Medical School Ranking and Student Research Opportunities.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to characterize the current state of student research opportunities in a sample of US medical schools ranked in three different tiers. METHODS The authors examined the websites for five US medical schools in each of the first, second, and third tiers per National Institutes of Health funding and U.S. News & World Report rankings. Available research opportunities were identified and categorized. RESULTS There were 26 schools in the first (n=6), second (n=10), and third (n=10) tiers. From the first, second, and third tiers, 4/6 (67%), 1/10 (10%) and none, respectively, required a research experience (p=0.003); 6/6 (100%), 4/10 (40%) and 1/10 (10%), respectively, offered internally funded one-year research (p=0.002); and 5/6 (83%), 4/10 (40%) and 2/10 (20%), respectively, offered student research days (p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS Higher ranked schools provided more opportunities for student research by providing internally funded one-year research, requiring research, and offering student research days. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2016-10.asp].