Newswise — After a six-year decline, the number of applicants to U.S. medical schools is on the rise, according to data released today by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Almost 35,000 individuals applied to attend medical school in the 2003-2004 school year, a 3.4 percent increase over last year's applicant pool of 33,625. The main reason for the increase was the number of women applicants - 17,672 - an almost seven percent rise over last year's total.
Some highlights of the 2003-2004 medical schools admissions process:
* Women made up the majority of medical school applicants for the first time ever
* Black women applicants increased by almost ten percent to 1,904
* The number of black applicants overall rose almost five percent to 2,736, but the number of blacks who entered medical school declined by six percent to 1,056
* Hispanic applicants increased by less than two percent to 2,483, while the number who entered medical school declined by almost four percent to 1,089.
Among the applicant pool were 26,160 individuals applying for the first time to medical school, an increase of five percent over last year, constituting evidence that the previous decline has ended. AAMC says this rebound is likely to continue in the 2004-2005 school year based on the number of applications submitted to its centralized application service. Applications submitted to date through AAMC's American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) are up approximately five percent compared to this time last year. Currently, 117 medical school programs participate in AMCAS.
Since 1996, when the number of individuals applying to medical school peaked at 47,000, the total number of medical school applicants has steadily dropped between 1,000 to 4,000 applicants in each subsequent year. This six-year trend reached its lowest point with last year's total of 33,625 applicants.
The sharp decline of males applying to medical schools, a trend that started in 1997, leveled off this year. Male applicants totaled 17,113, about the same as last year's figure of 17,069.
Because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, statistics on minorities underrepresented in medicine are likely to be carefully scrutinized for the next several years. While the total number of black applicants (2,736), rose almost five percent due to a ten percent increase in black women applicants (1,904), the number of blacks who were accepted and then went on to attend medical school (1,056) declined by six percent. The total number of Hispanic applicants (2,483) increased by less than two percent since last year, while Hispanic attendees declined by almost four percent (to 1,089).
"These latest figures contain both good and bad news for the medical profession. The decrease in minorities entering medical school underscores the need for redoubled efforts to attract a critical mass of students from diverse backgrounds in order to enhance the education of all future physicians," said AAMC President, Jordan J. Cohen M.D. "At the same time, the increase in total and first-time applicants is a reaffirming sign that the current generation of young people recognizes the attractiveness of medicine as a profession."
The Association of American Medical Colleges represents the 126 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; some 400 major teaching hospitals, including more than 70 Veterans Affairs medical centers; more than 105,000 faculty in 96 academic and scientific societies; and the nation's 66,000 medical students and 97,000 residents. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at http://www.aamc.org/newsroom.
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