Ohio University leads state in several medical rankings: U.S. News and World Report

Ohio University has emerged as a leader in medical education within the state of Ohio, securing top positions in several categories in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings. The rankings, released July 23, place the Heritage College at No. 29 in the nation and first in Ohio for the most graduates practicing in rural areas.

In the realm of medical graduates' impact, Ohio University also ranks number one in the state of Ohio for producing the highest number of graduates practicing in primary care (ranked No. 32 in the nation), as well as in health professional shortage areas (ranked No. 93 in the nation).

“The Heritage College is committed to addressing health care disparities and we recognize the critical importance of producing graduates who are dedicated to serving in rural areas and in underrepresented fields,” said Heritage College Executive Dean Ken Johnson, D.O. “These graduates play a vital role in bridging gaps in health care access and improving outcomes for underserved populations. We are proud to empower our students with the skills, compassion, and dedication needed to make a meaningful impact in these communities, ensuring equitable health care for all."

OHIO’s Department of Primary Care is one of the founding departments of the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and is its largest clinical department. The department offers a program where students spend an additional year on their medical education, during which time they are teaching, tutoring and mentoring first- and second-year medical students; enriching their clinical skills and experiences in primary care and osteopathic manipulative medicine clinics; and developing a scholarly project for publication and/or presentation at a national conference.

The program also serves as the academic base for the office of faculty development and is the academic home for family physicians, osteopathic manipulative medicine physicians and emergency physicians, who serve as preceptors for the Heritage College students in their clinical training years at Centers for Osteopathic Research and Education (CORE) sites throughout Ohio.

Through the Office of Rural and Underserved Programs, students are prepared for patient-centered primary care in rural and underserved communities, and are offered opportunities to participate in programs such as the Rural and Urban Scholars Pathways Program, a co-curricular learning community that aims to support and prepare medical student to practice in medically underserved areas, as well as the Rural Health Scholars Program.

OHIO also offers an array of community health programs that allow medical students to gain experience within their field directly in a rural community.

Approximately 1,000 students attend the Heritage College at one of its three campuses in Athens, Dublin and Cleveland each year, and more than half of Heritage College graduates go on to residencies in primary care. The Heritage College’s goal is to enroll 95 percent of its students from the state of Ohio with the hope that its graduates will help meet the high need for care in state.

The Primary Care Department program also represents a diverse group of family physicians, emergency physicians, psychologists and educators who teach at all levels of the medical education continuum. In addition to teaching, most medical faculty also provide clinical services to the community and are actively involved in clinical research.

Ohio’s health care workforce is further supported by Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, which is among the top health-focused colleges at any public university in the country. Learn more at https://www.ohio.edu/health.

For a comprehensive list of U.S. News & World Report medical school rankings, visit their website at https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools.