UNM MED SCHOOL MAKES THE GRADE

U.S. News & World Report’s ranking of grad schools praises primary care curriculum.

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine received some nice plaudits, including a ranking of 20th in the nation for its Primary Care Curriculum, in a recent issue of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools for 2019.”

“UNM was one of the first in the country to use problem-based learning in medical education. It has since become the accepted model for medical training in the U.S.,” according to a UNM News Service story on the subject published last month.

“The medical school was established by the New Mexico Legislature to provide our residents with an opportunity for a medical education and to help address the medically underserved areas of our state,” says Paul B. Roth, MD, MS, dean of the UNM School of Medicine in the story.

The magazine also ranked the medical school 72nd in research, landing about $203 million last year in funding through the National Institutes of Health and other public and private grantors.

Rankings were based on the magazine’s survey of 177 U.S.-accredited medical schools with selected measures in academic quality, reputation, student selectivity, faculty resources and the percentage of graduating physicians who go into the primary care specialties.

In addition, the Health Sciences Center’s College of Nursing Midwifery Program ranked No. 7. That ranking was based on peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline.

You can access the UNM News story at hscnews.unm.edu/news and typing “ranks 20th” in the search box at the top.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.