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Undergraduate medical education
JAMA
|August 26, 1988
Summary
Medical school applications and first-year enrollment decreased in 1987-1988. However, diversity increased, with significant gains in black female and Asian/Pacific Islander students, while white male enrollment declined.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education Statistics
- Medical School Admissions Trends
- Diversity in Medical Schools
Background:
- The 1987-1988 academic year saw a 10% decrease in applications to US medical schools compared to the previous year.
- First-year enrollment also experienced a slight decline, with 16,047 new-entry students.
- Over 46% of entering students had a high premedical GPA (≥3.50), and 87% of schools used noncognitive criteria for admissions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the applicant pool, enrollment statistics, and demographic trends in US medical schools for the 1987-1988 academic year.
- To examine changes in the representation of various ethnic and racial groups among medical school applicants and enrollees.
- To report on faculty numbers, curriculum length, and student attrition rates.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of application and enrollment data from US medical schools for the 1987-1988 academic year.
- Comparison of demographic data (gender, ethnicity, race) with previous years.
- Reporting on faculty statistics, program lengths, and attrition rates.
Main Results:
- Total enrollment was 65,742 students, with women comprising 34.3%.
- Significant demographic shifts were observed: white male enrollment decreased by 13.2%, while black female enrollment increased by 31.7%, and Asian/Pacific Islander enrollment more than doubled.
- Underrepresented ethnic/racial groups constituted 10.6% of total enrollment (6.2% were non-Hispanic blacks), and 11.1% of new-entry students (6.6% were black).
Conclusions:
- Despite an overall decrease in applications and enrollment, US medical schools showed progress in increasing diversity, particularly among women and underrepresented minority groups.
- The data highlight a changing demographic landscape in medical education, with notable increases in female and Asian/Pacific Islander students.
- Attrition rates remained stable at approximately 2%, with academic performance being the primary reason for dismissal for 16% of those who left.