The University of Vermont College of Medicine ranked fifth for primary care among the nation's 126 medical schools according to the U.S. News & World Report 2009 "America's Best Graduate Schools" on newsstands March 31. The University of Vermont moved up from seventh last year, and has consistently ranked in the top 15 percent of all medical schools in Primary Care.

"We're proud to be recognized as a national leader in providing top-quality medical education and training for primary care physicians," said UVM College of Medicine Dean Frederick C. Morin, III, M.D. "Primary care is an integral part of the health care system in our state and across the nation, and our curriculum provides wonderful opportunities for medical students to understand the critical role of the primary care physician, gain experience in a range of clinical settings, and build a solid foundation for lifetime learning across all disciplines."

The Vermont Integrated Curriculum at the College of Medicine integrates basic science and clinical education from the first weeks in medical school, including experience with community physicians and teaching hospital partner Fletcher Allen.

"It is both a privilege and a responsibility to train the next generation of primary care physicians in today's dynamic health care environment," said Melinda Estes, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Fletcher Allen Health Care. "Here in Vermont, we take that responsibility very seriously, and it is nice to be recognized for doing this well in a rural environment."

Each year, U.S. News ranks professional-school programs in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine. These rankings are based on two types of data: peer ranking data from medical and osteopathic school leadership and residency program directors about program quality; and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty, students and research activity. Visit "America's Best Graduate Schools 2009" here: www.usnews.com.

The University of Vermont College of Medicine received over 6100 applications for the 112 students in the Class of 2011 that entered in fall 2007, and has 432 total medical students across the four years. For more, visit: www.med.uvm.edu/admissions.