Reports of doctors concerned about their autonomy and the future of their profession apparently didn't stop a record 20,343 students from enrolling in medical school or a record 49,480 from applying to med school this year.
The new student figure, reported by the Association of American Medical Colleges Wednesday, tops the record number posted last year by 1.4%. The applicant figure represents a 3.1% increase over last year's total of 48,014.
“In spite of the ongoing partisan debate around the nation's healthcare system, it is gratifying to see that increasing numbers of students want to become physicians," AAMC President and CEO Dr. Darrell Kirch said in a release.
A 52%-48% split between males and females was evident in the new student class, which is slightly more diverse than the year before. Latino enrollees increased by 1.8% to 1,859; 1.1% more African American medical students enrolled for a total of 1,412 in this year's class. The number of Native American medical students increased to 202 from 173.
Kirch, however, said the U.S. still faces a doctor shortage and that the "nation must act without delay," to increase the number of Medicare-funded residency positions where new physicians train after graduating from medical school.
A report from the Institute of Medicine earlier this year called for several reforms to the U.S. graduate medical education system, but it questioned the need for an increase in the number of residency positions.
Follow Andis Robeznieks on Twitter: @MHARobeznieks
Send us a letter
Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.
