physician assistant

program (ranked 14th out of approximately 40 schools) and the physical

therapy masters/doctorate program (ranked 31st out of 141) and the College

of Medicines rural health medicine program (ranked 13th out of approximately

125 schools).

The UNMC College of Medicine was ranked 71st out of 119 medical schools

in research. This ranking is based on a number of criteria, including research

grants from the National Institutes of Health, medical school enrollment,

out-of-state tuition and fees, average undergraduate GPA, average MCAT

score, acceptance rate, and faculty/student ratio.

The annual health disciplines rankings were released today. The 2005

edition of the newsstand book, America’s Best Graduate Schools, hits

newsstands April 5. Many of the ranking categories also will appear in

the April 12 edition of U.S.News & World Report, the weekly newsmagazine,

which also goes on sale that same day.

 Once again, the magazines national rankings validate some of

the outstanding programs we have at UNMC, said Rubens Pamies, M.D., vice

chancellor for academic affairs at UNMC. Were pleased that our programs

have continued their strong showing of prior years, but regardless of where

we fall in the rankings, we are always striving to do better.

Rankings from the “Best Graduate Schools” are available online at www.usnews.com.

The online edition includes longer lists of some specialty rankings, as

well as additional school directory information. The UNMC programs listed

above all appear in the guidebook.

The U.S.News & World Report rankings are based on two types of data:

expert opinion about program quality and statistical indicators that measure

the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. The annual America’s

Best Graduate Schools report began in 1990.

UNMC officials encourage students to use many sources when selecting

a graduate or professional program. Editors say a ranking is one of the

criteria students should consider when selecting a graduate school in addition

to the student’s academic and professional ambitions, financial resources,

scholastic record, along with a school’s size, atmosphere and location.

Some health specialties, including the masters degree in nursing, physician

assistant and physical therapy programs, are not freshly ranked for 2005.

These specialties post rankings from 2004.