Facts and Statistics

Your Future at VP&S

The Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons trains tomorrow’s physicians and physician-scientists to discover, educate, care, and lead. For more than 250 years, our medical school has prepared leaders to shape the future and set standards of medicine in the United States and around the world. Through guided education and training, our graduates learn the art of humanism and professionalism in their responsibilities to their patients, to their community, and to society.

VP&S is part of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, which includes the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the Mailman School of Public Health, and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. Our medical students hone their clinical skills through our partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian and provide quality health care to the people of Washington Heights, Inwood, Harlem, and beyond in New York City. VP&S also provides opportunities for medical students to learn clinical skills at a number of other affiliated hospitals. Together, we are transforming human health by driving discovery, advancing care, and educating leaders.

About VP&S

  • Our Faculty

    • 2,636 full-time faculty
    • 49.6% Female
    • 50.4% Male

  • Honors Earned by Current Faculty

    • Nobel Prizes: 2
    • National Academy of Sciences: 20
    • National Academy of Medicine: 41
    • American Academy of Arts and Sciences: 24
    • Howard Hughes Medical Institute: 5

  • NIH Research Funding

    • Total NIH grant funding: $625.4 million
    • Total number of grants received: 882
    • Total number of PIs associated with NIH grants: 593
    • Total number of full-time faculty associated with NIH grants: 833

  • Residencies Most Commonly Selected by 2024 Graduates

    • Internal Medicine: 20%
    • Psychiatry: 12.2%
    • Orthopedic Surgery: 6.4%
    • Pediatrics: 5.7%
    • Obstetrics & Gynecology: 5.7%
    • Anesthesiology: 5.7%

  • Patient Care

    • March 2023-February 2024
    • Total patient visits: 1,804,500*
    • Total unique patients: 428,851*

Student Life at VP&S

Get a Glimpse Into Life at Columbia From VP&S Students(link is external and opens in a new window)

Our Community

The Columbia University Irving Medical Center is an integral part of New York City, serving patients and community members in Washington Heights, Inwood, Harlem, and across the city. For many of those at the medical center, involvement with our community becomes a defining feature of their Columbia experience:

  • VP&S Community Programs: Participate in community education and community-building programs established by organizations within the Washington Heights and Harlem community, as well as VP&S’ own community programs.
  • Harlem Hospital Center Training Programs: Columbia faculty lead numerous residency and subspecialty fellowship training programs at Harlem Hospital Center, providing quality health care and training for the local Harlem community.
  • Columbia University Wellness Center: We offer free mental health training and stroke prevention training, health insurance enrollment services, health care referrals, and more to the Northern Manhattan community.
  • Advocacy, Community Service, and Public Awareness Clubs: Create positive change by addressing social disparities and reforming health care policy.

History of VP&S

For more than 250 years, the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons has pioneered medical education, research, and patient care for the people of New York City and around the world. Columbia is the first medical school in the United States to award the MD degree. Our faculty have conducted groundbreaking scientific, clinical and translational research, from developing Nobel Prize-winning cardiac catheterization to identifying the gene for Huntington’s disease to developing the Apgar score for evaluation of babies after birth. Learn more.

Additional Information

  • Academic Programs: Learn more about the full range of educational offerings available at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, including our MD/PhD dual degree program, PhDs in biomedical sciences, and masters of science programs in genetic counseling, human nutrition, occupational therapy, and more.
  • Clubs at VP&S: Get involved at VP&S with nearly 70 extracurricular and co-curricular organizations, from athletics to the performing arts to student advocacy and community service.
  • Admissions: Visit our admissions page to learn more about the process of applying to VP&S.
  • FAQs: Find answers to frequently asked questions about medical school admissions at Columbia.
  • Newsroom: Get to know our university community, learn about happenings around campus, and find out about the world-changing scientific research that happens at Columbia.
  • Columbia Medicine Magazine: Read the latest from Columbia Medicine magazine, which highlights scientific research, clinical advances, alumni news, and more.
  • About Columbia University: Our mission to advancing scientific research and clinical care often involves collaboration with disciplines including engineering, climate science, data science, and more. Learn about the innovation and research happening beyond the medical center at Columbia University in the City of New York.

* Data provided by the ColumbiaDoctors Faculty Practice Organization. Visit numbers indicate outpatient visits to our clinical practices.