The University of Florida College of Medicine has ranked in the top 50 medical schools for the past six years in "U.S. News and World Report" and is one of the most highly respected colleges in the United States. This college in Gainesville is the largest of six colleges at the University's Health Science Center. It includes 40 research and clinical departments, more than 1,600 active students and nearly 900 faculty and staff. Students can volunteer and study at the University's on-site hospitals including Shands and the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center. UF's College of Medicine is also ranked No. 1 for transferring its research to the marketplace to help aid hospitals and research projects.
USF in Tampa is highly recognized for its use of interdisciplinary programs in its College of Medicine. This allows students to focus on two medical fields instead of just one. Each year, the USF Health program admits 120 students into 76 programs and is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. USF's main research facility is The Moffitt Research Center, which is one of the most highly regarded cancer centers in the United States. In 2002, 114 USF physicians and 46 College of Medicine graduates were named on the Best Doctors in America list.
The first and oldest medical school in Florida and one of the southernmost in Florida, the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami includes two university owned hospitals: the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital. Anne Bates Leach also houses the top-ranked Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, which was listed as the No. 1 ophthalmology hospital in the nation by "U.S. News & World Report" in 2009. The school also is well-known for its geriatrics and ear, nose, and throat programs. At any given time, the university is conducting 1,500 research projects among nearly 1,200 medical students and even more physicians and administration. Some of the most focused areas of research include: pediatrics, transplants, AIDS, genetics, stem cell and spinal cord injuries leading to paralysis.
FSU's College of Medicine focuses on a curriculum of biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences. The school in Tallahassee takes pride in its problem-based and small group learning experiences, which help students benefit from team learning. The school's Clinical Learning Center serves as the location for study for students in their first two years of their program. Students in their third and fourth years have the opportunity to study at regional campuses located throughout the state in various cities. FSU's mission is to give special attention to primary care, geriatrics, cultural diversity, and the needs of underserved populations. Although the school has had medical studies since the 1970s, it was not a fully accredited medical school until 2000. The school admits 120 students a year, which it is still in the process of obtaining full enrollment since beginning the medical program in 2001, with its first graduating class in 2005.