School Rankings Research Articles

Geographic extent of income-based residential segregation between and within the school districts in Suzhou, China

ABSTRACT Recent urban studies have highlighted the significant role of education in the underlying dynamics of urban segregation, particularly residential segregation. In China, residence-based education policy links school enrollment to place of residence, driving up housing prices in desirable school districts and inducing residential segregation. However, little research has been conducted on the extent of residential segregation, specifically in school districts. We used multiple data sources and the multilevel index of dissimilarity (MLID) to measure residential segregation within and between different school districts. Additionally, we employed a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model to address endogeneity issues related to school quality and residential segregation. Our findings revealed significant segregation, especially between high- and low-income families. Higher school rankings intensify segregation among high-income families, whereas school popularity decreases it among low-income families, potentially leading to gentrification. Although the score-based enrollment policy aims to integrate migrants, it also increases segregation among low-income families. In an involuted society, segregation is likely to increase if the disparities in school quality persist.

IMPACT OF PLANNED RESEARCH GAP YEAR ON UROLOGY RESIDENCY MATCH SUCCESS.

To assess the impact of a planned research gap year (RGY) on match outcomes and research productivity among urology residency applicants in the context of the highly competitive urology specialty and the new pass/fail format for the USMLE Step 1 exam. We conducted an IRB-approved analysis of applicants to our program during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 application cycles. Data on demographics, medical school rank, having a home urology program, USMLE Step 1 scores, and ERAS research entries were collected. Match outcomes were verified via the Society of Academic Urologists listing. Statistical analyses were performed to compare characteristics and outcomes between the two cohorts. Out of 560 total applicants, 61 (10.9%) pursued a RGY. RGY applicants were older (28.2 vs. 26.9 years, p<0.001), attended higher-ranked medical schools (medical school rank 28 vs. 56, p=0.028), with lower USMLE Step 1 scores (237 vs. 244, p=0.004). RGY applicants demonstrated higher research productivity, with a median of 26 ERAS research entries compared to 12 in non-RGY applicants (p<0.001). Match rates were comparable (88.5% vs. 85.3%, p=0.496). RGY utilization was similar between allopathic and osteopathic applicants. A planned RGY produced more research but did not culminate in higher match rates. The opportunity to take an RGY was equally accessible to both MD and DO applicants. While an RGY may enhance research output, we did not observe an increased match rate among those who utilized it.

Female School Leaders Navigating Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Quintile 2 Ranking Schools in Gauteng, South Africa

Female School Leaders Navigating Leadership During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Quintile 2 Ranking Schools in Gauteng, South Africa

The Research on Factors Influencing House Price-Taking Perth as an Example

This article aims to identify the factors that have an impact on house prices. Using the method of Multiple Linear Regression to analyze the important factors with samples of Perth. Based on assumption, 8 variables were chosen to find the correlation of the price of house in the suburbs of Perth. This article also considers the interaction effects between the area of the parts of the house which contains the area of the land, the area of the room and number of some types of rooms includes garage, bedroom, living room and the date the house was sold, the distance to nearest public facilities such as station and school and the distance from the house to the central business district and the rank of the nearest school. In order to test the effectiveness of the operation, the research consider the significance of those variables, it turns out the longitude and latitude of the house and the year of building and selling and the postcode of the house. Overall, the fluctuation of the price of house in Perth can be considered by the extent to which these factors affect them.

Experts, neoliberal doxa, and the rollback of high-stakes school rankings in Chile (2006-2024)

O que impulsiona a implementação e a reversão de classificações escolares de alto risco baseadas em testes? Adaptando a teoria dos campos de ação estratégica ao caso chileno e mobilizando o conceito de doxa de Bourdieu, vejo a reforma de mercado na educação como o resultado de relações competitivas, cooperativas e conflitantes entre atores titulares e desafiadores. Enquanto os primeiros dominam o campo e, portanto, exercem poder de definição sobre como o campo deve ser organizado e reformado, os últimos competem por formas alternativas de estruturar o campo. Essa lógica de campo configura uma dinâmica contingente na qual o campo é transformado à medida que quadros desafiadores ganham moeda ideacional. Com base nessa estrutura conceitual, evidencio como ideias concorrentes sobre a educação baseada no mercado moldaram a construção técnica e o uso público de classificações de qualidade escolar. Implicações para uma sociologia da reforma seguem.

Research Productivity Among Applicants Who Matched into an Integrated Thoracic Surgery Residency Program: A Bibliographic Review

ObjectiveResearch productivity is an important factor in candidate selection by Integrated thoracic surgery residency programs. It is necessary to track the research output of applicants who match into an Integrated program. This study sought to examine the research productivity of matched Integrated applicants prior to residency and assess demographic, bibliographic, and institutional variables associated with continued research productivity during residency. MethodsBibliographic records of applicants who matched into an Integrated program from 2015 to 2022 were manually reviewed (e.g., PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate) to identify studies published until January 2024. Publications were stratified by publication type and first-authorship relative to the applicants’ match year. Individuals were analyzed by demographics, medical school ranking, and affiliated residency programs’ research infrastructure. ResultsThree hundred matched Integrated applicants were identified. Among applicants who matched into an Integrated program, the number of total (p = 0.001) and first-author (p = 0.006) publications prior to residency significantly increased from 2015 to 2022. Over the same period, the rate of total (p = 0.2) and first-author (p = 0.3) publications during residency remained relatively unchanged. Matched Integrated applicants with a higher number of total and first-author publications prior to residency had a higher rate of total (1.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 – 1.25; p < 0.001) and first-author (1.19; 95% CI 1.13 – 1.26; p < 0.001) publications during residency, respectively. ConclusionResearch productivity among applicants who matched into an Integrated program from 2015 to 2022 has increased and is a strong predictor of sustained scholarly output during residency.

““The last bastion of democracy”: teachers’ perceptions of the democratic potential of English curriculum”

Purpose Faced with increasing systemic constraints and pressures, secondary school English teachers often implement transactional approaches to pedagogy and curriculum aimed at improving student results on external exams, which are then used to rank schools. Despite the pressure to teach this way, teachers acknowledge the power of literature, literacy and language in the English curriculum as vehicles for educating students to be critical readers of texts for a democratic society. As such, the purpose of this paper is to share perspectives of secondary English teachers in relation to the democratic potential of their subject. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative case study method, this paper shares data from six Australian secondary school English teachers who work in culturally diverse schools. Teachers were interviewed about their perspectives regarding how the Australian English curriculum enabled and/or constrained the teaching of critical and creative thinking in support of a democratic society. Findings Using Marri’s model of multicultural democratic education, interview data were deductively analyzed to identify elements of the model, including critical pedagogies, disciplinary content and community building. Teachers were concerned that building critical literacy skills was minimized by the system and students’ personal dispositions. Originality/value The English teachers in this study held a strong belief that the subject of English could emancipate students, although they felt it might be “the last bastion” for a democratic education.

Analysis of neurosurgery resident research activity in the United States.

Evaluation of the demographic and academic characteristics of current neurosurgery residents may provide prospective students with insight into factors that affect research output. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the research output among neurosurgery residents. US neurosurgery residency programs were abstracted from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons website. Demographic data on 1690 current residents across 119 programs were collected using publicly available institutional websites, Doximity, and LinkedIn. The h-index of each resident was recorded using Scopus and exported into the NIH iCite tool to determine the weighted relative citation ratio (w-RCR) and mean relative citation ratio (m-RCR). The total number of publications, h-index, and w-RCR were used as a proxy for research output, while m-RCR was used to measure research impact. One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis H-tests were used to assess the statistical significance of relationships between demographic data and measures of research activity. A total of 1690 residents (25.4% female), representing 119 programs, were evaluated. Neurosurgery residents had an average of 17 publications, h-index of 5.5, m-RCR of 1.4, and w-RCR of 16.9, with an upward trend of research activity by postgraduate year (PGY) class. Male residents on average had a greater total number of publications (p < 0.001), higher h-index (p < 0.001), and higher w-RCR (p = 0.002) compared with their female peers. Significant differences in research activity were also observed by degree (Doctor of Medicine [MD], Doctor of Osteopathy [DO], or other), where those with MD and other degrees had higher metrics than those with DO degrees. International medical graduates (IMGs) also had higher research output than American medical graduates (AMGs) (p < 0.001). Differences in all measures of research activity except impact were also observed in research activity when pre-residency medical school ranks were compared. The authors observed overall high research activity among neurosurgery residents. Factors such as gender, degree, PGY, IMG/AMG status, and medical school rank may therefore be related to the success of matching within neurological surgery. Although large disparities in gender representation have been identified in neurosurgery, newer classes are trending toward shrinking the gap. These data may be used by prospective residents to gauge changes and progress occurring in the neurosurgery match.

Medical school ranking and provider outpatient Medicare Part D claims for antibiotics among older patients in the USA.

Our study aimed to assess whether there was a relationship between graduating from higher-ranked medical schools and the rate of prescribing antibiotics among Medicare Part D providers in the USA. The study obtained data from the Medicare Part D Prescribers (FY2013-2021) and the Doctor and Clinicians National repositories. A regression model was fitted to assess the relationship between provider medical school ranking and the rate of antibiotic days supplied per 100 beneficiaries at the provider level. A total of 197 540 providers were included. No association was found between the medical school ranking and the rate of antibiotics days supplied per 100 beneficiaries. Instead, the type of provider is associated with the prescription rates. Hospitalists and Emergency Medicine providers had fewer days supplied per 100 beneficiaries than Family Medicine providers. In contrast, students, more experienced providers (>20 years since medical school graduation) and females had more days supplied per 100 beneficiaries. Our study highlights the need for robust outpatient stewardship interventions and incorporating an outcome-based approach to antibiotic stewardship curricula in medical and mid-level provider schools.

How to rank schools of public health? The PHAR project

Abstract Background Since the shattering and abrupt withdrawal of several Ivy League universities from ranking systems in 2022, the debate on rankings has been raging in the academic world and beyond. Despite this, rankings have undeniable advantages and continue to be used on a daily basis by a variety of stakeholders. As a previous work has demonstrated that there is no ranking specifically designed for schools of public health, the aim of this project was to create one. Methods To create the Public Health Academic Ranking (PHAR), the InCites Benchmarking and Analytics™ software and the Web Of Science™ Core Collection database were employed. Bibliometric data on 26 schools of public health, from each continent, were collected between August and September 2022. Eleven research indicators and scores, covering four criteria (productivity, quality, accessibility for readers, international collaboration), for the period 2017-2021, were used. For some schools whose affiliation was not mentioned directly in the software, a specific methodology was designed and tested, with unique research queries applied to the database. Results The five top schools of the PHAR were: the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Conclusions The PHAR provides an international bibliometric ranking of schools of public health. As this is a pilot project, the results should be taken with caution and future improvements should be developed. Key messages • The PHAR is the first university ranking system specifically designed for schools of public health and focuses on the research field of this discipline. • The PHAR makes it possible to rank schools of public health with an unusual structure (such as the PHFI and the SSPH+), which are generally overlooked by traditional rankings.

Gender disparity among top North American medical schools and their affiliated radiology departments: Medical school vs Radiology - Gender Diverse?

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the degree of gender disparity in leadership positions at the top 25 medical schools in North America compared to their affiliated radiology departments. MethodsThe academic rank and leadership appointment of medical school and radiology faculty were obtained from publicly available official websites between June-November 2022. Gender was determined using self-identified pronouns on website biographies. Alternatively, gender API software was used. Finally, SCOPUS Elsevier was used to extract research output metrics including publication counts, citations, and h-indices. Statistical analysis was conducted using the IBM SPSS Statistics version 25 software. Results2216 individuals across 25 medical schools were included in this study. 1301 (58.7 %) were part of the medical school and 915 (41.3 %) were part of the affiliated radiology departments. Additionally, 1575 (71.1 %) were identified as men and 641 (28.9 %) as women. Rank biserial correlations showed a significant association between higher academic rank and male gender (rpb = 0.143, p < 0.001) regardless of affiliation (medical school leadership versus radiology faculty); this disparity was largest at the highest academic ranks. Male gender was associated with higher research productivity relative to female gender regardless of affiliation (p < 0.001). There were minimal statistical differences in leadership positions between genders, however the proportion of men holding the position of dean was two times higher than women. ConclusionThe underrepresentation of women in academic medicine is prevalent in the top-ranking medical institutions in North America and disproportionately involves senior academic ranks and leadership positions.

정책담화모형(NPF)을 활용한 A지방중소도시 고교평준화 정책 추진 과정 분석

This study analyzes the process of implementing the high school equalization policy in a local small city, city A, using the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF). The research examines how the discourse surrounding the equalization policy is formed and developed through press releases and related materials published from March 1, 2017 to December 31, 2023. The results show that proponents emphasized the elimination of high school rankings and the equality of educational opportunities, while opponents raised concerns about the potential decline in academic standards and the outflow of talented students. Additionally, political events, such as the replacement of the superintendent of education, significantly influenced the direction of the discourse. This analysis is expected to contribute to identifying potential challenges and issues in advance when introducing equalization policies and to developing effective response strategies through the case of City A.

Equity and Higher Education Access in Chile: The High School Ranking Admission Policy Results from the Perspective of Its Program Theory

Equity and Higher Education Access in Chile: The High School Ranking Admission Policy Results from the Perspective of Its Program Theory

Identifying the role of high school in educational inequality: A causal mediation approach

Although the effect of socioeconomic background on children’s educational attainment has long been investigated, the extent to which high school mediates this effect has not been assessed from the causal mediation framework. This study investigates the direct effect of family income on educational attainment not mediated by the rank of high school, using data from longitudinal surveys of ninth-grade students in Japan (n = 1,790). Regression with residuals (RWR) analysis reveals that, although high school type mediates the effects of family income on university enrollment and relative educational attainment to some extent (approximately 25% and 33%, respectively), the direct effects of family income are considerable. The result also suggests a positive interaction effect between family income and high school selectivity, implying a boosting advantage pattern rather than a compensatory advantage. I argue that the analytical framework can be applied to many methodological settings in sociological studies.

Implications for neurosurgery of medical schools leaving the United States News and World Report.

Ranked lists are a highly praised method of assessment in America. Whether it's a list of the top national sports teams, the best restaurants in New York City, or as in this case, the strongest educational institutions, we look to rankings to scrutinize, evaluate, and compare. Unfortunately, not all rankings offer insightful and valuable information. Many use metrics that fall short of an accurate representation of the desired outcome. The U.S. News & World Report (USNWR), one of the most widely regarded rankings of educational institutions, has recently been under the spotlight as several major medical schools have removed themselves from candidate lists. The current USNWR Medical School's rankings are regarded as having a narrow perspective in that the metrics perpetuate a less diverse medical community and fail to recognize worthy institutions that choose to champion a well-rounded student experience. The authors, along with the many others, fear this may deliver a skewed vision of what the USNWR tries to measure: the excellence of a medical education.

Decision Support System for Determining the Best School Extracurricular Activities by Combining the ROC and MAUT Methods

The various extracurricular activities at school make students confused and difficult to choose which extracurricular activities are more suitable for participation. However, sometimes there are also students choosing extracurricular activities based on many of their friends. Therefore, determining the best school extracurricular activities is the best solution for students as a reference to find which is the best extracurricular activity. The criteria used in this study in choosing the best extracurricular activities are Regional Event Activities, Allocation, Creativity and Talent Channeling. By utilizing SPK, decision makers can make more systematic decisions, based on a deeper understanding of the various alternatives available and relevant criteria. SPK or decision support system is a technique that has the ability to determine a decision using a technical design based on alternatives and predetermined criteria. SPK or decision support system is a technique that has the ability to determine a decision using a technical design based on alternatives and predetermined criteria. In the context of extracurricular school selection, combining the ROC (Rank Order Centroid) and MAUT (Multi-Attribute Utility Theory) methods in a Decision Support System is an interesting approach. The ROC method is used to cluster and rank schools based on certain criteria, while MAUT helps in the calculation of appropriate weights for these criteria. By integrating these two methods, the SPK can provide a more structured guideline in the selection of extracurricular activities that suit students' interests and needs. The research results obtained show that the Futsal alternative is the first recommendation as the best extracurricular with a final value of 0.655086.

Adjectives in the Summary Paragraph of the MSPE: Are They Telling Us Something?

Rationale and ObjectivesMany US medical schools do not provide a summative, comparative assessment of students (class rank), instead utilizing descriptive adjectives in the summary paragraph of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE). The objective of this study was to determine whether those adjectives correlate with student performance. Materials and MethodsApplications from all US allopathic medical schools received by a single diagnostic radiology program in the 2023-24 cycle were reviewed. The final adjectives from schools that rank students were coded as positive, negative, or neutral. For students from non-ranking schools, descriptive adjectives from the MSPE summary paragraphs were extracted and categorized based on the final adjective coding schema along with a library of commonly used positive adjectives. The frequency of adjectives was correlated with applicant academic and demographic factors using multivariable logistic regression. ResultsApplications from 97% (147/151) of US allopathic medical schools were received. 60.5% (89/147) of schools rank their students with 27.9% (41/147) using a final adjective coded to performance tier. Of the 58 non-ranking schools, 56.9% (33/58) used descriptive adjectives in the MSPE’s summary paragraph. There was no association with academic performance metrics and either generally positive adjectives or coded descriptive adjectives. There was a greater association with positive descriptive adjectives for non-white applicants (p=0.011) and generally positive adjectives for higher ranked schools (p=0.004). ConclusionUndefined descriptive adjectives in the MSPE’s summary paragraph, when benchmarked to final adjectives, do not correlate with academic performance, and may instead be used for student advocacy by medical school deans.

Gender Differences in the Path to Medical School Deanship

Women account for only 28% of current US medical school deans. Studying the differences between women and men in their preparation to becoming deans might help to explain this discrepancy. To identify differences in the leadership development experiences between women and men in their ascent to the medical school deanship. In this qualitative study, volunteers from the roster of the Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Deans were solicited and interviewed from June 15 to November 9, 2023. Women deans were recruited first, then men who had been appointed to their deanships at a similar time to their women counterparts were recruited. Deans were interviewed on topics related to number of applications for deanships, prior leadership roles, leadership development, personal factors, and career trajectories. Interviews were coded, and themes were extracted through conventional content analysis. Career and leadership development experiences were elicited using a semistructured interview guide. We interviewed 17 women and 17 men deans, representing 25.8% (34 of 132) of the total population of US medical school deans. Most deans (23 [67.6%]) practiced a medicine-based specialty or subspecialty. No statistically significant differences were found between women and men with regard to years to attain deanship (mean [SD], 2.7 [3.4] vs 3.7 [3.7] years), years as a dean (mean [SD], 5.7 [5.2] vs 6.0 [5.0] years), highest salary during career (mean [SD], $525 769 [$199 936] vs $416 923 [$195 848]), or medical school rankings (mean [SD], 315.5 [394.5] vs 480.5 [448.9]). Their reports indicated substantive gender differences in their paths to becoming a dean. Compared with men, women deans reported having to work harder to advance, while receiving less support and opportunities for leadership positions by their own institutions. Subsequently, women sought leadership development from external programs. Women deans also experienced gender bias when working with search firms. This qualitative study of US medical school deans found that compared with men, women needed to be more proactive, had to participate in external leadership development programs, and had to confront biases during the search process. For rising women leaders, this lack of support had consequences, such as burnout and attrition, potentially affecting the makeup of future generations of medical school deans. Institutional initiatives centering on leadership development of women is needed to mitigate the gender biases and barriers faced by aspiring women leaders.

Faktor-Faktor yang Mempengaruhi Keputusan dalam Memilih Universitas Negeri di Indonesia: Studi pada Siswa-Siswi SMA Kelas XII Sumatera Utara

The objective of the research is to find out the main priority which highly influenced students to continue their study to the universities, especially public universities in Indonesia. Various facilities and services provided by the universities become the consideration in choosing the universities according their talent, interest, and selection. These alternatives are presented in 5 (five) criteria and sub-criteria which will be analyzed, and which factor that will become their main priority in choosing the universities according to their willingness and expectation. The research uses AHP method by calculating the weight of priority based on the response to the questionnaires in 111 Grade XII Senior Hight School students as the respondents from high ranking (A) schools in North Sumatera. The result of the research shows that of the five criteria, the criterion of University Image has the highest position with the weight of 0.33. In the highest priority of sub-criterion of University Image is International Accreditation with the weight of 0.24, and in sub-criterion of Tuition is cost of living, in sub-criterion of Tuition is cost of living, in sub-criterion of Location is the university which is located in urban area with the weight of 0.13, the sub-criterion of Facility and Infrastructure provided by the university is IT facility for Learning Media with the weight of 0.16. Therefore, based on the main priority of the criteria and each criterion which have been obtained, it is expected that the management of the public universities in Indonesia know what has to be heeded and improved in the interest of the prospective students.

Exploring the Nature of Diversity Dishonesty within Predominantly White Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Public Health at the Most Highly Selective and Highly Ranked U.S. Universities

The concept of “diversity dishonesty” has emerged as a pressing concern within highly selective and highly ranked schools of medicine, pharmacy, and public health at elite and highly ranked U.S. universities, particularly in the context of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. This phenomenon, defined as a lack of sincerity and genuineness in an organization’s commitment to genuine and measurable change regarding diversity, raises significant questions about the authenticity of their endeavors. Organizations often engage in surface-level or performative actions related to diversity, creating the illusion of progress and dedication while failing to enact substantive and meaningful advancements in promoting diversity and inclusivity. This applied research inquiry uses a review of literature, research theories, and research frameworks to delve into the nuanced dynamics of diversity dishonesty, exploring how organizations demonstrate a commitment in form but not in substance. The practice of tokenism, where diverse individuals are hired and prominently featured in organizational materials but are not genuinely valued, emerges as a defining characteristic of diversity dishonesty. Moreover, when questions regarding the authenticity of their commitment arise, organizations may resort to gaslighting minorities, further exacerbating the issue. Recognizing the critical need to address diversity dishonesty, this article comprehensively explores frameworks to understand and combat this phenomenon. It seeks to engage with viable theories, problem-solving approaches, and contextual models that can illuminate the complex interplay of factors contributing to diversity dishonesty. By shedding light on the mechanisms through which elite and highly ranked predominantly White schools of medicine, pharmacy, and public health engage in performative acts without enacting transformative cultural change, this research aims to pave the way for more genuine and impactful DEI efforts and future research in this area.