Hofstra/Northwell med school ranked among top schools for research by U.S. News and World Report

The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead has been ranked among the top medical schools nationwide for research, according to the 2024 rankings of medical schools released by U.S. News and World Report early Tuesday.

The rankings have changed this year with school grouped in tiers as opposed to numerical lists.

U.S. News produced two lists: Best Medical Schools for Research and Best Medical Schools for Primary Care. Both evaluated schools on faculty resources and the academic achievement of incoming students. The research-focused evaluation also factored in medical research grants, while primary care instead factored in graduate placement and practice in the primary care fields.

There are four tiers, with tier 1 medical schools the highest performing and tier 4 the lowest performing. The Hofstra/Northwell medical school ranked in the first tier for research along with schools such as Yale University and Vanderbilt University. Hofstra is among 16 schools in the first tier.

Officials with U.S. News said the methodology was updated to recognize the top medical schools by placing them within the four tiers.

“Choosing a medical school that complements a student’s learning style and career goals is crucial for future physicians,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News.

Hofstra and Northwell launched the joint medical school program in 2008, and the school's first class of 40 students began in 2011. According to the school's website, there are 400 students at the Hofstra/Northwell school.

"Our faculty and students are engaged in all forms of collaborative research that explore basic biological questions, the underlying biological processes of disease and the development of new therapies and diagnostics, the science of learning, and evidence-based approaches to improve patient outcomes. This breadth of our research is supported by The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, as well as each of the 25 academic departments of the Zucker School of Medicine," the school reported on its website.

The Hofstra/Northwell school ranked in the third tier in primary care. The Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University ranked in the second tier in research and fourth tier in primary care.

The 2024 Best Medical Schools methodology evaluated eligible institutions that submitted data to U.S. News. Schools that chose not to provide data are unranked this year. 

There were 102 medical and osteopathic schools with eligible data for the research ratings, and 99 for the primary care ratings.

In addition, U.S. News produced the Most Diverse Medical Schools ranking, which includes 164 medical and osteopathic schools. The medical school at Hofstra University ranked 52nd and the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook ranked 75th.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings, while remaining influential, have been under increasing scrutiny as more elite institutions, such as the law schools at Harvard and Yale, have declined to participate.