NEOMED among the top third for most diverse medical schools in the country

The College of Medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University achieved a 52% increase in its ranking in the area of diversity among the nation’s medical schools.

In the recently released rankings from U.S. News and World Report, NEOMED improved to #41 for Most Diverse Medical Schools, a substantial increase over 2022, when NEOMED ranked #85 on the list. The ranking places NEOMED ahead of 67% the 124 ranked schools and even higher – better than 79% – of all 192 medical schools (including those that are unranked).

The increase is no fluke.

The University has made diversity a strategic priority in recent years. Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) showed that thousands of qualified underrepresented minority (URM) students across the country applied each year to medical schools, but most were not accepted. So, in 2020 NEOMED challenged the medical school admissions model, which relied heavily on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The University identified variables beyond MCAT scores – such as performance in science courses – that could correlate to a medical student’s success. It also developed pathway programs. URM applications to NEOMED rose 17% just from 2020 to 2021. By 2021, NEOMED’s first-year class average G.P.A. for biology, chemistry, physics and math classes remained steady while its class average MCAT scores continued to rise.

In 2023, just two years later, NEOMED is now in the top third as one of the most diverse medical schools in the U.S.

NEOMED also saw significant gains over the past year in its rankings for Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas (from #150 to #105) and Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas (from #90 to #78).