Moving Up

33 to 30. This is the improvement in our National Institutes of Health (NIH) Blue Ridge Ranking from 2017 to 2018. In most contexts, a difference of three isn’t a big deal, but here it is huge, and it is our Medical School’s highest NIH ranking since 2014. It is the result of years of effort.

When I think about what was involved in making the change—the hundreds, if not thousands of hours of work, the dedication, and the commitment to excellence by our faculty and staff—it seems heroic. 

Our department-specific rankings are on the rise too:

  • The Department of Ophthalmology is ranked #37 (up from #49)
  • The Department of Neurology is ranked #30 (up from #40)
  • The Department of Pediatrics is ranked #8 (up from #17)
  • The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is ranked #41 (up from #50)
  • The Department of Neurosciences is ranked #11 (up from #19)
  • The Department of Urology is ranked #18 (up from #24)
  • The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine is ranked #11 (up from #14)
  • The Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics  is ranked #6 (up from # 9)
  • The Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology is ranked #41 (up from #44)
  • The Department of Radiology is ranked #9 (up from #12)
  • The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health is ranked #4 (up from #6)
  • The Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology is ranked #18 (up from #19)
  • The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is ranked #20 (up from #21)
  • The Department of Otolaryngology is ranked #31 (up from #32)

I know that none of us set out on our careers with the goal of improving national and international rankings, but they have a place. Rankings represent how well we serve our community, attract outstanding students, change the practice of medicine, and create our legacy of discovery through research. These numbers can help us accomplish more. 
You did this. Thank you all.