Isabella Bank Institute for Entrepreneurship

Today, the Central Michigan University College of Medicine was ranked among the 2024 Best Graduate Schools for Medicine by U.S. News and World Report. The CMU College of Medicine was ranked for the following categories of schools: 

• Serving Rural Areas 

• Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas

• Most Graduates in Primary Care 

Dr. George Kikano, dean of the College of Medicine and executive vice president for health affairs, said, “This recognition is a testament to the caliber of CMU’s medical education programs and its graduates.  

“It is also confirmation that we are remaining true to our mission and making the impact we set out to achieve,” he said. “We opened the College of Medicine with the specific goal of increasing access to quality health care in rural and underserved communities, and we continue to seek new ways to better serve patients throughout Michigan.” 

The Central Michigan University College of Medicine was founded in 2010 to address the growing shortage of primary care physicians in Michigan and throughout the country — a shortage felt deeply in rural and historically underserved areas. The College’s efforts have demonstrably improved access to care and increased the number of physicians in the Great Lakes Bay Region, Kikano said.  

For the third consecutive year, U.S. News has published four rankings that focus on medical school characteristics and where doctors practice.  Using data from the Robert Graham Center, a division of the American Academy of Family Physicians, these rankings measure how medical schools are performing on key health care issues.  Out of roughly 160 ranked medical schools, CMU’s College of Medicine earned high ratings in three categories with significant correlation to its mission: #43 for serving rural areas, #67 for serving medically needy areas, and #52 for placing the most graduates in primary care positions.  

“This is an outstanding achievement for our College, our faculty and staff, and our learners,” Kikano said.  “We see the numbers and we know we’re making a difference, but being recognized nationally brings another level of confirmation that our impact is substantial.  Our graduates honor our mission with their career choices and we are so proud of their dedication to the study and practice of medicine.”

The College of Medicine receives nearly 8,000 applications each year and sustains 75-80% enrollment from Michigan applicants.  Consistently, 60-75% of graduates are choosing to practice primary care and nearly half of each class has continued their residency training in the state.  In our own communities and across the nation, the College is advancing health care access and delivery for all.