UC Davis schools of nursing and medicine receive high national rankings by U.S. News & World Report

Nursing breaks into top 25; Medical school top 10 in diversity and family medicine

(SACRAMENTO)

The Betty Irene Moore School Nursing at UC Davis at and UC Davis School of Medicine continue to achieve national prestige in U.S. News & World Report's 2022 graduate school rankings released today.

Excellence and diversity propel UC Davis' health professions schools to garner national recognition.
Excellence and diversity propel UC Davis' health professions schools to garner national recognition.

The 10-year-old School of Nursing at UC Davis moved up 16 spots to land at No. 24 among best graduate schools for master’s degree nursing programs.

The School of Medicine was named No. 4 for its diversity and No. 9 in family medicine. It also maintained high rankings in primary care and research.

“The fact that we continue to move up in the rankings is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff to our student success and the commitment of our students to successfully achieve their dreams of becoming health care providers,” Dean Stephen J. Cavanagh said. “We have proven our ability to pivot to deliver education online, adapt to provide hands-on experiences and collaborate with UC Davis Health partners to maintain critical clinical rotations. The lessons learned the past year will continue to guide us as we serve our students and, ultimately, the communities for whom we care.”

There are five graduate degrees offered at the School of Nursing. They include a master’s degree for family nurse practitioners, a master’s degree in leadership, the Master’s Entry in Nursing Program, a doctoral program and a master’s degree for physician assistant studies. All emphasize problem solving, independent thinking and individual accountability. They aim to empower students to fulfill their learning needs and prepare them as leaders in health care.

“UC Davis School of Medicine continues to be a national leader in family medicine, primary care and research” said Allison Brashear, the school’s dean. “Placing high in U.S. News & World Report’s new diversity index also shows that our medical school is at the forefront of training a diverse physician workforce.”

The School of Medicine has several innovative programs to address the national shortage of primary care physicians. The medical school’s COMPADRE – California Oregon Medical Partnership to Address Disparities in Rural Education – Program and three-year M.D. pathway program, Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC), are designed to provide underserved communities with primary care doctors. 

As the School of Nursing commemorates its 10th Anniversary during the 2020-2021 school year, school leaders are creating a strategic plan to guide the school for the next 10 years and beyond. That future includes a new degree program. The School of Nursing plans to offer a hybrid post-baccalaureate Doctor of Nursing Practice — Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP—FNP) degree program to prepare new family nurse practitioners. The proposed program prepares advanced practice providers to engage in patient- and family-centered, evidence-based primary care.

“UC Davis School of Medicine and Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing continue to distinguish themselves as national leaders in training the next generation of health care providers and research innovators,” said David Lubarsky, CEO of UC Davis Health and Vice Chancellor of Human Health. “Their commitment to excellence and providing leading-edge health care with compassion is central to our mission at UC Davis Health.”