If I ask you one profession you want like to pursue in the future, the field of medicine probably will top the list. It is an altogether different proposition as whether all of you who have rooting for this profession will eventually go on to even enter in this field or not. I am making this assumption as getting into a med school is very difficult with the limited number of seats and strict criteria the two most obvious reasons. The fact that students do go after the rankings of some med schools is also a reason why they leave a better chance in doing so.
The rankings of any educational institute is like a double-edged sword as it can make you go for the degree of a prestigious one but if you fail in getting the admission there, then things get tricky. Most students feel really dejected if they don’t get a chance in getting to their dream med school or a medical college in Caribbean, for example. So why rankings really matter and do students need to follow them religiously? Let me shed some light on these factors so that you can understand this topic better.
How Rankings are Evaluated and do they Really Matter?
Various combinations of specific factors are the basis for a good ranking. Rankings are often given by magazines, newspapers, websites and by government agencies and authorities. There are many reasons for which an average student will have a tough time understanding exactly which ranking to follow and if the rankings are based keeping in find all the factors that are needed to be considered? This leaves students in two groups, one that follow rankings religiously and the other which doesn’t care about them at all.
So why there is so much negativity in the minds of some students and the other way round for others? There are times nowadays that rankings are based on the research aspect and the faculty consisting of professors having at least doctoral degrees. But the research aspect is not for the betterment of the students who are about to study the basics of medical science/medicine. So, if you this way, the rankings, or as we are talking about, Caribbean medical school rankings don’t really matter much.
Rankings Based on Specific Departments and Programs
This type of rankings are based on how a specific department or program has relevance for students and how does it can help them in achieving a particular goal. For example, in a university, a business school can be ranked as how many graduates are passed from it and in which big companies will they be able to get a job right after getting the degree. Similarly, in a med school, school of nursing or department of surgery can be ranked separately so that students can have a go at them, based on their preference.
Another aspect is the local and international rankings which is worth mentioning. These rankings can be especially very helpful for small-sized and mid-level med schools which can’t make it to the international rankings for various reasons. The number of students, PhD faculty members, research, etc. is one of the reasons why not all med schools can rank high on the global rankings. So, this is a blessing in disguise for all the med school regardless of their size and what research/number of graduates they produce.
The number of awards and recognition for all the med schools is also one aspect which, sometimes, can have be a positive factor in the ranking of a med school. The awards and recognition can range from being a med school offering high number of scholarships, community service in the form of offering mobile health facilities, having varied degree/diploma/certificate programs that offer students a chance to excel in a particular field in a relatively shorter period of time.
Final Word
I am certain that my readers would like to comment on some of the aspects that I have mentioned in my blog. Furthermore, if something is bothering you and you would like some clarification, you are more than welcome. Please use the comments section below and I will try to answer your queries or comments at my earliest
