The University of Vermont College of Medicine again appears in the top tier of the nation's 130 medical schools, ranking sixth for primary care education according to U.S. News & World Report's 2010 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools" on newsstands April 28. For the third year in a row, UVM has ranked in the top five percent of all medical schools for Primary Care and has been in the top ten four times in the last five years.

"We're extremely proud to once again be recognized as a national leader in providing top-quality medical education and training," said UVM College of Medicine Dean Frederick C. Morin, III, M.D. "Primary care is an integral part of our health care system, and, along with our teaching hospital partner Fletcher Allen Health Care, we have a long history of educating physicians who are well prepared to serve our community, our state and the nation. This positive feedback from our peer institutions, along with our strong student and faculty data, is a wonderful affirmation of our commitment to innovation and excellence in medical education."

UVM has been recognized nationally for its innovative Vermont Integrated Curriculum, which integrates basic science and clinical education throughout all four years, including rotations during the first weeks of medical school with primary care physicians at Fletcher Allen and around the state.

"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."

More than one-third of the physicians in Vermont were educated at the UVM College of Medicine or trained at Fletcher Allen, and Vermont ranks second in the nation for primary care physicians per capita.

Each year, U.S. News & World Report ranks professional-school programs in business, education, engineering, law, and medicine. The rankings are based on several indicators: program quality assessments by medical school leaders and residency program directors; the percentage of graduates entering primary care residencies in family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics; and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school's faculty and students, including MCAT and GPA scores, faculty/student ratios, and acceptance rates. For more on the U.S. News & World Report rankings, visit Best Medical Schools.

The UVM College of Medicine received over 5700 applications for the 111 students in the Class of 2012 that entered in fall 2008, and has 458 total medical students across the four years. For more information, visit UVM College of Medicine Admissions.