LLU School of Medicine Receives High Ranking

LOMA LINDA>> Loma Linda University has been placed in the top 20 of Universities for producing the highest percentage of graduates who entered family medicine residency programs as first-year residents according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Data was collected for the study between 2013 and 2015. This is the 35th national study conducted by the AAFP that reports retrospectively the percentage of graduates from MD and DO granting medical schools in the United States. School rankings were based on data from the average percentage of graduates who became family medicine residents over the last three years. Loma Linda University ranks 6th nationally and first in California. Dr. Roger Hadley, MD, dean of LLU School of Medicine said he is pleased to see many medical students select family medicine as a career. “Family medicine is not only a specialty in very high demand,” he said. “But, it also provides ample opportunity to practice whole person care.” According to Dr. Roger D. Woodruff, M.D. chair of the department of family medicine at LLU School of Medicine, this status is significant because among the top 20 universities listed, LLU is the only private school. “This is a demonstration of the forward thinking model at Loma Linda, which recognizes that the future of medicine is rooted in population health that is directly based on a primary care model of health care delivery," Woodruff said. "Family medicine is now the pivotal medical specialty in this futuristic health care model.” Dr. Wessam Labib, MD, director, medical student education for the department of family medicine attributes this ranking to LLU’s mission-focused students, dedicated faculty and staff and the resources offered by the university that make it possible for the school to carry a rigorous program. "In the midst of a changing health care system that calls for an expanding primary care force,” Labib said. “We are honored to make a strong contribution to the family medicine field.”