U.S. News & World Report has again pushed back the release date for its best medical schools rankings.
Prior to 2023, the rankings were released as part of the media company's best graduate schools rankings. However, on April 8, one day before this year's best graduate schools rankings were released, U.S. News announced that the best medical schools rankings were being delayed for the second consecutive year.
"During our regular rankings pre-publication process, U.S. News received and is currently reviewing queries from some graduate schools, including whether and to what extent affiliated institutions were considered in the bibliometric data used in the 2024 best medical schools and 2024 best engineering schools rankings, and which accrediting body was used as a source of reference for the 2024 best clinical psychology programs rankings," a blog post from the outlet stated. "We take our role as a journalism enterprise very seriously and we will not publish information without full confidence in what we publish."
U.S. News said it will delay the publication of the best medical schools, best engineering schools and best clinical psychology programs rankings "until such time that we can appropriately address these questions." The outlet released all other graduate school rankings as planned on April 9.
The most recent delay of the best medical schools rankings follows controversy surrounding U.S. News' ranking process.
In 2023, major law schools withdrew from the process, and medical schools began to do the same, led by Boston-based Harvard Medical School. Over a one-month period, more than a dozen medical schools had joined the exodus, citing certain ranking measures — such as peer assessments from deans, admissions directors and academics and test scores — that give an edge to well-resourced schools as reasons for their departures. The outlet subsequently delayed the rankings after "unprecedented" inquiries and has since updated its ranking methodology.