First-time applicants to medical school increased by 2.6 percent in 2011 to 32,654 students and total applicants increased by 2.8 percent to 43,919 according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.
“We are very pleased that medicine continues to be an attractive career choice at a time when our healthcare system faces many challenges, including a growing need for doctors coupled with a serious physician shortage in the near future,” said Darrell G. Kirch, MD, AAMC president and CEO in a statement.
The enrollment data released late last month by AAMC also notes there were increases in the total number of racial and ethnic groups applying to and enrolling in medical school in 2011. Of note, the total number of number of black/African American applicants and enrollees rebounded in 2011 from a 0.2 percent decrease the previous year. Black/African American applicants increased by 4.8 percent in 2011 and medical school enrollees increased by 1.9 percent.
With the total enrollment in medical schools increasing by 3 percent in 2011, the AAMC predicts that medical schools are on track to meet the goal of a 30 percent enrollment increase by 2017.
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“U.S. medical schools have been responding to the nation’s health challenges by finding ways not only to select the right individuals for medicine, but also to educate and train more doctors for the future,” Kirch added. “However, to increase the nation’s supply of physicians, the number of residency training positions at teaching hospitals must also increase to accommodate the growth in the number of students in U.S. medical schools. We are very concerned that proposals to decrease federal support of graduate medical education will exacerbate the physician shortage, which is expected to reach 90,000 by 2020.”
Other highlights from AAMC’s enrollment report include:
• Hispanic/Latino applicants increased by 5.8 percent and enrollees increased 6.1 percent.
• Asian American applicants increased by 3.8 percent and enrollees increased by 3.3 percent.
• American Indian applicants and enrollees decreased from 200 to 169 and 191 to 157, respectively.
• First-time female applicants increased by 3 percent to 15,953, and first-time male applicants grew nearly 2 percent to 16,698 in 2011. The percentage of male (53 percent) and female (47 percent) enrollees remained steady from last year.
• Applicants had an average 3.5 GPA and an MCAT score of 29.
• 82.5 percent of applicants reported community service experiences in medical and clinical settings; 68.4 percent in nonclinical community service; and 73 percent in research.
Follow HFN associate editor Stephanie Bouchard on Twitter @SBouchardHFN.