Portions from the AAMC
The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported yesterday that, “First-year enrollment at the nation’s medical schools this year increased nearly 2 percent over 2007, to more than 18,000 students.” This represents the highest allopathic medical school enrollment in U.S. history.
Most of the enrollment increase was due to the three medical schools that have just established branch campuses (Mercer University School of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, and University of Arizona College of Medicine). It does not reflect the anticipated enrollment at new schools expected to open within the next few years.
Notable is the growth in Latino students, with an increase in first-year enrollment by more than 10 percent. Latinos now represent 7.9 percent of the 2008-09 entering medical school class.
Additionally, the number of Native American first-year enrollees increased by more than 5 percent. The number of African American first-year students remained nearly the same as in 2007. Native Americans and African Americans represent 1.0 and 7.2 percent, respectively, of this year’s entering medical school class.
Overall, the percentage of women first-year enrollees held steady again this year at about 48 percent.
“As the nation debates comprehensive reform of our health care system, it’s imperative that we continue to educate and train a new generation of qualified doctors prepared to execute those changes, and lead the way on innovative health care,” said AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D.
MedPage Today reports Dr. Kirch saying the numbers are “only one part of the equation. In the U.S. A medical school graduate can only practice after a period of residency and we have not been commensurately expanding residency positions.”
He explains if more residency positions aren’t created the effect of the increased enrollment would be to change the composition of the young doctor pool, with more native-born physicians and fewer from other countries. However, the total number of new doctors would not increase.
As is expected, a certain minority that does not count as “oppressed by the Man” is notable by its absence in the let’s-boost-numbers sweepstakes.
What about noting the record growth at DO schools in the United States?
I assume the first poster is referring to Asians and/or Asian-Indians. Well, let us remember who built the railroads and gave the world spices and more via colonialism. But, they managed to succeed despite outside oppression through cultural values that have been around a lot longer. So they don’t count as minorities anymore even though they make up nothing of the US population. Interesting, isn’t it?
On a different note, why the flying #(#( are people going into medicine? Are people so delusional in today’s market that somehow medicine is a safe investment? People pay way way too much for that education.
Asian americans probalby were not included becauswe they are not underrepresented in medicine. Every other ethniciy mentioned is….Latino, Native American, and African American are all URM.
I was thinking the same thing regarding the DO schools.
People are going into medicine because life comes first…that means before money & material things, something that society today is losing touch with obviously.
I know I probably don’t speak for everyone, but I’m going into medicine because it is the most intellectually challenging and one of the most humane career choices possible. I want to be able to spend my entire career challenging myself, learning, and helping people everyday. Yes, the pay is nice, but it is certainly not the number one reason for my selecting medicine as a career path. Nothing is a perfectly safe investment, but you have to do what you love or your life will never be what you want it to be. I hope all you other medical school hopefuls feel the same way, because if you’re going into it for the money alone, you’ll never make it past the interview process.
Asians don’t get minority status because they are relatively over represented in medicine compared to the numbers in the general population. I think if all of a sudden 20% of med students were Native Americans, Native Americans would also be denied minority status. This promotes (albeit in a less then perfect way) diversity.
“Asians don’t get minority status because they are relatively over represented in medicine… This promotes (albeit in a less then perfect way) diversity.”
Riiiiight!
I guess the powers that be are so into promoting “diversity” that they are ok with Asians being disproportionally underrepresented as Department Heads, Program Directors, etc.