The University of Washington School of Medicine received "U.S. News & World Report"'s No. 1 ranking for primary care medical schools. The school, located in Seattle, reported 901 students during the last school year. It operates seven clinics, and its two major medical centers account for more than 1 million outpatient and emergency room visits every year.
Ranked No. 2 for primary care in the "U.S. News" poll, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine has 734 students attending medical classes in Chapel Hill. The school has nearly two dozen affiliated medical practices in the Chapel Hill area, and volunteers provided nearly $29 million in uncompensated care last year in Orange County alone.
The Oregon Health and Science University took the No. 3 position in "U.S. News"' ranking of primary care medical schools. The Portland-based school, which is the state's fourth-largest employer, reported an enrollment last year of 523 students. The school sends each of its students to rural areas for five weeks to better understand health problems in medically under-served communities.
The University of Vermont College of Medicine, located on the shores of Lake Champlain in Burlington, reported an enrollment of 458 students last year. It is the seventh-oldest medical school in the nation. Students are encouraged to participate in the Schweitzer Fellows program, which offers medical help to people outside the healthcare system. The school ranked No. 4 in the "U.S. News" report.
The UCSF School of Medicine ranked fifth in the "U.S. News" report, making it the only medical school to rank in the top five for primary care and research. The school, which has 631 students, has five affiliated hospitals and training sites that treat more than 1.5 million patients every year. UCSF currently has three Nobel laureates on staff.