Brody School of Medicine earns national recognition in latest rankings

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - Pirate Nation is celebrating a new wave of national recognition for its quality in health science education.

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2025 Best Medicine Schools rankings and East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine ranks as a Tier 1 institution. It was one of two UNC System universities to make the ranking out of ninety-nine other schools.

According to the release, U.S. News ranks these medical and osteopathic schools based on primary care metrics, faculty and admissions data, and level of care.

ECU’s Tier 1 status means it is in the highest-performing of medical schools nationwide.

“This ranking supports what we’ve stood for since our beginning — the Brody School of Medicine produces physicians standing on the front lines of medicine, caring for the underserved,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, dean of the medical school and CEO of ECU Health. “This year, more than half of the graduating class chose primary care residencies, and a record percentage matched at ECU Health, a leader in North Carolina, with a reputation for serving rural communities with the highest standards of care.”

ECU also highlighted these other achievements its health sciences programs have achieved:

• Doctor of Nursing Practice’s family nurse practitioner program ranked top 10 nationally
• Nurse anesthesia and midwifery programs ranked in the top 15% and 30%, respectively.
• The College of Allied Health Sciences occupational therapy program ranked in the top 15% nationally.

“What can I say other than today’s news is incredible,” said Dr. Bim Akintade, dean of the College of Nursing. “To have our programs ranked so highly by our peers is a testament to the quality of our faculty and staff, the students who choose ECU for their education, and our alumni and supporters for their dedication to our vision for the health care future of North Carolina.”