The J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering has achieved its highest-ever position in the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the nations’ top biomedical engineering graduate programs.

UF BME rose in rank to No. 13, up from No. 15 in 2020 among public programs. This ranking reflects the high esteem that department chairs around the country have for the UF biomedical engineering program, which has climbed 20 spots since 2013.

“We are proud to be recognized again by U.S. News & World Report as a top graduate program in the United States, said Dr. Christine E. Schmidt, Pruitt Family Professor and Chair. “It’s gratifying to receive this recognition of validation of the success of our young program.”

The department has experienced an unprecedented period of rapid growth, welcoming ten new faculty members in the last three years.

Schmidt attributes the increase in rankings to research expenditures reaching $11.2 million, faculty success in top journals, celebrating ten women faculty, and establishing new diversity and inclusion efforts to promote equity and social justice.

“The quality of the faculty and students has been increasing steadily over the last eight years,” said Dr. Daniel Ferris, Robert W. Adenbaum Professor and senior associate chair. “Rankings always lag real changes in program quality because it takes time for faculty across the country to notice differences in programs at other universities. We achieved ABET accreditation for the undergraduate program and greatly increased the number of national graduate student awards.”

In addition, Ferris credits the rise of entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities for students to helping recruit high-quality graduate students and increasing the visibility of research in the department. Within a short walking distance, students can collaborate with experts in our ten engineering departments, the Colleges of Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary and Pharmacy and the top-ranked hospitals in the state.