East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine made a significant jump in this year’s U.S. News & World Report ranking of “Medical Schools: Primary Care,” moving from 65 in 2022 to 38 this year.
Quillen College of Medicine also ranked among the top-10 “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Health Professional Shortage Areas,” and was ranked 39th in “Medical Schools with the Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care.”
Among schools ranked in the “Medical Schools: Primary Care” category, ETSU ranked second in Tennessee and seventh in the Southeast. Schools are ranked based on faculty resources, academic achievements of students entering and qualitative assessments by schools and residency directors, as well as the percentage of students entering primary care residencies and specialties.
“The Quillen College of Medicine is a premier school for those students seeking to enter primary care and meet the health care needs of the underserved,” said Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle, provost and senior vice president for Academics. “These rankings further underscore our commitment to this mission, and speak to the success Quillen has had in meeting the important need for rural and primary care physicians.”
Quillen has made a substantial effort to increase opportunity for those interested in medical careers serving rural and underserved communities, highlighted by the college launching its EQUIP (Expanding Quillen to the Underserved through an Integrated Program) last year. This program is designed to identify and mentor students from rural and underserved areas who are interested in attending Quillen.
The program also includes the Appalachian Preceptorship four-week summer experience for rising junior and senior college students, which includes one week on Quillen’s campus and three weeks working alongside a physician and developing a community engagement project in the community.
In July 2022, Quillen also launched the Team-Based Rural Applied Integrated Learning System (TRAILS) curriculum, which is designed to prepare students to graduate as professional, capable and compassionate physicians and to provide students with the best possible experiences. This new addition to the curriculum encourages medical students to step out of the classroom and to identify ways to make an impact in regional communities.
The Honors College at ETSU and the Quillen College of Medicine also launched the Honors Early Assurance Pathway Program that guarantees select incoming freshmen admission to Quillen. The inaugural cohort consists of eight students, five of whom are guaranteed admission to Quillen, while three others will be alternates in the event one of the five cannot accept admission.
“At the heart of our mission is educating physicians, especially those with an interest in primary care, to practice in underserved communities,” said Dr. Bill Block, vice president for Clinical Affairs and dean of the Quillen College of Medicine. “These rankings are reflective of our commitment to that mission and our hard-working faculty and staff who are training the next generation of health care providers.”
To learn more about Quillen College of Medicine, visit etsu.edu/com.