League Tables
Judging the performance of any University or Medical School has been made easier through the publication of several league tables.
While you might want to solely base your research on a single league table and it’s overall score, you might want to consider the finer details that are published alongside the rankings.
Here are our tips on how to get the most out of reading the numbers:
1. Look at both the ranking for the University as a whole as well as the Subject Ranking.
Some medical schools are ranked as separate entities to their parent institutions, such as Brighton and Sussex Medical Schools. It is worthwhile also looking at the universities’ ranking if considering these medical schools as the factors which contribute to their scores will be relevant too.
2. What is the score based on?
Each league table has their own methodology to reach an overall score as well as subject based score (in our case Medicine). Below we have listed examples of league tables and the parameters they have used to compare institutions. Consider your priorities. Most of these league tables can be filtered to re-order the ranking based on a single parameter. For example, if you are interested in somewhere with high Student satisfaction, click the column header to reorder the table in descending order starting with the institution with the highest student satisfaction.
3. Beware the limitations of the subject filter
A common quirk when viewing these league tables is they include all subjects with “medicine” in their title including paramedical fields. This certainly skews the ranking for lower ranked medical schools.
4. Data limitations
Some league tables might have inherent limitations in the data they have presented. For example, data might be as based on old surveys which don’t get updated for many years. The transparency of league table’s methods is variable, and as a general rule of thumb, if you cannot access their methodology, their results should be interpreted with a level of skepticism.
Below are a number of league tables
The Complete University Guide
Complete University Guide – University Rankings, Guides and Courses
Their methodology is transparent and draws data from reputable sources such as the Office for Students (OfS), The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the National Student Survey. You can read more about it here.
University and subject league tables methodology
The overall score is based on:
- Entry standards – the average UCAS tariff score of new students entering the university
- Student satisfaction – how satisfied students are with quality of the teaching they are receiving
- Research quality – a measure of the quality of the research undertaken at the university
- Graduate prospects – a guide to the success of graduates after leaving university
The Guardian
The Guardian University Guide 2023 – the rankings
They are also transparent about their methodology which you can read about here
Methodology behind the Guardian University Guide 2023
The overall Guardian Score (out of 100 points) is based on:
- Satisfied with course- the rating for the overall quality of the course, given by final-year students in the latest National Student Survey (NSS), recorded as a percentage
- Satisfied with teaching – the rating for the quality of teaching on the course, given by final-year students in the NSS
- Satisfied with feedback – the rating for the quality of feedback and assessment, given by final-year students in the NSS
- Student to staff ratio – number of students per member of teaching staff
- Spend per student /10 – money spend on each student, excluding academic staff costs, given as a rating out of 10
- Average entry tariff – typical UCAS scores of young entrants (under 21) to the department
- Value added score /10 – this score compares students’ degree results with their entry qualifications, to show how effectively they are taught, It is given as a rating out of 10
- Career after 15 months – percentage of graduates who find graduate-level jobs, or are in further study at professional or HE level, within 15 months of graduation
- Continuation – percentage of first-year students continuing to second year
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings
World University Rankings 2023
You can ready and download their methodology here
World University Rankings 2023: methodology
Their overall rank is based on:
- Teaching – is a measure of the learning experience and quality at a university. It is based on the reputation among academics, and statistics about staff, students and research.
- Research – is a measure of both the quality and quantity of research output, based on reputation, research income and productivity
- Citations – measures how influential that research is, and counts the number of times work published by academics at the university is cited in other papers
- Industry Income – is a measure of innovation at a university, based on how much the university earns from its inventions and industrial work
- International Outlook – measures the environment and attitude with respect to international students, staff and research. It is based on international-to-domestic ratios across staff, students and research collaborations
Student Surveys
The National Student Survey
The National Student Survey (NSS) is a valuable tool for evaluating medical schools in the UK. The survey is conducted annually and gathers feedback from final-year students at publicly funded higher education institutions. The survey covers several aspects of the student experience, including teaching quality, academic support, and facilities.
When using the NSS to pick a medical school, it is important to consider the specific questions asked in the survey that relate to medicine. Some of the questions that may be relevant include:
- The course is well-organized and running smoothly
- The course is intellectually stimulating
- The course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depth
- Feedback on my work has been prompt
- The timetable works efficiently for me
- The library resources and services are good enough for my needs
- The IT resources and facilities provided have supported my learning well
- I have been able to contact staff when I needed to
- The course has helped me to present myself with confidence
By looking at the responses to these questions for each medical school you are considering, you can gain a better understanding of the quality of education and support provided by each institution.
It is also important to remember that the NSS is just one tool for evaluating medical schools. It should be used in conjunction with other resources, such as league tables and open day visits, to make a fully informed decision about which medical school to attend.
Overall, the NSS is a valuable resource for evaluating medical schools in the UK. By considering the specific questions asked in the survey and using it in conjunction with other resources, you can make an informed decision about which medical school to attend.
This Survey is commissioned by the Office of Students (OfS), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), the Department for Economy Northern Ireland (DfENI) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
Student Crowd
UK University Rankings & League Table | StudentCrowd
A fusion of student survey and league table, these rankings are generated by feedback from past and current students.
It has its limitations. There is no way to filter for Medicine course only and the number of reviews are currently low compared to the the National Student Survey. The survey allows anyone with an active university email address create a review for the relevant university.
A simple 5 point scale is used to rate:
- Value for money
- Teaching quality
- Personal Tutor
- Course content
- Job prospects
The review includes a free text section allowing you to read reviews on the university in a similar fashion to an Amazon review which can be helpful to some.
Studocu World University Ranking
Studocu World University Ranking 2023
Similar concept to Student Crowd, this international league table covers a wider range of indicators, with a greater focus on student quality of life. Users of the Studocu website were surveyed. Their methodology is candid about the limitations of their dataset (a minimum of 10 responses qualifies the institution for inclusion) however, it provides some unique feedback that is not published on other websites.
The survey rates, out of 10, 15 categories:
- Food – How would you rate the quality and range of food choices available on campus? Does your university offer enough choice for people with dietary restrictions?
- Quality of Life – Does your university offer high-quality facilities and a comfortable atmosphere? Does your university offer what you need to be happy there?
- Dating Scene – Does your university have a thriving dating scene?
- Studying Remotely – Does your university offer sufficient facilities to follow classes online? Is it easy to contact your teachers/professors remotely?
- Safety – Does your university take the right safety measures to ensure you feel safe on campus?
- Sports Culture – Does your university have a tangible culture around team sports like football, basketball, etc.?
- Quality of Modules – Are you satisfied with the modules offered by your school? Are the modules offered challenging enough? Are you satisfied with the quality of professors, their teaching methods and prep material?
- (On-Campus) Housing – Does your university offer enough support in finding (on-campus) housing? Are the accommodations offered or recommended clean and well-maintained?
- Location – Is your university located in a covetable location? Is your university easily accessible by public transportation?
- Facilities and Common Areas – Are common areas, sport facilities and dorms clean and comfortable?
- Academic Reputation and Job Opportunities – Do employers proactively recruit graduates from your school? Is your school effectively helping you to develop a career path?
- Fraternities, Social Clubs and Student Associations – Does your university have sororities, fraternities and special interest clubs? Do these (if any) offer a range of activities to participate in?
- Accessibility for Disabled Students – Does your university take enough measures to make all classrooms, facilities and stadiums accessible to disabled students?
- Financial Aid – Does your university offer enough financial aid to students who aren’t eligible for a scholarship?
- Diversity and Inclusivity – Does your university take enough measures to make everyone feel included regardless of race, ethnic or social background, gender, sexual orientation, etc.?
The final question of the survey asked how likely the are to recommend the university to friends and family and the average score to this questions resulted in the Net Promoter Score (NPS)
This article is part of the “Picking a Medical School Series”. If you’ve stumbled on this article and you are in the process of picking a UK medical school this series is meant for you.
Make the most of the “Picking a Medical School” Series
Have you started shortlisting your options for medical school? Do you have a shortlist already and want to pick your final four? This series of articles is here to help you narrow down your list. With so much information available it can be difficult to know where to start. As medics ourselves, this is what we wished we knew when we were picking a medical school.
You are of course welcome to read this series in any order you want but if you want to make the most of this series we would recommend you read XX title for essentials advice for picking a medical schoolXX and write your list of priorities of what you are looking for in a university and medical school. We would recommend you make time to read through all the series to make the most informed decision about your application. You might be surprised to find out that something that wasn’t on your radar becomes your top priority.
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