University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine : Semel Institute

In just over 50 years - within the lifetimes of many of its original architects - the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA has joined the ranks of the nation's elite medical schools.

During a period of revolutionary change in biomedical research and patient care, the school quickly moved to the forefront of academic medicine and discovery. It is now mentioned in the same breath with the small group of institutions known as the best in the world - many of which are at least twice UCLA's age.