Does the LCME rank medical schools according to quality?
Medical schools are not ranked by the LCME, which evaluates educational programs according to standards for organization, function, and performance, but does not attempt to stratify institutions according to their characteristics. Medical schools differ greatly: whether they are private or state-supported, free-standing, or part of a parent university. They differ in their dependence on state appropriations, tuition, and income from clinical services and research; their relative emphasis on teaching, research, and medical practice; the size of their faculties and enrollments; the scope of their research and production of future scientists and teachers; and their emphasis on primary care and the training of future community physicians. While the quality of education is partly determined by the organization of programs and adequacy of resources, it also depends on the dedication of the faculty to teaching and to creating an environment conducive to learning. These and other important att
