Medical School Ranking and Student Research Opportunities.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to characterize the current state of student research opportunities in a sample of US medical schools ranked in three different tiers.

METHODS: The authors examined the websites for five US medical schools in each of the first, second, and third tiers per National Institutes of Health funding and U.S. News & World Report rankings. Available research opportunities were identified and categorized.

RESULTS: There were 26 schools in the first (n=6), second (n=10), and third (n=10) tiers. From the first, second, and third tiers, 4/6 (67%), 1/10 (10%) and none, respectively, required a research experience (p=0.003); 6/6 (100%), 4/10 (40%) and 1/10 (10%), respectively, offered internally funded one-year research (p=0.002); and 5/6 (83%), 4/10 (40%) and 2/10 (20%), respectively, offered student research days (p=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS: Higher ranked schools provided more opportunities for student research by providing internally funded one-year research, requiring research, and offering student research days. [Full article available at https://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2016-10.asp].